Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Tarangire National Park
5-Day Northern Tanzania Wildlife Safari
The classic northern circuit: Tarangire, two days in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Northern Circuit
Serengeti National Park
Endless grass plains, big cats and the Great Migration — Tanzania's most famous national park and one of the great wildlife areas on Earth.
The Serengeti covers roughly 14,750 square kilometres of open plains, acacia woodland, granite kopjes and riverine forest in northern Tanzania. Its name is usually traced to the Maasai word for ‘endless plains’, and on a clear day the grasslands really do seem to run to the horizon.
The park is best known for the Great Migration: well over a million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle, follow the rains in a vast circuit between the Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, elephant, giraffe and buffalo are resident year-round, so a visit is rewarding in any season.
Areas of the park
The central Seronera valley has permanent water and excellent resident wildlife. The southern plains around Ndutu host the migration's calving season early in the year, while the Western Corridor and northern Serengeti are known for the Grumeti and Mara river crossings later in the year. Where you stay should follow the season and your interests.
Highlights
- Year-round big cat sightings
- The Great Migration and river crossings
- Calving season on the southern plains
- Granite kopjes and classic acacia scenery
- Hot-air balloon flights (seasonal, optional)
When to visit
Wildlife viewing is good all year. The long dry season (roughly June to October) concentrates animals near water and is popular for the northern river crossings. The calving season on the southern plains usually falls between January and March. The long rains (around April and May) bring green landscapes and fewer visitors.
Migration movements depend on rainfall and vary from year to year, so we plan routes around the latest conditions.
Practical information
Most visitors reach the Serengeti by road from Arusha via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, or by light aircraft to one of the park's airstrips. Park fees are charged per person per 24 hours. Allow at least two nights to do the park justice.
Photos
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Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Tarangire National Park +1
7-Day Serengeti Migration Safari
More time where it matters: an extended Serengeti stay positioned around the migration, plus Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the crater.
Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Tarangire National Park +1
9-Day Safari & Zanzibar Beach Journey
Five days of northern-circuit safari followed by time to unwind on the beaches of Zanzibar.
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