7 DAYS THE NORTHERN CIRCUIT EXTENDED SAFARI

Your Tanzanian adventure begins as you touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), the gateway to the safari circuit. On a clear day, you may catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped peak from the tarmac. You will be welcomed by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Arusha, a vibrant city nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. Depending on your arrival time, you safari briefing may take place today or early tomorrow meaning.

Meal: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Arusha

After breakfast, you will leave Arusha and drive southwest towards Tarangire National Park. As you enter the park, the landscape transforms into a dramatic vista of grassy savannah dotted with ancient, bulbous baobab trees and termite mounds. Known as the "Elephant Playground," this park hosts the largest concentration of elephants in the region. You will spend the day game driving, watching family herds dig for water in the riverbeds and spotting other residents like giraffes, wildebeest, and the rare fringe-eared oryx. You will overnight in a lodge within or near the park, surrounded by the sounds of the African bush.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Lodge/Camp in Tarangire

Today involves a scenic and adventurous drive as you head towards the Serengeti. You will ascend the Great Rift Valley escarpment and cross the cool, green highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will stop at the crater rim viewpoint for a breathtaking look at the caldera before descending onto the vast plains. As you pass Naabi Hill Gate, the trees disappear, replaced by the "endless plains" that give the park its name. The drive to the Central Seronera area serves as your first game drive in the park, offering chances to spot hyenas, zebras, and gazelles before arriving at your camp in the late afternoon.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Lodge/Camp in Central Serengeti

You have a full day dedicated to exploring the Seronera Valley, the vibrant heart of the Serengeti. This region is renowned for its year-round wildlife abundance, largely due to the permanent waters of the Seronera River. Your guide will help you track the Big Five, with a special focus on leopards, which are frequently spotted lounging in the branches of sausage trees along the riverbanks. You might also encounter cheetahs using termite mounds as vantage points to scout for prey, or massive prides of lions resting in the shade of kopjes (rocky outcrops). A picnic lunch in the bush allows you to maximize your time viewing the complex interactions of this ancient ecosystem.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Lodge/Camp in Central Serengeti

With a second full day in the Serengeti, you have the luxury of exploring further afield without the rush. You might head to the eastern plains to look for cheetahs on the Gol Kopjes or visit the Retima Hippo Pool to watch dozens of hippos wallowing and fighting for dominance. The extended time allows you to observe animal behavior more closely—perhaps witnessing a hunt or seeing lion cubs playing. You can return to camp for a hot lunch and a siesta during the heat of the day, heading back out in the golden afternoon light when the animals become active again.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Lodge in Central Serengeti

After a final morning game drive in the Serengeti to track any wildlife you may have missed, you will bid farewell to the plains and drive back towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This return journey offers a second chance to spot wildlife across the plains, such as hyenas and jackals. You will ascend into the crater highlands, arriving at your lodge on the crater rim (or in nearby Karatu) in the late afternoon. The evening is spent relaxing and enjoying the spectacular views, preparing for the descent into the crater the next day.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Lodge in Ngorongoro

You will start this final day very early to maximize your time in the crater. It is a short drive from Karatu to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gate, where you will descend 600 meters to the crater floor. This ancient volcanic caldera is a self-contained ecosystem teeming with wildlife, including the Big Five. You will spend the morning exploring the crater floor, with high chances of spotting lions, hyenas, and the critically endangered Black Rhino. After a picnic lunch near the hippo pool, you will ascend the steep walls and begin the drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). The drive takes you past Arusha and on to the airport, arriving in the early evening.