Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Grand Northern Circuit
7 Days — Grand Northern Circuit, 3 nights in the Serengeti
overview
Our most complete safari. Three full nights in the Serengeti means you are there for the dawn and dusk game drives that day-trippers miss — and, in season, the migration herds. Bookended by Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Highlights
- Three nights in the Serengeti — the heart of the trip
- Seasonal migration herds and river crossings
- Two full days of Serengeti game drives
- Optional dawn balloon safari over the plains
- Tarangire's elephant herds and baobabs
- Ngorongoro Crater floor on the final morning
Day-by-day
Day 1
Arrival & Arusha
JRO → Arusha
Airport pick-up, transfer to Arusha and your safari briefing.
Overnight: Gold Crest Hotel
Day 2
Tarangire National Park → Karatu
Arusha → Tarangire → Karatu
A full day's game drive in Tarangire, then on to the Karatu highlands for the night.
Overnight: Marera Valley
Day 3
Karatu → Serengeti
Via the Ngorongoro rim & Olduvai Gorge
Over the crater rim and down past Olduvai Gorge onto the Serengeti plains, game viewing all the way in.
Overnight: Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp
Day 4
Serengeti
Full day of game drives
A full day in the Serengeti — predators at dawn, plains game through the middle of the day, and, depending on the season, the migration herds strung out across the grasslands. Your guide follows the animals rather than a fixed route.
Overnight: Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp
Day 5
Serengeti
Second full day
A second full day on the plains, which is where the real wildlife encounters tend to happen. If you would like to see the Serengeti from the air, a dawn balloon safari can be arranged at extra cost — tell us in advance so we can book it.
Overnight: Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp
Day 6
Serengeti → Karatu
Morning game drive, then east
A last morning game drive before the drive back east to the Ngorongoro highlands.
Overnight: Marera Valley
Day 7
Ngorongoro Crater & departure
Crater floor → Arusha / JRO
Descend into the crater for a full game drive and picnic lunch on the floor, then return to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport.
Travel times are approximate and lodges are subject to availability. Where a listed lodge is full we substitute a property of the same standard and tell you before you confirm.
Where you'll stay
Night 1 — Arusha
Gold Crest Hotel
Comfortable city hotel in central Arusha for your arrival night.
Nights 2 & 6 — Karatu
Marera Valley
Highland lodge in the farmland below the Ngorongoro crater rim.
Nights 3-5 — Serengeti
Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp
Tented camp on the plains — canvas rooms, proper beds, dinner under the stars.
Photographs show the style and standard of each property. The exact lodge depends on availability on your dates.
Glimpses
What's included
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- English-speaking driver-guide
- All park and conservation fees
- Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
- Packed lunches on game-drive days
- Bottled water throughout the safari
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Personal items
- Optional activities (balloon safari, walking safari, cultural visits)