Arrival in Arusha
We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive about an hour through farmland below Mount Meru to your lodge. After check-in your guide briefs you on the week ahead; the rest of the day is free.
- lodge in Arusha
- Dinner
Arusha, Manyara, Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro · 7 Days
7-Day Big Five Northern Circuit Safari from Arusha
Every major northern park, including a walk with a ranger
- 5 national parks
- Walking safari
- Night on the crater rim
A game drive among topi in the Serengeti.
Overview
The most complete week we offer in the north. You start gently in Arusha National Park, with a walk among giraffes and buffalo, and build up to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Five parks, each with its own character: Arusha's lakes and forest under Mount Meru, Manyara's forest and shore, Tarangire's elephants, the Serengeti's plains and cats, and the crater, where black rhino give you the chance to complete the Big Five.
The last night is on the crater rim, so you are among the first vehicles on the floor in the morning, before the drive back and your flight.
- Start/EndArusha
- Trip7 Days
- TripMid-Range
- StylePrivate Safari
Why travellers choose it
- 01
Five parks in one week
- 02
A walking safari in Arusha National Park
- 03
A night on the crater rim
- 04
Airport to airport
Day by day
Your journey
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Day 1
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Day 2
Arusha National Park
A short drive to the park on Meru's slopes: the Momella Lakes with flamingos and water birds, the forested Ngurdoto Crater, and glades with giraffes, buffalo, zebras and black-and-white colobus monkeys. With no lions here, you walk with an armed ranger. On clear mornings Kilimanjaro can appear beyond Meru. About five hours, with a picnic lunch.
- lodge near Arusha
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 3
Lake Manyara
About two hours south-west to Lake Manyara below the Rift Valley wall: forest with baboons and blue monkeys, floodplain grazed by elephants and buffalo, and a soda lake with flamingos, pelicans and storks. A five-hour game drive with a picnic, then on towards Tarangire.
- lodge between Manyara and Tarangire
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 4
Tarangire
A full day in Tarangire among elephants and baobabs. In the dry season the river draws elephants, zebras, wildebeest and buffalo, with lions, leopards and cheetahs following. Good birding too, with bee-eaters and kori bustards.
- lodge or tented camp near Tarangire
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 5
Into the Serengeti
Up through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area past Maasai homesteads, a stop at the crater viewpoint, then in at Naabi Hill Gate and across the plains to the Seronera area, prime ground for lions and cheetahs, and for the herds in season. You reach camp in time for a first afternoon drive.
- camp in central Serengeti
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 6
Serengeti morning, crater rim at night
An early drive in the Serengeti for the best light and active predators, then east towards the highlands, with a possible stop at Olduvai Gorge, and up to your lodge on the cool, forested crater rim.
- lodge on Ngorongoro rim
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 7
The crater and your flight
An early descent into the crater, one of the densest gatherings of animals anywhere: black rhino, lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos and flamingos. Picnic beside the water, then out in the early afternoon and 3 to 4 hours to Arusha, with a transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or a day room, depending on your flight.
- Breakfast, Lunch. End of services.
The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black rhino) are all present on this route, but leopards and rhinos are never guaranteed.
The route
Where the journey goes
- By road
- Day number
The line shows the order of the trip, not the exact road. Press ↻ to play it again.
Prices
Work out your price
See every price in one table
Price Per Person, By Group Size
| Season | 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High SeasonJune – October · 20 Dec – February | $3,235 | $2,675 | $2,475 | $2,275 | $2,175 | $2,075 |
| Low SeasonMarch – May · 1 Nov – 19 Dec | $2,750 | $2,275 | $2,105 | $1,935 | $1,850 | $1,765 |
High Season: June to October and 20 December to the end of February. Low Season: March to May and 1 November to 19 December.
Private trip for your group only: the more of you share the vehicle and guide, the lower the price per person. For 7 or more people we send a quote.
How booking works: a 30% deposit confirms your trip and the balance is paid on arrival in Tanzania, before the trip starts. We reply within 3 hours. Booking terms
What you pay for
Included and not included
Included
- All park and conservation fees and the crater vehicle fee
- Private 4x4 vehicle with a pop-up roof and a professional driver-guide
- Guided walking safari in Arusha National Park
- Full-board accommodation and bottled water
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound visitor insurance (US$44 per person since 1 October 2026)
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Drinks and personal spending
- Any rise in government park fees or taxes after you book
- Hot-air balloon flight (optional)
Questions
Before you book
Will we see the Big Five?
All five live along this route, and the crater gives you a real chance of black rhino. Leopards and rhinos are shy, so nobody can promise them.
What is Olduvai Gorge?
A site on the way out of the Serengeti where some of the most important early human fossils were found. There is a small museum; the stop is optional.
Is the walk in Arusha National Park safe?
Yes, you walk with an armed park ranger, and the park has no lions.
Keep exploring
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Two nights with the migration herds, plus the whole north.
From$3,645pp
Arusha National Park Day Trip & Walking Safari
Walk among giraffes and buffalo with a ranger, under Mount Meru.
From$175pp
Plan your trip
Ask us about dates and prices
Tell us your dates, where you are staying and how many of you are travelling. We reply within 3 hours.