Northern Circuit Tanzania Safari

Tanzania in East Africa is one of the world’s best safari destinations. It offers grasslands and Savannah peppered with acacias and vast lakes, a snow-topped peak, and a wealth of wildlife. The Serengeti and the Great Wildebeest Migration are the most famous, but there are lots more things to do on safari in the Northern Circuit, Tanzania.

The northern tourism circuit is by far the most popular safari circuit in Tanzania, comprising most of the must-see destinations in the country. If you’re a first-time visitor to Tanzania, this is where you want to be. The circuit starts in Arusha and includes, from east to west, Arusha National Park at the foot of Mount Meru, Tarangire National Park 110 km southwest of the town of Arusha, Manyara Ranch between Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Manyara National Park at the bottom of the Gregory Rift, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (which includes the Ngorongoro caldera, the Empakaai Crater and the southern Serengeti plains of Lake Ndutu), and the Serengeti National Park that stretches north to the Tanzania/Kenya border.

Since Tanzania is a vast country, it’s hard to do and see everything on a single two-week safari. That’s why it’s generally divided into two: the popular Northern Circuit, which includes Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and the less visited Southern Circuit, which includes the Ruaha and Selous national parks. Here’s a guide to some highlights of a Northern Circuit safari.