Northern and Southern Circuit
16 days—The best Safari in Northern and Southern Tanzania Circuit
$6601-11207 USD
pp
Safari summary
Northern Circuit is the most popular, iconic, and accessible route (Serengeti, Ngorongoro), best for first-timers, offering high-energy game drives and the Great Migration. The Southern Circuit is a quieter, more remote, and exclusive experience (Nyerere, Ruaha), ideal for seasoned travelers seeking solitude, specialized activities like walking and boat safaris, and vast, untamed wilderness.
About this tour
| Tour type | Custom, tailor-made, private | |
| Main focus | Game drives | |
| Activity level | Easy activity | |
| Best months | All months | |
| Countries | ||
| Parks |
Fine details
Safari highlights
- Bird watching—with professional guide
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Self-drive safari
What’s included?
- Accommodation
- Airport transfers
- Meals
- Park fees
- Private vehicle and driver
What’s not included?
- Alcoholic beverages
- Hot air balloons
- Internal flights
- International flights
- Premium alcoholic beverages
- Spa treatments
- Tips and gratuities
- Visas
Itinerary
JRO to Arusha
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will be met by your dedicated RA Expeditions safari guide, who will be waiting for you after the customs and baggage claim area. Look for a sign with your name. After a warm Tanzanian welcome, you will embark on a private, one-hour transfer in a comfortable 4x4 safari vehicle to your accommodation in Arusha, the gateway to the Northern Safari Circuit.
Mt. Meru Hotel
Arusha to Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Crater
Your adventure into the heart of the Northern Circuit begins with an early morning departure from Arusha. The journey to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a spectacular scenic drive, offering stunning views of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. You will pass through the bustling town of Karatu and the entrance gate, winding up the slopes to the Crater rim.
Ngorongoro Serena
Ngorongoro to Serengeti
Serengeti
Start the day with an early descent into the Ngorongoro Crater for a spectacular morning game drive, aiming to spot the Big Five, including the rare Black Rhino. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor, you will ascend and proceed to the vast plains of the Central Serengeti National Park. The transfer acts as a game drive in itself. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, check into your camp or lodge, perfectly positioned to witness the park's dense population of big cats.
Shuhudia Adventure
Serengeti
Serengeti
The day is dedicated to a full-day, scenic transfer game drive as you journey from the Central Serengeti to the far North Serengeti, specifically the Kogatende area. This is a crucial move, as you follow the path of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Your ultimate destination is the area near the Mara River, which is the most famous location for the dramatic river crossings, where large herds of wildebeest and zebra brave the torrential flow and the lurking crocodiles.
North Wilderness Camp
full day at Serengeti
Serengeti
Today is a full day dedicated to the Northern Serengeti, with a primary focus on the magnificent and dramatic Mara River crossing—the ultimate spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Guide will use their deep knowledge to position your vehicle at prime vantage points anticipating where the colossal herds of wildebeest and zebra might attempt to cross. While river crossings are a natural event and never guaranteed, the sheer scale of the landscape and the energy of the herds are breathtaking
North Wilderness Camp
Serengeti
Serengeti
This is a full-day transfer game drive journeying south from the Northern plains to the Central Seronera region. The focus shifts from the Migration to the high concentration of resident predators like lions and cheetahs, which thrive in the Central Serengeti's riverine areas. You'll enjoy a packed lunch en route and arrive in the late afternoon for a final look at the famed Central Serengeti action.
Shuhudia adventure
Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After exiting the Serengeti, you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for the scenic drive across its plains. You will pass by the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, traveling along the rim before descending the outer slopes into the fertile farming land that leads to the nearby town of Karatu. Karatu is a vibrant agricultural town situated just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and is known for its coffee plantations and lodges.You will check into your comfortable lodge in the Karatu.
Farm of dreams
Karatu to Tarangire
Tarangire
After an early breakfast at your lodge in Karatu, you will check out and begin the final exciting game drive of your Northern Circuit safari. The day starts with a drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its enormous herds of elephants and iconic baobab trees.In the mid-afternoon, you will exit the park and proceed with a final transfer drive south to the town of Babati. Babati serves as a quiet stopover, concluding your safari activities.
Asmorian Hotel
Babati to Dodoma
Today is a full-day road transfer south, transitioning from the safari region to the capital. After an early breakfast in Babati, you will drive to Kondoa known for the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Rock Paintings, with a possible stop to view the ancient art. The journey continues through Tanzania's central plateau to Dodoma, the official capital, where you will check into your hotel in the late afternoon for dinner and a final overnight stay concluding the road travel portion of your itinerary.
Best Western Dodoma
Dodoma to Ruaha
Ruaha
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel to the Dodoma airport for a scheduled domestic flight to Ruaha National Park. The flight is scenic, offering aerial views of the changing terrain as you head southwest. Ruaha is the largest national park in Tanzania, known for its vast wilderness, stunning baobab forests, and the Great Ruaha River. It offers an exclusive, untamed safari experience.
Ruaha River Lodge
Full day at Ruaha
Ruaha
You will head out on a morning game drive, often focusing on the life around the Great Ruaha River and its tributaries, which are crucial for wildlife, especially during the dry season. This area is a key spot for viewing enormous herds of elephants and tracking large lion prides a highlight of Ruaha including the famous tree-climbing lions. Ruaha's diverse landscape, characterized by dramatic baobab forests, vast miombo woodland means every turn offers a new photographic opportunity.
Ruaha River Lodge
Ruaha to udzungwa
Ruaha
Your guide will drive to the remarkable Isimila Stone Age Site.You will take a guided walk into a stunning gorge, where you can view thousands of ancient, well-preserved Acheulean Stone Age tools and marvel at the breathtaking, eroded sandstone pillars After this insightful cultural and geological visit heading east toward your final destination in the Southern Circuit: Udzungwa Mountains National Park.
Hondohondo
Uzungwa to Mikumi
Mikumi
The day begins with an early start in the Udzungwa Mountains, a global biodiversity hot spot. You will embark on a guided trek into the rainforest, focusing on a popular trail like the Sanje Waterfalls hike. This forest walk is not a game drive; it is an immersive experience designed for hiking, bird watching, and tracking primates. After the morning hike you will check out and begin the road transfer east toward to Mikumi National Park.
Vuma Hills
Mikumi to Selous
Mikumi
oday marks your transition from the accessible Mikumi to the vast, wild, and water-rich landscapes of Nyerere National Park, formerly the Selous Game Reserve—one of the largest protected areas in Africa. After an early morning breakfast and a final look at the Mikumi plains, you will be transferred to the nearby airstrip or to the main road for the onward journey. This transfer is typically a short, scenic scheduled flight from Mikumi's airstrip directly into Nyerere National Park
Rufiji river Camp
Selous
Spend a full day immersed in the Nyerere wilderness. Start with a unique Walking Safari accompanied by an armed ranger, providing an intimate, ground-level view of the bush. Follow this with a comprehensive Game Drive focused on tracking large herds of elephants, hippos, buffalo, and the rare African Wild Dog. The activities emphasize the park's remoteness, diversity, and its unique riverine environment.
Rufiji river camp
Selous to Dar es Salaam
Your final day in the African wilderness begins with a leisurely breakfast at your camp, allowing you to savor the last moments of the remote Southern Circuit.You will then be transferred to a local airstrip (such as Mtemere) for your scheduled domestic flight to Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR). The flight offers final, stunning aerial views of the vast Nyerere National Park and the coastline as you return to the city.
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