Northern Tanzania Circuit

Northern Tanzania Circuit

Arusha, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro and Conservation Area, Serengeti National Park

nights
9
camps
5
from price, per person
USD15,733

This itinerary is all about variety and contrast in a compact, easy-to-follow route through northern Tanzania. Lake Manyara offers water-based wildlife experiences that feel different from a traditional safari, while Ngorongoro’s crater offers wildlife against a stunning volcanic backdrop. Ending in the Serengeti at Usawa gives you the classic, wide-open plains safari with abundant predators and herds. I like how each location feels completely distinct with every day offering a new perspective and a new kind of wildlife encounter.

MK

Minnie Kent

Travel Designer

Katambuga House

Katambuga House

Wayo Manyara Green Camp

Wayo Manyara Green Camp

Exploring Lake Manyara National Park

Exploring Lake Manyara National Park

Canoeing in Manyara National Park

Canoeing in Manyara National Park

Entamanu Ngorongoro

Entamanu Ngorongoro

Exploring the Ngorongoro Crater

Exploring the Ngorongoro Crater

Wilderness Usawa Grumeti

Wilderness Usawa Grumeti

Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills

Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills

wildlife & activities

Highlights

  • Witness the diversity of northern Tanzania, from lush forested lakes to wildlife-rich national parks and plains home to the Great Migration.
  • Experience a variety of safari activities, from canoeing on Lake Manyara to guided crater game drives and immersive Serengeti walks.
  • Spend two nights at Lake Manyara National Park where canoeing excursions allow you to enjoy the park’s unique birdlife and scenic waterways.
  • Continue to the Ngorongoro Crater, enjoying exceptional wildlife viewing in this dramatic ecosystem.
  • Conclude with two nights at Wilderness Usawa in the Serengeti, perfectly positioned for witnessing the Great Migration, without the crowds.

Your Itinerary

Day 1

Kilimanjaro International Airport

Kilimanjaro International Airport to Katambuga House

Road • 01:30h

Day 1 - 2

Katambuga House

Location IconArusha, Tanzania

Katambuga House is an elegant and stylish 6 room lodge set in expansive grounds, on the Endurance Estate near Arusha. With attention to detail, caring staff and excellent dining, Katambuga house is a destination in its own right.

1 nights • Standard Room x 1

Day 2

Katambuga House to Arusha Airport

Road • 00:15h

Arusha Airport

Arusha Airport to Wayo Manyara Green Camp

Flight • 00:35h

Scheduled flight from Arusha Airport to Wayo Manyara Green Camp.

Day 2 - 4

Wayo Manyara Green Camp

Location IconLake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

Located on the banks of the Endabash River in the south of the park, at the bottom of a huge waterfall, the setting provides beautiful views of the park down to Lake Manyara. The pools in the rocks below the waterfall provide the perfect reprieve for a safe swim on hot African afternoons. Manyara Camp comprises eight square en-suite eco-tents on raised platforms. Each tent can be set up as a double, twin, or triple for families. Adjoining tents with an enclosed walkway are ideal for families with older children. Simple luxuries, comfortable beds, crisp linen, low flush toilets and classic bush showers ensure complete relaxation after a full day enjoying the wildlife. The stylish central mess tent has lounge chairs and a small library. All Wayo Green Camps operate in the most environmentally sustainable manner and are 100% plastic-free, using solar-powered lighting and recycling all applicable materials. INSIDER’S TIP: For some parts of the year, the Endabash River is the only source of water for miles, attracting thousands of animals – including elephants and buffalos – creating breathtaking scenes.

2 nights • Tented Room x 1

Selected experiences

Exploring Lake Manyara National Park

Learn more

Dive into the lush wonder of Lake Manyara National Park, a hidden gem set between Arusha and the famed Ngorongoro Crater. Renowned for its vibrant landscapes and the iconic tree-climbing lions, this park offers a unique safari experience where each turn reveals more of Tanzania's natural beauty. Journey through dense forests, open savannas, and scenic shores as you encounter elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and flocks of pink flamingos sweeping across the lake's glistening waters. Keep an eye out for the park's famously elusive lions lounging in acacia treesa rare behavior that makes Lake Manyara truly unforgettable. With a diverse range of ecosystems, this park is also home to over 400 bird species, making it a paradise for birdwatchers. Wrap up your day with an awe-inspiring sunset over the lake, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. This adventure is sure to leave you spellbound and inspired by the wonders of Tanzania.

Canoeing in Manyara National Park

Glide across the serene waters of Lake Manyara, surrounded by breathtaking views and thriving wildlife. This unique water safari offers an intimate glimpse of the park's iconic animalswatch as giraffes, elephants, and buffalos graze along the shoreline, while vibrant birdlife flutters against the dramatic backdrop of Rift Valley cliffs. Paddle your canoe past the bubbling Majimoto hot springs, where you might spot a pod of hippos. Lasting 2.5 hours, this unforgettable journey departs from the scenic Endala Picnic Site.

Day 4

Wayo Manyara Green Camp to Entamanu Ngorongoro

Road • 03:00h

Day 4 - 6

Entamanu Ngorongoro

Location IconNgorongoro and Conservation Area, Tanzania

Sitting high atop the Ngorongoro Crater rim, Entamanu Ngorongoro offers a unique retreat into the heart of the Tanzanian highlands. Here, you can escape the bustle of the everyday, finding the rhythm of Maasai pastoralist life in the quiet volcanic hills here. There is nothing tame about this location, where the high-altitude sun and brisk winds create a unique highland environment. Entamanu Ngorongoro is a thoughtfully designed refuge above the main tourist trails of the famed crater, providing shelter within the elemental place it sits. Each of the property’s spacious en-suite tents is adorned with soft textiles, cosy heaters, and sumptuous sheepskin. Step onto your private balcony to take in the horizon-wide vistas of the iconic crater and ancient acacia trees, a canvas of natural splendour. An homage to local artistry, every detail of the camp reflects the pulse of the region. Here, in the untouched wilderness, Entamanu Ngorongoro offers a unique and exciting journey beyond the tourist trail. Insider's Tip: Don't miss the opportunity to join a guided nature walk led by local Maasai guides. It's a chance to deepen your connection with the land and its inhabitants, while gaining unique knowledge into the local ecology and culture.

2 nights • Tent x 1

Selected experiences

Exploring the Ngorongoro Crater

Learn more

Adventure into the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and experience the raw beauty of nature in one of the world's most renowned wildlife regions. Discover the ancient volcanic landscape, teeming with wildlife and echoing stories of both natural and cultural history.

Day 6

Entamanu Ngorongoro to Manyara Airstrip

Road • 01:45h

Manyara Airstrip

Manyara Airstrip to Wilderness Usawa Grumeti

Flight • 02:30h

Scheduled flight from Manyara Airstrip to Wilderness Usawa Grumeti. On arrival to the airstrip, you will take a game drive transfer to the camp.

Day 6 - 8

Wilderness Usawa Grumeti

Location IconSerengeti National Park, Tanzania

Imagine endless horizons, skies stretching over the grassland as far as the eye can see … Every species in the Serengeti lives in perfect harmony with the one beside it. It is this balance, ‘usawa’ in Kiswahili, that ensures this phenomenal ecosystem functions in perfect symbiosis. In northern Tanzania, Africa’s greatest spectacle unfolds. Two million wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, eland and other migratory animals graze, breed, and birth on the Serengeti’s plains; following the rains, moving as one. Prides of lion split the herds, taking down wildebeest and zebra. Cheetah chase down and tyre out gazelles while crocodiles prey on the brave; those who dare to cross the rivers first. This scale of wildlife, of predator-prey interaction is found nowhere else on Earth. Far from the crowds, Wilderness Usawa Serengeti's mobile camps are strategically located, moving to areas where the herds are as they follow the rain. With a number of sites available, positioned as close as is feasible to the action, in luxurious safari tents that leave no impact on the plains. Insider's Tip: Pack your walking shoes. All Wilderness Usawa Serengeti sites are positioned within designated walking zones, allowing walking safaris to begin right from camp.

2 nights • Tented Room x 1

Day 8

Grumeti airstrip

Wilderness Usawa Grumeti to Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills

Flight • 02:45h

Scheduled flight from Grumeti airstrip to Lobo airstrip. On arrival to the airstrip, you will take a game drive transfer to Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills camp.

Kogatende airstrip

Day 8 - 10

Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills

Location IconSerengeti National Park, Tanzania

Imagine endless horizons, skies stretching over the grassland as far as the eye can see … Every species in the Serengeti lives in perfect harmony with the one beside it. It is this balance, ‘usawa’ in Kiswahili, that ensures this phenomenal ecosystem functions in perfect symbiosis. In northern Tanzania, Africa’s greatest spectacle unfolds. Two million wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, eland and other migratory animals graze, breed, and birth on the Serengeti’s plains; following the rains, moving as one. Prides of lion split the herds, taking down wildebeest and zebra. Cheetah chase down and tyre out gazelles while crocodiles prey on the brave; those who dare to cross the rivers first. This scale of wildlife, of predator-prey interaction is found nowhere else on Earth. Far from the crowds, Wilderness Usawa Serengeti's mobile camps are strategically located, moving to areas where the herds are as they follow the rain. With a number of sites available, positioned as close as is feasible to the action, in luxurious safari tents that leave no impact on the plains. Insider's Tip: Pack your walking shoes. All Wilderness Usawa Serengeti sites are positioned within designated walking zones, allowing walking safaris to begin right from camp.

2 nights • Tented Room x 1

Day 10

Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills to Kilimanjaro International Airport

Flight • 03:15h

Scheduled flight from Wilderness Usawa Northern Hills to Kilimanjaro International Airport

Kilimanjaro International Airport

What to expect

Includes

  • All safari accommodation & meals
  • Twice daily safari activities
  • Park fees and concession fees
  • Laundry service
  • Airport and inter-camp transfers as specified
  • Meet & Greet
  • Canoeing in Lake Manyara
  • Game drive in Lake Manyara
  • Game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater

Excludes

  • International flights
  • Gratuities
  • Personal purchases
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa fees

Start your journey

These experiences are just a glimpse of what’s possible. If you’d like to book this trip or shape a custom itinerary, we are here to help you plan your perfect safari.

GUEST EXPERIENCES

What others say

Our awards

The hard work of our teams on the ground and the communities we work alongside has been recognised through numerous awards. And we couldn’t be prouder.

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Virtuoso Award 2025

Virtuoso Award 2025

Wilderness - Best Sustainability Community Partner

Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure

Wilderness Bisate Reserve - Best New Luxury Hotels

World Travel Awards

World Travel Awards

Wilderness Ruckomechi - Zimbabwe's Leading Safari Lodge

Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler

Wilderness DumaTau - #2 World Resorts

nights
9
from price, per person
USD15,733