6-Day Classic Northern Tanzania Safari

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at either Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you’ll be warmly greeted by a Buffalo Grass Safaris representative and begin your adventure right away. You’ll head straight to Tarangire National Park, one of the most underrated parks in the Northern Circuit.

Famous for its vast elephant herds, towering baobab trees, and seasonal swamps, Tarangire is a haven for wildlife and birdlife alike. Enjoy your first thrilling game drive through this unique landscape, where you might spot lions, giraffes, zebras, and leopards. As the sun begins to set, drive to your charming lodge on the shores of Lake Burunge.

Accommodation: Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge or similar

After breakfast, begin your scenic drive toward the Serengeti, passing through the lush highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. En route, stop for a Maasai cultural experience, where you'll learn about the traditional lifestyle, dress, and customs of this iconic semi-nomadic tribe. For history lovers, an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge, often called the “Cradle of Mankind,” offers a fascinating glimpse into early human history.

As you enter the Serengeti through its southern gate, the landscape opens up into endless plains. Enjoy an en route game drive toward your luxury tented camp, with chances to spot lions, elephants, cheetahs, and wildebeest as you make your way to camp for a hearty dinner and restful night.

Accommodation: Nyota Luxury Camp or similar

Wake up to the sounds of the wild in the heart of the Serengeti. Today is all about exploring this world-famous national park, with morning and afternoon game drives. Depending on the season, you may witness the Great Migration, where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle thunder across the plains in search of fresh grazing.

Your expert guide will track wildlife through various terrains—open grasslands, rocky kopjes, and acacia woodlands. Expect excellent chances to see predators on the hunt and herds of elephants grazing peacefully. Return to camp in the evening for storytelling around the fire and dinner under the stars.

Accommodation: Nyota Luxury Camp or similar

Today, you leave the vast plains behind and head toward one of Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders—the Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera, home to over 25,000 animals in a stunning landscape of grassland, swamp, and forest. This is one of the best places to spot the endangered black rhino, as well as lions, hyenas, hippos, buffalo, flamingos, and more. After a full game drive with hot picnic lunch in the crater, you’ll ascend the walls and drive to the fertile highlands of Karatu.

Your lodge for the night, nestled among coffee plantations, offers warm hospitality and relaxing garden views.

Gibb’s Farm Lodge or similar

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and then begin your leisurely journey back to Arusha. Along the way, you may choose to stop in the lively village of Mto wa Mbu, where optional activities include a local biking or walking tour, a visit to the Hadzabe tribe for a rare glimpse into Tanzania’s last remaining hunter-gatherer culture, or a coffee tour on the green slopes of the Rift Valley. These cultural encounters offer a deeper understanding of Tanzania’s people, history, and traditions.

Katambuga House or similar

After breakfast (or depending on your flight time), a Buffalo Grass Safaris representative will transfer you to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight.