6 days Northern Safari

Arusha is known for its colorful markets, coffee shops, and mountain views. It also happens to be the safari capital of the entire country! From here, you can easily access all of the parks that comprise Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit. When you arrive in town, your guide from Chalema Tanzania Safaris will meet you at the Kilimanjaro International Airport to bring you to the first stop on our Northern Circuit Showcase Tour: the Karama Lodge and Spa, right here in Arusha. Once you’ve checked into your cabin-style suite, you can relax by the pool, stroll through the hotel gardens, or even venture into town for a tasty local meal.

Today we’ll be showcasing the often-overlooked Tarangire National Park, which we’ll reach by traveling west from Arusha for about two hours. The park is a nature lover’s dream, especially in the green season when its tremendous baobab trees are resplendent with emerald leaves. And if you’re visiting during the dry season, you can expect to see truly enormous herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra—often numbering in the thousands. But no matter when you visit, Tarangire is perhaps best distinguished by its resident elephant population. These massive animals can always be relied upon to deliver a first- rate encounter in Tarangire. After finishing our all-day game drive and picnic lunch, we’ll settle in at the Eileen’s Tree Inn at Karatu to spend our first night in the bush.

We’ll strike out early this morning to travel north for approximately four hours, crossing the beautiful Ngorongoro Conservation Area to approach the Serengeti from its southern reaches. Driving into the park really brings home the staggering size of this important ecosystem, which encompasses 1.5 million hectares of tree-studded plains and sun-dappled riverine forests. Many of Tanzania’s most iconic wildlife species thrive here, and we’ll base our game drives in the Seronera area near the center of the park in order to find as many as we can. We’ll be spending the next two nights at the Tanzania Bush Camp, where your roomy tent will come fully outfitted with an oversized bed, running water, and views to die for.

There’s no better way to showcase the natural splendor of Tanzania’s most famous game reserve than to spend the entire day on safari. We’ll take a picnic lunch with us in order to spend as much time as possible exploring the Serengeti’s best hidden spots. The park is most famous for its migratory population of wildebeest and zebra, but we’ll also keep a lookout for the impala, Thomson’s gazelle, kudu, cheetah, hyena, and the occasional secretive leopard. We’ll even stop at some likely spots to look for the mighty hippopotamus and the incomparable Nile crocodile. And of course, no Serengeti safari would be complete without spending some time in the company of lions! After today’s game drive, we’ll return to camp to relish another delicious meal in the bush.

This morning, we’ll wake up early to watch the sun rise over the Serengeti with a hot mug of tea in our hands before packing up our things and setting out enjoy one more game drive as we travel out of the park. Then it’s back through the Ngorongoro highlands for just over two hours to arrive at the region’s most prominent geological feature: Ngorongoro Crater. This caldera was formed at least two million years ago as the result of a volcanic explosion. These days, it’s best known as an important protected reserve for threatened species like the black rhinoceros and cheetah. After spending the day on safari, we’ll depart the crater to spend the night in nearby Karatu at the Marera Valley Lodge.

All good things must come to an end, and our Northern Circuit Showcase Tour reaches its conclusion today with a brief two-hour drive back to Arusha. We’ll arrive in town in time to take you to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for your outgoing flight, and we can even stop for lunch at one of the tasty local restaurants along the way. It has been our pleasure to host your Tanzanian adventure, and we hope that you’ll do us the honor of selecting Chalema Tanzania Safaris again when you’re ready to return to the African bush.