Northern Circuit Destinations
Overview
The Northern circuit is the most popular safari route in Tanzania. Explore the National Parks of Tarangire, Manyara, before heading north-west to the beautiful Ngorongoro Crater. Finally, you will arrive in the world’s most tumors safari destination, the endless savannah that is the Serengeti.
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park has a rich variety of wildlife, but visitors shouldn’t expect the same game-viewing experience they find in other national parks of Tanzania’s northern circuit.
It is a great place for walking; one can enjoy natural forest in comfort because of the cool climate. The walking activity has to be arranged in advance and must be accompanied by armed ranger. Canoeing on a small Momela lake is also available by prior arrangements with bushbuck, Buffalo, Giraffe and hippos often seen during this excursion.
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park lies up against the steep western wall of rift valley. It is directly en route to Ngorongoro from Arusha and Tarangire therefore this makes it very popular for either day trip or overnight. Most of the characteristic east African mammals are found in Manyara including cheetahs, leopard, buffalo, hippos, elephants, giraffe and the largest baboon troops in Africa.
It is in Manyara where some lions opted to rest up in the trees during the heat of midday, giving rise to the mistaken belief that the Manyara lions are somehow different .Lions in many part of Africa spend time in the lower broad limbed branches of trees probably to escape flies. Lake Manyara National Park is also known for flocks of thousands flamingos that feed along the edge of the lake in the wet season. Activities in Manyara National park includes Game drives, this is the main activity. Guests can enjoy driving along the network roads within the park.
Sleeping and relaxing lions in a tree
Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti hosts the largest concentration of wildlife in the world. It is also home to one of the greatest spectacles on Earth – the Great Migration – where over a million wildebeest follow an age-old route in search of grazing pastures and water. The wildebeest will journey across the Masai Mara in Kenya, travelling south into Tanzania through the Serengeti and head towards the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, before circling in a clockwise direction back towards the Masai Mara. Along the way, thousands of animals are taken by predators, and thousands more are born, replenishing the numbers and sustaining the circle of life.
HIGHLIGHTS:
From December to October each year, the Serengeti hosts the Great Migration of 1.5 million wildebeest. From December to March, the migration is active in the south where herds gather for calving season. And between July and October, wildbeest head north and cross the Mara River.
Besides the migration herds, the Serengeti is a popular destination to see the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) and other predators such as cheetah, spotted hyena and wild dog.
Fittingly the Serengeti offers plenty of activities in addition to game drives, from walking safaris to hot air balloon flights.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of Tanzania’s must-see places. The crater itself is the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera, formed 2 to 3 million years ago. Today it has around 25,000 large animals living in the 30,000-hectare crater, including lion, black rhino, elephant, and giraffe – making for a great safari. A peaceful co-existence between wildlife and people led to the NCA’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status and is listed as one of the International Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and is home to some of the richest wildlife viewing on the continent. From December to March, the Great Migration is active in the southern Serengeti/Ngorongoro Conservation Area as wildebeest gather for calving season.
Visitors can hike up the Olmoti volcano, trek down to the Empakaai Crater lake where pink flamingos flock in the shallows or visit a Ngorongoro village to learn about Maasai culture.The conservation area contains archaeological and palaeontological sites located at Oldupai Gorge, and early human footprints discovered at Alaitole in the Ngarusi area.
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is a lovely, quiet park in Northern Tanzania well-known for its elephant migration, birding, and quiet, authentic safari atmosphere. With an exceptional concentration of game from July to October, this seasonal Tanzania safari park is a little gem on the northern safari circuit, especially for those in search of elephant, which are easily encountered, regardless of the season. The park’s green-tinged swamps are home to 550 bird varieties, with the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world.
HIGHLIGHTS:
As well as 300-strong herds of elephant, visitors will find big groups of buffalo and healthy populations of lion and leopard. During the dry season, Tarangire has the highest concentration of mammals in the country, species include wild dog and rare antelope such as gerenuk.
Tarangire is the ideal park for those who want to explore beyond game drives. Walk through the savannah to study the smallest creatures and learn about tracking animals. Soar through the sky in a hot-air balloon at dawn or head out on a night drive to find nocturnal wildlife.
