Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari

Game drive in Serengeti National Park

Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari

The Northern Circuit Safari in Tanzania is one of the most renowned wildlife safaris in Africa that provides travellers with an opportunity to discover the famous national parks, stunning landscapes, and cultural experiences. The safari route, stretching along the northern frontier of the country, is known to be diverse, accessible and world-class in terms of game viewing. Regardless of whether you are a first-time Tanzania safari visitor or you are a frequent traveller, the Northern Circuit is incomparable in terms of the diversity of adventures it offers.

Introduction to important people: The Northern Circuit Safari

The Northern Circuit visits some of the most well-known parks in Tanzania, including Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Arusha National Park. The destinations all form a circuit that has an authentic East African safari, and the landscape varies with savannah plains, rich forests and volcanic highlands.

The circuit also hosts the world-renowned Great Wildebeest Migration, which is one of the most spectacular wildlife spectacles that nature has to offer. The proximity to Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania, is the added advantage of this route to international travellers.

Rusha National Park: The Gateway to Safaris

Most Northern Circuit safaris begin in Arusha, which is a busy city at the foot of Mount Meru and near Kilimanjaro International Airport. Rusha National Park, which is just a short drive away, is a good way to be introduced to wildlife viewing. This park is small relative to other parks, but it has giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, and other primates, including colobus monkeys. The park also boasts canoeing on the Momella lakes as well as walking safaris with the beautiful backdrop of Mt. Meru.

Tarangire National Park: The land of Elephants

Tarangire National Park is famous for having large populations of elephants and baobab trees. The Tarangire River is the focus of animals during the dry season (June to October), when thousands of animals migrate to the river to drink water. Birdwatchers also visit here in large numbers in order to see over 500 species of birds, which makes it one of the richest avian habitats in Africa. Tarangire is a good place to visit with a more serene environment than the Serengeti and thus a more enjoyable game drive.

Lake Manyara National Park: The Tree-Climbing Lions Habitat

The park also has tree-climbing lions, which is a rare phenomenon that attracts safari lovers worldwide. The park exhibits an impressive scenery with its alkaline lake being home to thousands of flamingos, hippos and many birds. It has a dense groundwater forest that contrasts with the open savannah and is an inward look kind of safari. Lake Manyara is mostly visited alongside trips to Ngorongoro and Serengeti because of its location on the circuit.

Ngorongoro Crater: Africa’s Eden

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most unique safari destinations in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crater is home to an estimated 25,000 large animals that live in a natural enclosure formed by a collapsed volcano. It is nearly certain that visitors will see the Big Five: lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards, along with an abundance of other species.

The highlands are stunning, there is a Maasai cultural experience, and it is cooler than the plains. The crater is the most popular destination of the Northern Circuit, as many people see it as a place where they can enjoy wildlife in a very rich way.

Serengeti National Park: The Northern Circuit Heart

Serengeti is the most renowned safari region in Tanzania and the major attraction of the Northern Circuit. It is also known by its extensive savannahs, and it is home to the Great Wildebeest Migration, where 1.5 million wildebeests, zebras and gazelles traverse the plains in search of new pastures.

Depending on the time of the year, visitors can witness dramatic river crossings at the Mara River (July-October) or calving season in the southern Serengeti (January-March) when predators are most active. Besides the migration, the Serengeti has wildlife viewing throughout the year with huge prides of lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas all over the plains.

When to Go to Northern Circuit

The Northern Circuit is accessible all year round, but the best time will be dependent on the interests. July to October is an ideal time of year to cross the rivers during the Great Migration. The calving season, which is a magnet to predators, is between January and March.

The best time to view wildlife is during the dry season (June to October), as this is the time when animals are concentrated around water points. Nevertheless, the rainy season (November to May) is a time of green sceneries, less traffic and great birdwatching.

Great Migration river
Great Migration Mara river

Safari Activities other than Game Drives

Game drives remain the primary activity of a Northern Circuit safari, but there are other activities as well that can be used to enhance the safari. Tarangire and Arusha National Parks offer walking safaris that enable a visitor to explore the nature on foot, and the hot air balloon rides over the Serengeti are a unique way of seeing the plains at sunrise. The cultural experiences with the Maasai people will provide a human element to the wilderness experience, as one gets an insight into traditional pastoral lifestyles.

Lodging on Dreams in the Northern Circuit

There is an abundance of options available in the faculties of accommodation along the Northern Circuit and suitable for all budgets. Luxury lodges and tented camps are exclusive with fine cuisine and personalised game viewing, whereas the mid-range lodges and budget camp sites are affordable and comfortable. Most of the lodges are positioned at gateways to the parks or within the parks, so that the visitor makes the most out of their stay in the wild.

Why Do the Northern Circuit Safari

The Northern Circuit is deemed the traditional safari route in Tanzania as it is varied, accessible and has high wildlife concentration. The circuit offers all these in a single trip, whether you want to experience the excitement of the Great Migration, the Big Five, or cultural experiences with the Maasai. It is highly advanced in terms of infrastructure, guides, and sceneries and can be a perfect getaway to families, couples, photographers and adventure lovers.

Conclusion

A Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari is not only a vacation, it is an experience of a lifetime and a combination of dramatic scenery, extraordinary wildlife experiences, and cultural interactions. This circuit includes the elephants of Tarangire, the lions of Serengeti, the magnificent views of Ngorongoro and the best of East African safari. The Northern Circuit is the best safari route in Tanzania that offers travellers an unmatched adventure.