A compact but complete tour of Tanzania's Northern Circuit, built for travellers who want to see the Serengeti's Great Migration alongside Tarangire's elephants and the Ngorongoro Crater without committing a full week. Four days is enough to cover all three parks properly, with a full day dedicated to the Serengeti itself.
Along the way you'll pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area's Maasai communities, with an optional cultural visit to a local village, and spend a full day threading through the Serengeti's endless plains searching for the wildebeest migration and the big cats that follow it. The trip closes with a descent into Ngorongoro Crater, where sighting all of the Big Five in a single day is a realistic goal.
This itinerary runs from December through mid-August and starts and ends in Arusha, making it easy to combine with a Zanzibar beach stay, a Kilimanjaro climb, or an onward Arusha stopover on either end.
| Day | Location | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Marera Valley Lodge, Karatu / Migombani Campsite | Tarangire National Park |
| Day 2 | Serengeti Bush Camp (or similar) / Seronera Public Campsite | Serengeti National Park |
| Day 3 | Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge (or similar) / Simba Public Campsite | Central Serengeti & Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
| Day 4 | Ngorongoro Crater | Ngorongoro Crater |
| Lodge — 2 Travelers | $2,099 | per person sharing, double/twin room |
| Lodge — 4 Travelers | $1,739 | per person sharing |
| Lodge — 6 Travelers | $1,629 | per person sharing |
| Camping — 2 Travelers | $1,734 | per person sharing |
| Camping — 4 Travelers | $1,350 | per person sharing |
| Camping — 6 Travelers | $1,222 | per person sharing |