3 Day Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and
Lake Manyara Safari

Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari Overview

This 3 day Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara safari covers three of the northern circuit’s most rewarding destinations on a short itinerary from Arusha. The route takes in Tarangire’s elephant herds and baobabs, the enclosed wildlife concentration of the Ngorongoro Crater, and the groundwater forest and lake shore of Lake Manyara National Park.

Tarangire National Park is known for large elephant populations that gather along the Tarangire River, particularly during the dry season. The Ngorongoro Crater, within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and offers one of the better chances in Tanzania of seeing black rhino alongside lion, hyena and flamingo. Lake Manyara National Park completes the circuit with hippo pools, large troops of baboons and elephants moving through the acacia woodland.

Accommodation is in Karatu, positioned between the crater and Lake Manyara, which keeps driving time down across all three days.

Price Per Person (3-Day Safari)


Solo Traveller	2 to 3 People	Group of 4+
$1,800	$1,200	$950

Safari Highlights

Safari Highlights Map

DAY TO DAY ITINERARY

Your safari begins with pick-up in Arusha and a drive of around three hours south west to Tarangire National Park, the first stop on Tanzania’s northern circuit. Tarangire is known for its baobab trees and for holding some of the largest elephant populations in the country, with herds gathering along the Tarangire River as the dry season advances. Wildebeest, zebra, eland and oryx concentrate here too, drawn to the permanent water until the rains scatter them back across the wider ecosystem.

Your safari begins with pick-up in Arusha and a drive of around three hours to Tarangire National Park, the first stop on Tanzania’s northern circuit. Tarangire is known for its baobab trees and for holding some of the largest elephant populations in the country, with herds gathering along the Tarangire River as the dry season advances. Wildebeest, zebra, eland and oryx concentrate here too, drawn to the permanent water until the rains scatter them back across the wider ecosystem.

You spend the day on a game drive through the park, following the river valley and open woodland where game concentrates. In the late afternoon you leave Tarangire and drive to Karatu, a highland town on the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, for dinner and overnight at Omega View Hotel & Resort. The hotel sits in Karatu town, around 12 kilometres from the Lodoare Gate into the conservation area, which puts you close to the crater for an early start the following morning.

Accommodation:

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Omega View Hotel

You leave Karatu after breakfast and drive to Lake Manyara National Park, set beneath the wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Manyara is a compact park with unusual variety, shifting from dense groundwater forest at the entrance to open floodplain along the lake shore within a short distance.

Following lunch, a game drive takes you through the forest, where blue monkeys and large troops of baboons are common, and out toward the lake, where hippos gather in the pools and elephants move through the acacia and mahogany woodland. Zebra, impala, giraffe and buffalo are regularly seen, and the lake shore supports substantial birdlife including pelicans and storks.

In the late afternoon you leave the park and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the evening at Green Mountain Hotel, a short distance from the Clock Tower in the centre of town.

Accommodation:

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Omega View Hotel

The drive from the Omega View Lodge to Lake Manyara National Park, after lunch in Manyara, game drive, view monkeys and elephants standing in the shade of a baobab. Other animals seen are zebras, impalas, monkeys, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, and others. In the late Afternoon drive back to your hotel in Arusha.

Accommodation:

Meal Plan:

Accommodation Amenities:

Green Mountain Hotel

COSTING BREAKDOWN

Safari Cost Includes

All park fees, entrance fees, and Government Taxes
Certified and experienced English-speaking safari guide
Comfortable Land Cruiser 4x4s with pop-up roof
All transfers described on the program
Full board during your safari
Pickup and airport transfer
Bottled water and soft drinks throughout the tour
24/7 phone support
All accommodations

Safari Cost Excludes

Air tickets
Insurance
Tips for your safari guide
Visas & vaccinations
Lunch and dinner in the hotel (only before and after safari)

INQUIRIES & FAQ's

Inquiry Space

Safari FAQ's

What is the northern safari circuit in Tanzania?

The northern circuit is the standard Tanzanian safari route linking Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti, usually departing from Arusha. This three day itinerary covers the first three, which can be visited without the longer drive north into the Serengeti.

What is the difference between a national park and a conservation area?

National parks in Tanzania are managed by TANAPA with strict rules including no off road driving and set gate hours, while the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is administered separately by the NCAA and permits Maasai pastoralists to live and graze livestock alongside wildlife. The two are charged under different fee structures, which is why Ngorongoro is quoted separately from the national parks on most itineraries.

What is the Ngorongoro Crater?

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, roughly 260 square kilometres in area, holding a permanent concentration of wildlife including one of the better chances of seeing black rhino in Tanzania. It sits within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which is managed separately from the national parks.

What is Tarangire National Park known for?

Tarangire is known for very large elephant populations and for its baobab trees, with wildlife concentrating along the Tarangire River during the dry season. It is often the first stop on a northern circuit itinerary because of its proximity to Arusha.

What is a game drive?

A game drive is a guided wildlife viewing excursion in a 4x4 vehicle, usually lasting three to four hours, led by a driver guide who tracks and interprets animal behaviour. Most safari days include a morning drive shortly after sunrise and an afternoon drive, since wildlife is most active in the cooler hours.