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Safari plan · 8 days · Northern circuit · Midrange

Family Northern Circuit

An eight-day Tanzania family safari: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the central Serengeti over eight days, with two nights in most places, short drives between them, and a light aircraft home so nobody does the long road twice.

ArushaTarangireManyaraNgorongoroSerengetiArusha

Request a quote →See the days

Length8 days · 7 nights

ParksTarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti

Starts & endsKilimanjaro Airport / Arusha

ComfortMidrange, family-friendly

Best monthsJune–October, December–February

Overview The route Day by day Rates Where you sleep Included Add-ons When to go Flights & extras FAQ Enquire

IOverview

The northern circuit at a child’s pace, and one long road only.

Children tire of vehicles long before they tire of animals, so this plan is built around short days. Two nights at Tarangire, a morning at Lake Manyara on the way to Karatu, the crater floor, and two nights in the central Serengeti. Most days have under three hours of transfer, and there is time at each camp to swim, rest or do nothing between drives.

There is one long day: Karatu to the Serengeti, about four and a half hours, with the last part a game drive. We do it only once — on the last morning you fly from the Seronera airstrip back to Arusha instead of driving back. The flight costs more than the road; for most families it is worth it.

Major attractions · 4

01Tarangire National Park
02Lake Manyara National Park
03Ngorongoro Crater
04Serengeti National Park

Trip detailsPrivate

Tour length: 8 days · 7 nights
Country: Tanzania
Start / end: Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) / Arusha
Accommodation: Midrange, family rooms
Tour type: Private family safari
Group size: Maximum per vehicle
Meal plan: Full board on safari
Best period: Jun–Oct · Dec–Feb
Activity level: Easy — shorter days

Request a free quote →Questions? WhatsApp +255 762 914 714

IIThe route

Out by road, a stop every night or two, home by air.

8 days, 7 nights, 4 places to sleep. The solid line is this plan; the dotted lines are the other roads through the region. Point at a day to see its leg.

01Kilimanjaro Airport → Arusha~1 h road
02Arusha → Tarangire~2½ h road · ~3 h game
03Tarangire & the river~6 h game
04Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Karatu~2½ h road · ~3 h game
05Karatu → the crater → Karatu~1½ h road · ~6 h game
06Karatu → Central SerengetiThe long day~4½ h road · ~2 h game
07Seronera & the Seronera valley~6 h game
08Seronera airstrip → Arusha~1½ h flight · ~2 h game

Overnight stopPassing throughSchematic, roughly to scale

IIIDay by day

Eight days, one at a time.

Each day lands on top of the last as you scroll: honest road time, game time, meals and where you sleep. Times are door to door in a safari vehicle and move with the season and what you stop for.

Arusha

01/ 08

About an hour by road. Nothing else asked of anyone.

03°22′S 36°41′EDay 1 · Kilimanjaro Airport → Arusha

Arrive in Arusha

Travel: ~1 h road
Game viewing: No game drive
Meals: Dinner
Sleep: Mount Meru Hotel

On landing
Your guide meets you at arrivals with your name. The drive to Arusha is about an hour, on tarmac.
Evening
Dinner and a short briefing — for the children too: how the vehicle works, why we stay inside it, what to look for. Then sleep.

Arriving late?

Most long-haul flights land in the evening. That is what this night is for.

Tarangire

02/ 08

About 2½ hours on tarmac, lunch, then an afternoon drive.

03°52′S 36°00′EDay 2 · Arusha → Tarangire

To Tarangire

Travel: ~2½ h road
Game viewing: ~3 h
Meals: B · L · D
Sleep: Tarangire Safari Lodge

Morning
A late-ish start after the long journey. South-west on tarmac through Maasai country, turning off at Makuyuni.
Midday
Lunch at the lodge and a rest through the heat.
Afternoon
The first game drive, among the baobabs. Elephants are the easy win here, and children rarely tire of them.

Tsetse flies

Tarangire has them in the wooded stretches. Dress everyone in light, neutral colours — dark blue and black attract them.

Tarangire

03/ 08

No transfer. A morning drive, a long lunch, an afternoon drive.

03°52′S 36°00′EDay 3 · Tarangire & the river

Tarangire, at your pace

Travel: No transfer
Game viewing: ~6 h
Meals: B · L · D
Sleep: Same lodge, second night

Morning
Out early along the Tarangire River, the only permanent water for a long way in the dry months.
Midday
Back to the lodge for lunch, the pool if there is one, and a sleep.
Afternoon
Out again as the heat drops. The day bends to the children — the guide will come back early if that is what is needed.

Lake Manyara

04/ 08

About 1½ hours to the Manyara gate, a few hours in the park, under an hour up to Karatu.

03°20′S 35°40′EDay 4 · Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Karatu

Lake Manyara, up to Karatu

Travel: ~2½ h road
Game viewing: ~3 h
Meals: B · L · D
Sleep: Farm or garden lodge

Morning
Back to Makuyuni and on to Mto wa Mbu at the foot of the Rift escarpment, where the Manyara gate is.
Midday
Manyara is small and close: groundwater forest, baboon troops, elephants in the woodland, the lake below the Rift wall. Picnic lunch in the park.
Afternoon
Up the escarpment to Karatu, cool and green. Arrive with time to spare before dinner.

Ngorongoro Crater

05/ 08

Down at the gates’ opening, up to six hours on the floor.

03°20′S 35°40′EDay 5 · Karatu → the crater → Karatu

The Ngorongoro Crater floor

Travel: ~1½ h road
Game viewing: ~6 h
Meals: B · picnic L · D
Sleep: Same lodge, second night

Dawn
An early start, with breakfast packed for the vehicle. Down the descent road as it opens.
On the floor
Grassland, soda lake, swamp and a small forest in one sealed bowl. Animals are close and easy to see, which suits younger children. There are picnic spots where you can get out.
Afternoon
Back to Karatu. The afternoon is free — the lodge gardens, or a walk through a coffee farm.

The six-hour rule

Time on the crater floor is limited per vehicle, currently about six hours. With small children you may want less, and that is fine.

Into the Serengeti

The long day06/ 08

The long one: about 4½ hours, most of it gravel. You only do it once.

02°27′S 34°49′EDay 6 · Karatu → Central Serengeti

Over the highlands into the Serengeti

Travel: ~4½ h road
Game viewing: ~2 h
Meals: B · L · D
Sleep: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge

Early
Up through the Ngorongoro gate and along the crater rim road, then down onto the short-grass plains past the Olduvai turn.
Midday
Lunch at Naabi Hill gate, with a short path up the hill to stretch legs and look out over the plains.
Afternoon
From Naabi you are in the Serengeti, so the last stretch to Seronera is a game drive rather than a transfer.

Keeping it bearable

Bring games, snacks and a charged tablet. We stop whenever anyone needs to, and the road is tiring rather than dangerous.

Central Serengeti

07/ 08

No transfer. A morning and an afternoon drive, with a rest between.

02°27′S 34°49′EDay 7 · Seronera & the Seronera valley

The Serengeti

Travel: No transfer
Game viewing: ~6 h
Meals: B · L · D
Sleep: Same camp, second night

Morning
Out early, when the cats are moving. The central Serengeti holds resident lion, leopard and cheetah all year.
Midday
Back to camp for lunch and a rest, or a picnic out if everyone is happy to stay out.
Afternoon
A last full afternoon drive, back before the park closes.

Seronera

08/ 08

A short drive to the airstrip and about an hour to an hour and a half in the air.

03°22′S 36°41′EDay 8 · Seronera airstrip → Arusha

Fly back to Arusha

Travel: ~1½ h flight
Game viewing: ~2 h
Meals: B · L
Sleep: Homeward

Morning
A last short game drive on the way to the Seronera airstrip.
Midday
The scheduled light aircraft to Arusha. Your transfer meets you there for lunch, a day room if needed, and the road to Kilimanjaro Airport, about an hour.

Luggage

Light aircraft take soft bags only, with a weight limit per person. Ask us for the current limit before you pack.

IVRates

Priced by group size, because the vehicle is shared.

Park fees, accommodation, vehicle, guide and meals as listed — per person, no booking fees. Rates move with the month and lodge availability; your quote is fixed once you book.

Midrange · price per person, sharing
Group size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people
From year	rate	rate	rate	rate	rate	rate

Single supplementamount

Children

Child policy: ages, sharing discount, lodge minimum ages

Luxury · price per person, sharing
Group size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people
From year	rate	rate	rate	rate	rate	rate

Single supplementamount

Children

Child policy: ages, sharing discount, lodge minimum ages

What moves the price

What changes itHow much

The month you travel
The dry season and the Christmas weeks are peak rates at almost every camp. The long rains are the lowest.
How many share the vehicle
The vehicle and guide cost the same for two people or six, so the per-person price falls as the group grows.
Where you sleep
The same night can cost several times more at one camp than at another a short drive away.
Flying instead of driving
A light-aircraft seat replaces hours in the vehicle, and costs more than the time it saves.
Park fees
Fixed per person per day by the authorities, and the same whoever you book with. We show them as their own line.

Not sure which level suits you? Tell us your dates, group and budget and we will send an itemised quote with named properties.

Request a free quote →

On request

VWhere you sleep

Four places in seven nights, two nights in almost each.

Each night is described by type first, because the right camp depends on your month. The properties we normally use at each level are listed below; your quote confirms them against availability.

Night 11×

Arusha

City hotel

One night to land and sleep off the flight. Close to the road west.

Midrange here means: Family or connecting rooms, hot water, mains power, Wi-Fi.
Step up: A coffee-estate lodge on the slopes of Meru.

Nights 2–32×

Tarangire

Tented lodge inside the park

Two nights means one full day with no transfer, and a rest in the middle of it.

Midrange here means: Family tents or two adjoining tents, en-suite, solar or generator power. Some have a pool.
Step up: Suites on an escarpment above the Tarangire River.

Nights 4–52×

Karatu highlands

Farm or garden lodge

Close to Manyara and twenty minutes from the crater gate. Gardens to run around in, and cool nights.

Midrange here means: Cottage rooms or family cottages, fireplaces, mains power.
Step up: A lodge on the crater rim itself — the view, at a noticeably higher price.

Nights 6–72×

Central Serengeti

Permanent tented camp

Two nights in the middle of the park, and the airstrip close by for the flight home.

Midrange here means: Family tents or adjoining tents, en-suite, power in the evenings. Unfenced, so children are walked to their tent after dark.
Step up: Stone rondavels on a ridge north-west of Seronera.

The properties we use

Where	Midrange	Luxury
Arusha	Mount Meru Hotel	Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge
Tarangire	Tarangire Safari Lodge	Lemala Mpingo Ridge Lodge
Karatu highlands	property	property
Central Serengeti	Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge	Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

What ‘midrange’ means on this trip

Family rooms. Family tents or connecting rooms where the property has them; otherwise two rooms side by side.
Minimum ages. Some camps set a minimum age for children. We choose ones that welcome your children’s ages.
Food. Full board on safari. Camps are used to simple food for children; tell us about fussy eaters and diets early.
Power. Mains in Arusha and Karatu; solar or generator hours in the parks. Bring a power bank for tablets.

VIThe fine print

What is in the price, and what isn’t.

✓Included

Private 4×4 safari vehiclePop-up roof, charging points, window seat for everyone
A professional driver-guideThe same guide for the whole trip
Child seatsOn request — tell us the ages when you book
All park and conservation feesIncluding the crater service fee. Itemised on your quote
Seven nights’ accommodationAs described above
Light aircraft, Seronera to ArushaScheduled service
Meals as listed each dayFull board from day two
Drinking water in the vehicle
Airport transfersKilimanjaro Airport, both ways

–Not included

International flights
Tanzanian visaApply online before you travel
Travel insuranceRequired. It must cover medical evacuation
Tips for guide and camp staffWe send guidance with your booking
Drinks at lodges and campsUnless the property includes them
Optional activitiesBalloon flight, cultural visits, walks

VIIAdd-ons & changes

The plan is a starting point, not a package.

The changes people ask for most, each with what it costs you in days or hours. Not in the standard price — arranged on request, and most can be combined.

+3–5 nightsprice

Finish on Zanzibar

Fly from Arusha to the island on day eight. About an hour in the air, and a beach at the end for everyone.

Makes senseMost families, most of the year

Zanzibar →

Same lengthprice

A cultural visit near Karatu

Use the free afternoon after the crater for a visit arranged with a local community, or a walk through a coffee farm.

Makes senseChildren old enough to ask questions

Cultural encounters →

+1 nightprice

A third Serengeti night

One more full day in the park, and less pressure on every drive.

Makes senseOlder children who love the game drives

The Serengeti →

Same lengthprice

Balloon over the Serengeti

A dawn flight over the Seronera valley on day seven. Balloon operators set their own minimum ages: ask us.

Makes senseTeenagers and adults

The balloon, honestly →

−1 dayprice

Leave out Lake Manyara

Drive straight from Tarangire to Karatu and the week loses a day.

Makes senseShort on time

The Great Midrange Journey →

VIIIWhen to go

Rated for this route, not for the country.

This plan works in every month, and school holidays fit it well. July and August are dry, cool and busy; December to February is warm, green and a little quieter. April and May bring the long rains, when some Serengeti camps close and roads slow down.

Jan

Dry spell, green plains

Feb

Calving in the south

Mar

Rains building

Apr

Long rains

May

Rains easing

Jun

Dry season begins

Jul

Dry, busy, cool

Aug

Dry, busy

Sep

Dry, Tarangire at its best

Oct

Dry, dusty

Nov

Short rains

Dec

Green, quieter

Three bars — the route at its bestTwo — good, with trade-offsOne — possible, and quiet

IXFlights & extras

Getting there.

Arrive

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

About an hour by road from Arusha, and the airport most long-haul connections use. Land any time on day one — the first night exists to absorb late arrivals.

Depart

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

The last day reaches the airport in the afternoon, which suits the evening departures. Book nothing earlier without asking us first.

Via Nairobi

Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO)

Workable: a short regional flight or a road transfer across the Namanga border to Arusha. It adds most of a day, so allow an extra night.

What else to budget.

Not part of the safari price, in order of how much they matter.

Tanzanian visaApply online before travel
Current fee
Travel insuranceMust cover medical evacuation
Typical cost
TipsGuide and camp staff, per day
Guideline
DrinksAt lodges and camps
Typical range
Personal spendingLaundry, crafts, extras
Varies

XWhy book with us

Only what we can prove.

Arusha, since 2010

A Tanzanian company, locally owned, running safaris and climbs from Arusha for more than fifteen years.

Licensed and registered

TALA-licensed through the Tanzania Tourist Board and registered with BRELA. Ask us for the numbers; we will send them.

One guide, one vehicle

The same guide drives you from the first day to the last. Nobody else joins your vehicle.

Every fee on its own line

Park, conservation and concession fees are shown separately on your quote, so you can see exactly what goes to the authorities.

XIQuestions

Tanzania family safari: the questions we are asked most.

7 days · Northern circuitThe Great Midrange JourneyRead the plan →

3 days · Northern circuitTarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara ExpressRead the plan →

5 days · Northern circuitMidrange Best of TanzaniaRead the plan →

4 days · Northern circuitSerengeti Fly-inRead the plan →

Ten parks, three circuits.

Where the trip lands.

The roof of Africa.

The people behind the journey.

Thirty-two guides, written in Arusha.

How you see it.

Honest reasons a trip costs less.

Out and back before dark.

Family Northern Circuit

The northern circuit at a child’s pace, and one long road only.

Out by road, a stop every night or two, home by air.

Eight days, one at a time.

Arrive in Arusha

To Tarangire

Tarangire, at your pace

Lake Manyara, up to Karatu

The Ngorongoro Crater floor

Over the highlands into the Serengeti

The Serengeti

Fly back to Arusha

Priced by group size, because the vehicle is shared.

What moves the price

The month you travel

How many share the vehicle

Where you sleep

Flying instead of driving

Park fees

Four places in seven nights, two nights in almost each.

Arusha

Tarangire

Karatu highlands

Central Serengeti

The properties we use

What ‘midrange’ means on this trip

What is in the price, and what isn’t.

✓Included

–Not included

The plan is a starting point, not a package.

Finish on Zanzibar

A cultural visit near Karatu

A third Serengeti night

Balloon over the Serengeti

Leave out Lake Manyara

Rated for this route, not for the country.

Getting there.

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO)

What else to budget.

Only what we can prove.

Arusha, since 2010

Licensed and registered

One guide, one vehicle

Every fee on its own line

Tanzania family safari: the questions we are asked most.

What ages is this for?

How long are the drives?

Is it safe?

Do the children need anti-malarials?

Is this a private safari?

Will we see the migration?

Send us your dates. We will send you the real version.

Asante — it is with us.