Tanzania is one of Africa’s great safari destinations. The wildlife viewing is exceptional — big cats in particular are seen with remarkable regularity — and all of the Big Five can be found across the country’s parks and reserves, with the full five present in the Serengeti. Almost 40% of Tanzania is set aside for conservation, which means you can travel for weeks, driving from park to park, barely leaving the bush.

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This expedition follows the Northern Circuit — Tanzania’s classic safari route — taking in the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Arusha National Parks.

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And to finish, the option to unwind with four days on the beach in Zanzibar — the perfect way to wind down after the safari.

Arusha — gateway to safari

Tanzania’s safari capital, Arusha is the starting point for almost everyone heading to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara — logistics usually mean a night in or around the city. Set beneath Mount Meru, it’s served by Kilimanjaro International Airport and the smaller Arusha Airport for charter flights onward. Time here is easily filled with markets, crafts and local sights.

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Arusha National Park

Small but strikingly varied, the park spans three distinct landscapes in the shadow of Mount Meru — Tanzania’s second-highest peak after Kilimanjaro, which forms the backdrop to the east. The Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River below the summit; the grassy Ngurdoto Crater lies to the south-east; and the shallow, alkaline Momella Lakes to the north-east shift colour with the algae and draw wading birds. A rewarding stop close to the city.

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Tarangire — an elephant empire

Close to Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro, Tarangire deserves more than the usual day visit. In the dry season (June to October), its elephant concentrations along the Tarangire River are among the highest in the country. With over 500 bird species and a full cast of large predators, it rewards patience — a diverse wilderness of riverine forest, swamps, and open woodland dotted with iconic baobabs.

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Serengeti — the heart of it

Synonymous with safari, the Serengeti is where game viewing reaches its most dramatic. It holds the lion’s share of the Wildebeest Migration (roughly January to September), but its sheer scale and year-round abundance mean extraordinary wildlife at any time of year — vast plains where the predators follow the herds, and where you can drive for hours and never leave the wild. This is the reason most people come to Tanzania.

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Ngorongoro Crater — a world within a wall

Take some 30,000 animals and set them inside the caldera of an extinct volcano, ringed by 600-metre walls. Add wetlands, forest and grassland, and you have one of the most remarkable wildlife settings on earth. Game viewing is superb and reliable: lion, elephant, buffalo and the rare black rhino are regularly seen on the crater floor (leopard, more elusive, keep to the forested rim). For many, a morning descending into the crater is the highlight of the trip.

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Lake Manyara — tree-climbing lions

Part of the Northern Circuit, Manyara offers easy game viewing in a lovely setting beneath the Rift Valley escarpment. It holds a strong range of species — buffalo, hippo, giraffe, elephant, leopard, and its famous tree-climbing lions — and is a superb spot for birds, with pelicans and flamingos out on the lake and rich forest and floodplain alive around it.

A little preparation goes a long way. Below is the essential information on visas, vaccinations, malaria and travelling with children. We recommend checking all requirements well in advance of departure.

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Visas

Most travellers need a tourist visa. The simplest route is the official online e-Visa, applied for before travel. Tourist visas are generally issued for stays of up to 90 days; in some cases a visa on arrival is available at major airports, but applying online in advance avoids delays. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with at least one blank page. Requirements vary by nationality — always confirm the latest rules with the relevant authorities.

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Vaccinations

There are no mandatory vaccinations for travellers arriving directly from Europe or North America. A Yellow Fever certificate is required only if you’re arriving from — or have transited for 12+ hours through — a country where yellow fever is present (this list currently doesn’t include Europe or the US). Regardless, most travel doctors recommend keeping routine vaccinations current — typically tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid. Consult a travel clinic four to eight weeks before departure.

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One note on Zanzibar: if your trip includes our Zanzibar stay, carry your yellow fever certificate with you even on the domestic flight from the mainland — it’s occasionally requested on arrival in Zanzibar, so it’s worth having to hand.

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Malaria

Malaria is present across much of Tanzania, including the parks and Zanzibar, in areas below about1,800m. Anti-malarial medication is generally advised — your doctor or travel clinic will recommend the right one for your itinerary. (Higher-altitude areas, such as the Ngorongoro rim, carry much lower risk.) Alongside medication: use insect repellent with DEET, wear long sleeves and trousers in the evening, sleep under nets where provided, and take extra care at dusk and dawn. Our lodges and camps take mosquito control seriously, but personal precautions still matter.

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Travelling with children

Tanzania has strict rules for minors entering or leaving the country. Children under 18 may be asked to present a birth certificate showing both parents’ names, a parental consent letter if travelling with one parent or a guardian, and copies of parents’ passports and contact details. These rules exist to prevent child trafficking and may be checked on arrival or departure — carry all documentation to avoid delays.

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Please note: travel, health and visa regulations can change at any time. Guests are responsible for confirming the latest information with official government sources and medical professionals before travelling. If you have questions while preparing, we’re glad to help.

A little local currency makes the trip smoother. On safari most things are already covered, but it’s worth carrying some cash in small denominations for personal purchases and tips.

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Currency

The official currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), but US dollars are widely accepted at lodges, camps and tourism services. If you bring dollars, make sure the notes are printed in 2009 or later and in good condition — older or damaged notes are often refused. For small purchases in villages, markets or local shops, you’ll want shillings, so it’s useful to change a small amount on arrival.

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Cards & cash

Most lodges, camps and hotels take major credit cards (Visa and Mastercard especially), though card payments can carry a small fee and connectivity in remote areas is sometimes unreliable. Always keep some cash for incidentals. ATMs are available in cities like Arusha and Dar es Salaam, and at Kilimanjaro Airport, but not out in the safari areas.

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Tipping

Tipping is customary and genuinely appreciated in Tanzania — it’s an important part of the income for the guides, trackers and camp teams who make a safari possible. It’s always voluntary and should reflect how you feel about the service. As a general guide:

    •    Safari guide / driver-guide: around USD 10–20 per guest, per day

    •    **Camp or lodge staff (shared tip box): around USD 5–10 per guest, per day

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Many lodges keep a shared staff box, so contributions reach the whole team — housekeeping, kitchen and the people working behind the scenes.

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Our tip: bring a mix of small US dollar notes, and change a little into shillings for minor purchases. If you’re ever unsure about payments or tipping during the trip, just ask your guide or any of us — it’s a fair way to recognise the people whose hard work makes the safari what it is.

Tanzania runs on 230V (50Hz) and uses Type G sockets — the three rectangular-pin British plug — as the standard, with older Type D found in some places. If you’re coming from the UK or Ireland, your plugs already fit. Everyone else will need an adapter.

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Worth knowing if your trip also takes in southern Africa: Tanzania’s Type G plug is different from the round-pin Type M used in South Africa and Botswana, so the same adapter won’t cover both — a universal adapter is the simplest solution. Many safari camps now also have universal charging points, but don’t rely on it.

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If you’re travelling from a 110–120V country (US, Canada, Japan), check the label on each charger: most camera, phone and laptop chargers read “100–240V” and just need the adapter, but any single-voltage device needs a converter. As always, bring more camera batteries and cards than you think you’ll need — charging in remote camps can be limited and may run on generator or solar.

Comprehensive travel insurance is essential for all our Tanzania expeditions, and we ask that every guest travels with it. Safari takes you into remote country where access to medical facilities is limited and the unexpected can happen — good cover is what protects you throughout.

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What your policy should cover

    •    Medical expenses — treatment, hospitalisation and emergency care during your trip.

    •    Emergency medical evacuation — the single most important element. Many safari areas are remote, and a serious situation may require evacuation by air ambulance to a major hospital, which is extremely costly without cover. Look for at least USD 250,000 per person.

    •    Trip cancellation and interruption — in case you need to cancel or cut short your trip due to illness, family emergencies or travel disruption.

    •    Baggage — for luggage delayed, damaged or lost in transit.

    •    Personal equipment — if you’re travelling with cameras, lenses or binoculars, make sure they’re covered.

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Safari activities

Our expeditions are carefully run and professionally guided, but they take place in wild environments — so check that your policy doesn’t exclude safari or wildlife activities, as some standard policies do.

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Practical points

Carry both a digital and printed copy of your policy, with emergency contact numbers, throughout the trip. Guests arrange their own insurance before departure, and we’d suggest buying it when you book — many providers include cancellation cover from the moment the policy is issued. If you’ve any questions while preparing, just ask.

The right clothing keeps you comfortable, protects you from sun and insects, and helps you blend into the landscape. We always encourage guests towards practical, neutral safari clothing — it’s a tradition in East Africa for good reason.

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Natural colours

Stick to neutral, earthy tones — khaki, olive, beige, brown, light grey — which blend with the landscape and disturb wildlife least. Avoid bright colours and white (which shows the dust fast), and dark blue and black, which attract tsetse flies.

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Lightweight, breathable clothing

Days can be warm, especially on drives. Choose breathable fabrics — cotton or technical outdoor materials. Bring short and long-sleeve shirts, lightweight trousers (and shorts for the heat), and a fleece or light jacket for early mornings, which can be surprisingly cool in an open vehicle. Layering is the answer.

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Sun protection

The sun is strong even when it feels mild. Pack a wide-brimmed hat, UV sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen, and a buff for sun and dust.

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Footwear

Comfortable walking shoes or light hiking boots for the bush, and sandals for around camp. Most game viewing is from the vehicle, but sturdy shoes are useful around camps and lodges.

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A word on dust

The northern circuit, the Serengeti especially, gets very dusty in the dry season. Bring a dust-proof bag or cover for your camera gear, change lenses as little as possible in the open, and pack a cleaning cloth — fine dust is the main hazard to equipment out here.

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Evenings

Relaxed and informal — casual clothing is fine. As it cools after sunset, have a fleece, long trousers and a long-sleeve shirt to hand (the last also helps against mosquitoes).

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For Zanzibar

If your trip ends on the coast, pack beachwear, light summer clothes and sandals for the resort. One note of respect: Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, so away from the beach and resorts — in Stone Town or local villages — it’s courteous to cover shoulders and knees. A light scarf or sarong is handy for this.

Outpost Lodge

The main house here once belonged to Bernhard Grzimek — one of the founding figures behind Serengeti National Park, director of the Frankfurt Zoological Society from 1945 to 1974, and author of Serengeti Shall Not Die, a cornerstone of African conservation.

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Steve and Cathy Attwell bought the house from the Grzimek family and have kept strong ties with the Frankfurt Zoological Society ever since. Over the years, the Outpost has been a home away from home for many of the Society’s researchers and conservationists, and others working in the field.

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We opened our doors in 1994 as Arusha’s first bed and breakfast, and built the lodge up slowly into the peaceful, green oasis it is today, with room for both groups and individual travellers. It’s family-run, and the next generation is now helping with the day-to-day.

Africa Safari Rift Valley Lodge

Africa Safari Rift Valley sits in the village of Mayoka, south of Lake Manyara, ringed by the Great Rift Valley. Set between Tarangire and Lake Manyara, it’s an ideal place to unwind before or after the northern parks.

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The Luxury Glamping units have a raised tiled deck and the comforts you’d want inside — air-conditioning and an en-suite bathroom — along with an outdoor shower, where you can wash under open sky with the sounds of the bush around you. Five Safari Tents are also available, with shared shower and toilet facilities.

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The pool and restaurant are built into the landscape, both looking out over the Rift Valley and Lake Manyara.

Farm of Dreams Lodge

Set in the town of Karatu, on the south-western slopes of the Ngorongoro highlands at around 1,400 metres, the lodge sits among gardens of flowers and vegetables. It looks out over sweeping hill views, within easy reach of the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Eyasi, Lake Manyara and Tarangire.

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The warm, cosy rooms overlook the gardens and the country beyond, with large en-suite bathrooms and quality toiletries. Each room opens onto a private terrace with table and chairs.

Kisura Serengeti Camp

Kisura is a luxury tented camp in the heart of the Serengeti — canvas walls, but none of the compromises. The tents are fully furnished, with hot showers, separate toilets, four-poster beds, sitting areas, and the plains opening up right outside.

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The difference a camp like this makes is simple: you’re inside the ecosystem, not at the edge of it. You fall asleep to the sounds of the bush and wake where the wildlife is, a good night’s rest behind you and the day’s first light ahead — which, after a full day on safari, is worth more than you’d think.

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Comfortable, yes — but the real luxury is waking up in the middle of the Serengeti.

Africa Safari Arusha Lodge

An intimate lodge in the village of Sakina, just outside Arusha. It has nine Standard and eight Luxury rooms set among green gardens, with a swimming pool and loungers, and an open-air restaurant with a fireplace for cooler evenings. The tree bar is a fine spot for a drink before or after dinner.

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Mount Meru stands as the backdrop, and the balcony views reach past the lights of Arusha to the hills beyond. The approach itself sets the tone — an unpaved road winding up through the Ngateu Hills, the city falling away behind you.

(Zanzibar Extension)

Zanzibar Bay Resort & Spa

Set on the beach at Uroa, on Zanzibar’s east coast, the resort has its own private beach and beachfront access, with an infinity pool, sun terrace and gardens to relax in.

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Rooms come with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and balconies looking onto the sea or gardens; family rooms and ground-floor units are available. The restaurant is family-friendly, with a menu spanning African, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean dishes, and breakfasts of local specialities, warm dishes and fresh pastries.

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Beyond the beach there’s a spa, sauna, fitness centre and a kids’ pool, plus a programme of walking tours, film nights and themed dinners. The resort is about 36 km from Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, and within reach of Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park (15 km), home to the rare red colobus monkey.

You’ll be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) and transferred to your hotel in Arusha to settle in. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (Dinner)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Your guide collects you at 8:00 AM in a 4×4 pop-up-roof Land Cruiser, picnic lunch packed, for the short drive to Arusha National Park (about 30 minutes). You’ll game drive through the park’s green landscapes beneath Mount Meru, then head out on a walking safari with an armed ranger — the bush is best experienced on foot, close to freely roaming wildlife. Along the way: the park’s hidden waterfall, the Ngurdoto Crater, and the Momella Lakes with their thousands of flamingos. Expect giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog and blue monkey, plus birds like trogons, starlings and turacos. Lunch at 12:30, exit by 2:00 PM, then on to Mayoka, near Tarangire. Dinner at 7:30 and overnight at Africa Safari Rift Valley. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Breakfast at 7:00, away by 8:00 with a picnic lunch for a full day in Tarangire — a park of elephants, termite mounds and ancient baobabs. Its elephant population is among the highest of any park in Tanzania. Look too for hartebeest, wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, and predators including lion, leopard and hyena. In the evening, drive to Karatu for dinner and overnight at Farm of Dreams. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Breakfast at 7:00, then drive to the Serengeti, transiting the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with game viewing en route. Roof open, the game viewing begins the moment you pass the gate, continuing on toward Seronera. Dinner and overnight at Kisura Serengeti Camp. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

A full day in the central Serengeti, teeming with wildlife. This is one of the best places anywhere to find leopard draped in a tree — along with the other big cats, buffalo, hyena, jackal, elephant herds and cheetah. Back to camp in the evening for dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

After breakfast, leave the Serengeti for the Ngorongoro Crater. After the gate permits, you descend some 600 metres to the crater floor — around 260 km² of caldera holding black rhino, lion, herds of zebra, old elephant bulls and much more, all within the volcano’s walls. Ascend in the late afternoon and return to Karatu for dinner and overnight at Farm of Dreams. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Breakfast at 7:30, then to Lake Manyara, known for its tree-climbing lions and flamingos. The soda lake draws an extraordinary range of birdlife, and the park’s groundwater forest, plains and baobab-strewn escarpment make for beautiful, varied country. Manyara also holds one of the largest baboon concentrations anywhere. Lunch at 12:30, game viewing until 3:00 PM, then back to Arusha for dinner and overnight at Africa Safari Arusha. (B/L/D)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Fly from Arusha to Zanzibar (departing 1:15PM, arriving 2:20PM), where your driver meets you and transfers you to your beach hotel at Marumbi Beach, in Uroa. The rest of the day is yours to unwind. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (Dinner)

(The itinerary may be changed accordingly with your wishes, weather conditions, etc.)

Days of leisure - relax on the beach, or choose from optional excursions (a Stone Town tour, a spice farm, snorkelling or a dhow trip). (All-inclusive)

After breakfast, transfer to Zanzibar Airport for your onward flight. End of your trip. (Breakfast)