7 Day Glimpse of Northern Tanzania - Dry Season

The two-hour drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park takes you from the bustling city into the heart of the Great Rift Valley. The smooth highway cuts through vast plains, passing vibrant Maasai villages where herders tend to livestock against distant blue hills. As the urban scenery fades, the tarmac gives way to a red-clay track signaling the start of your safari adventure. The landscape transforms to reveal massive ancient baobab trees and umbrella acacias, where giraffes and zebras often wander near the roadside before you reach the main gate. You spend the whole day on game drives, with a picnic lunch in the park, watching for giraffes, wildebeest, zebras and predators. In the late afternoon you drive on to Karatu for the night at Farm of Dreams Lodge. Lunch and dinner are included today.

After an early breakfast you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive. The crater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's known for black rhino. Large lion prides live here too. Lunch is a picnic on the crater floor. In the afternoon you climb out, cross the highlands and enter Serengeti National Park, reaching Enkirari Wilderness Camp in the central Serengeti by evening. All meals are included.

A full-day private game drive begins at first light to target active apex predators along the Seronera River loops. This reliable water source draws a constant stream of zebras, wildebeests, and waterbucks, while the surrounding Simba or Moru kopjes provide sunbathing spots for local lion prides. Enjoy a private bush lunch experience complete with cold drinks under a lone acacia tree. The afternoon shifts toward outer circuits, featuring a visit to the crowded Retima Hippo Pool and dedicated tracking for cheetahs in the open grasslands or leopards hidden in yellow-barked acacia trees. In the evening you're back at Enkirari Wilderness Camp to sit by the fire before dinner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

The drive north to the northern Serengeti is an incredible transition from acacia woodlands into rugged, rolling grasslands bordering Kenya. The journey heads past the Seronera loops, crossing the Togoro plains and the rugged Lobo area where groves of umbrella trees thin out into sweeping valleys. You will stop for a packed picnic lunch at an elevated kopje viewpoint to scan the valleys for resident elephant and buffalo herds. The final leg takes you deeper into the Kogatende region, opening up into vast, golden grasslands near the famous Mara River, home to massive resident lion prides and migratory herds. This camp is home for the next three nights, so you can unpack properly. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

A full-day private game drive focuses heavily on the iconic Mara River loops, setting out at first light across the Kogatende region. Spend the morning hours tracking the great wildebeest migration, positioning your 4x4 vehicle at known crossing points to witness thousands of animals plunging into swift currents while battling deep water and giant Nile crocodiles. Enjoy a packed picnic lunch from canvas chairs at a safe, elevated viewpoint overlooking a bend in the river. The afternoon is spent exploring golden plains, rock kopjes, and large fig trees to spot resident lion prides and solitary leopards. Overnight at Savannah Mara River Tented Camp, with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The second day explores the vast, rolling plains of the Lamai Wedge, a remote northern triangle bordering Kenya's Masai Mara. Setting out at sunrise, you will navigate through the morning mist to track resident lion prides and cheetahs along the high ridges. After a relaxed bush picnic in a secluded grove of wild fig trees at noon, the afternoon shifts to the eastern side of Kogatende. This boulder-strewn area serves as a crucial sanctuary for large breeding herds of elephants, Cape buffalos, and elusive leopards before a scenic loop back toward the river valley. Overnight at Savannah Mara River Tented Camp, with all meals.

After a peaceful breakfast at camp, enjoy a short game drive to the Kogatende airstrip for a scenic flight across the Serengeti, Ngorongoro highlands, and Great Rift Valley to Arusha Airport. A private transfer vehicle will meet you for a relaxed lunch at an Arusha garden restaurant, followed by an afternoon opportunity to shop for souvenirs at a local cultural market. Finally, your driver will take you on a one-hour drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport, arriving with plenty of time to check in for your evening international flight home. Breakfast is included.