How a Tanzania safari is put together
Most safaris in northern Tanzania start in Arusha and follow the "northern circuit": Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. You travel between them by road with your guide, or fly between parks to save time. Each night you stay in a lodge or tented camp in or near a park.
A first safari of 5–7 days covers the highlights without rushing; 7–10 days lets you add more time in the Serengeti, a remote area or a beach finish on Zanzibar. Browse our Tanzania safaris to see how routes fit together.
A typical day on safari
- Early morning: coffee or tea at sunrise, then out on a game drive while it is cool and the predators are active.
- Breakfast: back at the lodge, or a picnic breakfast in the bush.
- Midday: lunch and a rest during the heat, or a full-day drive with a packed lunch when the wildlife is far from camp.
- Afternoon: a second game drive as the light softens.
- Evening: back before dark (park rules), a drink by the fire and dinner under the stars.
Every day is different. Your guide adjusts the plan to the wildlife, the weather and you.
Your safari vehicle
We drive 4×4 safari vehicles with a pop-up roof, so you can stand and look out in every direction with shade overhead. On a private safari the vehicle is yours — you decide how long to stay at a sighting.
Your guide
Your guide is also your driver, naturalist and host for the whole trip. Our guides are professional, English-speaking and trained in wildlife behaviour, first aid and safe driving. They know where animals are likely to be, read tracks and behaviour, and explain what you are seeing — from the Big Five to the smallest birds. Tell them what you most want to see and they will plan the drives around it.
The Big Five and beyond
The "Big Five" — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — can all be seen in northern Tanzania. Rhino are rare and shy; the Ngorongoro Crater gives the best chance. But a safari is much more: cheetahs on the Serengeti plains, giraffes and zebras, hippos, hyenas and more than a thousand bird species in Tanzania. See our post on the wildlife you will see.
Park rules that keep everyone safe
- Stay inside the vehicle unless your guide says otherwise — only get out at marked sites.
- Keep your voice down and never call or feed the animals.
- Game drives end at dusk in national parks; night drives only where they are allowed.
- Vehicles stay on the tracks in most areas to protect the grass and the wildlife.
- Take all litter back with you.
Private or group safari?
On a private safari you have your own vehicle and guide and full flexibility. On a group-joining safari you share the vehicle with other travellers and the cost. Compare them in group joining or private tours.
Where you stay
Choose from mid-range lodges and tented camps to luxury lodges and boutique camps — all safe, comfortable and in prime areas, with private bathrooms and hot showers. See our mid-range and luxury safaris, and the lodges we book.
Before you go
Arrive a day early to rest after your flight, and read our guides on when to go, what to pack and what it costs.
