Tanzania Southern Safari Circuit Travel Guide
The Ultimate Guide on Traveling To Tanzania Southern Safari Circuit
Arguably the greatest safari destination in Africa, Tanzania Northern Safari circuit is a region of enormous diversity and quality, centered on the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks, with guest accommodation in around 180 decent Tented camps(tented Losdges), Safari Lodges and Safari Hotels offering an extremely wide range of safari, cultural and active experiences.
Tanzania Northern Safari Circuit General Overview:
Tanzania Northern Safari Circuit is arguably the greatest safari destination in Africa.
A journey through this wonderful region can deliver a vast range of extraordinary experiences, centered on spectacular volcanic landscapes, incredible wildlife and fascinating tribal cultures. The Northern Safari Circuit is headlined by the Serengeti National Park, the mother of all safari destination, home to a great wildebeest migration and zebra migration and famously productive predator viewing.
The region also contains the majorities of best national parks and wildlife areas including the Conservation Area of Ngorongoro Crater, the Rift Valley lakes of Manyara, Eyasi and Natron, as well as the more subtle landscapes and wildlife of Tarangire National Park. All these National Parks are so closely together, the area has traditionally been visited by travelling overland with a private vehicle and driver-guide provided by us, which really does give you the freedom to explore and provides a uniquely engaging style of safari.
The regional is incredibly seasonal and very careful planning is needed to make the most of the weather and wildlife, as well as avoiding the visitor traffic in core areas. Although the Jun-Oct dry season is widely considered to be the best time for visit, the truth is that there are genuinely good reasons to come year round, not least the incredible migration calving event during the Jan-Mar green season.
Safaris into this region range from very commercial and goofy, through to extremely cool and authentic. We will use our intimate knowledge of all various the areas to ensure that you stay on the right side of that equation.
Best Time To Visit Tanzania Northern Safari Circuit:
The Tanzania North safari circuit has to be one of the most seasonal locations in Africa. Although there is literally no bad time to visit this part of the world, the annual cycle of weather, wildlife movements and visitor traffic flows combine to have an incredibly dramatic effect on trip planning during every single month of the year.
Although the Jun-Oct dry season is widely considered to be the best time fo visit, the truth is that there are genuinely good reasons to come year round, not least the incredibile migration calving event during the Jan-Mar green season.bThe two low season periods of Nov-Dec and Mar-May may be much less dependable for weather, but they remain really strong for wildlife viewing and benefit from dramatically lower visitor numbers. The bottom line is that, no matter what time of year you want to visit, Tanzania North will deliver. When done properly, it is epic.
Please note that the climate statistics in the following sections are cited for the Serengeti Central area. In reality this region experiences a very wide range of climatic conditions, all following the same basic seasonal pattern, but with vast differences over surprisingly small distances. For example the annual of rainfall in the Karatu and Olduvai areas differs by a factor of ten, even though the two places are only 30km apart.
January : Rating 10/10
Climate: The Jan-Feb period is generally regarded as a lull between the short and long rains. There should be plenty of sun and clear skies, but rain showers could be encountered.
Serengeti National Park: The migration is on the short-grass plains in the south and the calving season should be well underway, a major highlight of the safari year. There can be significant vehicle congestion around Ndutu. Elsewhere the animals and vehicles are likely to be more dispersed.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater: Conditions are likely to be slightly more challenging. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater remain good, although traffic is always high. Trekking options are good.
Tarangire : The wildlife is likely to be dispersed and much more difficult to find at this time, but the park should be looking pretty and visitor numbers should be relatively low.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should be accessible and attractive, visitor traffic should be relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the undeniable highlight is the migration calving event in southern Serengeti, especially given that most areas are not quite at their best. The most likely option is a slightly shorter than usual safari of maybe 5-8 nights, focused mainly on Serengeti Southwest and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time.
February : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jan-Feb period is generally regarded as a lull between the short and long rains. There should be plenty of sun and clear skies, but rain showers could be encountered.
Serengeti : The migration is on the short-grass plains in the south and the calving season should be reaching a peak, a major highlight of the safari year. There can be significant vehicle congestion around Ndutu. Elsewhere the animals and vehicles are likely to be more dispersed.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are likely to be slightly more challenging. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater remain good, although traffic is always high. Trekking options are good.
Tarangire : The wildlife is likely to be dispersed and much more difficult to find at this time, but the park should be looking pretty and visitor numbers should be relatively low.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should be accessible and attractive, visitor traffic should be relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the undeniable highlight is the migration calving event in southern Serengeti, especially given that most areas are not quite at their best. The most likely option is a slightly shorter than usual safari of maybe 5-8 nights, focused mainly on Serengeti Southwest and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time.
March : Rating 9.0
Climate : The Mar-Apr period is the peak rainy season. There should be plenty of sun and clear skies, but rain showers are likely to be encountered and can increasingly become torriential into April, with prolonged overcast periods.
Serengeti : The migration is on the short-grass plains in the south and the calving season should be just passing its peak, still a major highlight of the safari year. The vehicle congestion around Ndutu should be starting to reduce. Elsewhere the animals and vehicles are likely to be more dispersed.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are likely to be a good deal more challenging. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be okay, but may be heavily impacted by rain. Trekking options are not usually recommended.
Tarangire : The wildlife is likely to be dispersed and much more difficult to find at this time, but the park should be looking pretty and visitor numbers should be low.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas could become inaccessible, visitor traffic should be very low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the undeniable highlight is the migration calving event in southern Serengeti, especially given that most areas are not quite at their best. The most likely option is a slightly shorter than usual safari of maybe 5-8 nights, focused mainly on Serengeti Southwest and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time.
April : Rating 8.0
Climate : The Mar-Apr period is the peak rainy season. There should be plenty of sun and clear skies, but rain showers are likely to be encountered and can increasingly become torriential into April, with prolonged overcast periods.
Serengeti : The migration calving season should be finishing and the main herds starting to move north from Ndutu, with the rut getting underway. Visitor traffic should be pleasantly light. Elsewhere the animals are likely to be more dispersed and vehicle traffic reduced to not far above zero.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are likely to be a good deal more challenging. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater are likely to be heavily impacted by rain. Trekking options are not usually recommended.
Tarangire : The wildlife is likely to be dispersed and much more difficult to find at this time, but the park should be looking pretty and visitor numbers should be very low.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas may well become inaccessible, visitor traffic should be very low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, especially given that most areas are not quite at their best. The most likely option is a slightly shorter than usual safari of maybe 5-8 nights, focused mainly on Serengeti Central, Serengeti Southwest and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time.
May : Rating 9.5
Climate : The month of May marks the transition between the rainy season and the dry season. There should be plenty of sun and clear skies, but rain showers may still encountered from time to time.
Serengeti : The migration herds should be moving north in vast columns and the rut should be well underway. Visitor traffic tends to remain surprisingly light, although with possible vehicle clusters in central areas and around the Moru Kopjes. Elsewhere the animals are likely to be more dispersed and vehicle traffic should be relatively low.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are likely to be slightly more challenging. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater are improving, although traffic is also on the increase. Trekking options remain rather adverse.
Tarangire : The wildlife is likely to still be dispersed and more difficult to find at this time, but the park should be looking pretty and visitor numbers should still be quite low.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should once again be accessible, but visitor traffic should remain low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, especially given that most areas are only just starting to improve. The most likely option is a slightly shorter than usual safari of maybe 5-8 nights, focused mainly on Serengeti West, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time and Tarangire is becoming more appealing.
June : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jun-Oct period is the main dry season. Conditions should be dominated by sunshine and clear skies.
Serengeti : The migration herds should still be moving north but are now likely to become dispersed amongst the woodlands of the Northern Corridor. Visitor traffic tends to climb through the month, with possible severe vehicle clusters in central areas. Elsewhere the wildlife viewing should be improving as the grasses die back, but vehicle traffic should be relatively low.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are likely to be much improved. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be good, although traffic is starting to become uncomfortably high. Trekking options are also improved, despite the low night time temperatures.
Tarangire : The animals should be starting to move in towards the central river system, which means that wildlife sightings should be improving. Visitor numbers are also starting to climb.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should once again be fully accessible, but visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, but less so now that other areas are starting to reach their best. The most likely option is a medium duration safari of maybe 6-9 nights, focused on Serengeti West, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding a quick visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be relatively peaceful at this time and Tarangire is becoming much more appealing.
July : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jun-Oct period is the main dry season. Conditions should be dominated by sunshine and clear skies.
Serengeti : The migration herds should have arrived into the Serengeti Mara area and big river crossings should be underway. Visitor traffic continues to climb through the month, with possible severe vehicle clusters in central areas and migration crossing points. Elsewhere the wildlife viewing should be improving as the grasses continue to die back, but vehicle traffic varies place to place.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are now likely to be quite favourable. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be good, although traffic is now uncomfortably high. Trekking options are also good, despite the low night time temperatures.
Tarangire : The animals should have significantly moved in towards the central river system, which means that wildlife sightings should be becoming strong. Visitor numbers are also starting to reach a peak.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas are fully accessible, but visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, but less so now that other areas are starting to reach their best. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas and extending on south into Tarangire.
August : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jun-Oct period is the main dry season. Conditions should be dominated by sunshine and clear skies.
Serengeti : The migration herds should be spread out across the Serengeti Mara area and big river crossings should be regular occurences. Visitor traffic reaches its peak during this month, with the likelihood of severe vehicle clusters in central areas and migration crossing points. Elsewhere the wildlife viewing should be strong, but vehicle traffic varies place to place.
Ngorongoro : Conditions are now favourable. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be good, although traffic is now uncomfortably high. Trekking options are also good.
Tarangire : The animals should by now have moved in towards the central river system, which means that wildlife sightings should be strong. Visitor numbers are also at their peak.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas are fully accessible, but visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, but less so now that other areas are also at their best. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas and extending on south into Tarangire.
September : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jun-Oct period is the main dry season. Conditions should be dominated by sunshine and clear skies.
Serengeti : The migration herds should be spread out across the Serengeti Mara area and big river crossings should be regular occurences. Visitor traffic remains high during this month, with the likelihood of severe vehicle clusters in central areas and migration crossing points. Elsewhere the wildlife viewing should be strong, but vehicle traffic varies place to place.
Ngorongoro : Conditions continue to be favourable. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be good, although traffic remains uncomfortably high. Trekking options are now very strong.
Tarangire : The animals should by now be largely centred on the central river system, which means that wildlife sightings should be very strong. Visitor numbers are also at their peak.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas are fully accessible, but visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, but less so now that other areas are also at their best. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas and extending on south into Tarangire.
October : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Jun-Oct period is the main dry season. Conditions should be dominated by sunshine and clear skies.
Serengeti : The migration herds should still be be spread out across the Serengeti Mara area and big river crossings should be regular occurences. Visitor traffic should be reducing quite fast during this month, but still with chances of severe vehicle clusters in central areas and migration crossing points. Elsewhere the wildlife viewing should be strong, but vehicle traffic varies place to place.
Ngorongoro : Conditions continue to be favourable. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should be good, although traffic remains high. Trekking options are now very strong.
Tarangire : The animals should by now be largely centred on the central river system, which means that wildlife sightings should be very strong. Visitor numbers tend to remain high.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas are fully accessible, but visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, but less so now that other areas are also at their best. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas and extending on south into Tarangire.
November : Rating 9.5
Climate : The Nov-Dec period is the short rainy season. However the conditions tend to remain largely sunshine and clear skies, but with intermittent showers and occasional dramatic thunder storms.
Serengeti : The migration herds should be starting to move south from Serengeti Mara towards Serengeti Central and on to the southern plains, although this movement is notoriously difficult to predict. Visitor traffic should be relatively low during this month, but still with chances of vehicle clusters in central areas.
Ngorongoro : Conditions continue to be largely favourable, although with significant chances of rain. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should remain good, with traffic still high, but much lower than usual. Trekking options are starting to become less attractive.
Tarangire : The animals should remain largely centred on the central river system, but could disperse quickly if there is significant rain, which would make wildlife viewing a great deal more dificult. Visitor numbers tend to be much reduced, although not by as much as expected.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should remain accessible, but could get washed out. Visitor traffic should drop to very low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, although its location is now very difficult to predict, meaning that it’s best to include multiple stops along the route. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas and optionally extending on south into Tarangire.
December : Rating 9.0
Climate : The Nov-Dec period is the short rainy season. However the conditions tend to remain largely sunshine and clear skies, but with intermittent showers and occasional dramatic thunder storms.
Serengeti : The migration herds should be well on the way south from Serengeti Mara through Serengeti Central and on towards the southern plains, although this movement is notoriously difficult to predict. Visitor traffic should be relatively low during the first half of the month, but leaping dramatically thereafter, leading to the likelihood of serious vehicle clusters in central areas.
Ngorongoro : Conditions continue to be largely favourable, although with significant chances of rain. Visits to the Ngorongoro Crater should remain good, with traffic levels surprisingly low at first but leaping to uncomfortable levels as the holiday seaosn kicks in. Trekking options remain slightly less attractive.
Tarangire : The animals sometimes remain largely centred on the central river system, but may have dispersed if there is significant rain, which would make wildlife viewing a great deal more dificult. Visitor numbers tend to start low and climb to surprisingly high by the third week.
Lake Manyara : Wildlife is always quite reliable here, but visitor numbers are almost always uncomfortably high around the North Gate.
Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron : Both areas should remain accessible, but could get washed out. Visitor traffic should remain relatively low.
Trip planning : At this time of year the main focus remains the migration, although its location remains difficult to predict, meaning that it’s best to include multiple stops along the route. The most likely option is a longer than usual duration safari of maybe 8-12 nights, focused on Serengeti Central, Serengeti Southwest and Serengeti Southcentral, probably adding nights in Ngorongoro areas. If you want to stay longer, then Serengeti Mara should be blissfully peaceful at this time.
Key locations
We divide the Tanzania North region into a total of eight sub-areas, each of which has their own very different character, reasons to visit and seasonality. Most visitors combine multiple areas into their safari …
Serengeti
Serengeti is the mother of all safari reserves, a most extraordinary place, best known for its enormous wildebeest and zebra migration, but with prolific wildlife year round. Guest accommodation is in a fabulous range of around 100 camps and lodges, offering a range of safari and cultural activities.
Link : Serengeti
Link : Best lodges in Serengeti
Ngorongoro
Situated immediately to the south of Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Highlands is a range of dramatic volcanic peaks which is traversed during a safari, notably passing through the famous Ngorongoro Crater.
Link : Ngorongoro
Link : Best lodges in Ngorongoro
Tanzania Safari Circuits:
We divide Tanzania into Four regions. Most people choose to either focus on one region or combine two different regions into their trip. If you want to combine three or more regions, then you will most likely be looking at a trip of at least 14 nights.
Tanzania Northern Safari Circuit:
Arguably the greatest safari area in Africa, Tanzania North is a region of enormous diversity and quality, centred on the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara and Tarangire areas, with guest accommodation in around 180 decent camps and lodges and offering an extremely wide range of safari, cultural and active experiences.
- Link : Tanzania Northern Circuit.
- Link : Best lodges in Tanzania North
Tanzania Southern Safari Circuit:
The Tanzania South region contains two superb wildlife reserves, Selous and Ruaha, with guest accommodation in around 25 quality camps and lodges, which are usually accessed by air from Dar es Salaam and combined with the tropical beaches of the coast. Other more peripheral areas include Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains, Iringa and Mufindi Highlands.
- Link : Tanzania Southern Circuit
- Link : Best lodges in Tanzania South
Tanzania Western Safari Circuit:
The Tanzania West region contains two of the most remote and fabulous safari areas in Africa, namely the savanna reserve of Katavi and the remarkable chimpanzee experience at Mahale Mountains. Guest accommodation is in just a handful of high quality camps, accessed by expensive shared charter flights. Other more peripheral areas include Kigoma and Gombe Stream.
- Link : Tanzania Western Circuit.
- Link : Best lodges in Tanzania Western Circuit
Tanzania Coastal Safari Circuit:
Tanzania contains over 700km of fabulous tropical coastline, plus the beautiful islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia, with guest accommodation in around 120 quality lodges, offering a very strong range of marine and cultural experiences. White sand beaches, great diving and incredible Swahili history.
- Link : Tanzania Coastal Circuit.
- Link : Best lodges in Tanzania Coastal Circuit
Getting around
Tanzania is usually accessed via Kilimanjaro International Airport (for the Serengeti region and Mount Kilimanjaro), Dar es Salaam International Airport (for Selous and Ruaha and the coast) and Zanzibar International Airport (for the coast).
Whilst it is possible to arrive into any of these airports and connect to anywhere in the country, there are definitely some connections which are easier and cheaper than others, so it’s usually best not to book your international flights before contacting us.
If you are combining with neighbouring countries like Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, then it may be possible to fly direct into the national parks rather than detour back through these big airports. For example there are excellent flights from Entebbe and Kigali which head into the airstrips of Serengeti.
Once in the country, the majority of locations are best connected by light aircraft services, which are generally arranged to seamlessly route between the key areas.
The major exception to this is when travelling between the various reserves in the north (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire) which are usually best connected by means of guided overland safaris.
Within each location it is usual to travel around with a guide and a vehicle. Self-drive is definitely not recommended, not even in somewhere as popular as Zanzibar Island.
We always include all connecting transport in your trip unless you specifically ask us not to.
Trip planning
The usual problem with planning a trip to Tanzania is that there are so many wonderful locations competing for your time. It is literally possible to spend 4-6 weeks here and still keep coming up with new places and novel experiences.
The vast majority of travellers end up spending 10-21 nights in country.
By far the most popular location to visit is Serengeti, usually in combination with one or more of the neighbouring reserves (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire). A safari in this region is usually best done over 6-12 nights.
The most popular extension to that kind of safari is to head down to the tropical coast for a few days, or to add more safari in the remote reserves to the south or west of the country.
A few people, especially returning visitors, choose to skip the north and instead focus on the remote reserves of the south (Ruaha and Selous) and the west (Katavi and Mahale), usually spending 3-6 nights in each spot.
The other major option is to trek Mount Kilimanjaro, which takes 6-11 nights including the hotel stops either side. All manner of safari and beach options can then be added to these treks, with the classic triple of trek, safari and beach typically lasting 14-24 nights.
Of course you can always discuss all this in detail when we come to help with your trip, but in the meantime here’s some links to more detailed discussions about trip shapes …
Best Accommodations in Northern Safari circuit
Whether you’re planning a safari for your group, looking for a bird-watching, photography, Active, Culture with like-minded travelers or planning your romantic honeymoon, we can leverage our years of experience to design a perfectly tailored safari for you.