7-Day Northern Circuit with Cultural Tourism Luxury

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. If time permits, enjoy an optional city tour, featuring visits to the Cultural Heritage Art Gallery, local market, and Maasai Market, where you can immerse yourself in Arusha’s vibrant cultural scene before settling in for the evening at your accommodation. Overnight at Under the Shade Safari Lodge – Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City).

Your safari begins the moment you walk out of Kilimanjaro International Airport. A Serengeti Wakanda guide is waiting with your name on a board and the words every traveller wants to hear: karibu Tanzania, welcome to Tanzania.

We transfer you to your lodge in the Arusha foothills, where you can shower, change into safari clothes and settle in. Your driver-guide joins you for a relaxed welcome dinner, walks through tomorrow's plan in detail and answers every last question. An early night sets you up for the days ahead.

Where you sleep tonight

Under the Shade Safari Lodge

Garden lodge near Karatu / Manyara

Relaxed garden lodge with thatched cottages, pool and a cosy dining hall under the shade trees.

Your safari adventure begins today! After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your accommodation at 7:45 a.m. for a scenic 2-hour drive to Tarangire National Park. Renowned for its large elephant herds and iconic baobab trees, the park offers diverse landscapes, including seasonal swamps, open savannah, and the wildlife-rich Tarangire River. Explore the park in an open-roof vehicle, spotting giraffes, zebras, impalas, lions, leopards, elands, warthogs, elephants, and a variety of bird species. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a picturesque spot with stunning views, followed by more wildlife encounters. As evening falls, retreat to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay. Overnight at Moonbow Lodge – Luxury lodge located on the escarpment above Lake Manyara NP.

Tarangire is the elephant capital of northern Tanzania. In the dry season the Tarangire River is the only permanent water for miles, and herds of up to 250 elephants come down to drink, calves tumbling between their mothers' legs.

You spend the day on a private game drive through baobab-studded floodplains: lions resting in the shade, giraffe browsing acacia tops, fringe-eared oryx and the strange dwarf mongoose colonies. We pack a hot picnic lunch so you can stay in the park while the light is good.

Where you sleep tonight

Moonbow Lodge

Boutique lodge in Karatu

Quiet boutique lodge in the Karatu highlands — wood-and-canvas cottages with views over the coffee fields.

Today, your journey takes you to Lake Eyasi, departing after breakfast. This immersive cultural experience begins with a visit to the Hadzabe people, known for their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Learn about their practices, such as hunting small game like dik-diks and hares, gathering honey, and living in simple, temporary dwellings. Communicating in a unique click language, the Hadzabe provide a fascinating insight into their way of life. Next, visit the Datoga community, renowned for their skilled craftsmanship and blacksmithing traditions. After engaging with these vibrant communities, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Overnight at Moonbow Lodge – Luxury lodge located on the escarpment above Lake Manyara NP.

Lake Eyasi is a soda lake in the floor of the Rift Valley and home to the Hadzabe, one of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, and the Datoga, master blacksmiths whose copper rings the Hadzabe trade for honey.

You leave before sunrise with a Hadzabe interpreter to join the men on a real hunt with hand-made bows and poisoned arrows. Later you visit a Datoga compound to see arrows being forged from melted padlocks. It is the most honest cultural visit on the circuit.

Where you sleep tonight

Moonbow Lodge

Boutique lodge in Karatu

Quiet boutique lodge in the Karatu highlands — wood-and-canvas cottages with views over the coffee fields.

After breakfast, your journey to the Serengeti begins. Though the drive may be long and occasionally bumpy, it offers 4 to 5 hours of incredible wildlife viewing as you traverse the crater highlands toward the vast Serengeti plains. Weather permitting, you’ll pause for a brief stop at the Ngorongoro Viewpoint to admire the stunning caldera before continuing your adventure. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route, taking in the picturesque surroundings. Upon entering the park, an afternoon game drive will immerse you in the Serengeti’s rich wildlife. As the day ends, head to your accommodation for a delicious dinner and a peaceful overnight stay in the heart of the Serengeti. Overnight at Lala Salama Serengeti Luxury Camp – Luxury tented camp located inside Central Serengeti NP.

The Seronera valley is the heart of the Serengeti and a year-round game-viewing area. Permanent water, rocky kopjes and short-grass plains create the highest density of big cats in Africa: roughly 1 lion per 10 km², and the best leopard sightings on the circuit.

Mornings start before sunrise to catch the cats while they are still active; midday is a slow picnic in the shade of an acacia. In the afternoon we work the riverine fig trees for leopards and the kopjes for resting prides. Distances are long but every stop is worth it.

Where you sleep tonight

Lala Salama Serengeti Luxury Camp

Luxury tented camp, Central Serengeti

Luxury tented camp deep inside the Serengeti — spacious canvas suites with private decks, hot showers, candlelit dinners and lions calling in the distance.

Enjoy a full day of adventure in Serengeti National Park, with an exciting game drive from sunrise to sunset. Seek out the iconic Big Five and marvel at the diversity of over 500 bird species. As the sun sets, return to your accommodation for a delightful dinner and a relaxing overnight stay. For an additional cost, you can enhance your experience with a hot-air balloon safari or a walking safari, adding a unique perspective to your journey. Overnight at Lala Salama Serengeti Luxury Camp – Luxury tented camp located inside Central Serengeti NP.

The Seronera valley is the heart of the Serengeti and a year-round game-viewing area. Permanent water, rocky kopjes and short-grass plains create the highest density of big cats in Africa: roughly 1 lion per 10 km², and the best leopard sightings on the circuit.

Mornings start before sunrise to catch the cats while they are still active; midday is a slow picnic in the shade of an acacia. In the afternoon we work the riverine fig trees for leopards and the kopjes for resting prides. Distances are long but every stop is worth it.

Where you sleep tonight

Lala Salama Serengeti Luxury Camp

Luxury tented camp, Central Serengeti

Luxury tented camp deep inside the Serengeti — spacious canvas suites with private decks, hot showers, candlelit dinners and lions calling in the distance.

After breakfast, you’ll set off on a scenic drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, with about 3 hours of wildlife viewing along the way. This extraordinary destination is home to a rich variety of East African wildlife, including the rare black rhino, which you might be lucky enough to spot. Covering 260 square kilometers with a diameter of roughly 20 kilometers, the crater requires 5 to 6 hours to fully explore its breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife. Afterward, you’ll proceed to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay. Overnight at Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge – Luxury lodge located 1-2hr drive from Ngorongoro Crater.

The Seronera valley is the heart of the Serengeti and a year-round game-viewing area. Permanent water, rocky kopjes and short-grass plains create the highest density of big cats in Africa: roughly 1 lion per 10 km², and the best leopard sightings on the circuit.

Mornings start before sunrise to catch the cats while they are still active; midday is a slow picnic in the shade of an acacia. In the afternoon we work the riverine fig trees for leopards and the kopjes for resting prides. Distances are long but every stop is worth it.

Where you sleep tonight

Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge

Highland lodge near Ngorongoro

Spacious highland lodge with sweeping views, full-board dining and a fireplace lounge — perfectly placed for an early crater descent.

Start your day with a delicious breakfast, reflecting on the incredible adventures of the past few days. Afterward, check out from your lodge around 10:00 a.m. You can choose to be dropped off at a hotel in Arusha or Kilimanjaro, or directly at Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport, marking the end of your safari journey.

Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 m and the highest free-standing peak in the world. Today you trek between camps, gaining altitude slowly to acclimatise, accompanied by your senior guide team, cook and porters.

Distance varies by day from 5 to 15 km. The mantra on Kili is pole pole, slowly slowly: a steady pace, plenty of water, three hot meals a day and an honest pulse-oximeter check every evening to track your acclimatisation.