How to organize a safari in Tanzania

Planning a safari in Africa—and more specifically a safari in Tanzania—can be quite complicated if you don’t know the area and don’t have a clear geographical sense of the destination.

But one thing is certain: choosing to go on a safari in Tanzania is absolutely the right choice! Thanks to its very high number of National Parks, including the famous Serengeti National Park (you’ve definitely heard of it!) and the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera inhabited by thousands of animals, including the extremely rare black rhino, Tanzania is one of the best safari destinations on the entire continent.

In this article, we’ll give you a few tips to help you organize the basics of your first safari in Tanzania.
 

Which parks should you visit on a safari in Tanzania?

As we mentioned, Tanzania boasts some of the most beautiful national parks and reserves in Africa for going on safari. To make planning easier, these parks are divided into two main “circuits” to follow:

• The Northern Circuit, the most famous one, which starts and ends in Arusha. Following a circular route, it allows you to visit Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Crater, Serengeti National Park, and even the remote and stunning Lake Natron. 

• The Southern Circuit, less well known than the northern one, offers a wilder and more remote experience, including visits to parks such as Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park.

Although the Northern Circuit—which includes Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Manyara—is the most famous, Tanzania offers many other parks, some of which overlook the sea, while others are incredibly remote.

The Northern Circuit is ideal—and the one most highly recommended—for anyone planning their first safari in Tanzania. This is exactly the circuit we chose to follow, with a 6-day itinerary, during our trip to Tanzania.
 

A 6-day safari in Tanzania

So, as we were saying, if you need to choose which parks to visit on your first safari in Tanzania, we recommend focusing on those in the north of the country, because they are very different from one another and offer something new to see or spot every day.

Going on safari in Tanzania can be quite expensive (if you want a clearer idea, here you can find an article on how much a safari in Tanzania costs), so the length of your safari will largely depend on the budget you have available. If you want to do the Northern Circuit, at Sto Gran Tour we have designed this itinerary, which also includes a lovely stay in Zanzibar at the end of the safari: 

1. Departure flight 
2. Arrival in Arusha 
3. Tarangire National Park
4. Lake Manyara
5. Ngorongoro Conservation Area
6. Safari in Ngorongoro Crater
7. Safari in Serengeti National Park
8. Another full day of safari in the Serengeti
9. Exit from the parks and transfer to the airport
10. Flight to Zanzibar
11. Zanzibar
12. Zanzibar
13. Return flight

To understand the beauty of the wildlife you can spot on this itinerary, take a look at the animals you can see while on safari in Tanzania.