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Introduction

I recently got back from a week in Tanzania, and honestly – it completely blew me away. If you have ever even thought about going on a safari there, take this as your sign to go. I did the Northern Circuit, an incredible route through northern Tanzania that takes you to some unforgettable places: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti.

By day two, I had already ticked off the Big Five. The weather? Spot on. The views? Absolutely unreal. And every camp I stayed at was just amazing – each one unique, eco-conscious, and full of character. Every single day felt like a whole new adventure, from epic wildlife sightings to jaw dropping landscapes.

It was one of those trips that will definitely stay with me. Curious what a safari like this is really like? Keep reading – I am sharing all the details, highlights, and tips to help you plan your own unforgettable trip!

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The Journey There

I flew Ethiopian Airlines from London Heathrow to Kilimanjaro via Addis Ababa – smooth, no complaints, and I even ended up with a whole row to myself (great way to start a trip!).

Pro tip: while you can get your Tanzanian visa online, I would recommend getting it on arrival. I did, and it was straightforward. Some others who applied online never received theirs in time and had to pay the $50 twice – not ideal!

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Day 1: Arrival and Arusha Rainforest

As soon as I landed, I was greeted by warm sunshine (a welcome change from London), music, and dancing – a pretty incredible start.

I was met by a friendly team member from Tanganyika Expeditions and driven to Arumeru River Lodge, which is tucked away in a forested spot with views of Mount Meru – and occasionally Kilimanjaro if you’re lucky. The gardens are gorgeous, the rooms spacious, and there’s a lovely pool.

To shake off the long flight, we went on a rainforest walk around the forest below Mount Meru. It was the perfect way to stretch our legs and immerse ourselves in Tanzania right from the get go. We spotted black and white colobus monkeys, interesting trees like the parasite tree, and loads of colourful flowers. I also managed to step right into an ant’s nest – slightly painful, very memorable. Lesson learned – always check where you are putting your feet!

Supper was a delicious three course meal back at the lodge, followed by an early night in preparation for our first full day of safari.

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Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, we headed to the Tanganyika Expeditions HQ where we met the team and checked out their safari vehicles – including their impressive 100% electric ones, the first of its kind in East Africa. It’s a strong statement on sustainability and a clear sign they’re leading the way in responsible travel.

We then met our expert guides, Godfrey and Joseph, and hit the road for Tarangire National Park – our first stop.

Despite being given the heads-up that sightings might be slim at Tarangire because of the tall grasses, we were lucky from the start. Not long after entering the park, we spotted a lioness chilling on a termite mound. Not a bad start at all.

Tarangire’s landscape was striking – open plains with towering baobab trees and burst of bright green. We stopped for lunch at Tarangire Safari Lodge, perched high above the valley with panoramic view of the Tarangire River below. Elephants trumpeted in the distance as we ate – a pretty unbeatable lunch setting.

In the afternoon, we were treated to more elephant sightings (not surprising as Tarangire is known for having the highest concentration in Northern Tanzania), and then – pure magic – a leopard emerged from a tree and crossed the road right in front of us. UNREAL!

That night we stayed at Maweninga Camp, a tented camp perched on a granite outcrop overlooking Lake Burungi and Lake Manyara. The sundowners here were special with the incredible sunset views.

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Day 3: Tarangire to Manyara to Karatu

I woke up and had that blissful realisation: I wasn’t heading to work in London – I was heading on a game drive in the middle of Tanzania. Not a bad Monday.

Over breakfast, we shared stories from the night. One person woke up to something ‘loud and big’ sniffing right behind their head only for a guide to walk in and ask us if we heard the lions around the camp last night. You can imagine all our faces.

After a morning game drive, we made our way to Lake Manyara, at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The drive up the valley was spectacular. We stopped at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge for lunch with panoramic views – even a bit of rain didn’t spoil the moment,

Next, we popped into a local craft centre filled with everything from beaded belts to hand-carved salad servers. A perfect place to grab some gifts and support local artisans.

We spend the night at Bashay Rift Lodge in Karatu – a peaceful, green region nestled between parks. The lodge had spacious rooms and a pool overlooking the valley. A relaxed stop before diving into the wildness of Ngorongoro.

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Day 4: Into the Ngorongoro Crater

An early start saw us heading into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area – a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is unique not just for its beauty, but for the way the Maasai still live here, coexisting with the wildlife and their livestock, it’s a rare and respectful balance of people and nature.

Entering through towering gates and winding up jungle-covered hills that I can only describe as something out of Jurassic Park. At the top, a viewpoint revealed the iconic crater below before it disappeared into the clouds.

Descending into the caldera (which is the world’s largest), we were met by the highest concentration of wildlife I have ever seen. The whole floor was covered in green from recent rains, dotted with wildflowers and animals with their young – absolutely magical.

By midday, we had seen the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino) just two days into our safari. And then, a surprise: our guide took us to a private bush lunch away from the crowds. BBQ smoke in the air, sweeping crater views, and curious guinea fowl joining us.

After heading out we had a look around Melia Ngorongoro – a sleek, luxurious hotel with unbelievable views over the crater.

We continued our drive into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving past the Olduvai Gorge which is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world (has provided some of the earliest evidence of human evolution), and onto our camp for the night – Olduvai Camp – which is set on a rocky outcrop with 360-degree savannah views. The sunset here was something else.

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Day 5: On to the Serengeti

At sunrise, I climbed to the top of the kopje at Olduvai for the most peaceful, breath-taking view. After breakfast, we set off on a bumpy ride into the Serengeti – aka the ‘African massage’ as Joseph likes to call it.

We saw wildebeest, zebra, hyenas, and lions before reaching the entrance to the park. We got incredibly lucky with a sighting of two Caracal cats – even our guides were stunned.

Heading north through the Serengeti, I’d nearly given up hope of seeing Cheetah when one casually walked so elegantly right in front of us. The whole vehicle went silent. It was perfect.

Our next stay, Togoro Plains Camp, was truly wild (in the best way). The setting, the views, the sounds of lions and wildebeest as we sipped sundowners atop a rock outcrop – it was surreal and really made you feel alive!

Supper was a themed African night, with banana soup, fufu, and dancing staff surprising us late in the evening. One of those “I’ll never forget this” nights.

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Day 6: Serengeti to Grumeti Game Reserve

Another early morning by choice to join one of the Maasai staff to watch the sunrise from the rocks. A herd of elephants had moved in over night and were around one side of the camp. I was genuinely sad to leave Togoro – it had such a special feel about it.

But the adventure continued. Not long into our game drive, we spotted a young male lion resting on a kopje, and then two hyenas devouring a fresh kill before a frenzy of vultures descended. One of them was albino – our guide of 40+ years had never seen one before.

We left the Serengeti and entered the Grumeti Wildlife Management Area – a private area. Grumeti Hills Camp was tucked into the hillside with panoramic views and a pool overlooking the plains. Apparently, they had to move guests recently after 7 lionesses and 15 cubs decided to ‘take over’ camp. Not something you hear every day.

That night we did a night game drive in their electric vehicles, complete with night vision connected to our phones which was a thrilling and unique experience.

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Day 7: Final Morning - Grumeti to Arusha

We ended the trip with a walking safari down to Grumeti River – our guide showed us animal tracks (and plenty of poo) along the way. It was great to have a completely different perspective after being in the vehicle for the rest of the time. At the river, we were met with a delicious bush breakfast laid out for us – honestly, it felt like something from a dream.

Bellies full we made our way to the airstrip for a scenic flight back over the Serengeti and Ngorongoro to Arusha. Seeing the landscapes we had journeyed through from above was the perfect ending.

From Arusha, it was a quick transfer back to Kilimanjaro Airport for my international flight home to London.

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Final Thoughts

What a week!

Every camp we stayed at prioritised sustainability, with solar-powered systems, rainwater collection, and real attention to reducing impact. It felt good to know our travel was supporting conservation in the truest sense.

Another point is that I travelled in late April which falls during Tanzania’s ‘green season’. It’s when the rains typically are, so the landscape is lush, grasses are tall (harder to see game) camps often close or offer much lower rates. It’s usually when we don’t advise clients to go.

However, saying that, in the week that I was out there, it only rained for about 10 minutes on a game drive, the sun was shining, the camps and parks were practically empty, and we saw the most amazing range of game!

If Tanzania is not already on your list, I hope after reading this blog it now is.