The northern circuit
Five parks within a day's drive of Arusha, and the destination of the overwhelming majority of Tanzanian safaris.
3+ days
Serengeti
14,763 km² of plains, the Great Migration, and the highest density of large predators in Africa. Needs three days minimum.
Full guide
1 day
Ngorongoro
The largest intact caldera on earth with 25,000 animals inside it, and the only realistic chance of black rhino in Tanzania.
Full guide
1–2 days
Tarangire
Baobabs and 2,500–3,000 elephants, two hours from Arusha, and the quietest of the main four parks.
Full guide
Half day
Lake Manyara
Groundwater forest, flamingos, huge baboon troops, and the only night drive and canopy walkway on the circuit.
Full guide
Half day
Arusha National Park
Forty minutes from town, and the one place on the circuit where you can walk, canoe and climb. No lions.
Full guide
5–9 days
Kilimanjaro
Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 m, climbed over five to nine days on seven official routes.
Full guideThe southern circuit
Reached from Dar es Salaam rather than Arusha. Bigger, emptier, cheaper to enter and more expensive to reach — where you go on a second trip.
3–4 days
Nyerere (Selous)
The largest national park in Africa, where you can do a boat safari, a walking safari and a game drive in the same day.
Full guide
3–4 days
Ruaha
Tanzania's largest park, holding around 10% of the world's lions and 12,000 elephants, with almost no other vehicles.
Full guide
1–2 days
Mikumi
The only major park reachable from a city by road in a morning. Open plains, resident lions, cheapest real safari in Tanzania.
Full guideCompare every park
Fees, size and what each park is known for, side by side.
| Park | Circuit | Size | Entry | Days | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serengeti | North | 14,763 km² | $82.60 | 3+ | Great Migration, predators |
| Ngorongoro | North | 260 km² | $82.60 + $295 | 1 | Density, black rhino |
| Tarangire | North | 2,850 km² | $59.00 | 1–2 | Elephants, baobabs, birds |
| Lake Manyara | North | 325 km² | $59.00 | ½–1 | Forest, flamingos, night drives |
| Arusha National Park | North | 552 km² | $59.00 | ½ | Walking, canoeing, Mount Meru |
| Kilimanjaro | North | 1,688 km² | $82.60/day | 5–9 | Africa's highest peak |
| Nyerere (Selous) | South | 30,893 km² | $59.00 | 3–4 | Boat safaris, wild dog |
| Ruaha | South | 20,226 km² | $35.40 | 3–4 | Lions, elephants, solitude |
| Mikumi | South | 3,230 km² | $35.40 | 1–2 | Cheapest, no flight needed |
All fees include 18% VAT and are set by the Tanzanian government — identical for every operator.
Which park is right for you?
Start from what you actually want, not from the famous name.
| If you want… | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Migration | Serengeti | The only place it happens. Pick the region by month. |
| The Big Five in one day | Ngorongoro | Only park where rhino is genuinely likely. |
| Elephants | Tarangire, then Ruaha | Herds of fifty or more in the dry season. |
| To walk, not drive | Arusha National Park, Nyerere (Selous), Ruaha | All three permit proper walking safaris. |
| Only one day | Ngorongoro / Tarangire | Both reachable and rewarding in a day from Arusha. |
| No flight, low budget | Mikumi | Four hours from Dar by road, the cheapest entry fee. |
Tanzanian national parks — frequently asked questions
It depends what you want. The Serengeti for the migration and predators, Ngorongoro for density and rhino, Tarangire for elephants, Ruaha for lions and solitude, Nyerere for boat safaris. Most good itineraries combine two or three rather than choosing one.
Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro are $82.60 per adult per day; Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha NP and Nyerere are $59.00; Ruaha and Mikumi are $35.40. All include 18% VAT. Ngorongoro adds $295 per vehicle to descend into the crater.
The northern circuit runs from Arusha and includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Manyara, Arusha NP and Kilimanjaro. The southern circuit runs from Dar es Salaam and covers Nyerere, Ruaha and Mikumi — bigger, emptier, cheaper to enter and more expensive to reach.
Arusha National Park at 40 minutes, Tarangire and Lake Manyara at two hours, and Ngorongoro at three to four hours. The Serengeti is 7–8 hours and not realistic as a day trip.
Ruaha and Mikumi at $35.40 per adult. But entry is only part of the cost: Mikumi needs no flight and is genuinely the cheapest safari in Tanzania, while Ruaha requires a two-hour flight from Dar.
Ngorongoro, because it is the only one where black rhino is realistically achievable. The Serengeti gives you four of the five easily but essentially no rhino. Combining the two is the standard solution.
June to October is the dry season and easiest everywhere. January and February suit the Serengeti calving season. March to May is wet: the northern parks stay open, but most camps in Ruaha and Nyerere close entirely.
Two days covers Tarangire and Ngorongoro well. Four to five adds the Serengeti properly. Six to eight lets you follow the migration or do the southern circuit.
No. TANAPA and NCAA gates are cashless — fees are paid by card or pre-loaded park cards. When you travel with us this is handled for you and included in the quoted price.
No, and on a short trip you should not try. Two parks done properly beat four rushed. A common mistake is squeezing the Serengeti into a four-day trip and spending most of it in the vehicle.