Tanzania Safari
The home of the Great Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater and Africa's best big-cat country. Everything you need to plan a trip: where to go, when to travel and what it costs. Then get matched to one that fits.
What a Tanzania safari looks like
A Tanzania safari is a guided wildlife trip through the country's national parks, usually built around the famous northern circuit: the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Most travellers spend 5 to 10 days, move between two or three parks, and ride in an open-sided 4x4 with a guide who tracks the animals for them.
What sets Tanzania apart is how much sits in one trip. The Great Migration, some of the highest predator densities in Africa, and the Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano where you can see the Big Five before lunch. Add a few days on the beaches of Zanzibar and you have a fortnight that is hard to beat.
Why choose Tanzania
More protected wilderness, more wildlife and more variety than almost anywhere else on the continent.
National parks
Migrating wildebeest
All present
Land protected
Which kind of safari suits you?
Different travellers want different things. Tap a style to see who it suits and an example trip.
The classic first safari
The northern circuit at a relaxed pace, with comfortable lodges and a good guide. You cover the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire and see the Big Five without long, tiring drives. A gentle, rewarding way into safari.
- Best for first-timers and couples
- Comfortable mid-range lodges
- Example: 7-day Northern Circuit from $3,200pp
Luxury, the quiet way
Smaller camps in the best corners of the park, usually a vehicle and guide to yourselves, and extras like a dawn balloon flight. Fewer vehicles at a sighting, finer cooking, and the freedom to set your own pace.
- Best for honeymoons and special trips
- Private guide and vehicle
- Example: 8-day Luxury Tented Safari from $8,400pp
Built around the shot
More time at each sighting, low vehicles for a clean angle, and a guide who reads the light. Routed through the best predator country and timed for golden hour, with charging points and bean bags on board.
- Best for keen photographers
- Longer at every sighting
- Example: 9-day Big Cats and Light from $6,200pp
Safari with the family
Shorter drives, flexible meal times and lodges with pools and family rooms. Guides who know how to keep younger travellers hooked, and a route that balances big-game days with downtime.
- Best for families with children
- Family rooms and a gentle pace
- Example: 7-day Family Northern Circuit from $3,600pp
Follow the Great Migration
Timed and routed for the herds: newborns and predators on the southern plains in January and February, or the Mara River crossings up north from July to October. Mobile camps move with the action.
- Best for a wildlife wishlist trip
- Timed to the herds and crossings
- Example: 9-day Great Migration Safari from $4,900pp
The best Tanzania safari regions
First safaris focus on the accessible northern circuit. The wild southern parks reward a second trip.
Serengeti
Open plains, the Great Migration and the finest big cats in Africa. The centre of most trips.
Serengeti safari guide →Ngorongoro Crater
A collapsed volcano holding 25,000 animals, and the surest Big Five sighting in Africa.
Ngorongoro safari guide →Tarangire
Big elephant herds and ancient baobabs, with a fraction of the Serengeti's vehicles.
Explore destinations →Lake Manyara
Tree-climbing lions, a pink rim of flamingos, and lush groundwater forest.
Explore destinations →Nyerere (Selous)
A vast, quiet wilderness with boat safaris on the Rufiji River and strong wild-dog sightings.
Explore destinations →Ruaha
Remote and rugged, with some of the largest lion prides anywhere and very few people.
Explore destinations →Best time for a Tanzania safari
The dry season, June to October, is peak game-viewing and crossing time. The green season is lush, quiet and cheaper. Every month has its highlight.
How much does a Tanzania safari cost?
Prices run from about $250 to $1,500 a day per person. Where you land comes down mostly to the camp and the season.
By comfort level
- Mid-range, $250–$400 a day. Comfortable tented camps and lodges.
- Luxury, $600–$1,000 a day. Smaller camps, often private guiding.
- Premium, $1,500+ a day. Private, fly-in, the very best.
By trip length, per person
- 5 days, from about $1,500–$2,500
- 7 days, from about $2,800–$4,000
- 10 days, from about $4,000–$6,000
Example Tanzania safari routes
Filter by trip length to see how the days come together.
Crater and Serengeti Express
Ngorongoro plus the central Serengeti, the headline sights when time is short.
Classic Northern Circuit
Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti at a relaxed pace.
Migration and the Crater
Time the herds in the Serengeti, then drop into the Ngorongoro Crater.
Crater and Serengeti Express
Ngorongoro plus the central Serengeti, the headline sights when time is short.
Tarangire and Ngorongoro
Elephants and the crater, a short safari that pairs well with Zanzibar.
Classic Northern Circuit
Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti at a relaxed pace.
Family Northern Circuit
The same highlights with a gentler pace, pools and family rooms.
Migration and the Crater
Time the herds in the Serengeti, then drop into the Ngorongoro Crater.
North and South Explorer
The northern circuit, then a flight to wild, quiet Ruaha or Nyerere.
How the planner matches you
Rather than scroll through endless itineraries, tell the planner what matters to you. It weighs six things: budget, travel dates, wildlife, comfort, trip length and photography. Then it surfaces the Tanzania safaris that fit. Free, two minutes, no obligation.
Tanzania safari questions
How much does a Tanzania safari cost?
Mid-range trips start around $250 to $400 a day per person, luxury runs $600 to $1,000, and premium camps pass $1,500. A typical week lands between $2,800 and $9,000 a person. See the full Tanzania safari cost guide.
When is the best time to go?
June to October is the strongest overall, with easy game viewing and the river crossings up north. January and February is calving. The green season, November to May, is lush, quiet and cheaper. Read the month-by-month guide.
How many days do you need?
Five days covers the highlights, seven is the sweet spot for the northern circuit, and ten lets you follow the migration or add the southern parks. Fewer than five and you spend too long in transit.
Which parks should a first-timer visit?
The classic first safari pairs the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, giving you the migration, the Big Five and big elephant herds in one easy loop. See the destinations page.
Can I add Zanzibar?
Yes, and many people do. A short flight links the northern circuit to the beaches, so a week of safari plus a few beach days makes a natural two-week trip.
Is Tanzania safe for a safari?
Yes. Safaris run with licensed guides in well-run national parks, and the northern circuit is one of the most established safari regions in the world. Normal travel sense and current health advice apply.
Plan your Tanzania safari
Answer a few quick questions and get matched to safaris that fit your budget, your dates and your wishlist.