Tanzania Safaris · 20 days · Tanzania Safaris

20 Days Southern and Northern Tanzania Parks

Overview
Itinerary
Highlights
Included
Details
Best Time
FAQ
From$6795.00
01

Tour Overview

DAY
20days
Duration
MAP
8stops
Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara, Arusha
CAR
4x4safari
Custom vehicle
BED
19 Nightsstay
Grand Tanzania safari
USD
$6,795+
From / person
20 Days Southern and Northern Tanzania Parks

Experience wildlife safari in among biggest parks in Southern and Northern Circuit of Tanzania, enjoy game drive and boat safari in Nyerere National Park, game drive in Ruaha National Park plus more wild experience in Mikumi National Park with lunch boxes during activities, overnight stay in lodges.

A country-spanning safari for serious wildlife travellers who want Tanzania in depth rather than a shorter sampler route.

02

Daily Itinerary

Day 1

Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park

Meet and transfer

Morning pickup from the airport in Dar es Salaam and drive to Selous game reserve with lunches at restaurant in Kibiti, take a short break then proceed with the drive, arrive in late afternoon and check in at the camp, then leave for evening boat drive at Rufiji river. Return to the camp for dinner and overnight at African safari camp.

Accommodation: African Safari Selous

Day 1: Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park
Day 2

Nyerere Game Drive

Southern opener

After breakfast in the morning with your packed lunches enjoy full day game inside the game reserve, great animal sightings including all the great favorites lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra and all the other major species like hunting wild dogs and also enjoy a great variety of bird species with wonderful scenery and varied topography: wetlands, dry grassland, light acacia forest, and higher ground with long views of far-off mountains. Enjoy your packed lunch and time to rest. Your guide will select a location with shade and water nearby to watch the animals coming to drink a place with a clear view all round so that no predator can creep up unseen. During evening you will be back at your accommodation for sunset and dinner at African safari camp

Accommodation: African Safari Selous

Day 2: Nyerere Game Drive
Day 3

Nyerere Game Drive

Wildlife and river systems

After breakfast in the morning with your packed lunches enjoy full day game inside the game reserve, great animal sightings including all the great favorites lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra and all the other major species like hunting wild dogs and also enjoy a great variety of bird species with wonderful scenery and varied topography: wetlands, dry grassland, light acacia forest, and higher ground with long views of far-off mountains. Enjoy your packed lunch and time to rest. Your guide will select a location with shade and water nearby to watch the animals coming to drink a place with a clear view all round so that no predator can creep up unseen. During evening you will be back at your accommodation for sunset and dinner at African safari camp

Accommodation: African Safari Selous

Day 3: Nyerere Game Drive
Day 4

Nyerere NP to Mikumi National Park

Boat safari or extra game drive

After breakfast with your lunch boxes drive to Mikumi National Park 6-7 hours driving, arrive for afternoon/evening game drive. Great welcome by the herd of impala, elephants, Masai giraffes, lions, wildebeests, buffaloes and many more, followed by dinner and overnight at Camp Lilac Mikumi.

Accommodation: Camp Lilac Mikumi

Accommodation Camp Lilac Mikumi Mikumi, Tanzania
Exterior of Camp Lilac Mikumi in Mikumi, Tanzania
Day 5

Mikumi Game Drive

Southern circuit connection

After breakfast from the lodge with packed lunches enjoys full day game drive inside the park and spot many animals. Animals commonly found here include lions, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra and elephants and many more. Also you will stop for lunches at the picnic site before proceed with game drive to hippos and crocodiles pool and during evening you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Camp Lilac Mikumi

Accommodation Camp Lilac Mikumi Mikumi, Tanzania
Exterior of Camp Lilac Mikumi in Mikumi, Tanzania
Day 6

Ruaha National Park Game Drive

Open plains wildlife day

After breakfast early in the morning from the Camp drive to Ruaha National Park which is 274 km with lunch boxes via Iringa town, you will be passing though country side and have nice scenery and beautiful valleys and mountains. After arrival you will go directly to the park and enjoy afternoon and evening game drive then drive to Ruaha Hilltop Lodge for dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Ruaha hilltop lodge

Accommodation Ruaha Hilltop Lodge Ruaha National Park area
Exterior of Ruaha Hilltop Lodge in Ruaha National Park area
Day 7

Ruaha National Park Game Drive

Long overland movement

Breakfast will be taken early morning and after 30 minutes clients will drive to the park to have more time to explore and learn more about Ruaha national park. Ruaha is very famous as well for the clients who lie to watch birds, this is place that you can see different types of birds and some of they migrate from Europe to the Ruaha NP. The famous Ruaha river is the best place also clients will be visiting to view the large no of crocodiles and especially when the river is full of water. Clients will have picnic lunch in a special place before heading with more game drive, later depart the park and back to dinner and over night at your lodge

Accommodation: Ruaha hilltop lodge

Accommodation Ruaha Hilltop Lodge Ruaha National Park area
Exterior of Ruaha Hilltop Lodge in Ruaha National Park area
Day 8

Ruaha National Park Game Drive

Major southern wilderness

Breakfast will be taken early morning and after 30 minutes clients will drive to the park to have more time to explore and learn more about Ruaha national park. Ruaha is very famous as well for the clients who lie to watch birds, this is place that you can see different types of birds and some of they migrate from Europe to the Ruaha NP. The famous Ruaha river is the best place also clients will be visiting to view the large no of crocodiles and especially when the river is full of water. Clients will have picnic lunch in a special place before heading with more game drive, later depart the park and back to dinner and over night at your lodge

Accommodation: Ruaha hilltop lodge

Accommodation Ruaha Hilltop Lodge Ruaha National Park area
Exterior of Ruaha Hilltop Lodge in Ruaha National Park area
Day 9

Ruaha National Park Game Drive

Predator country and big landscapes

Breakfast will be taken early morning and after 30 minutes clients will drive to the park to have more time to explore and learn more about Ruaha national park. Ruaha is very famous as well for the clients who lie to watch birds, this is place that you can see different types of birds and some of they migrate from Europe to the Ruaha NP. The famous Ruaha river is the best place also clients will be visiting to view the large no of crocodiles and especially when the river is full of water. Clients will have picnic lunch in a special place before heading with more game drive, later depart the park and back to dinner and over night at your lodge

Accommodation: Ruaha hilltop lodge

Accommodation Ruaha Hilltop Lodge Ruaha National Park area
Exterior of Ruaha Hilltop Lodge in Ruaha National Park area
Day 10

Ruaha National Half-Day Game Drive

Start the move toward Arusha

Breakfast will be taken early morning and after 30 minutes clients will drive to the park to have more time to explore and learn more about Ruaha national park. Ruaha is very famous as well for the clients who lie to watch birds, this is place that you can see different types of birds and some of they migrate from Europe to the Ruaha NP. The famous Ruaha river is the best place also clients will be visiting to view the large no of crocodiles and especially when the river is full of water. Clients will have picnic lunch in a special place before heading with more game drive, later depart the park and back to dinner and over night at your lodge

Accommodation: Iringa Sunset Lodge

Day 10: Ruaha National Half-Day Game Drive
Day 11

Iringa to Arusha

Reset before northern circuit

After breakfast from the hotel start drive to Arusha via Dodoma, you will take your lunch in Babati before proceed with drive, arrive at evening at your hotel in Arusha.

Accommodation: Green Mountain Lodge

Accommodation Green Mountain Hotel Arusha
Exterior of Green Mountain Hotel in Arusha
Day 12

Tarangire National Park

Northern circuit begins

Approximately 8:30am, after your guide/driver has briefed you on the do's and don'ts, without forgetting the expectations of this safari, you will depart for Tarangire National Park. This is also known as "The Paradise of Elephants". Whether you come here just for a day trip or plan an overnight stay, Tarangire has something for everyone. The park impresses with its famous concentration of wild animals, especially elephants, and is also one of the best destinations for bird watching in East Africa. The park has remarkable attractions with large groups of elephants, spectacular natural beauty of the savannah landscape and magnificent majestic baobabs. Over 550 different bird species have been counted in the park, several of which are endangered

Accommodation: Farm of Dreams Lodge

Accommodation Farm of Dreams Lodge Karatu
Exterior of Farm of Dreams Lodge in Karatu
Day 13

Serengeti Game Drive.

Highlands to open plains

After another African wake up and an amazing bush breakfast, you will head to the Serengeti National Park for about 6 hours. This day is dedicated to an evening game drive as you drive to your accommodation of this day for check in.

Serengeti National Park covers 1.5 million hectares of savannah, the annual migration of two million wildebeest plus hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras - followed by their predators on their annual migration in search of pasture and water - is one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world. The park's biodiversity is very high with at least four globally threatened or endangered species: black rhino, elephant, wild dog and cheetah.

Accommodation: Serengeti Safari Lodge

Accommodation Serengeti Safari Lodge Serengeti National Park
Exterior of Serengeti Safari Lodge in Serengeti National Park
Day 14

Serengeti Game Drive

Classic wildlife plains

Today you will venture deeper into the world-famous Serengeti on a full day game drive. Serengeti is the home of the Great Migration and to 2 million wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of zebras and all kinds of antelopes including the abundant impalas and Thomson's gazelles. As for Big Cats and large predators, it's the place of choice to look out for lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, with many television scenes like the famous river crossings having been filmed in this park. Smaller animals like foxes, mongoose, honey badgers, jackals, monkeys, baboons, rock hyrax and African hares, together with more than 500 species of birds, also inhabit this park.

We are completely flexible with your preferences and this day will be organized according to your wishes. On every day of the safari, your guide will discuss with you the best timings for you, including the game drives and the wake-up time. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Safari Lodge

Accommodation Serengeti Safari Lodge Serengeti National Park
Exterior of Serengeti Safari Lodge in Serengeti National Park
Day 15

Northern Serengeti Game Drive

More time for wildlife quality

Today you will enjoy another full day game drive as you travel between the Northern and Central Serengeti. Today you have the flexibility to create your own itinerary - spend another full day in the Northern Serengeti before driving to the Central Serengeti or enjoy a half day game drive in the North and a half day game drive in the Central - the choice is yours.

Dinner and Overnight at Serengeti Acacia Camp

Day 15: Northern Serengeti Game Drive
Day 16

Northern Serengeti Game Drive

Stay where the action is

Today you will enjoy another full day game drive as you travel between the Northern and Central Serengeti. Today you have the flexibility to create your own itinerary - spend another full day in the Northern Serengeti before driving to the Central Serengeti or enjoy a half day game drive in the North and a half day game drive in the Central - the choice is yours.

Dinner and Overnight at Serengeti Acacia Camp

Day 16: Northern Serengeti Game Drive
Day 17

Northern Serengeti Half –Day Game Drive

Morning drive and transfer

After breakfast from the camp with packed lunches leave for game drive. Descend into the heart of wild Africa the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see, drive kopjes where lion, cheetahs, leopards like to rest, enjoy game drive inside the park search for wildebeests migrations, Later you’ll depart to Ngorongoro for dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge

Accommodation Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Exterior of Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 18

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive

Crater-floor safari

Today you will be rewarded with a full day game drive in the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

You will visit a Maasai Village in the Ngorongoro Highlands (optional) where you will meet the Elders, Warriors, women & children & learn about the culture, beliefs & traditions of Tanzania’s last nomadic tribe.

The Crater is famous for Africa’s best game viewing as there is an ever-present abundance of wildlife due to the permanent water supply on the crater floor. You will descend 610 meters into the Crater where your safari truly begins. Spot the endangered black rhino, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, eland, Grant’s & Thomson’s gazelle & giant tusked elephants plus lions & leopards, cheetahs as well as scavengers such as spotted hyenas, jackals & wild dogs. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Dinner and overnight at Farm of dream lodge

Accommodation Farm of Dreams Lodge Karatu
Exterior of Farm of Dreams Lodge in Karatu
Day 19

Lake Manyara Game Drive Then Arusha

Final northern park

Today you will visit Lake Manyara National Park for a full day game drive. Stretching along the base of the Rift Valley escarpment it is home to giant fig trees, acacia woodlands, mahogany trees & grassy flood plains. The contrasts of this area are simply breathtaking with its open plains, huge escarpment, Soda Lake, dense woodlands & distant volcanic peaks coming together in an area best described by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”.

Animals such as buffalo, wildebeest, giraffes, mongoose, dik dik & zebra herds congregate on the grassy plains while the acacia woodland is home to the legendary tree-climbing lions & tusked elephants.

Lake Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s bird life with more than 400 species being recorded. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans & storks.

In the late afternoon you will return to Arusha for your final evening.

Dinner and Overnight at Green Mountain Lodge

Accommodation Green Mountain Hotel Arusha
Exterior of Green Mountain Hotel in Arusha
Day 20

Departure Day/Farewell Tanzania

Airport or onward connection

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Breakfast and lunch are included.

03

Highlights & Gallery

Fuller National Coverage
Scale
Fuller National Coverage
This itinerary gives Tanzania room to breathe and delivers major landscape and wildlife contrast.
Long-Form Safari Travel
Depth
Long-Form Safari Travel
A great option for travellers who prefer extended immersion over compressed itineraries.
South and North Together
Reward
South and North Together
Experience remote southern character, then finish with the world-famous northern circuit landscapes.

From Price

Minimum price only, based on 2 people sharing. Final pricing depends on season, availability and requested customizations.

Package From Price
Price for 2 People From $6795.00 per person
04

What Is Included

Included in your price

Park fees
Meals during safari
Game drive activities
Government taxes
Accommodations
Mineral bottled drinking water.
Land cruiser for game drive
English professional speaking guide

Not included

Flights (International)
Alcoholic and soft drinks
Tips for safari guide
Optional activities
Visa fees
Meals while in Hotel
Personal spending money for souvenirs etc
05

Trip Details

Who this suits

Travellers who truly want safari to be the centerpiece of the holiday and are excited by a long overland wildlife journey.

Major strength

The itinerary offers country-wide contrast and enough days for both southern and northern Tanzania to feel substantial.

Transit reality

This is a big trip and some movement days are inevitable, but they are balanced by deeper time in the headline parks.

Possible optimization

Domestic flights can be introduced selectively to reduce drive time if you want a more premium version.

06

Best Time to Travel

Dry months offer the strongest broad-country conditions, though this itinerary can be customized for migration interest, southern game quality or greener scenic months.

Jan
Best
Feb
Best
Mar
Good
Apr
Good
May
Good
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Best
Nov
Good
Dec
Good
07

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. LuiTours can adjust accommodation standard, route flow, extra nights and pickup point for this grand Tanzania safari itinerary.
This tour is planned to start from Dar es Salaam or Arusha by arrangement and return there unless you request a different drop-off point.
Yes. These itineraries are suitable for first-time safari guests and can be adapted for families with age-appropriate pacing.
Game drives are operated using a 4x4 safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for wildlife viewing and photography.
Grand Tanzania expedition

Book the 20-day safari
for the fullest Tanzania route

A powerful choice for guests who want the north and south together in one deep, country-spanning journey.

No booking fees
Tailor-made departures
Experienced local guides
Fast quote turnaround