Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Serengeti · Ngorongoro Crater
After the Summit: Northern Parks in Five Days
Collected from your Moshi hotel, then Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater before you fly home.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Destinations
- Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Serengeti · Ngorongoro Crater
- Best months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 2 to 6 guests
- From
- $2,219 per person
Overview
Collected from your Moshi hotel, then Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater before you fly home.
Most climbers put months into preparing for the peak and almost no thought into the days after it. This five-day safari is designed as the second chapter. It starts with a pickup in Moshi itself, so there is no flight back to an airport first. The route then passes herds of elephant in Tarangire, gives the Serengeti a day of its own, drops into Ngorongoro Crater, and finishes with a final morning of village life in Mto wa Mbu, after which you are driven to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
The logic is simple. You are already in Tanzania, and the gateway towns of the northern circuit lie a short drive from where most treks finish. One continuous booking tends to cost less and involve less hassle than going home and arranging a second trip later. We suggest at least one rest day in Moshi first, particularly after a long route with a hard summit night.
- Starts in Moshi, not an airport, for climbers coming straight off the mountain
- Elephant herds beneath ancient baobabs in Tarangire, the customary first stop on the northern circuit
- A full Serengeti day tracking lion and cheetah over open plains
- A descent into Ngorongoro Crater, one of East Africa's more dependable places for Big Five sightings
- Last-morning village culture in Mto wa Mbu, then the drive out to Kilimanjaro International Airport
- No need to fly home first: one trip, normally simpler and better value than a second visit
Best forSolo travellersCouplesWildlife enthusiastsKilimanjaro climbers
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
June to October is the best time, with dry trails on the mountain before and clear game viewing after. January to March is also good, with a quieter mountain and calving season in the south. The rains of April, May and November are best avoided for both the climb and the safari.
- African ElephantHigh
- LionHigh
- CheetahHigh
- Black RhinoRare
- Cape BuffaloHigh
- Maasai GiraffeHigh
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Arusha
- Day 2Tarangire National ParkDrive from Arusha
- Day 3Central SerengetiDrive from Tarangire National Park
- Day 4Ngorongoro CraterDrive from Central Serengeti
- End · Day 5Kilimanjaro AirportDrive from Ngorongoro Crater
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Moshi to Arusha
Moshi to Arusha
A driver collects you at your Moshi hotel, with no separate airport transfer or flight needed. The road to Arusha passes farmland and coffee estates at the foot of Mount Meru, leaving time to rest before an early start tomorrow.
- Trail
- Kahawa House
- Meals
- Bed & Breakfast
Day 2
South into Tarangire
Tarangire National Park
The drive south ends on baobab-studded plains that shelter some of Tanzania's largest elephant herds. Having spent so long gazing up at a peak, you find the wide sweep of open bush a striking contrast.
- Meals
- Full Board
Day 3
Karatu and across to the Serengeti
Karatu to the Serengeti
This is a long travel day: the road climbs west across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before dropping onto the Serengeti, the continent's best-known grasslands and, for plenty of climbers, the whole reason a safari was booked.
- Meals
- Full Board
Day 4
Back toward Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
The route doubles back toward Ngorongoro, then winds down into the caldera. Once on the floor you have a whole day with Big Five wildlife, in one of the most crowded concentrations of large mammals anywhere on Earth.
Ngorongoro Crater is a closed ecosystem about 260 km² across, and most of its animals never leave.
- Meals
- Full Board
Day 5
Mto wa Mbu, then the airport
Mto wa Mbu to Kilimanjaro International Airport
The final morning is spent wandering Mto wa Mbu, a market town, at an easy pace instead of a quick photo stop. A drive then delivers you to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time to fly onward.
- Meals
- Full Board
Gallery
Along the route
Photo credits: Monstorm, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Trail
Comfortable and great value
From$2,219per person
- Kahawa House
- Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge
- Serengeti Katikati Camp
- Ngorongoro Farm House
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $2,889 |
| 3 travellers | $2,554 |
| 4 travellers | $2,387 |
| 5 travellers | $2,286 |
| 6 travellers | $2,219 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room. Vehicle and guide costs are shared, so the price per person changes with group size and does not always fall in a straight line.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- All park and conservation area fees
- Vehicle, guide and fuel throughout
- Full board at the safari properties
- Bed and breakfast on the first night
- Drinking water
- Emergency air-ambulance cover with AMREF Flying Doctors
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Optional activities
Good to know
- Rates are per person sharing a twin or double room. Single supplements are available on request.
- Vehicle, guide and fuel costs are shared, so the cost per person drops as the group grows.
- The journey starts in Moshi, where most Kilimanjaro treks finish, with pickup from your hotel.
- Lodging and rates depend on availability and may vary with the exact travel date.
Questions
Good to know
No. The safari begins in Moshi, where most climbs finish, with a pickup at your hotel. You do not need to pass through Kilimanjaro International Airport first.
We advise at least one rest day in Moshi, especially after a route with a tough summit night. After that you can go whenever you feel ready; your consultant will fit the timing to your climb dates.
Yes. The pace stays brisk but never hurried: Tarangire and the Serengeti each get a whole day, Ngorongoro Crater gets one more, and there is a cultural stop as well.
Most climbers find safari days far gentler than trekking days, since you ride in a vehicle instead of walking. If your legs need a break, take the rest day first.
Yes. Vehicle, guide and fuel are shared, so each traveller pays less as the group grows.
Park and conservation fees, vehicle, guide and fuel, full board at the safari properties, bed and breakfast on the first night, drinking water and air-ambulance cover. International flights, visas, insurance, gratuities and optional activities are not included.
Yes, it can follow any of our Kilimanjaro routes. If your climb is not booked yet, ask your consultant about pairing the two.
After the Summit: Northern Parks in Five Days
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.