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Northern Parks Great Expedition – 12-Day Tanzania Camping Safari Adventure

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Camping Safari
From$2,400
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1215
12 Day, 11 Night
Availability : Jun, July, August, September and October
Arusha
Lake Manyara > Lake Eyasi > Ngorongoro Crater > Serengeti > Lake Natron > Tarangire National Park > Arusha
Min Age : 6+
Max People : 4 Pax per vehicle
Embark on an unforgettable 12-day fully serviced camping safari through Tanzania’s spectacular Northern Circuit. This immersive journey combines iconic wildlife destinations, dramatic landscapes, and rich cultural encounters while offering an authentic under-the-stars camping experience. You will travel in a custom 4×4 safari vehicle with a professional guide and a dedicated safari cook who prepares fresh meals daily. Accommodation is at public campsites inside or near the parks, using quality tents with mattresses. Expect early morning game drives, breathtaking sunsets, wildlife-rich plains, Rift Valley escarpments, volcanic landscapes, and close encounters with Africa’s most celebrated animals.
OverviewItineraryMapPhotosReviews
Highlights

Go wild on this 12-day adventure through the northern best National Parks. The expedition includes the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater. This exceptional safari also offers you a unique opportunity to visit the traditional homeland of the Hadzabe (or Hadza) peoples, one of the last surviving hunter-gatherer tribes in the world, and to meet their neighbors, the Datoga peoples.

Departure & Return Location

Arusha (Google Map)

Departure Time

Flexible

Price Includes

  • Camping safari according to the itinerary
  • Transportation in a 4 x 4 pop-up roof safari vehicle
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Bottled Mineral water per day
  • All national park fees
  • Daily Safari Briefing

Price Excludes

  • Flights
  • Optional Activities
  • Visa Fess
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Personal spending money for souvenirs etc.
  • Travel Insurance

Complementaries

  • Free Internet WiFi
  • Atleast 1 pair of binocular
What to Expect

On this adventurous camping safari, you can expect a unique experience of the Tanzania bush as you are as close to nature as possible.

  • Game drive in Manyara an Tarangire National Park
  • Lake Eyasi & Hadzabe tribe activities
  • UNESCO Listed Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.
  • Visit to Impressive Lake Natron
Itinerary

Day 1Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport – Overnight in Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your safari guide and transferred to Arusha. Nestled at the foot of Mount Meru, Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania’s northern safari parks. Depending on your arrival time, you may relax at the lodge, recover from your flight, and receive a full safari briefing. Your guide will explain the camping adventure ahead.
 

Accommodation: Meru View Lodge

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 2Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park – Overnight in Karatu

After breakfast, in the morning at 7:30, start your great expedition from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park, a scenic park dramatically situated beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Though relatively compact, Lake Manyara offers remarkable ecological diversity.
 
Entering through lush groundwater forest, you may encounter large troops of baboons, blue monkeys, and elephants feeding among ancient fig trees. As the forest opens into acacia woodland and lakeshore plains, the landscape transforms into open grasslands dotted with giraffes, buffalo, and zebra. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, often seen lounging on acacia branches. Flamingos line the alkaline lake during certain seasons, creating a pink shimmer along the shoreline. After a full afternoon game drive with picnic lunch, you continue to Karatu, a charming highland town near Ngorongoro.
 

Accommodation: Kudu Lodge Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 3Lake Manyara National Park - Karatu - Lake Eyasi

Today, you journey toward Lake Eyasi, a seasonal soda lake located south of the Ngorongoro Highlands. The drive descends into a more remote and culturally rich region. Lake Eyasi offers a stark yet beautiful landscape, framed by escarpments and wide-open skies. Wildlife here is less dense than in the major parks, but birdlife is abundant, and the scenery is dramatic. The real highlight of this area is cultural immersion with indigenous communities – the Hadzabe and their neighbor, the Dagota tribe. You settle into a camping site near the lakeshore, surrounded by acacia trees and sweeping views, preparing for a unique cultural encounter the next morning.
 

Accommodation: Lake Eyasi Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 4Lake Eyasi – Cultural Experience – Return to Karatu

Before sunrise, you join the Hadzabe bushmen for a traditional hunting excursion. The Hadzabe are among the last remaining hunter-gatherer communities in East Africa. Walking through the bush with bows and arrows, you gain insight into their survival techniques, tracking skills, and a deep connection to nature. Later, you visit the Datoga community, skilled blacksmiths known for crafting tools and jewelry. Their traditional homes and cultural practices provide a fascinating contrast to modern life. After this enriching experience, you drive back to Karatu for relaxation and an overnight stay in preparation for entering the Ngorongoro highlands.
 

Accommodation: Kudu Lodge Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 5Karatu – Ngorongoro Crater – Central Serengeti

An early start allows you to descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive. The crater floor is one of Africa’s most wildlife-dense areas and offers excellent chances to see the Big Five, including the rare black rhino. You may encounter large lion prides, massive buffalo herds, hippos wallowing in pools, flamingos feeding on the soda lake, and elephants roaming the forests. The dramatic crater walls form a natural enclosure that creates extraordinary photographic opportunities. After lunch, you continue toward the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, entering the central Seronera region, renowned for year-round wildlife activity.
 

Accommodation: Seronera Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 6 & 7Two  Full Day in Central Serengeti

Each day is dedicated to exploring the wildlife-rich Seronera Valley in central Serengeti. This region supports abundant resident wildlife thanks to its permanent water sources. You may witness lions resting on kopjes, leopards draped across sausage tree branches, and cheetahs scanning the plains for prey. Large herds of zebra and wildebeest roam the grasslands, while elephants and giraffes move gracefully across the savannah. Game drives at sunrise and late afternoon maximize predator sightings and allow you to fully appreciate the vastness and beauty of the Serengeti ecosystem.
 

Accommodation: Seronera Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 8Central Serengeti – Northern Serengeti

After breakfast, you drive north toward the remote Mara River region of the Serengeti. The landscape gradually changes to rolling hills and riverine woodland. During migration season (typically July to October), this region hosts dramatic river crossings as thousands of wildebeest and zebra brave crocodile-infested waters. Even outside migration months, the northern Serengeti offers exceptional predator sightings. Arrival at camp provides a sense of remoteness and true wilderness.
 

Accommodation: Lobo Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 9Full Day in Northern Serengeti

A full day is spent exploring the northern plains and river systems. The Mara River attracts large herds of herbivores and formidable Nile crocodiles. The area is excellent for observing predator-prey interactions, including lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. The scenic landscapes, rolling grasslands, and acacia-dotted hills create an untamed atmosphere.
 

Accommodation: Lobo Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 10Northern Serengeti – Lake Natron

Today’s drive takes you through remote terrain toward Lake Natron, a stark and otherworldly alkaline lake at the base of Oldoinyo Lengai volcano. Lake Natron is an important flamingo breeding site and is known for its striking red and pink hues caused by algae and minerals. Upon arrival, you may take a guided walk to nearby waterfalls or along the lakeshore to observe birdlife. The volcanic scenery and dramatic landscapes provide a unique contrast to the savannah plains of the Serengeti.
 

Accommodation: Lake Natron Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 11Lake Natron to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, you travel south to Tarangire National Park, a park famous for its ancient baobab trees and massive elephant herds. During the dry season, the Tarangire River becomes a lifeline for wildlife, attracting zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffes, and numerous predators. The park’s scenery is diverse, with open plains, river valleys, and swamps. An afternoon game drive offers excellent opportunities for close elephant encounters and striking sunset photography.
 

Accommodation: Tarangire Campsite

Meals & Drinks

  • All meals included
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).

Day 12Tarangire – Return to Arusha

On your final morning, enjoy a relaxed game drive in Tarangire before departing for Arusha.
Upon arrival in Arusha, you are transferred to your hotel. As your camping expedition concludes, you leave with unforgettable memories of Tanzania’s northern wilderness — vast plains, dramatic craters, vibrant cultures, and extraordinary wildlife encounters.
 

Accommodation: No Accommodation

Meals & Drinks

  • Breakfast and Lunch
  • Drinking water (Other drinks not included).
Map
Photos
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