Northern Circuit · 3 days, 2 nights
THE BIG FIVE,
An intense taste of Tanzania’s wildlife in spectacular landscapes: Tarangire’s elephants and baobabs, followed by the iconic Ngorongoro Crater and the 25,000 animals on its floor.
- Tarangire and the crater
- Shortest route to the Big Five
- Private 4x4, a window seat each
Private 4x4 Fleet
Guaranteed Window Seat
Local Expert Guides
Direct Operator Pricing
Who it is for
THE SHORTEST HONEST
Three days is not long, so this itinerary does not pretend to cover the circuit. It takes you to the two places with the highest chance of the Big Five in the fewest hours of driving, and spends the time you have inside the parks rather than between them.
It is the one to pick if you are adding a safari to a short trip, or straight onto the end of a Kilimanjaro climb.
- Over 25,000 mammals on the Ngorongoro crater floor
- Elephant herds and predators along the Tarangire River
- A picnic lunch inside the crater, not back at the gate
- Two nights, both in named Classic Comfort properties
THE ITINERARY,
Every park, every drive, every lodge and exactly which meals are covered.
Price from
On request
per person, private group
3 Days
On safari
2 Nights
Accommodation
2 Parks
Visited
Private
Vehicle and guide
YOUR ROUTE
START
Arusha
DAY 2
Tarangire
DAY 3
Ngorongoro
END
Arusha
DAY
1
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
Picked up by a KissRock Adventures representative and conveyed to Arusha Planet Lodge to relax and prepare for your safari.
STAY
Classic Comfort
MEALS
At own expense
- Night at Arusha Planet Lodge
DAY
2
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
A game drive through Tarangire, observing elephant herds, predators and diverse wildlife along the river, before proceeding to Karatu for dinner and rest.
PARK
Tarangire National Park
DRIVE
On to Karatu for the night
STAY
Classic Comfort
MEALS
All meals, drinks not included
- Night at Eileen's Tree Inn
DAY
3
Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha
An early departure to the Ngorongoro Crater floor to view over 25,000 mammals including the Big Five. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater before returning to Arusha in the evening.
PARK
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
DRIVE
Return to Arusha in the evening
MEALS
Breakfast and lunch, drinks not included
Where you sleep
- Night 1Arusha Planet LodgeClassic Comfort
- Night 2Eileen's Tree InnClassic Comfort
These are the properties this price is built on. Want a different tier? We quote it against the same route so you can see what the upgrade actually costs.
WHAT'S IN,
What's included
What's not included
The vehicle matters
FOUR WHEELS,
You will spend six to eight hours a day in this vehicle. It is not a detail.
Pop-Up Roof Land Cruisers
Custom Toyota Land Cruisers with full pop-up roofs, so everyone can stand and shoot at once.
Charging & Cold Storage
Inverter charging at every seat and a cold fridge, because dust and heat are relentless.
Binoculars In Every Vehicle
Quality binoculars as standard, plus a reference library to identify what you just saw.
HF Radio Between Guides
When one driver finds a leopard, the rest of the fleet knows within a minute.
WHEN IS THE
Every month works for something. The question is which month works for what you came to see.
Calving season on the Ndutu plains, with heavy predator action.
Calving season on the Ndutu plains, with heavy predator action.
The tail of calving season before the long rains arrive.
Green, quiet and much cheaper. Some tracks get difficult.
Green, quiet and much cheaper. Some tracks get difficult.
Dry season begins. Animals start concentrating around water.
Classic dry season. The herds are crossing the Mara.
Classic dry season. The herds are crossing the Mara.
Dry, short grass, and the easiest sightings of the year.
The last reliable dry month before the short rains.
Short rains pull the herds south. Quieter parks, lower rates.
Short rains continue, with green light and fewer vehicles.
The herds move on their own schedule. We update this as our guides report in.
Choosing between them
SIX ITINERARIES,
They cover much the same ground. What really changes is how many nights you get out on the plains.
3 days3-Day Big Five ExpressOn requestYou are here
4 days4-Day Northern Circuit ExplorerOn requestView 
5 days5-Day Classic Wildlife & SerengetiOn requestView 
6 days6-Day Serengeti Big Cat & CraterOn requestView 
6 days6-Day Great Migration Calving SeasonOn requestView 
7 days7-Day Ultimate Serengeti ImmersionOn requestView SAFARI FAQ
Is this a private safari?
Yes. The vehicle, the guide and the itinerary are yours. Nobody is added to your Land Cruiser to fill it, which is why every seat is a window seat and why we can change the plan on the morning if your guide hears something worth driving to.
Can you change the itinerary?
It is a starting point, not a fixed departure. Add a night, drop a park, start from Kilimanjaro instead of Arusha, or run it after a climb. Tell us what you want different and we re-cost it.
What are the lodges actually like?
Every property on this itinerary is named below, day by day, with the tier it sits in. We would rather you looked them up now than found out on arrival. If you want a different tier we quote it against the same route so you can see what the upgrade really costs.
How much should we tip?
Around $15 per person per day for the crew is the guideline we give, and we talk it through at your briefing rather than leaving you to guess on the last morning. It is not included in the price.
Can we add Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar?
Most of our guests do. The usual shape is mountain first, safari second, beach last. We arrange the transfers and the internal flight to Zanzibar as one booking so there is no gap for anything to go wrong.
Big Five Express
TELL US WHEN.
Send your dates, your group size and the lodge tier you want. A guide replies with a costed itinerary inside 24 hours.