Northern Serengeti: A Tented Safari
25 Jul –
4 Aug 2025
- 9 Days
- Lodges
- 24 Meals
- Group size: 18
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Itinerary
We meet at O.R. Tambo International for our flight to Tanzania. Ahead of us lies an exciting expedition into the depths of the Serengeti and encounters with the sights of the Great Migration.
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, we are met by our guides and travel to Tarangire Sopa Lodge via Arusha. Nestled in a wooded valley in the northeastern corner of Tarangire National Park, the lodge combines traditional safari style with friendly African hospitality. The welcoming lounge and bar overlook the surrounding bush. So, keep an eye out for passing herds of elephant, zebra and wildebeest.
We enjoy an al fresco lunch by the pool before setting out on a game drive in Tarangire National Park. In the evening, we return to the lodge for dinner and settle into the laidback rhythms of safari.
Today we venture into Tarangire National Park for a game drive. Tarangire is often neglected by the Northern Tanzania safari circuit, but it rivals the Serengeti in the diversity and density of its wildlife. It’s renowned for its large herds of elephants, but everything from lions and leopards to crocodiles and hippos can be found in the park. Tarangire is beautiful. Vast open grasslands are dotted with towering ancient baobabs and densely wooded thickets, making for a particularly picturesque setting.
We wind down the day back at the lodge, where we savour a delicious dinner.
After breakfast and with our lunch boxes packed, we travel to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive.
A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience as the park is home to a lush, jungle-like groundwater forest. Soaring mahogany and fig trees form a dense canopy populated by baboons and monkeys, and the park’s famous tree-climbing lions lounge in the tree-tops, a tricky but rewarding sighting. Like the other Great Rift Valley lakes, Lake Manyara has recently experienced rising water levels, causing its trademark flamingos to seek refuge elsewhere. But its banks and the forest are still home to countless waterfowl and other bird species. We uncover the park’s many wonders, which include elephants, gazelles, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and more.
In the afternoon, we depart for Karatu. This charming town with red dirt roads is known as “Safari Junction” and is our gateway to the Serengeti National Park. We check into Bougainvillea Safari Lodge, a friendly guesthouse situated in a peaceful garden.
We breakfast at the lodge and set out for the sprawling expanse of the Serengeti National Park. Along with the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the park forms a permanent corridor for the wildebeest migration and teems with life. Over 2 million plains animals, 4000 lions and 500 cheetahs roam the undulating grasslands. Rocky kopjes and clusters of acacia trees dot the horizon and act as hideaways for reclusive leopards.
We traverse the savannah and enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush. Later, we arrive at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp, a true safari experience from days gone by. Pitched in the heart of the Serengeti, our tents overlook the plains and balance a back-to-nature sensibility with a few creature comforts. Delicious meals, cosy cast-iron beds and hot bucket showers wait for us at the end of the day.
A campfire is lit at night, and stories from the bush are traded over sundowners. After retiring to your tent, you may hear animals just beyond the canvas grazing in the camp. It’s an encounter that’s romantic, authentic and thrilling.
After breakfast, we travel to the northern reaches of the Serengeti. We spend the day crossing the endless plains, searching for wildlife and relishing the en-route game drive. Protected but unfenced, the Serengeti National Park stretches beyond the horizon in all directions, a pristine and expansive wilderness.
We spend the next two nights at Mara Kati Kati, a mobile camp that moves to anticipate the movements of the wildebeest. Here we hope to have a front-row seat to the sights of the Great Migration.
During July and August, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and other plains animals congregate in the northern regions of the Serengeti. They fill the grasslands, creating a spectacle of nature. While at Mara Kati Kati, we spend our days chasing the herds, and with luck, we see a river crossing as the wildebeest plunge into the Mara River, navigating the strong currents and hungry crocodiles in pursuit of food.
Like Serengeti Kati Kati, Mara Kati Kati offers complete immersion in the bush. Mouthwatering meals are served in the dining tent, a luxury in this remote location, and evenings are spent around the campfire. Fall asleep to the nighttime sounds of Africa, perhaps punctuated with the distant roar of a lion.
At dawn, rise above the plains for an optional hot air balloon flight. You’ll soar into the sky as the sun greets the day, ascending into the clouds to see the spectacular panorama of the Serengeti. Your pilot can precisely control the altitude of your balloon, so you may dip down to skim the treetops and hopefully see some wildlife. A hot balloon flight is a quintessential Serengeti experience, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities. For safety reasons, the balloon company starts and ends all flights in a designated area, so game-viewing while in the balloon is not guaranteed.
Afterwards, we join the rest of the group on a game drive and return to Serengeti Kati Kati. We travel through the grasslands, seeking out game and excellent sightings. This evening, our last night in a wilderness camp, is spent under a canvas of stars, with the wilds of Africa just beyond our tent flaps.
Awake to the dew-laden plains of the Serengeti. After breakfast at the camp, we journey to the Ngorongoro Crater. The towering crater walls rise to 600 metres, creating a natural enclosure thriving with wildlife. Expanses of grassland scattered with acacia woodlands and forested thickets cover the vast crater floor. Seasonal marshes and wetlands surround soda lakes such as Lake Magadi, attracting flamingos, hippos and crocodiles. Big herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and more graze peacefully on the grassy plains, attracting a host of hungry predators, and the crater has one of the densest populations of lions in Africa.
We spend the day discovering this wildlife paradise and enjoy a picnic in the crater. Later, we drive to Country Lodge, where we spend our last night in Tanzania. Set on five acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, Country Lodges excels in farm-style hospitality.
We enjoy a delightful breakfast at Country Lodge and depart for Kilimanjaro International Airport, where we check in for our flight to Johannesburg.
During our time in Tanzania, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Camping amidst the awe-inspiring Great Migration, traversing the vast Serengeti plains, and witnessing unforgettable wildlife spectacles allowed us to be fully present in the moment like never before. At Seagull Travel & Tours, we sincerely hope that the memories created during our Essential Tanzania expedition will remain with you for years to come.
We meet at O.R. Tambo International for our flight to Tanzania. Ahead of us lies an exciting expedition into the depths of the Serengeti and encounters with the sights of the Great Migration.
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, we are met by our guides and travel to Tarangire Sopa Lodge via Arusha. Nestled in a wooded valley in the northeastern corner of Tarangire National Park, the lodge combines traditional safari style with friendly African hospitality. The welcoming lounge and bar overlook the surrounding bush. So, keep an eye out for passing herds of elephant, zebra and wildebeest.
We enjoy an al fresco lunch by the pool before setting out on a game drive in Tarangire National Park. In the evening, we return to the lodge for dinner and settle into the laidback rhythms of safari.
Today we venture into Tarangire National Park for a game drive. Tarangire is often neglected by the Northern Tanzania safari circuit, but it rivals the Serengeti in the diversity and density of its wildlife. It’s renowned for its large herds of elephants, but everything from lions and leopards to crocodiles and hippos can be found in the park. Tarangire is beautiful. Vast open grasslands are dotted with towering ancient baobabs and densely wooded thickets, making for a particularly picturesque setting.
We wind down the day back at the lodge, where we savour a delicious dinner.
After breakfast and with our lunch boxes packed, we travel to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive.
A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience as the park is home to a lush, jungle-like groundwater forest. Soaring mahogany and fig trees form a dense canopy populated by baboons and monkeys, and the park’s famous tree-climbing lions lounge in the tree-tops, a tricky but rewarding sighting. Like the other Great Rift Valley lakes, Lake Manyara has recently experienced rising water levels, causing its trademark flamingos to seek refuge elsewhere. But its banks and the forest are still home to countless waterfowl and other bird species. We uncover the park’s many wonders, which include elephants, gazelles, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and more.
In the afternoon, we depart for Karatu. This charming town with red dirt roads is known as “Safari Junction” and is our gateway to the Serengeti National Park. We check into Bougainvillea Safari Lodge, a friendly guesthouse situated in a peaceful garden.
We breakfast at the lodge and set out for the sprawling expanse of the Serengeti National Park. Along with the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the park forms a permanent corridor for the wildebeest migration and teems with life. Over 2 million plains animals, 4000 lions and 500 cheetahs roam the undulating grasslands. Rocky kopjes and clusters of acacia trees dot the horizon and act as hideaways for reclusive leopards.
We traverse the savannah and enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush. Later, we arrive at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp, a true safari experience from days gone by. Pitched in the heart of the Serengeti, our tents overlook the plains and balance a back-to-nature sensibility with a few creature comforts. Delicious meals, cosy cast-iron beds and hot bucket showers wait for us at the end of the day.
A campfire is lit at night, and stories from the bush are traded over sundowners. After retiring to your tent, you may hear animals just beyond the canvas grazing in the camp. It’s an encounter that’s romantic, authentic and thrilling.
After breakfast, we travel to the northern reaches of the Serengeti. We spend the day crossing the endless plains, searching for wildlife and relishing the en-route game drive. Protected but unfenced, the Serengeti National Park stretches beyond the horizon in all directions, a pristine and expansive wilderness.
We spend the next two nights at Mara Kati Kati, a mobile camp that moves to anticipate the movements of the wildebeest. Here we hope to have a front-row seat to the sights of the Great Migration.
During July and August, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and other plains animals congregate in the northern regions of the Serengeti. They fill the grasslands, creating a spectacle of nature. While at Mara Kati Kati, we spend our days chasing the herds, and with luck, we see a river crossing as the wildebeest plunge into the Mara River, navigating the strong currents and hungry crocodiles in pursuit of food.
Like Serengeti Kati Kati, Mara Kati Kati offers complete immersion in the bush. Mouthwatering meals are served in the dining tent, a luxury in this remote location, and evenings are spent around the campfire. Fall asleep to the nighttime sounds of Africa, perhaps punctuated with the distant roar of a lion.
At dawn, rise above the plains for an optional hot air balloon flight. You’ll soar into the sky as the sun greets the day, ascending into the clouds to see the spectacular panorama of the Serengeti. Your pilot can precisely control the altitude of your balloon, so you may dip down to skim the treetops and hopefully see some wildlife. A hot balloon flight is a quintessential Serengeti experience, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities. For safety reasons, the balloon company starts and ends all flights in a designated area, so game-viewing while in the balloon is not guaranteed.
Afterwards, we join the rest of the group on a game drive and return to Serengeti Kati Kati. We travel through the grasslands, seeking out game and excellent sightings. This evening, our last night in a wilderness camp, is spent under a canvas of stars, with the wilds of Africa just beyond our tent flaps.
Awake to the dew-laden plains of the Serengeti. After breakfast at the camp, we journey to the Ngorongoro Crater. The towering crater walls rise to 600 metres, creating a natural enclosure thriving with wildlife. Expanses of grassland scattered with acacia woodlands and forested thickets cover the vast crater floor. Seasonal marshes and wetlands surround soda lakes such as Lake Magadi, attracting flamingos, hippos and crocodiles. Big herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and more graze peacefully on the grassy plains, attracting a host of hungry predators, and the crater has one of the densest populations of lions in Africa.
We spend the day discovering this wildlife paradise and enjoy a picnic in the crater. Later, we drive to Country Lodge, where we spend our last night in Tanzania. Set on five acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, Country Lodges excels in farm-style hospitality.
We enjoy a delightful breakfast at Country Lodge and depart for Kilimanjaro International Airport, where we check in for our flight to Johannesburg.
During our time in Tanzania, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Camping amidst the awe-inspiring Great Migration, traversing the vast Serengeti plains, and witnessing unforgettable wildlife spectacles allowed us to be fully present in the moment like never before. At Seagull Travel & Tours, we sincerely hope that the memories created during our Essential Tanzania expedition will remain with you for years to come.
“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy.” Ernest Hemingway
The orange sun touching the horizon, the warm breeze moving through the long grass and the sights and sounds of thousands of animals grazing on the plains – Northern Tanzania is a feast for the senses and the soul.
Join Seagull Travel & Tours as we journey into the depths of the Serengeti to rediscover the true essence of safari. Our trip, which is bookended with stays in charming lodges, culminates with four nights under canvas in the vast expanse of the Serengeti plains. Here, luxury is defined by wide open spaces, evenings spent under the stars and limitless access to nature. Our classic, unfenced safari camp offers a no-frills experience which spotlights premium wildlife viewing and authentic hospitality.
Led by hand-picked guides, we safari in four of Tanzania’s richest game-viewing areas. We start with wildlife encounters in Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park, uncovering the unique habitats on display in these areas. Next, we travel to the northern reaches of the Serengeti National Park, traversing the endless grasslands to witness the Great Migration. We end our tour with a day in the Ngorongoro Crater, a paradise teeming with both predators and prey.
Seagull has over 17 years of experience in creating Tanzanian safaris. During this time, we’ve gotten to know the granular details of the Great Migration and the elements of a great safari. Essential Tanzania taps into the quintessential East African experience for a complete escape from modern distractions and total immersion in the world’s most coveted wilderness settings.
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