Mahale Mountains • Serengeti • Ngorongoro
From $9,454 per person
This is Tanzania beyond the postcard. Begin in the remote western forests of Mahale Mountains, where habituated chimpanzee families swing through the canopy and let you watch their world from metres away. Then fly east to the northern circuit — Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara — for the wildlife spectacle Tanzania is famous for. Two weeks, two entirely different Tanzanias, one unforgettable journey.
Arrive in Dar es Salaam and fly west to the remote Mahale Mountains on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The flight alone is extraordinary — hours over untouched forest before landing at a tiny airstrip where the wilderness begins immediately.
Three days of guided hikes through tropical rainforest to find habituated chimpanzee families. Watch them play, groom, forage, and interact from just metres away. Each trek is different — some days you find them quickly, others you hike deeper into the forest. Evenings on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, one of the most beautiful and remote lakes in Africa.
Fly from Mahale to Arusha. A day to rest, reflect, and prepare for the second half of your journey — the classic northern safari circuit.
Drive to Tarangire National Park — ancient baobab trees, vast elephant herds, and the Tarangire River drawing wildlife from across the dry plains. Afternoon game drive and overnight at your lodge.
Drive through the Great Rift Valley to the Serengeti. Two days of game drives across the endless plains — follow the migration, track big cats, and experience the sheer scale of wildlife that makes this park legendary.
Two more full days in the Serengeti. Early morning drives when the predators are most active, lazy afternoons at camp, and late drives when the light turns golden. Time to absorb the scale and rhythm of the plains.
Drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Arrive at the crater rim and settle into your lodge with panoramic views into the caldera below.
Full-day game drive on the crater floor. The Big Five, flamingos, hippo pools, and golden jackals — all within the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. One of the most concentrated wildlife viewing areas on earth.
Drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Famous for tree-climbing lions, huge flocks of flamingos, and a lush groundwater forest at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. A gentler end to the safari, rich in birdlife and atmosphere.
Morning drive back to Arusha. Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure. Fifteen days, two Tanzanias, memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Combine chimpanzee trekking in the remote west with the classic northern circuit. This is Tanzania for travellers who want to go deeper. Get in touch to start planning.