1.Mount Kilimanjaro
At 5,896 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest peak in Africa and one of its most iconic natural wonders. The mountain boasts three prominent volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. The name “Kilimanjaro” remains an enigma, wrapped in legend—it could mean “Mountain of Light,” “Mountain of Greatness,” or “Mountain of Caravans.”
Rising above the rolling plains and expansive plateaux of northern Tanzania, Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped summit glistens above the drifting clouds. Located near the town of Moshi, the mountain is a protected area, carefully managed to allow climbers to explore without disturbing its pristine beauty. Its ecological zones are as diverse as they are stunning.
Lower down, the fertile slopes are used for agriculture, with crops like coffee, bananas, maize, and cassava supporting local communities. While some larger coffee estates remain, much of the land outside the park has been divided into small farms. Within the park, dense forest cloaks the lower elevations, eventually giving way to alpine grasslands. Near the top, the environment becomes stark and rugged, dominated by rock and ice, overlooking a dramatic African panorama.
For many visitors to Tanzania, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is the ultimate highlight. Few peaks offer such majestic scenery, with sweeping views over Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, the Great Rift Valley, and the Maasai Steppe. Trekking the “roof of Africa”—the highest point on the continent—is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the right pace, it’s an achievable feat for both experienced hikers and first-time adventurers. For full details, visit the “Mountain Climbing” section under “Things to Do.”
The meaning of “Kilimanjaro” is still unclear. The local Wachagga people don’t have a name for the entire mountain—only for Kibo, the snowy peak they call “Kipoo,” standing tall as the silent guardian of Africa’s skies.
Mount Kilimanjaro ranks among the world’s most accessible high-altitude summits, drawing climbers from across the globe. Many reach the crater rim with determination, a sturdy walking stick, and appropriate gear. Those who ascend to Uhuru Point—the highest summit—or Gillman’s Point on the crater’s edge earn not just certificates, but unforgettable memories.
2.Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, unequalled for its natural beauty and scientific value, it has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania was established in 1952. It is home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth - the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. There’s a wide variety of accommodation available, from luxury lodges to mobile camps. The park covers 5,700 sq miles, (14,763 sq km), it’s larger than Connecticut, with at most a couple hundred vehicles driving around.
The Park can be divided into 3 sections. The popular southern/central part (Seronera Valley), is what the Maasai called the “serengit”, the land of endless plains. It’s classic savannah, dotted with acacias and filled with wildlife. The western corridor is marked by the Grumeti River, and has more forests and dense bush. The north, Lobo area, meets up with Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve, is the least visited section.
Two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves have been established within the 30,000 km² region. It’s unique ecosystem has inspired writers from Ernest Hemingway to Peter Mattheissen, filmakers like Hugo von Lawick and Alan Root as well as numerous photographers and scientists - many of which have put their works at our disposal to create this website.
The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Early man himself made an appearance in Olduvai Gorge about two million years ago. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves.
3.Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park (ANAPA) is a compact yet diverse treasure located just a short drive from both Arusha and Moshi. Known for its breathtaking views of Mount Meru—the second-highest peak in Tanzania—this park offers a stunning variety of ecosystems in a relatively small area. From open savannah and dense rainforest to alpine vegetation and tranquil crater lakes, Arusha National Park is a microcosm of northern Tanzania's natural beauty.
This park is an ideal destination for day trips, especially for visitors beginning or ending their journey on the northern safari circuit. It serves as a perfect introduction to Tanzania's wilderness or a relaxing conclusion to an adventurous itinerary. Despite its smaller size, just over 200 square miles, Arusha National Park boasts remarkable biodiversity and is easily accessible for those based in Arusha town.
The park encompasses the slopes, summit, and ash cone of Mount Meru, the lush highland forests on its lower flanks, the Ngurdoto Crater, and the scenic Momela Lakes. The lakes attract a variety of water birds and are a serene setting for laid-back game viewing. Visitors can also enjoy canoeing on the lakes or guided walking safaris through the forested areas.
Wildlife sightings include the world’s largest population of giraffes, along with buffaloes, zebras, warthogs, hippos, bushbucks, red forest duikers, and several species of monkeys, including the striking black-and-white colobus monkey and the Vervet monkey. While leopards are elusive, over 400 bird species make this park a paradise for birdwatchers.
Arusha National Park’s convenient location, diverse habitats, and rich wildlife make it a fantastic stand-alone experience or a wonderful addition to longer trips that include iconic destinations such as Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Whether you're seeking a short nature escape or a meaningful prelude to a grand safari, Arusha National Park delivers an unforgettable adventure.
4.Lake Manyara National Park
Nestled beneath the towering cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers stunning scenery, diverse habitats, and an extraordinary array of wildlife and birdlife. Though often considered a stopover on the way to the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti, the park is a destination in its own right.
Despite its small size, the park is rich in ecological diversity, featuring lush groundwater forests, open bush plains, hot springs streaked with algae, and ancient baobab trees. Lake Manyara itself, a shallow alkaline lake, stretches for 50 km along the base of the escarpment and attracts over 400 recorded bird species. Flamingos, pelicans, storks, and cormorants gather in massive numbers, making the park a birdwatcher's paradise.
Lake Manyara is famously home to rare tree-climbing lions and holds the world’s largest population of baboons. Other wildlife includes elephants, wildebeest, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, blue monkeys, klipspringers, and olive baboons.
Praised by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa,” Lake Manyara offers a compact yet immersive Tanzanian safari experience—ideal for a day trip or as part of a broader northern circuit adventure.
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5.Ngorogoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is a massive, ancient volcanic caldera and one of Africa’s most iconic natural wonders. Formed over 2.5 million years ago when a volcano collapsed inward, it is the largest intact, unflooded caldera in the world—spanning 300 square kilometers, 20 km across, and plunging 600 meters deep.
Often called the “eighth wonder of the world,” the Crater boasts the highest density of wildlife in Africa, home to around 30,000 animals at any given time. Visitors are rewarded with spectacular views and guaranteed wildlife sightings, including lions, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and flamingos. Though not without crowds, the experience is unmatched.
Named from a Maasai phrase meaning “Big Bowl,” the Crater is a unique ecosystem with diverse habitats: open grasslands, swamps, acacia forests, and Lake Makat—a soda lake fed by the Munge River. These varied environments support both grazers and predators year-round.
At over 2,200 meters above sea level, the rim offers sweeping panoramic views and cooler temperatures, with clouds often draping the edge like a curtain. Whether for its geology, wildlife, or scenic beauty, Ngorongoro Crater is a must-visit destination—unlike any other in Tanzania or Africa.
6.Tarangire National Park
Located close to Arusha, Tarangire is ideal for a day trip or as part of a longer itinerary alongside Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It covers about 2,850 square kilometers (1,100 square miles), offering expansive landscapes and diverse ecosystems. The park gets its name from the Tarangire River, which flows through its heart and serves as a vital water source for wildlife, especially during the dry season.
Tarangire is home to a wide array of animals, including zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, buffaloes, kudus, elands, and gazelles. Predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs are often spotted, and it’s one of the few places in Tanzania where the rare oryx and gerenuk can be seen regularly.
Bird lovers will be delighted with nearly 500 recorded species. Highlights include the vibrant yellow-collared lovebirds, Kori bustards, ostriches, and various starlings. With its rich wildlife, stunning scenery, and fewer crowds, Tarangire offers an unforgettable safari experience.
7.Mkomazi National Park
Mkomazi National Park, located in northern Tanzania between Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions, lies along the southern tip of the Sahel zone. It shares a northern border with Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park, forming the vast Mkomazi-Tsavo ecosystem — East Africa’s second-largest transboundary wildlife area after the Serengeti-Mara.
The park features a semi-arid climate with scattered rains and a landscape dominated by Acacia-Commiphora woodlands, rocky hills, ancient baobabs, and umbrella-shaped acacias typical of the dry savannah. The Umba River is the park’s lifeline, supporting wildlife year-round.
Mkomazi is best known for its conservation success stories: endangered black rhinos and the rare African wild dogs. It’s also home to giraffes, zebras, elephants, elands, fringe-eared oryx, gerenuks, kudus, hartebeests, impalas, and Grant’s gazelles. Predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs roam freely across its plains.
Birdlife is prolific, with over 450 recorded species. Visitors on game drives can spot ostriches, kori bustards, secretary birds, hoopoes, and long-crested eagles. Around the Umba River, flamingos, kingfishers, plovers, and cormorants add to the spectacle.
Mkomazi’s quiet, uncrowded atmosphere makes it a peaceful alternative to busier parks, offering excellent wildlife viewing, birdwatching, and unforgettable game drives.
8.Lake Natron
Located northeast of the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron lies at the lowest point of Africa’s Great Rift Valley—600 meters above sea level. This surreal salt lake is one of the most caustic bodies of water on Earth and rests beneath the active Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, known to the Maasai as the “Mountain of God.”
Lake Natron is shallow, rarely deeper than three meters, and stretches about 57 kilometers long by 22 kilometers wide. It exists in a harsh, semi-arid landscape that receives seasonal rainfall between December and May. Daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C.
As water evaporates from the lake, it leaves behind high concentrations of salts, including sodium carbonate and trona. This creates extremely alkaline conditions, with pH levels soaring beyond 12. Yet, this harsh environment fosters life for specialized microorganisms, including salt-loving cyanobacteria. These algae contain red pigments that give the lake its vivid red and orange hues.
Despite its extreme conditions, Lake Natron serves as a crucial breeding ground for thousands of lesser flamingos. These birds thrive here due to the lake’s isolation and abundance of cyanobacteria. The result is a hauntingly beautiful landscape—otherworldly, vibrant, and teeming with life.
There are so many attractions in northen circuit approximately 104 you can visit
