10-Day Northern and Southern

The 10-day northern and southern safari in brief

This 10-day Tanzania safari pairs the classic northern parks with Nyerere National Park (the old Selous) in the south. You spend six days in the north, with Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and three nights in the Serengeti, then fly south for three nights on the Rufiji River, where boat safaris and walking safaris are part of every stay. The trip starts at Kilimanjaro airport and ends in Dar es Salaam.

• Route: Kilimanjaro airport, Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Karatu, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Nyerere, Dar es Salaam
• Nights: 1 Arusha, 1 Tarangire, 1 Karatu, 3 Serengeti, 3 Nyerere
• Travel: road in the north; light-aircraft flights from the Serengeti to Nyerere and from Nyerere to Dar es Salaam
• Best months: June to November
• Style: private Land Cruiser and guide in the north; camp vehicles, boats and walking guides in the south

Why combine the north and the south

Most Tanzania safaris stay in the north, and the north deserves its reputation: the wildebeest migration, the crater and the Serengeti's open plains are unlike anywhere else. But they are also busy, and safaris there happen almost entirely from a vehicle.

The south works differently. Nyerere is a vast, lightly visited park built around the Rufiji River and a chain of lakes. Because of how it is managed, camps can run boat safaris on the river and guided walks from camp, so you see wildlife from the water and on foot as well as from a vehicle. Elephants, hippo, crocodile, lion and African wild dog are the headline species, and you will often have a sighting to yourself.

Ten days lets you do both properly: six days north, three days south, and one for arriving. You come home with two distinct trips rather than one long one.

Who this trip suits

• First-time visitors with ten days who want the Serengeti and something quieter as well.
• Travellers who want to walk or boat, not only drive.
• Wild dog enthusiasts, since Nyerere is one of Tanzania's strongholds for them. See our wild dogs guide.
• Repeat Africa travellers who have done a vehicle-only safari before.

It is not ideal if you dislike small aircraft, since the trip relies on light-aircraft flights in the second half, or if you want every night in the migration. In that case the 7-Day Classic plus extra Serengeti nights is the better shape.

How it compares with the 7-day classic and the southern circuit

• 7-Day Classic: the same northern half, more or less, without the south. Shorter and simpler.
• 10-Day Northern and Southern (this trip): the northern circuit plus three nights in Nyerere with boat and walking safaris.
• 7-Day Southern Circuit: Nyerere and Ruaha only, for travellers who want the south in depth.
• 14-Day Premium: a slower version with flights between the northern parks, more Serengeti nights and Zanzibar at the end.

Our northern vs southern circuit guide explains the differences in more depth.

Is ten days the right length?

For a first trip that covers both halves of Tanzania, ten days is the practical minimum. The northern half needs six days to reach the Serengeti without rushing and to give it three nights; the south needs three nights to justify the flight, because the first afternoon is arrival and you want two full days of boat, walking and driving. Cut it to eight and you lose either the Serengeti's migration night or one of the southern days. If you can stretch to fourteen, the 14-Day Premium uses the extra days for a second crater night, the far northern Serengeti and Zanzibar.

Best months and where the migration is

June to October is the best window for both halves. The south is driest then, and wildlife crowds the Rufiji and its lakes. In the north, the migration is in the western corridor in June and in the far north around the Mara River from July to October, and we position your third Serengeti night accordingly. November is also good: the short rains bring the herds back south and the landscape turns green.

Many southern camps close during the long rains, roughly April and May, which is why those months are not on the best-months list. January to March works in the north for calving, but heat and humidity in the south are high; ask us if those are your dates.

Our wildebeest migration guide maps the herds month by month, and the Nyerere destination page covers the south in detail.

What safari days look like in each half

In the north, days follow the familiar pattern: out before sunrise, breakfast in the bush or at camp, a midday rest, and a second drive until dusk. Night drives are not permitted inside the national parks.

In Nyerere the day mixes activities. A typical day might start with a boat trip on the river at first light, return for brunch, and finish with a walk or a drive in the late afternoon. Boat safaris are calm and close to the water; walking safaris are slow, led by an armed ranger, and focus on what you would miss from a vehicle. Read more in our walking safari guide.

Temperatures differ too. The Serengeti is usually 25 to 30°C (77 to 86°F) by day, while the crater rim is cold at dawn. Nyerere sits low and is hot, often above 30°C (86°F) in the afternoon, especially from October.

Wildlife you can expect in each half

The two halves of the trip complement each other:

• North (Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti): the wildebeest and zebra migration; lion, leopard and cheetah in the Seronera valley; black rhino in the crater; large elephant herds in Tarangire; hippo, buffalo, giraffe, hyena and a long list of antelope.
• South (Nyerere): African wild dog, one of the park's specialities; large numbers of hippo and Nile crocodile on the river; elephant, lion, buffalo and giraffe in the woodland; and an exceptional range of water birds from the boat.

Between them you cover most of Tanzania's big mammals, with the notable gap of rhino in the south. Our Big Five in Tanzania guide explains where each is most likely.

Getting there and away from the US

Because the trip starts in the north and ends in the south, book an open-jaw ticket: fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and home from Dar es Salaam (DAR). Both have one-stop connections to the US through hubs such as Amsterdam, Doha, Istanbul and Addis Ababa. An open-jaw ticket often costs little more than a return and saves a domestic flight back north. If you add Zanzibar at the end, fly home from Zanzibar instead.

Where you stay

In Arusha you stay at a boutique hotel, then at Tarangire Safari Lodge above the Tarangire River and a farm lodge in the Karatu highlands. In the Serengeti you use tented camps positioned for the season: large walk-in tents, proper beds and en-suite bathrooms. In Nyerere you stay three nights at a riverside camp on the Rufiji, with tents or chalets facing the water and the camp's own boats, vehicles and walking guides.

Getting between the halves

The flight from the Serengeti to Nyerere on day seven is the trip's long travel day. There is no direct scheduled service, so the route connects through Arusha and Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, usually with at least one change of aircraft. It takes much of the day. Luggage on these small aircraft is limited, typically to about 15 kg (33 lb) in a soft-sided bag, so pack for that from the start. Our Coastal Aviation guide explains how domestic flights work.

What's included

All park, crater and concession fees and taxes; the bush flights from the Serengeti to Nyerere and from Nyerere to Dar es Salaam; a private Land Cruiser and guide in the north and camp vehicles in the south; all meals on safari and drinking water; accommodation as listed; boat and walking safaris in Nyerere; and airport transfers. International flights, the visa, insurance, alcohol and tips are not included. For how park fees and flights add up, see our Tanzania safari cost guide and what a 10-day safari costs.

Safety and park rules

• Stay in the vehicle on game drives except at designated sites.
• On boats and walks, follow your guide and ranger. Walks have a safety briefing first.
• No off-road driving in the Serengeti or the crater except where permitted.
• Malaria: both regions carry malaria risk, Nyerere especially. Talk to your doctor and read our vaccinations and health guide.
• Insurance should include medical evacuation.
• Plastic carrier bags are banned in Tanzania.

US travellers should also check our Tanzania visa guide for US citizens. From Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar is a short flight away; see our Zanzibar trips if you'd like to finish on the beach. When you're ready, send us your dates.