Tanzania National Parks & Conservation Areas, by Safari Circuit
Tanzania has some of the best safari land in the world. We've grouped every park and conservation area into four easy circuits, so you can see what's out there and start planning your trip.
Tanzania National Parks: The Full List, Organized by Safari Circuit
Tanzania is home to more protected wildlife land than almost anywhere else on earth — 21 national parks managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), plus conservation areas and game reserves alongside them. To make it easier to plan a trip, we split the parks into four circuits: Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern. Each one has its own kind of scenery, animals and way of getting there. The Northern Circuit is the famous one, with the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Kilimanjaro all in the same area — both the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are UNESCO World Heritage Sites — so it's the most visited part of the country. But the Southern, Western and Eastern circuits are just as good for wildlife, with far fewer people around. Think river safaris in Nyerere, or tracking chimpanzees by the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
If you want the numbers behind a trip like this, our safari cost guide breaks down what a Tanzania safari actually costs, and our Tanzania travel guide covers visas, packing and getting around once you land. If your trip is timed around the herds, our Great Migration guide explains where they'll be and when. And for the official word on entry fees, regulations and park boundaries, TANAPA's own website is the primary source. Scroll through the list below to see every park by circuit, browse our full Tanzania safari tours, or get in touch and we'll help you build a trip around the ones you like most.
Northern Circuit National Parks
This is the part of Tanzania most people picture when they think "safari." Home to the Serengeti's Great Migration and the Ngorongoro Crater, packed with animals all year round. It's also the easiest to reach, with Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport right nearby.
Serengeti National Park
Wide open plains, and millions of animals on the move.
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Ngorongoro Conservation Area
A giant crater packed with animals, any time of year.
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Tarangire National Park
Huge old baobab trees and Tanzania's biggest elephant herds.
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Lake Manyara National Park
Lions that climb trees, right by the lake shore.
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Arusha National Park
Forest walks, Mount Meru, and pink flamingos on the lakes.
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Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Africa's tallest mountain, and the routes that go up it.
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Makuyuni Wildlife Park
A quiet stop on the way into the northern parks.
View Park →Southern Circuit National Parks
Wild, remote, and built around rivers. The Nyerere and Ruaha parks are known for big cats and huge numbers of predators, plus boat safaris you won't find up north. And you'll barely see another vehicle.
Nyerere National Park
Boat safaris on the river, and lots of big cats.
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Ruaha National Park
Tanzania's biggest park, wild and best in the dry season.
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Mikumi National Park
Open plains, an easy drive from Dar es Salaam.
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Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Rainforest hikes and monkeys found nowhere else.
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Kitulo National Park
A highland park known for its wildflowers.
View Park →Western Circuit National Parks
Tanzania's quietest corner. Trek with wild chimpanzees on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, or explore parks so new and remote that most travellers have never heard of them.
Gombe Stream National Park
Where Jane Goodall studied chimps, right on the lake.
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Mahale Mountains National Park
Chimp trekking so remote you can only get there by boat.
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Katavi National Park
Wide open floodplains and pools full of hippos.
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Rubondo Island National Park
A forested island out on Lake Victoria.
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Saanane Island National Park
A small island park just off Mwanza.
View Park →Burigi-Chato National Park
Grassland and wetland close to the Rwandan border.
View Park →Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park
A newer park protecting grassland in Kagera.
View Park →Rumanyika-Karagwe National Park
Rolling grassland where wildlife is coming back.
View Park →Ugalla River National Park
Wild river country, home to chimpanzees.
View Park →Kigosi National Park
One of Tanzania's biggest and least-visited parks.
View Park →Eastern Circuit National Parks
Where safari meets the coast. These parks let you see wildlife and still get beach time on the Indian Ocean or in Zanzibar, all in one trip.
Tanzania National Parks: Frequently Asked Questions
Everything travellers usually ask us before choosing which parks and circuits to build their safari around.
Tanzania has 21 national parks managed by TANAPA, spread across the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern circuits, plus conservation areas like Ngorongoro and game reserves that sit outside the national park system.
The Serengeti is the most famous for year-round game viewing and the Great Migration, but "best" really depends on what you want — Ngorongoro Crater for guaranteed sightings in a small area, Nyerere for river and boat safaris, or Ruaha for a wild, low-traffic experience.
The Northern Circuit covers the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha National Park and Kilimanjaro. It's the most visited part of the country because it's close to Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport and offers the widest range of wildlife.
The Southern Circuit is built around Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks, known for river and boat safaris, dense predator populations and far fewer vehicles than the north. Mikumi, Udzungwa and Kitulo also sit on this circuit.
The Western Circuit is Tanzania's most remote region, centred on Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains for chimpanzee trekking along Lake Tanganyika, along with lesser-visited parks like Katavi, Rubondo Island and Kigosi.
The Eastern Circuit combines safari with the coast, including Saadani (the only park with both beach and bush), Mkomazi, and Jozani Chwaka Bay in Zanzibar, home to the endangered red colobus monkey.
The Serengeti is the primary stage for the Great Migration, though the herds move seasonally — the southern plains for calving between January and March, and the western and northern Serengeti and Maasai Mara border area for the river crossings from June through October.
The dry seasons, from late June to October and again in January and February, generally offer the best game viewing since animals gather around remaining water sources. The exact timing depends on which parks and which wildlife you want to see.
Yes, every national park charges a TANAPA entry fee per person per day, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area has its own separate fee. These are arranged as part of your safari booking, not something you need to sort out yourself.
Park fees vary by park, season and nationality, and are typically bundled into your overall safari price. For a full breakdown of what a Tanzania safari costs, including park fees, guides and accommodation, see our Safari Cost Guide.
Most first-time visitors combine the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire on the Northern Circuit — they're close together, easy to reach from Arusha, and give you the widest range of landscapes and wildlife in a short trip.
Yes, this is one of the most popular combinations we arrange. Most travellers climb Kilimanjaro first, then head straight into a Northern Circuit safari to recover while still seeing wildlife. See our Climbing Kilimanjaro Guide for route options.
Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains, both on the Western Circuit along Lake Tanganyika, are Tanzania's two chimpanzee trekking parks. Mahale is more remote and only reachable by boat or light aircraft, while Gombe is smaller and better known as Jane Goodall's original research site.
Technically no — Ngorongoro is a conservation area rather than a national park, which means Maasai communities are permitted to live and graze livestock there alongside the wildlife. It's still one of the most visited destinations on the Northern Circuit and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Serengeti tend to work well for families thanks to shorter drive times between sightings and reliable wildlife. Saadani is also a good option if you want to break up game drives with beach time. See our Family Safaris page for itinerary ideas.
A worthwhile Northern Circuit safari usually runs 4 to 7 days. Add 2 to 3 days if you're combining it with Zanzibar or the coast, or a week or more if you want to add Kilimanjaro or venture into the Southern or Western circuits.
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