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BEST OF TANZANIA PHOTO SAFARI
SAFARI OVERVIEW
This Tanzania Wildlife Photo Safari is an unforgettable journey designed for wildlife photographers and enthusiasts seeking diverse habitats, iconic species, and dynamic storytelling opportunities.
Your adventure begins in Tarangire National Park, a landscape dominated by ancient baobabs and massive elephant herds. This park teems with wildlife during the dry season, including migrating mammals that gather near dwindling water sources—creating dramatic scenes of survival and interaction.
Next, you’ll descend into the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheater home to a dense concentration of resident wildlife. Spend a full day on the crater floor with a packed lunch, photographing black rhino, zebra, giraffe, lion, hyena, flamingos, and a wide variety of birdlife—all in one of Africa’s most photogenic settings.
From there, journey into the Central Serengeti, where open savannah transitions into woodland—an ideal zone for big cat activity. This unique convergence of ecosystems offers a prime location to capture predators on the move amid ever-changing backdrops
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Finally, travel north to the Mara River, where the Great Migration takes center stage. Witness thousands of wildebeest and zebra crowding the riverbanks and braving the crossings—delivering relentless, high-stakes photographic action that defines the season.
GROUP SIZE
4 guests + 1 photo host per group
LOCATION
Northern Circuit - Tanzania
DURATION
12 days / 11 nights
PHOTOGRAPHY SKILL LEVEL
All skill levels welcome
BRIEF ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Arrival in Arusha, Tanzania (Kilimanjaro International Airport)
DAYS 2 - 3:
Full day safari in Tarangire National Park / photo critique and post processing session
DAY 4:
Morning safari in Tarangire / Transfer to Karatu
DAY 5:
Full day safari - Descend to the Ngorongoro Crater floor
DAY 6:
Transfer to Central Serengeti / Afternoon photo editing and critique
DAY 7 - 8:
Two safari outings daily / post processing each evening
DAY 9:
Transfer to Northern Serengeti / afternoon safari
DAYS 10 - 11:
Full day safari outings - Focus on great migration of wildebeests
DAY 12:
Safari enroute to Airstrip / chartered flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport / End of Tour
(see detailed itinerary below)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
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Full-Day Exploration of Ngorongoro Crater
Visit the eighth Wonder of the World and spend a full day photographing on the floor of the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. With a packed lunch and all-day access, capture rhino, zebra, lions, flamingos, and more as they roam this unique and wildlife-rich landscape.
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Big Cats & Classic Savannah in the Central Serengeti
Spend three nights in the predator-rich heart of the Serengeti, where lions and leopards are frequently spotted. This region offers prime opportunities to photograph the Big Five and other top carnivores in a dramatic mix of savannah and woodland.
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The Great Migration Crossings at the Mara River
Witness the intensity of the Great Migration as thousands of wildebeest plunge across the Mara River in their push north. This is action photography at its best—where survival, tension, and movement unfold before your lens.
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Wildlife That Moves With the Herds
Track the many species that accompany the migrational herds, including zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and eland. These gatherings create incredible compositions of life on the move across the plains.
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Four Iconic Photographic Locations in One Safari
This all-inclusive journey visits Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti, and Northern Serengeti—each offering distinct habitats and wildlife encounters to complete a diverse, high-impact photographic portfolio.
LOCATION
NORTHERN CIRCUIT, TANZANIA
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK: Famous for its dense elephant population, Tarangire is home to over 5,000 elephants during the dry season, creating powerful photographic scenes at waterholes and along the Tarangire River. The park’s iconic baobab trees, diverse wildlife, and golden light make it a compelling start to your safari.
THE NGORONGORO CRATER: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ngorongoro Crater is a wildlife-rich basin formed within an ancient volcano. Its lush floor is home to a dense concentration of species including rhino, lion, zebra, and flamingos—offering an unmatched variety of subjects in a single day’s shoot.
CENTRAL SERENGETI: Predator territory at its finest, the Central Serengeti features vast open plains ideal for spotting and photographing lions, leopards, and cheetahs. With big cats often seen near camp and frequent action across the grasslands, it’s a photographer’s dream for storytelling and behavior shots.
NORTHERN SERENGETI: From June to September, this region comes alive with the Great Migration, as mega herds of wildebeest and zebra gather to cross the Mara River. This is the heart of dramatic wildlife action—river crossings, crocodile ambushes, and intense predator-prey encounters, all unfolding in front of your lens.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
CAMERA BODY:
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Guests are encouraged to bring a camera body with a minimum of 24-megapixels to guarantee the best results while on safari. This can be mirrorless or a DSLR, as your photo host is experienced with both and will be able to offer assistance whenever need be.
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A second camera body is always a great consideration, however, this is not mandatory. This can be used as a backup, or you can keep a second lens attached and switch back and forth between cameras.
LENSES:
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A telephoto lens with a reach of at least 500 mm. This can be a fixed/prime lens or a zoom lens.
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If you intend to bring a fixed/prime lens of 500 mm or more, you will also need a closer range lens. A 100 - 400 mm or similar is a great option, as this will allow you to get shots of wildlife that comes closer to the vehicle
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If you are interested in taking landscape photographs during the trip, we recommend a wide angle lens that ranges anywhere between 12 mm - 105 mm. This can be used for landscapes, astro-photography, close range wildlife, and congregations of wildlife.
TOUR INCLUDES
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Airport pick-up/drop off (Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO))
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All accommodation in tented camps
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All road transfers between camps
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All meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner each day)
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All beverages (non-alcoholic and local beers, wines and spirits)
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All national park entry fees
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All game drives
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All photographic guidance and tutorials
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one-on-one photo critiques (optional)
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Pre-Tour meeting with your photography guide
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One domestic chartered flight (Kogatende Airstrip to Kilimanjaro International Airport)
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10kg additional luggage allowance (total luggage allowance - 25kg per photo guest)
TOUR EXCLUDES
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International flights
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Personal Travel Insurance (required for all guests)
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Personal expenses like souvenirs, extra activities, etc.
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Activities not listed in the itinerary
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Premium alcoholic beverages
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Gratuities/tips for guides and staff
ITINERARY
DAY 1:
ARRIVAL DAY
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Guests arrive in Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO))
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Transfer to Arusha lodge (Approx. 1.5 hours drive from airport)
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Meet and Greet with photo host at 6:00pm
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Overnight in Arusha
(Guests must arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport no later than 3:00pm on arrival day)
DAY 2:
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK - FULL DAY SAFARI
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Transfer to Tarangire National Park (Approx. 2 hours)
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Full day photographic safari in Tarangire National Park
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Introduction to image selection and post processing with photo host
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Overnight in Tarangire National Park
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Tarangire National Park is renowned for its large elephant population making for great photographs during the dry season along with other wildlife including lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, and more
DAY 3:
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK - FULL DAY SAFARI
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Full day photographic safari in Tarangire National Park
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Return to the lodge for image selection and post processing with photo host
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Overnight in Tarangire National Park
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Tarangire National Park is renowned for its large elephant population making for great photographs during the dry season along with other wildlife including lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, and more
DAY 4:
MORNING SAFARI / TRANSFER TO KARATU
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Morning photographic safari in Tarangire National Park
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Transfer to Karatu for image selection and post processing with photo host
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Overnight in Karatu
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Tarangire National Park is renowned for its large elephant population making for great photographs during the dry season along with other wildlife including lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, and more
DAY 5:
FULL DAY SAFARI - NGORONGORO CRATER FLOOR
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Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater National Park entrance (Approx. 20 min)
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Full day photographic safari on the crater floor
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Return to the lodge for image selection and post processing with photo host
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Overnight in Karatu
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Ngorongoro Crater National Park has it all! Spending the day on the crater floor will provide photographic opportunities of all of your favourite African wildlife species including the Big 5.
LAKE MANYARA FULL DAY SAFARI
DAY 6:
TRANSFER TO CENTRAL SERENGETI / AFTERNOON SAFARI
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Transfer to (central) Serengeti National Park entrance (Approx. 4 hours)
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Photographic opportunities en-route to lodge
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Post processing and photo tutorial with photo host at the lodge
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Overnight in Central Serengeti
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Photographic opportunities include chance to photograph predators of the open savannas en-route to the lodge
DAYS 7 - 8:
TWO SAFARIS DAILY - CENTRAL SERENGETI
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Two photographic safaris daily
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Post processing and photographic tutorial with photo host at the lodge
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Overnight in Central Serengeti
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Predators of Central Serengeti including lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and more. Other photographic opportunities include giraffe, zebra, gazelle, wildebeests, and more
DAY 9:
TRANSFER TO NORTHERN SERENGETI / AFTERNOON SAFARI
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Transfer to (northern) Serengeti National Park (Approx. 4 hours)
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Photographic opportunities en-route
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Afternoon safari in Northern Serengeti
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Post processing and photo critique with photo host at the lodge
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Overnight in Northern Serengeti
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: Photographic opportunities include Great Migration of Wildebeests in Northern Serengeti
DAYS 10 - 11:
FULL DAY SAFARIS DAILY - NORTHERN SERENGETI
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Full day photographic safari in Northern Serengeti
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Post processing and photo critique with photo host at the lodge
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Overnight in Northern Serengeti
PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS: River crossings of the Great Migration of Wildebeests
DAY 12:
MORNING SAFARI / FLY TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
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Morning safari en-route to Kogetende Airstrip
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Chartered flight: Kogatende to Arusha Airport
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Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport
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END OF TOUR
(guests must depart after 5:00pm on this day)
ACCOMMODATION
MAWE LODGES COLLECTION: This tour visits four of Mawe Lodges' tented safari camps set right in the middle of the wildlife with views of the vast grasslands flowing into the horizon.
Wake up with a coffee and the African sun poking through the morning sky with the tranquil sounds of the wild. Immersed in nature, you will never be distracted by other vehicles or unnatural sounds while relaxing around the camps.
Untamed Photo Safaris is proud to offer our guests a truly authentic African safari experience with the perfect combination of nature, wildlife, and comfort. Return to camp after an exciting day of photography with a glass of wine ready for your return during this all-inclusive safari.
