Most visitors of Tanzania will see at least part of the northern circuit. The Serengeti national park, the Kilimanjaro national park, the Ngorongoro conservation area and the Olduvai Gorge.
Located East of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, in the Great Rift Valley, are two more national parks, each with its own appeal.
Lake Manyara national park, at the foot of the Great Rift Valley's western escarpment is one of the smallest of Tanzania's national parks. Nevertheless it is inhabited by a wide variety of animals and attracts a disproportionately dense wildlife population.
The Tarangire national park is a likeable scruffy place, and its millenarian baoab trees dwarf even the park's elephants, of which it has a substantial population. Each of the national parks is organised from the region/town closest to their location.
The major towns in this area are Arusha and Moshi, but the small towns of Lushoto and Amani are also very attractive and highly recommended.
The road through the well-cultivated Usambara and pare mountains is spectacular and there are good possibilities for hiking in the hills.