Tanzania is the Serengeti. And so much more.

Over 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle move in a continuous clockwise circuit across the Serengeti and into Kenya's Masai Mara, following the rains. Where you position yourself in the Serengeti — and when — determines what you witness. The river crossings of the western corridor (July–September) are the most dramatic; the calving season of the southern Serengeti (January–February) is, in some ways, even more extraordinary. I'll match your camp to the migration's location precisely.

A collapsed volcanic caldera 20 kilometres across and 600 metres deep — and inside it, one of the most extraordinary concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Essentially a self-contained ecosystem: big herds never leave, and predators never need to. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, black rhino, elephant, hippo, and the iridescent pink of a million flamingos on the soda lake. I build a minimum of two descents into every northern Tanzania itinerary.

Tanzania's most underrated northern park and one I build into many itineraries, despite being overlooked by most generic tour operators. Tarangire's landscape is defined by ancient baobab trees, the Tarangire River, and enormous elephant herds that congregate here in the dry season. For families arriving in Tanzania for the first time, Tarangire's combination of spectacular scenery and guaranteed elephant encounters makes it a perfect opening night.

The spice island — an archipelago of coral reefs, powder-white beaches, turquoise shallows, and the extraordinary Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of narrow alleys, Arab trading houses, and spice markets that smell of cloves and cinnamon. Zanzibar is the natural finale to any northern Tanzania safari — four or five nights of decompression after the intensity of the bush. Children swim, snorkel, sail on dhows, and explore Stone Town's labyrinths.

The southern circuit is one of Africa's last great frontiers — visited by a tiny fraction of the families who crowd the northern parks, yet delivering wildlife encounters of equal or greater quality. The Selous is the largest game reserve in Africa — a vast wilderness of rivers, lakes, and borassus palm forests, with walking safaris, boat safaris, and fly-camping that the north cannot offer. Ruaha is even more remote — wild dogs, greater kudu, roan antelope, and enormous elephant herds.

Lake Manyara is often dismissed as a half-day add-on — which is a mistake. The park sits at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, with the alkaline lake filling the valley floor and extraordinary birdlife — most famously thousands of pink flamingos. The tree-climbing lions of Manyara are unique. I often use Manyara as the opening night of a northern circuit holiday — accessible from Arusha, gentle for first-time safari families, and sets the tone beautifully.