Tanzania is likely most famous for two things: one is being home of Mount Kilimanjaro – highest mountain on the African continent; and the other is being home to incredible National Parks and Reserves such as Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater, where the Great Migration can be viewed annually. This post will talk about the most famous parks and conservation areas that are popular for safaris in Tanzania, as well as discuss options for how to plan a budget safari in Tanzania.
Options for visiting Tanzania’s myraid of National Parks and Reserves can range from high-end wildlife lodges and safaris where you can enjoy the parks and embark on wildlife excursions from the lap of luxury; to basic camping-oriented excursions for the budget traveller. After climbing Kilimanjaro, I visited the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, and Lake Myrna National park, and an unforgettable 5 day safari that was amazing value for money.
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A small herd of Zebra wander through Simba Camp in the Ngorongoro Crater – close animal encounters are common on budget camping safaris in Tanzania
Content:
- Serengeti National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Tarangire National Park
- Lake Manyara National Park
- Tour or Self-Guided Safari?
- Budget Safari Recommendations
- Final thoughts on how to plan a Budget Safari in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park:
Serengeti National Park is one of the first names that likely come to mind when most people think of going on Safari in Africa. 15,000 square kilometers in area, and a World Heritage Site, Serengeti National Park is famous for the Great Migration of upwards of 2 million ungulates (hooved grass-eaters – primarily wildebeest, but also zebra and gazelle) which move North towards the Masai Mara in Kenya when the dry season starts around May. The herds move back towards the Serengeti around October when the rainy season starts again. The Great Migration is an opportunity not just to view the herds in motion – but also an opportunity to see the predators for whom the Great Migration is a bit of a large moving buffet. Camping in the Serengeti during my safari was an incredible experience – we saw a lioness fight off two hyenas for her kill just a 2 minute drive from camp.
Ngorongoro Crater:
The Ngorongoro Crater is about 120KM west of Arusha, and is located within the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Believed to be about 2-3 million years old, the crater measures around 12 miles (or 20KM) across and has an area of about 100 square meters (or 270 square km). The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest caldera (or the depression left behind by an active volcano). Because of the intact nature of the caldera, the enclosed area has allowed a unique ecosystem of flora and fauna to develop inside the crater itself. The crater is home to one of the most densely populated animal populations in Africa, and is one of the most reliable places in Tanzania to view the Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard). Camping in the Ngorongoro Crater during my 5 day safari was one of the most incredible experiences I have had in Africa in terms of up-close wildlife encounters. Elephants walking between tents, zebra, antelope, baboons, hyena all spotted within a few feet of camp.
Tarangire National Park:
Covering an area of approximately 2850 square kilometers, Tarangire National Park is located in Tanzania’s Manyara Region in Northern Tanzania just 2 hours from Arusha. The park is home to over 500 bird species. The park is particularly well-known for its high density of elephants and baobab trees, as well as herds of zebra, wildebeast, lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog. Animals from the Great Migration also run through Tarangire National Park.
Lake Manyara National Park:
Lake Manyara is the 7th largest lake in Tanzania, and is unque as it is an alkaline lake. The Lake is a closed basin, with no outflow. Water is lost only by evaporation, and is fed by underwater springs. The lake is located in Lake Manyara National Park covers an area of about 325 square kilometers (including 230 square kilometers covering the lake surface) and is located between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley.
A giraffe in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara is most famous for its flocks of thousands of flamingos that feed along the edge of the lake during the wet season. There are nearly 400 bird species documented in the national park, although their populations drop during the dry season. The park is also home to larger game animals like wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, giraffe, as well as predators like lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, and cheetah. There have also been 180 species of butterfly documented in the park.
Tour or Self-Guided Safari?
While it is possible to visit Tanzania’s National parks on a self-guided visit, I would recommend going on a guided safari for two major reasons: 1) Safety, 2) Much enhanced probability of seeing animals, and 3) Cost – contrary to what you might think – a self-guided tour is often quite a bit more costly than going with a guided tour.
Firstly, in light of the fact that you’re going to be driving into areas where there are large predators like lions and leopards – it is much safer to do this in on a guided tour with professionals who know how these animals behave and how to observe them safely. You’ll also have a team of professionals to deal with any vehicle problems, but you’ll be on your own to trouble-shoot this if you’re on a self-guided tour.
Secondly, in terms of viewing animals, professional guides are experts at spotting animals. Having been on several safaris, I never cease to be amazed at what professional guides are able to see. A good 80% – 90% of the animals I have seen in Africa are thanks to sharp-eyed safari guides who were not only able to spot animals who were camouflaged; but also knew how to be in the right place to see them in the first place. Professional guides communicate with each other regularly, and the network of guides will alert each other of animal sightings so that other professional guides can take their tour groups to the site where the animals were spotted – if you are by yourself – this network communication will not be available to you.
A cheetah follows the scent of its potential dinner in Serengeti National Park
Thirdly, a self-guided tour is actually quite costly – up to double the price of simply going on a guided tour. Consider just a visit to Serengeti National Park for example. A 4×4 vehicle is the minimum requirement for being allowed to visit the park – these typically cost $60USD per day (not including the cost of fuel), you’ll also have to pay the park fees and permits $70USD per person every 24 hours. In order to reach Seregenti National Park (from Arusha) you’ll need to pass the Ngorongoro Conservation area which will incur a $70USD fee each direction ($140USD total per person) whether you visit the area or not. This is one reason why guided Seregenti Tours are typically combo-tours that include the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Vehicle fees: $40USD per 24 hours for foreign-registered vehicles ($10USD per 24 hours for Tanzanian registered vehicles). Overnight vehicle fees $25USD per 24 hours. Camping fees $30USD – $50USD per person, per night. A 3 day visit to Serengeti National park will cost at least $650 – $850USD per person for a 3 day self-guided visit – without including the costs of fuel and food.
Do not underestimate the driving distances – which are significant as Serengeti National Park is about 400KM away from Arusha (so 800KM drive round-trip not including the driving you’ll do in the park itself). Guided tours include all food, but on a self-guided drive, you’ll need to manage food on your own – and that can be tricky as there are no grocery stores in the park.
Recommendations:
I did a guided 5 day combo-safari that included 2 days in the Serengeti, 1 day in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, 1 day at Tarangire National Park and 1 day at Lake Manyara National Park. As a single woman travelling in Africa, I found this combo tour to be the best option both for safety as well as for value. Booking these tours separately would have easily cost double the price, and finding an agency that would allow me to do a “joining tour” or a pre-arranged tour that will sell an individual a single seat rather than require a group of people joining was perfect. All permits, transport, accommodations (camping style) and food and drink was included in the price – as well as pick-up and drop-off from to to my hotel in Arusha.
If you’re pressed for time, you can opt to do a 4 day guided safari covering the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National park, or an even shorter 3 day guided safari of just the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater. Most guided tours to the Serengeti will include a stop at the Ngorongoro crater – as you need to pay the $140USD round-trip fee to pass the Ngorongoro Conservation area from Arusha enroute to the Serengeti – and the crater is absolutely amazing regardless and absolutely well-worth the visit. If you only want to visit the Serengeti, there are 2 day Seregenti tours available from the coastal city of Mwanza – as travelling from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park does not require crossing the Ngorongoro conservation area.
A family of warthogs or “pumbaa” forage in the Ngorongoro Crater
Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Budget Safari in Tanzania:
Going on Safari in Tanzania is an experience of a lifetime, but it’s not going to be an inexpensive undertaking. While going on a self-guided tour mights seem like should save you money; between park fees, permits, vehicle costs, lodging, fuel and food – I found that going on a guided safari is actually great value for money in terms of safety, convenience, and a better overall experience with guides who can help you spot animals and provide commentary on the parks and help trouble-shoot any issues with vehicle, lodging etc. A good budget safari and can be just a fraction of the cost of trying to go on a self-guided safari.
