How safaris work in Tanzania

What to expect on a safari in Tanzania!

• In Tanzania, 'private safaris' are the most common way to go on safari. So that literally means it will just be your party, your safari guide and a truck! Your safari guide will also act as your driver for the duration of your trip, so they will be with you the whole time!

• You would usually book your safari directly through a local safari company and they will have a number of 'pre-made safari packages' you can choose from or they will help you design a personalised itinerary.

• It's very common to visit multiple parks on one Tanzanian safari trip! The most popular area to visit is the Northern Safari Circuit and all the parks are in fairly close proximity to one another! It makes for one epic adventure as you can visit multiple regions.

• Be prepared for LONG, but epic days! In Tanzania it's normal to be out all day on your 'game drive' looking for wildlife. It's an epic adventure and the wildlife viewing opportunities are awesome, but it is a long time to be sat in a truck! (This is another reason why a private safari is a great choice!). You will stop in 'designated lunch spots' within the parks for lunch eat day. You are generally not allowed to eat in the trucks.

• Private safaris are an incredible way to experience a safari as it means you can build a personalized itinerary and have a lot of freedom and flexibility in regards to what you would like to do! Plus you get the truck to yourself and being able to move around the truck for photo opportunities is really handy! It's a far more comfortable way of travelling than in a group.

• Group tours are available in Tanzania, but they are generally not as popular as private safaris.

The cost of a safari

Tanzania is not generally seen as a 'cheap' safari destination, however there are lots of different options to suit a range of budgets!

On average, budget safaris start at $350 per day, mid-range safaris start at $600 per day, and luxury safaris start at $1100 per day. The cost will come down to a huge number of factors including the length of your safari, the level of accommodation you choose, the parks you want to visit and the time of year you opt to visit.

Tanzania safari companies usually offer three 'levels' of accommodation for safaris: Budget, mid-range and luxury!

• Budget safaris usually mean camping in a two-person tent! It significantly brings the cost down, but bear in mind the camp will need to be taken down and put up each day, eating into 'wildlife viewing' time. You will likely be staying in 'public parks', so companies can't guarantee the cleanliness of the bathroom facilities. You usually travel with your own chef and driver/ guide for the duration of your trip!

• Mid-range is a great option for safari and this is what we opted for! Stay in a mix of hotels, lodges and tented camps within the national parks to get the full safari experience. There are some great options available and some of the tented camps were far nicer than some hotel rooms we have stayed in over the years! To us, the tented camps felt very luxurious and we do not think of ourselves as budget travelers. Tented camps are more like glamping, they have hot water and you will have your own private bathrooms with flushable toilets!

• Luxury camps are a great way to experience a safari and some of the tented camps and lodges are insane! But, in our personal opinion, it's not worth the extra money! You barely spend any time in these camps as you arrive late in the afternoon and are gone early the next morning. Arguably, if you are on a private safari, you can opt to have a lie in if that's what you would like, but we would highly recommend getting out on safari first thing in the morning to make the most of the wildlife viewing! Early morning and late afternoon are when the wildlife is more active!

  

Safari Companies & packages (and what's included!)

The safari company will usually offer a number of 'standard' safari packages on their website however, all companies will usually design a personal itinerary for you, recommend and book all your accommodation. Don't be afraid to ask them to tweak the itineraries if you would like to stay in an area for longer than they suggest!

The safari company will supply the safari truck and your safari guide (who works for the company) and who also acts as your driver. The safari company will also organise all your airport transfers. All meals are usually included in your package.

When you book a safari package with a safari company in Tanzania, the below is what is usually included in the package:

• The accommodation

• The game drives

• Your driver & guide

• All transportation (including airport transfers)

• Meals

• Park passes, park fees & transit fees within the parks

TOP TIP: Note that often at the accommodation you will have to pay for drinks. A range of drinks are usually supplied (free of charge) by the safari company for during the day.

Tours will commonly advertise safari packages as 'X number of days', however bear in mind that this usually includes a day at the start and end of the safari to allow for airport transfers etc.

Example: During a '7 day safari' you may only be on safari for 5 of those days.

The Accommodation

There are usually three types of accommodation that you will find in Tanzania, with tented camps being the most common.

1. Tented Camps are a really popular way to stay on safari in Tanzania! It gives you a chance to sleep under a canvas under the stars but still maintaining a level of comfort and luxury. It's a huge part of the appeal of safaris in Tanzania! You will find features like raised decking areas, outdoor dining and sometimes swimming pools. They range from mid-budget to ultra luxury! Tented camps usually consist of a dining tent and guest 'rooms' and it feels very much like glamping!

2. Lodges & hotels are permanent buildings with solid walls. They have full service facilities, often with swimming pools and are often located in prime positions!

3. Two-person tents are a classic 'camping safari' and perfect for anyone on a budget! You'll stay in designated campsites within or near the national parks. You will be sleeping on the ground with sleeping bags and the campsites offer basic washing facilities. The staff that travel with you will take down and erect the tents each day.

Note, a lot of the camps are unfenced (but we think this just adds to the excitement!!).

The Safari Parks

If visiting the Northern Circuit for a multi-day safari, then you will be able to visit multiple parks due to the close proximity of the parks! It makes for the ultimate safari adventure!

The most common parks to visit on a Northern Circuit safari are the Serengeti National Park, The Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park.

The majority of parks in Tanzania do not allow off-roading in the parks. That means you will have to stick to the main roads to view wildlife. Wildlife could be close or really far away depending on where they choose to be!

The Safari Trucks!

Most safari trucks in Tanzania are enclosed trucks, not open trucks. When you're in the parks on safari they have big windows that open and a roof that raises to get those 360 panoramic views of the park!

The trucks are equipped with a mini fridge, power points and Wi-Fi (when there is signal!)

Alternative Safari Options

Group Tours

• It's worth noting that you can book group safaris in Tanzania. They are usually for around 6 people maximum. These are perfect for solo travellers looking to join a safari or for a group of friends!

• Group tours are likely to be cheaper, however you won't be able to personalize them as much, they won't have as much flexibility and it's likely you won't be able to change the accommodation offered.

• Bear in mind the trucks are not huge and you will be out in the safari trucks all day! Moving around the truck for photo opportunities does become more limited on a group tour.

• If a company that you're researching doesn't appear to offer group tours, it's worth contacting them as they may have sister companies that they work in partnership with.

Staying at one accommodation for your whole stay

It is possible to stay at one accommodation base for a safari in Tanzania. This is more similar to the type of safari you would experience in South Africa for example.

If you opt for a a fly-in safari, you will very often stay at one accommodation.

Not all accommodation offers safari game drives, so you'll need to ensure you book one that does if you want to incorporate that into your safari trip! Bear in mind that if you are booking game drives through your accommodation they are not likely to be private game drives, but shared with the other guests. They very often advertise them as 'private' but they aren't, so be sure to check!

Day Safari Trips

It is possible to do day safari trips in Tanzania that depart from Arusha.

Arusha National Park, The Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park are the most common day trips as they are not too far from Arusha itself.

Check out Get Your Guide for some suggestions for day trips!

For more information on safaris, check out our blog here!