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Tanzania Budget Safari Tours
Tanzania is the ultimate safari destination. One-quarter of its surface area is protected as a network of parks and reserves. This includes a quartet of Unesco World Heritage Sites: world-famous Serengeti National Park, breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, snowcapped Mt Kilimanjaro and vast Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve). Home to 20% of Africa’s wildlife, Tanzania has three distinct safari circuits. For budget safaris, the focus is the Northern circuit. This incorporates Serengeti and Ngorongoro, as well as Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks. Offshore, the spice island of Zanzibar is the ideal place to round off your holiday. Spend a few days here chilling and snorkeling on a palm-lined beach.
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Shared Tour Camping Serengeti/Ngorongoro Crater
$650 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Crater Explorer Tours And Safaris
5.0/5 – 311 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Group Tour Manyara Serengeti Ngorongoro Tarangire
$990 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Suricata Safaris
5.0/5 – 2,597 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
6-Day Private Serengeti Budget Camping Tanzania Safari
$1,815 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Western Serengeti NP, Southern Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Meru Slopes Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 416 Reviews
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Best Seller
12-Day Incredible Safari and Beach Holiday
$2,860 to $3,025 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Central Serengeti NP, Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Zanzibar Stone Town (Zanzibar), Zanzibar Airport (End)
Colours Africa Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 182 Reviews
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5-Day Best Offer Camping Safari with Origin Wildlife
$1,099 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Origin Wildlife Safaris
5.0/5 – 13 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Budget Tour to Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro
$1,602 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Smile
5.0/5 – 483 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
6-Day Private Camping Wakanda Special Safari
$1,595 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Wakanda Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 574 Reviews
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Best Seller
11-Day Unlimited Bushlife Experience & Zanzibar Whitesand
$2,805 to $2,860 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Spice Farm (Zanzibar), Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Zanzibar Airport (End)
See Endless Adventures Tanzania
5.0/5 – 46 Reviews
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6-Day Camping Safari with Dallas in the Northen Circuit
$1,264 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Dallas Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 54 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Tanzania Camping Safari to Serengeti National Park
$900 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Go Serengeti African Tours
4.9/5 – 253 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
8-Day Safari with Game Drives and Cycling and Walking
$2,420 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Materuni Waterfalls (Highlight), Arusha (End)
Safari Soles
5.0/5 – 320 Reviews
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5-Day Tanzania Budget Camping Tour
$920 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Mountain Warriors Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 154 Reviews
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3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Wildlife Camping Safari
$1,141 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Ozon Light Tours
4.9/5 – 143 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Comfortable Safari for Children
$1,760 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Benson Safaris Tanzania
4.8/5 – 233 Reviews
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3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater - Camping Tents
$1,370 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Lappet Faced Safaris
5.0/5 – 92 Reviews
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5-Day Northern Adventure Budget Camping Safari
$1,701 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Kima Adventures
4.7/5 – 29 Reviews
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4-Day Tanzania Budget Camping Safari Joining
$722 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
kiliclimb Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 73 Reviews
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5-Day Budget Group-Safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
$999 pp (USD)
Kenya & Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Nairobi (End)
Safari Tours Africa
4.9/5 – 46 Reviews
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3-Day Unforgettable Experience in Nyerere National Park
$660 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Widman Tours & Safari
4.7/5 – 49 Reviews
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4-Day Amazing Safari to Tarangire, Serengeti and Crater
$902 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Kili Slope Tours and Safaris
4.7/5 – 126 Reviews
6 Questions About Tanzania Budget Safari Tours
Answered by
Philip Briggs
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Tanzania.› More about Philip
6 Questions About Tanzania Budget Safari Tours
Why should I choose Tanzania for a budget trip?
“Tanzania is a great option for budget safaris because it has affordable camping options, as well as budget accommodation outside most parks (not Serengeti National Park). There are many tour operators offering budget safaris so you can shop around for the best deal. Besides private safaris, shared group tours are also commonly offered and these can cut costs even further. If you are on a very tight budget, Tanzania is not the most obvious destination for an African safari. A self-drive safari tour in South Africa or group camping safari in Kenya will be significantly cheaper. This is because park entrance and camping fees in Tanzania are relatively high. As well, access to most parks requires sturdy 4x4s, putting a tight limit on group sizes. However, the best reason to choose Tanzania for a budget safari is because it’s worth the additional cost.”
1What is included in a Tanzania budget safari?
“Most of the costs of a Tanzania budget safari package will usually be included in the quoted price. That means all road transport between reserves, game drives, guides and park fees. Meals on camping safaris, usually prepared by a chef who travels with the safari, should also be included in the price. Meals include drinks such as tea, coffee and, possibly, drinking water. Other types of drinks, including soft drinks and alcohol, are excluded. Since these can be quite expensive on safari, it might be worth stocking up before you leave Arusha (the starting point for most budget safaris). Tips are also excluded, and these can add up quickly in Tanzania. Check what is expected with your operator before you leave and carry enough cash to cover it.”
2How do I avoid the crowds in the parks?
“This can be difficult. A safari itinerary is set by the driver-guide, not by the client. Budget companies operating on tight profit margins usually instruct their drivers to try to keep down the mileage in order to cut fuel costs. This means not going too far off the beaten track. In Serengeti, for instance, roads within a 5km/3mi to 10km/6mi radius of park headquarters and public campsites at Seronera are busy with safari drivers with radios. This means that worthwhile sightings attract vehicles within minutes. Yet, travel a little farther afield and you might have a lion or cheetah sighting all to yourself. Speak to the safari company ahead of your trip to see if they put any fuel restrictions on drivers. In all parks, roads tend to be busiest during the peak wildlife viewing hours of 7:30 AM to 10 AM in the morning and 2 PM to 4:30 PM in the afternoon. Instead of having breakfast in camp, pack food for the morning and head out before the crowds. Another option is to travel out of season. March to May are the wettest months on the Northern circuit. However, the countryside is beautifully green at this time of year and parks tend to be uncrowded.”
3Can you describe a typical day on a Tanzania budget safari?
“The typical routine is to get up before sunrise and grab a quick cup of coffee or tea. Then you head out on an early morning game drive and return to camp for a late breakfast or lunch. Afternoon game drives start at 3 PM or 4 PM and continue until sunset. This routine may change on days where you travel between camps. Either way, the day usually ends with a few drinks around the campfire, a simple bush dinner prepared by your chef, and an early night for a dawn start the next day. Game drives tend to focus on the first two and last two hours of daylight. These cooler times of the day provide the best chance of seeing lions, leopards and other predators on the move. These times also offer the best light for photography.”
4What type of accommodation can I expect?
“A cheap Tanzania safari usually means a camping safari. If you want to keep trip costs to a minimum, camping is the only option in most parks. In most cases the operator will provide your tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mats. Meals will be prepared by a local chef. The better tour operators might provide proper camp beds, portable toilets and showers to supplement the often-substandard facilities in national parks. Budget safaris to Tanzania’s Northern circuit are mostly camping or a combination of camping and budget lodges and hotels located outside the park. Small private campsites can be found in the villages bordering national parks and reserves, for instance, Mto wa Mbu (outside Lake Manyara National Park) or Karatu (outside Ngorongoro Conservation Area). These private campsites are the cheapest and have the best facilities but tend to have indifferent suburban locations, and in some cases, are very busy. Public campsites in the national parks have more of a bush atmosphere, with adequate facilities. Special campsites in the national parks often have no facilities but are more expensive. This is because they offer a genuine wilderness feel and can be booked by only one party at a time.”
5How much will this safari cost?
“Even the cheapest budget safari packages in Tanzania start at around US$200 to US$250 per person per day. This is due to high park fees and the costs of operating in remote areas accessible only in sturdy 4x4s. If you want a full-on bush experience, it is generally worth paying a slightly higher price to camp inside national parks where possible, rather than in villages outside them. Most safaris leave from Arusha and focus on the Serengeti and Northern safari circuit. However, there are cheaper camping safari packages out of Dar es Salaam to the lesser-known Mikumi National Park and the vast Nyerere National Park. ”
6Tanzania Reviews
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
Much More than a Migration Destination
For me, Tanzania is a country of two halves. Both hemispheres have been richly endowed with natural beauty and plentiful wildlife, but there are some big differences when it comes to the type of safari experience you’re looking for. The...
Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.
As a safari destination Tanzania has it all!
Tanzania as a safari destination has it all. If this is your first safari and your ambition is to get some amazing sightings and rack up the big 5 as soon as possible, then Ngorongoro Crater is probably the best place in the world to do...
Excellent experience
Excellent experience, so many lions seen in Serengeti NP incl. lions family, all animals from Big 5 seen, really great overnight stay with excellent dinner and view from luxury tent in Serengeti NP in Intimate Camp Seronera. Safe adventure...
Fun trip
The driver arrived as expected on time, we paid half of amount in cash right at the spot. The car was land cruiser as promised, it had some issues like old battery (that die on our trip), it did not have a fridge, or wifi. The roof above...
BREATHTAKING
I really enjoyed this trip, It has to be my top trip this far. I cant explain the feeling of this experience between the Safari and the Island life. The Safari was definitely a dream come true. We had the best driver and best hotel crew...
Fantastic wildlife and friendly people in Serengeti area national park
Our visit to Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti was very impressive, Very good to see all the animals in their natural environment, and thousands and thousand of them. Staff in hotel and other places communicate well in English...