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Tarangire Budget Safari Tours
Often overlooked because of its proximity in northern Tanzania to the more famous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park is a really special place. The wildlife here is first-rate, from the elephants for which the park is renowned to the big cats that are commonly seen. The park is also famous for its baobab trees and stunning landscapes of hills, savannahs and riverine woodlands. If you’re on a budget safari, there aren’t many choices for accommodation inside the park. But there is a campsite, with further affordable options outside the park. And best of all, you can expect safari trails in Tarangire to be quieter than many other parks in these parts.
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5-Day Northern Safari Highlights
$1,100 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Roko Safaris
5.0/5 – 13 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 – 414 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 – 2,585 Reviews
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10-Day High-Comfort Epic Safari and Zanzibar Adventure
$2,682 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar Stone Town (Zanzibar), Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Nungwi (Zanzibar), Arusha (End)
Zanzi Trekking and Safaris
4.9/5 – 41 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day Best Northern Circuit Private Camping Safari
$1,815 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Materuni Waterfalls (Highlight), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Wakanda Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 573 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day Tanzania Holiday Experience & Materuni Waterfalls
$1,300 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Materuni Waterfalls (Highlight), Arusha (End)
Go Serengeti African Tours
4.9/5 – 252 Reviews
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Best Seller
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 – 479 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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4-Day Camping to Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro
$1,569 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Lekobe Adventures Safaris
5.0/5 – 37 Reviews
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3-Day Short Magical Safari to Tanzania
$605 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetHotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Materuni Waterfalls (Highlight), Arusha (End)
Africa Magic Holidays and Tours
5.0/5 – 56 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 – 319 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 – 153 Reviews
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13-Day Culture and Wildlife Safari
$5,940 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Arusha NP, Lake Natron, Serengeti NP, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Highlands, Lake Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Materuni Waterfalls (Highlight), Kilimanjaro Airport, Moshi (End)
Kima Adventures
4.7/5 – 29 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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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
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3-Day Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara Impressive Safari
$825 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Professional Safaris
4.8/5 – 71 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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3-Day Lodge Budget Safari
$876 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetHotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Allen Tanzania Safaris
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
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5-Day Call of the Wild - Camping Safari
$1,671 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Ernest Magic Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 12 Reviews
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4-Day Tanzania Camping Safari - Top Notch Service
$1,155 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Moshi (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Moshi (End)
Kilimanjaro Heroes Adventures
5.0/5 – 45 Reviews
5 Questions About Tarangire Budget Safaris
Answered by
Anthony Ham
Anthony has written numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Tanzania’ and ‘East Africa’. He writes about Tanzania and the wider region for magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is also the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’.› More about Anthony
5 Questions About Tarangire Budget Safaris
Which other parks should I visit on a budget safari to Tarangire National Park?
“Tarangire National Park is a wonderful place to spend your holiday, and you should allocate at least a couple of days on your trip to this fantastic park. Once you’ve explored Tarangire, its location on Tanzania’s stunning Northern safari circuit means that there are plenty of other options not far away. For example, it’s an easy drive from Tarangire to Lake Manyara National Park, with its tree-climbing lions and large herds of elephants. If you make it as far as Lake Manyara, you really should keep going a little farther to Ngorongoro Crater. And then, of course, you’re just down the road from Serengeti National Park. If mountains are your thing, another option is to choose from the packages and tours that include a return to Arusha. From there you can head to Arusha National Park (for Mt Meru) and/or Mt Kilimanjaro National Park, where you could climb Africa’s highest mountain.”
1Can you describe a typical day on a Tarangire budget safari?
“On a Tarangire budget safari you can have one of the most fantastic safari days imaginable. You’ll wake before dawn to a cup of something hot before setting out on your early morning game drive. This takes you out at one of the two times of day that are best for viewing wildlife: early morning and late afternoon are when animals are most active and easiest to see. You’ll usually return to camp mid- to late morning for a late breakfast or early lunch. If you’re on a really cheap safari, you may help out with the preparation of simple meals such as this one. You will then have time to relax before setting out on another game drive late afternoon, returning in time for dinner. Later, there will be time spent around the campfire telling stories and counting the stars in the incredible night sky.”
2What type of accommodation can I expect on cheap Tarangire packages?
“Budget safari packages in Tarangire will most often mean that you will sleep in the national park campsite, which is not far inside the main northern gate of the park. Like all official park campsites in Tanzania, this one has a communal shower and toilet area (with separate sections for women and men), cooking facilities and a shared dining area. There’s plenty of shade and it’s an easy drive from here deeper into the park. All of the other places to stay inside the park fall outside the budget price category. Additional campsites lie scattered around the area surrounding the park, particularly close to the northern park entrance. Most of these are privately run and of varying quality: most have communal facilities (shower, toilet, kitchen and shaded dining area).”
3How do I avoid the crowds on a Tarangire safari?
“Tarangire is a popular park, but it’s nowhere near as crowded as some of Tanzania’s better-known parks, even when it’s at its busiest. There aren’t many places to stay inside the park, so staying inside the park at the campsite can help you get a head start on those who sleep beyond the park boundaries. While they’re queueing to enter at dawn, you’re already on your way out to look for animals. Once you’re out exploring, head as quickly as you can towards the southern area of the park: it’s the least-visited corner of Tarangire. High season runs from June to October, and these are certainly the busiest months. Visiting outside these months can be a risk in terms of weather (rain is more likely from November to May) but is generally quieter. It can also be a little cheaper.”
4How much does a Tarangire budget trip cost?
“The answer to this question will change from one operator to the next and will also vary according to the kind of safari you’re looking to enjoy. As a starting point, expect a Tarangire National Park budget safari to cost around US$150 per person per day. This includes the national park entry fees of US$53/17.70 per adult/child per day. Park fees should be included in the quoted price of your safari, but some operators add them as extras to the basic price. Otherwise, this daily cost should include all accommodation (including campsite fees and camping equipment), as well as food, water, guide, vehicle, driver and two game drives a day. For a really cheap safari, you may be expected to help around camp with setting up and taking down tents, meal preparation and general cleaning up.”
5Tarangire Reviews
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
Land of the giant tuskers
Named after the Tarangire River, which is a magnet for wildlife at the height of the dry season, this national park is well worth a visit. Tarangire is rightfully famous for its elephants – especially the giant tuskers (which have thus...
Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
A dry season must
I love Tarangire, but remember that this is a seasonal park – if you’re after mammals you’ll need to visit during the dry season (June-November) to get the best out of it. It’s nice and accessible – only two hours from Arusha –...
Tarangire surprised us with its beauty and charm. The abundance of baobab trees and the large elephant herds made it stand out. We particularly enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the park, as it felt less crowded compared to others. Simon...
This was our first park. A great start to get to know some animals. Some Elephants came close and ran around. Very nice lunch spots to go whild on your gamedrive. It was a nice park were we spent some hours looking.
One of the smaller parks, we saw lots of elephants, lion, eagle, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, monkeys, different birds. It is a mix of the beautiful baobab trees and bushes. Nice picnic area, relatively close to Arusha.
The scenery is very varied, undulating, dramatic, barren, verdant. Plenty of wildlife. The Maasai are fascinating and their herds of cattle, goats or donkeys become a familiar part of the landscape.