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Ngorongoro lion sleeping by David Berkowitz

6 Day Tanzania Private Safari (Camping & Lodge)

Tour Length6 days
Priced from pps $4944 R93730 £3885 4547 A$7540 C$6692 NZ$8129 Full pricing info
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Summary of this Exclusive Small Group Camping Safari

  • Max. Group Size 7 Travellers
  • Starts & ends in Arusha, Tanzania
  • Accommodation Fully Serviced Camping / Lodge & Camping Combo
  • Transport Game Viewing Vehicle / 4x4 Vehicle
  • Wildlife Big 5, Elephant, Leopards, Lions, Migration Safari (Seasonal) & More
  •  See Departure Dates

Quick Itinerary Overview

Explore four of Tanzania's top game parks on the well-loved Northern Safari Circuit in under one week!

This Tanzania Private Safari is an exclusive small group tour, traveling with at most six people per safari. Escape the maddening crowds by staying at a combination of private camps (rather than busy public campsites) and well-selected lodges on this affordable Tanzanian Safari.

The private camping and lodge safari is ideal for nature lovers and slightly more discerning budget travelers, offering camping with a bit of glamour, otherwise known as Glamping. No participation is required with cooking or setting up camp, as the trip price includes a guide, a cook, and one or two camp assistants.

Go game viewing in Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara Park, the game-rich Ngorongoro Crater, and the world-famous Serengeti National Park, staying at off-the-beaten track, private campsites. This scenic wildlife journey through Tanzania includes a flight from Serengeti to Arusha, where this safari begins and ends, or to Zanzibar via Arusha.

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Itinerary for this Tour

Tanzania Safari Highlights:

  • Tarangire National Park
  • Lake Manyara National Park
  • The Great Rift Valley
  • Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area
  • Serengeti National Park

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park – Tanzania

This affordable Tanzania Private Safari starts with collection in Arusha city, Tanzania's safari capital located at the foot of Mount Meru.

The small group safari begins with a short tour briefing in the morning before departing from Arusha, the gateway to the Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit.

We travel southwest to the Tarangire National Park, our first safari destination on the Northern Tanzania Circuit. Tarangire Park is one of East Africa's best places to see elephants up close, hosting about 4000 elephants. The national park is home to the second highest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania, after the Serengeti Ecosystem. Wildlife includes Maasai giraffes, buffalos, lions, leopards, baboons, and a variety of antelopes and gazelle species. This diverse Tanzanian park covers 2600 km² of diverse habitats, ranging from grassy savannahs and seasonal marshlands to woodlands and giant old baobab trees.

After game viewing in Tarangire, we head to our private campsite inside the game park. We enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the private camp, under starry African skies.

  • Meals Included: Lunch; Dinner

Day 2: Tarangire National Park – Tanzania

On day two of our Tanzania Safari, we continue exploring Tarangire National Park on game drives.

The Tarangire River is the only permanent water source in the park, during the dry season (July to October), attracting numerous animals to its banks. Herds of buffalo and wildebeests, as well as elephants, are frequently sighted along the river. We also keep an eye out for various birds on our game drives, as Tarangire is also home to over 100 bird species.

We overnight at the private camp inside Tarangire again on our second night in Tanzania.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 3: Tarangire to Lake Manyara National Park & Karatu – Tanzania

Today we move on from Tarangire National Park after breakfast. We travel through culturally diverse Mto Wa Mbu village en route to our next stop, Lake Manyara National Park.

Most of day three is spent in Lake Manyara National Park, encountering animals and birds, and taking in the bush scenery on game drives. The national park is dominated by the Great Rift Lake of Lake Manyara, a shallow alkaline lake attracting numerous water birds. Lake Manyara is best known for the huge seasonal flamingo flocks fringing its shores, along with various other waterfowl.

The national park is also known for its tree-climbing lions, often spotted sleeping in the trees or in the shade below, as well as its big baboon troops. On our game drive, we look out for elephants, hippos, buffalos, banded mongooses, monkeys, klipspringers, and numerous gazelle and antelope species.

Later in the afternoon, we exit Lake Manyara Park, taking a scenic drive towards the Serengeti and Ngorongoro to the northwest. We travel up the side of the Great Rift Valley to Karatu, stopping to take photographs and admire the breathtaking views over Lake Manyara and the floor of the lush valley.

Tonight our Tanzania Private Safari stays at one of the beautifully located Tanganyika Wilderness Adventure Lodges. Set close to a coffee estate about 30 minutes from the entrance gate of the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, the lodges offer lovely views over the lush crater highlands. If there is time after our arrival we may take a walk in the coffee plantations.

Day 4: Karatu to Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti National Park – Tanzania

Breakfast is served as day breaks before we head into the Ngorongoro Crater of Tanzania.

Descending into the largest unflooded caldera in the world we embark on a game drive in search of the amazing abundance of wildlife found here. The Crater is home to Africa's Big Five (lions, elephants, buffalos, rhinos and leopards) and these are frequently sighted over the short space of a few hours. The conservation area is home to over 25 000 larger animals, the highest density of animals inhabiting any one area in Africa.

We stop for a picnic lunch during our game drive in Ngorongoro Crater, ascending the crater walls in the afternoon. Then we drive on to the world-famous Serengeti National Park.

As we travel the southern Serengeti Plains open up before us, en route to our next camp in Tanzania. This scenic journey reveals the vast rolling plains of Serengeti dotted by rocky hills called “Kopjies” (inselbergs). The Serengeti aptly derives its name from “Siringitu”, the Maasai word for endless plain. The plains of the southern Serengeti truly appear to stretch on infinitely, providing prime hunting territory for Africa's big cats, especially cheetahs.

In the afternoon, we arrive at our private camp in Serengeti Park.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 5: Serengeti National Park – Tanzania

The whole of day five is spent game viewing on the game-rich plains of Serengeti Park, Tanzania's premier safari destination.

We explore top areas for sighting wildlife, visiting the best viewpoints to get fantastic photos, and enjoying the scenic landscapes, teeming with animals. Your knowledgeable safari guide takes you to areas where wildlife spottings are most likely, ensuring that you get the most out of your game drives.

The Serengeti National Park is most famous for the Wildebeest Migration, one of the world's most spectacular wildlife phenomena. Witness the awe-inspiring stampede when hundreds of thousands of hooved animals migrate north at the end of the rainy season (April to June). During the minor rainy season (October and November), the herds of grazers migrate back south from the Maasai Mara in Kenya to the Serengeti Plains. Seasonal variations and changes in the rainfall, do however affect the migration times and routes. A visit to the Frankfurt Zoological Institute based in the Serengeti is available by arrangement (optional activity).

Night five of our Tanzania Private Safari is spent at the private Serengeti camp again.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 6: Serengeti National Park to Arusha or Zanzibar Island – Tanzania

On the last morning of this Tanzania Safari, we enjoy a leisurely breakfast, before driving to the Seronera Airstrip.

You take a flight with Coastal Aviation from the airstrip back to Arusha (alternatively fly via Arusha to Zanzibar).

Flying over the renowned Serengeti National Park gives you a new perspective of this vast wilderness area. Keep a lookout for wildebeest, zebra, and the occasional lion, cheetah or leopard, roaming the Seronera Valley area below.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch

Private Safari Camp Includes:

  • Tented accommodation in 3m x 3m tents
  • Camping equipment - bed with bedding, grass rug, side tables, electric lamps, washing tripod & foldable chairs
  • One toilet & bucket shower per tent
  • Mess tent with mosquito netting, kitchen & cooling facilities (cool box/ fridge)
  • Cook and camp assistants

Wildebeest Great Migration Explained

Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, seeing the Great Migration cannot be guaranteed.

The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1200 miles (1931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year. During certain phases of this annual trek the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season but the movement of these large wildlife herds varies from year to year.

Please talk to a travel expert from African Budget Safaris about seeing the Wildebeest Great Migration on your safari to find out more. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Child Policy

This tour does take children.

This itinerary may have some long travelling days, and we would therefore not recommend this trip for children under the age of 6 years.
Families with younger children who are confident and comfortable with travelling long distances, are of course welcome.

Please contact African Budget Safaris for information regarding private tours and quotations.

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+Where does the tour go to?
+Included in the Tour Price
  • Transport in a 4x4 Safari vehicle
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Meals as per the itinerary
  • Mineral water on safari
  • Overnight stays in safari lodges / tented camps and private camps
  • All National Park fees
  • Private campsite fees
  • Flight with Coastal Aviation - from Seronera Airstrip to Arusha (or via Arusha to Zanzibar)
  • Flying Doctors Insurance (AMREF)
+Not Included in the Tour Price
  • International Flights
  • Visa fees
  • Meals not shown on the itinerary
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Optional activities
  • Tips & Spending money
  • Travel insurance
  • Zanzibar Departure Tax (payable in cash at the airport)
+Departure Dates

This tour Departs Daily on Request with a Minimum of 2 people.

Scheduled Tour Departures
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If you do not see departures listed for your dates, please do contact us for further info.

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