Home 7-Day Epic Budget Tanzania Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport, you will be welcomed by your representative and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you can relax and prepare for your upcoming safari adventure.

Arusha is the main gateway to Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit. Your guide will brief you about the journey, the national parks you will visit, and what to expect during your wildlife experiences.

Accommodation: Budget accommodation in Arusha, arranged according to your package.

Meals: At your own expense unless otherwise included.

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, meet your safari guide and depart for Tarangire National Park. Enjoy a scenic drive through the Maasai countryside before entering the park, known for its impressive elephant herds, ancient baobab trees, and seasonal swamps.

Spend the day exploring the park on game drives. Look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, and various antelope species. Lions and leopards may also be seen as you explore the savannah and woodland habitats.

Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park before continuing your afternoon wildlife adventure. Later, leave Tarangire and travel to your campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Budget campsite.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 3: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards Serengeti National Park. Along the way, enjoy views of the highlands, rural villages, and beautiful landscapes of northern Tanzania.

Enter the Serengeti and begin exploring its remarkable plains and diverse habitats. The park is famous for its large populations of wildebeest and zebras, as well as predators such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards.

Depending on the season, you may see migrating herds moving across the grasslands in search of fresh grazing. Your guide will help you explore suitable areas for wildlife viewing based on the conditions and your itinerary.

Enjoy a picnic lunch during your safari before continuing with an afternoon game drive. Later, travel to your campsite for dinner and relaxation.

Accommodation: Budget campsite in the Serengeti area.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 4: Full-Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park

Spend a full day exploring Serengeti National Park, one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife destinations. After breakfast, set out with your guide to discover different areas of the park and search for its remarkable wildlife.

The Serengeti is home to lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and many other species. Its expansive plains also support enormous herds of wildebeest and zebras.

Depending on the time of year, you may have the opportunity to observe the Great Wildebeest Migration. The location of the herds changes with seasonal rainfall, so wildlife sightings and migration experiences cannot be guaranteed.

Enjoy a picnic lunch during your game drive and continue exploring the park in the afternoon. Return to your campsite in the evening for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Budget campsite in the Serengeti area.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 5: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in the Serengeti. This is another opportunity to search for predators and other wildlife across the plains.

You may spot lions resting in the grass, elephants moving through the landscape, or wildebeest and zebras grazing in large groups. Your guide will select suitable wildlife-viewing areas according to the season and local conditions.

After your game drive, continue towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As you approach the crater, enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding highlands and the vast caldera below.

Arrive at your campsite near the crater rim or in the designated Ngorongoro area, according to your confirmed itinerary. Enjoy dinner and prepare for an early start the following morning.

Accommodation: Budget campsite in the Ngorongoro area.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater to Karatu

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before descending into Ngorongoro Crater for an exciting wildlife safari. This remarkable natural landscape supports a rich variety of wildlife within its grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and lake habitats.

During your game drive, look for lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, and hyenas. Ngorongoro is also one of the places where you may have the opportunity to spot the endangered black rhinoceros.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the designated area before continuing your exploration of the crater floor. Later, ascend the crater walls and travel to your campsite in the Karatu area for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Budget campsite in Karatu.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 7: Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha

After breakfast, depart for Lake Manyara National Park, a beautiful destination located beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment.

Explore the park’s varied habitats, including groundwater forests, open grasslands, and lakeshore areas. Look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and a variety of bird species. Lake Manyara is also known for its tree-climbing lions, although sightings are not guaranteed.

Enjoy a picnic lunch during your visit before beginning your return journey to Arusha. You will be dropped off at your agreed location in Arusha or at the airport, depending on your travel arrangements.

Your 7-day budget camping safari concludes with unforgettable memories of Tanzania’s national parks and wildlife.

Accommodation: No accommodation included on this day.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch.