Budget Camping Safaris/Backpacker Lodge Safaris

Camping safari trip in Tanzania Northern Circuit

Budget Camping safari for maximum wildlife safaris in Tanzania.

This wildlife safari tour features scenic tourist destinations, wilderness camps, balloon safaris, Maasai tour, unlimited wildlife viewing and much more…

8 DAYS/8 NIGHTS: LAKE MANYARA/CULTURAL TOURISM/OLDUVAI GORGE/SERENGETI/NGORONGORO/TARANGIRE.

Day 01: On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, we transfer you to the Hotel in Arusha for overnight. Then next morning start the below Tanzania safari program.

Day 02: After breakfast, with picnic lunch, drive to Lake Manyara via Maasai village. The Park derives its name from the Maasai word"manyara," which is the name for the plant Euphorbia tirucalli. The Maasai use this plant to grow livestock stockades. Eventually manyara will produce a stockproof hedge which is more durable than any made of cut thorn branches. There is a specimen of Euphorbia tirucalli at the entrance gate. The Great Rift Valley is part of a fault in the earth's crust which stretches 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles) from Turkey to the mouth of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. The fault is so massive that when astronauts landed on the moon the Rift Valley was clearly visible to them. In the Manyara area there is no eastern wall to the Rift Valley as there is in Kenya. Here the flattish country falls very gently into a depression, while in Kenya the valley has walls to both east and west. The types of vegetation which occur in the Park are related to the geology of the area. The northern part of the Park, nearest the entrance, is composed mainly of volcanic rock which, being porous, allows many streams of clear water to flow out of the base of the rift wall. Further south, around Msasa River, the volcanic rock gives way to ancient crystalline rock, which is hard and non-porous allowing fewer springs and streams to emerge. Those that do — the Ndala, Bagayo and Endabash — cascade down the entire face of the wall when flowing. Despite the fact Lake Manyara National Park is only 330 square kilometers (127 square miles) in area — of which about 230 square kilometers (89 square miles) are lake — it contains a large variety of habitats: the rift wall, the ground water forest, acacia woodland, areas of open grassland, the lake shore, swamp and the lake itself. Due to the variety of habitats the Park is able to support a large number of species. Over 380 species of birds, some migratory, have been recorded in the Park. Game drives in the park till evening. Dinner and overnight at the Camping Site  Or Migunga Forest Tented Lodge. 

Day 03: After breakfast drive to the Great Serengeti National Park with lunch and game drives en route.  Going to Serengeti you pass via Ngorongoro Crater and also visit OLDUVAI GORGE (historical site). You will pass through Ngorongoro Conservation Area to reach the Serengeti National Park. Leaving the Ngorongoro highlands behind you will enter the Southern plains of the Serengeti National Park where your eyes will have an opportunity to see up to its limits as you will be viewing the endless plains with lots of animals. Actually the name Serengeti is the corruption of the Maasai word Siringeti which means endless plains. Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world with an area of over 14,000 square kilometers. Serengeti is the home of millions of small and big animals with all big five mammals, over 500 bird species, crocodiles in the Grumeti river other reptiles such as tortoises and snakes. Serengeti has a very beautiful land scape. Apart from variations in vegetations and animal species, there are rolling hills and massive granite rock outcrops (kopjes) which can be up to 20m high. On top of the kopjes animals such as lions, leopards and hyraxes like to rest and give a chance of taking remarkable photos. Serengeti is the home to about 1.4 million wildebeest which do participate in famous migration together with zebras, Thompson and Grant gazelles, and the elands. These animals do migrate annually from the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti exploring the whole park and then cross the Mara River in the north and enter in Maasai Mara game reserve and then back to Serengeti. During your stay in Serengeti there is a very big possibility to see these animals in their journey together with hundreds of predators which usually get a better opportunity of hunting them. Serengeti is a home to lion, leopard, Elephant, Cheetah, Buffalo, Zebra, Wildebeest, Eland, Wild dog, Gazelles, Crocs and more. There are also lot of birds includes the Eurasia migrants. Serengeti National Parks is also mentioned as one of the Current Tourist Seventh Wonders of the World.

On arrival in Serengeti get lunch and proceed with game viewing around Seronera or Eastwards, dinner and overnight in the Camping Site Or Ikoma Safari Tented Lodge.

Day 04: Full day in Serengeti National Park,  Breakfast, then half day game
viewing in Lobo area where you will have your hot lunch and go on with game drives until evening, dinner and overnight in the Camping Site or Ikoma Safari Tented Lodge.

Day 05: Full day in Serengeti National Park,  Breakfast, then half day game
viewing in Lobo area where you will have your hot lunch before you drive back to Seronera the center of Serengeti. Continue with game drives to search for Carnivores (Lions, Leopards, Cheetah, Hyenas, wild dogs) in the Kopjes until evening, dinner and overnight in the Camping Site or Ikoma Safari Tented Lodge.

Day 06: After breakfast depart from Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater Rim. Drive with picnic lunch boxes and game viewing enroute to Ngorongoro Crater. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers an area of about 8300 square kilometers and is dedicated for wildlife conservation and pastoralism done by the indigenous Maasai people. There is nothing to compare with the beauty of the NGORONGORO CRATER which is the eighth wonder of the world. It covers an area of 260 square kilometers and you will have to descend for 610 meters to reach its floor which is one of the most densely crowded game park in the world including the endangered (last/few remained) black rhinoceros. Actually the Ngorongoro crater is the caldera although its popularly known as the Crater. There are also lots of other small and big mammals including hyenas, jackals, zebras, mongoose, baboons to mention just a few. The crater is also very rich in bird life with over 400 species recorded with lots of bird of prey such as vultures and eagles. The Ngorongoro crater floor is made up of swamps, rivers, lake, grassland, woodland and a forest. On the other hand the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has a lot of other breathtaking scenery such as shifting sands, the famous volcanic active Oldonyo Lengai Mountain and other unique craters such as Olmoti and Empakai. It is also the home to the proud and colorful indigenous people from the Maasai tribe, one of the tribes which has maintained its culture and traditions intact in spite of the changes brought by Globalization. The area is also important in terms of archaeology as it host the Olduvai Gorge. On your arrival at the Ngorongoro Conservation area you will have a panoramic view of the Ngorongoro Crater.

All the BIG FIVE Rhino Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Elephant live in this wonderful caldera, others are Zebra, Hippo, Wildebeest, Hyena and more…Birds includes flamingos on the Soda lake, Geese, Storks, Vultures and more…Proceed with game drives in the Crater, lunch will be served in the picnic site in the Crater at Ngoitoktok swamp a Hippo pool. In Evening ascend to the Crater rim. Relax and have Dinner and overnight in the Camping Site or Kudu Lodge or Bougainvillea Safari Or Rhino Lodge. 

Day 07: Proceed with game drives up to lunch time, after lunch you can do some walking safaris or cultural tours (visit maasai bomas).Then drive to Tarangire National Park for Dinner and overnight at the Camping Site or Tarangire Safari Lodge.

Day 08: After breakfast, start game drives in Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park covers approximately 2600 square kilometers and, in the dry season, is second only to Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area in concentrations of wildlife. Tarangire lies to the south of the large, open grass plains of southern Maasailand, and derives its name from the Tarangire River, which provides permanent water for wildlife in the area.The park is spectacular in the dry season when many of the migratory wildlife species come back to the permanent waters of Tarangire River. Huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, eland and oryx gather to stay in Tarangire until the onset of the rains when they migrate again to good grazing areas. After lunch drive back to Arusha. Dinner and Overnight at nice Hotel in Arusha. 

Comfortable budget camping safaris costs 1880 $ per person.

Backpackers Lodges Or Budget Lodges cost 2460 US $ per person.

NOTE: 4 people or more will get discount of 280 US $ per person (guaranteed).

The Price includes the following services.

-Airport Transfers

- Accommodation on Half Board basis at the Hotel.
-Transport from Arusha to the National Parks using 4 x 4 wheel private
vehicle
-Game drives/game viewing tours using 4x 4 wheel vehicles with slide open roof for wildlife viewing and photographing
-Park entrance fees
-Professional english/french speaking guide
-Full board accommodation in Lodge/Campsite.

-All meals
-Visit to olduvai Gorge.

-         Night game drives in Lake Manyara (50 US $ per person)

-         Canoeing safaris (60 US $ per person)

     - Cultural Tourism exploring Tanzanian local people villages and tribes like Maasai, Bushmen, chagga, barbaig, mbulu e.t.c.

-Mineral Bottled water

-Transfer back to Arusha
 

The price excludes;

-Tip for guide/porters

-Things of personal nature like insurance, VISA, alcohol
-All not mentioned in the itinerary above.

FYI: This is Comfortable Trip, customized tour for you to enjoy African Hospitality especially Tanzanian. You will be with Our Professional Driver Guide and have enough experience on wildlife and many places nearby including Maasai villages/bomas. The Driver Guide will explain you more about Tanzania wild animals, their habitat, people and general issues.

Extra activities at extra costs are:

-         Hot Air balloon safaris in Serengeti ( 499 US $ per person)