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Kenya Epic Safaris

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Kenya & Tanzania Backpacking Safari

Overview

Book the best Kenya & Tanzania backpacking safari package touring Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire for a magical game viewing experience. Our safari package begins at Nairobi and ends in Arusha. We organize pickups anywhere within the city centre, the suburbs or the airport.

Budget Accommodation

While on safari we will set you up in a permanent erected tent with washroom facilities or carry camping equipment which we pitch on public campsites. The public campsites have basic facilities like a bathroom where you will use a bucket to take a shower; water for showering is boiled by our cook. There is a long drop toilet in the camp.

We will set up a mess where meals are served in buffet style. We also cater for special diets [Vegetarian/Vegan meals]. You can opt for a group joining safari or a private safari.

Transport Logistic

Transport and game drives are facilitated by 4×4 safari vehicles that are customized for the ultimate safariing experience. The vans/jeeps are accessorized with pop up roofs ideal for game viewing, hifi radio communication gadgets and comfortable seats.

Kenya & Tanzania Budget Safariing

While on your Kenya & Tanzania backpacking safari you will enjoy the services of our experienced driver guides who have enormous knowledge on wildlife as well as different sceneries you will be visiting.

The thrill of touring various wildlife gems is an adventure that should be on every tourist’s bucket list. Our budget camping vacay gives you the opportunity to experience first hand the diversity in terms of culture as you socialize with the locals as well as epic game viewing encounters in this premium park.

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Contact us today and embark on the best Kenya & Tanzania backpacking safari package that meets your dream vacation on an affordable tour deal.

Take a step towards your ideal safari by getting in touch with our personnel. We will assist you with information, what to expect and guide you where necessary so as to achieve your travel goals.

Fifteen Days Samburu / Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara /Lake Naivasha / Amboseli / Lake Manyara / Serengeti / Ngorongoro Crater / Tarangire Backpacking Camping Safari. [Itinerary]

Day One: Nairobi – Samburu

A representative from Kenya epic safaris will meet you at your hotel or pick you up from the airport and after briefing you he or she will hand you over to your assigned driver guide to facilitate your Kenya & Tanzania backpacking safari.

You will be driven to the northern frontier by your driver guide who will keep you entertained and informed on different sceneries as you journey to Samburu. This area is a semi desert and thus very dry most of the year. Lunch en route arriving at Samburu game reserve late afternoon.

After settling in the camp; head out for the evening game drive. Game to view includes the Big five, antelopes, gazelles, beisa oryx, grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and abundant bird life. Dinner and overnight at the Umoja campsite.

Day Two: Samburu

On this day you will have morning and evening game drives. A visit to the Ewaso Nyiro river is most rewarding because it’s the only source of water that sustains the wildlife in this reserve.

Wild animals converge at the river to quench their thirst. Samburu people and their culture is another attraction and on request the driver guide can take you to the samburu village to experience their culture. All meals and overnight stay at the Umoja campsite.

Day Three: Samburu – Lake Nakuru

Enjoy a delicious breakfast as the sun rises. Depart and hit the road; travel to Nakuru arriving in time for a hot lunch. Right afterwards proceed to Lake Nakuru for an evening game drive. Lake Nakuru is often referred to as a bird’s paradise because of the millions of pink flamingos found here.

The lake’s view from the baboon cliff depicts a pink color due to the feather coloring of the flamingos hence the name “Pink Lake”. The park hosts 450 million different bird species both migratory and terrestrial. The park is a world heritage site and recognized as a wetland of international importance. Lake Nakuru has over 50 mammal species and also serves as Black and white rhino sanctuary.

The park is home to the highest population of black rhino in Kenya along with white rhinos introduced from south Africa. There are no elephants at Lake Nakuru simply because of the size of the park, elephants require a large area with lots of vegetation to feed on. Dinner and overnight at the Chester Hotel.

Day Four: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara

Depart after breakfast and travel to Masai mara, hot lunch en route at Narok town. Shortly afterward continue on journey arriving Masai Mara late afternoon. The world renowned Masai Mara is famed for the millions of wildebeest, gazelles and zebras that cross the Mara river forming the wildebeest migration spectacle.

You will be ushered to your respective tents and then head out for your evening game drive as the African sun sets, giving you a perfect setting to take amazing photos and selfies. Dinner and overnight at budget tented camp.

Day Five: Masai Mara

Today we will have a full day game drive; after waking up you will converge at the dining area for your full breakfast. Your safari guide will liaise with the cook so as to organize for your picnic lunches.

Head out in search of wildlife. Masai Mara has an exceptional population of big cats, herds of elephants, zebras, resident wildebeest, antelopes and gazelles can be encountered among others and bird life is also plentiful. Masai Mara game reserve offers a very high chance of spotting all the big five.

Spend the whole day game viewing which includes a visit to the Mara river where you will find crocodiles lazing around. One has the option to visit the Masai village or go for an early balloon ride at an extra cost. Another option is to return to the camp by four o’clock and after having a cup of coffee or tea head out for an escorted walking safari with a masai warrior. Dinner and overnight at budget tented camp.

Day Six: Masai Mara – Lake Naivasha

Depart after breakfast and drive to Lake Naivasha lunch en route arriving hell’s gate national in the afternoon. Collect your bikes and in the company of our guide begin cycling amidst wildlife to the rangers post where we will have lunch.

After lunch we will leave the bikes and start a walking safari. Enjoy the spectacular views of the gorge including the central tower. The volcanic activity is very evident from the hot water streaming on the walls of the gorge. The guided gorge walk takes two hours.

The hot springs and a fabulous scenic landscape besides the diverse wildlife are just incredible. Walk back to pick your bikes and cycle back to the park entrance and transfer to Fish Eagle Camp for dinner and overnight.

Day Seven: Lake Naivasha – Amboseli

After a scrumptious breakfast transfer to lake Naivasha for a boat ride. The lake is at the highest point of all the lakes within the Rift valley, stands at 1800 meters above sea level and it is a freshwater lake. The lake has schools of hippos and abundant bird life most notably the fish eagle.

Depart and travel to Amboseli arriving at Kimana Camp in time for a hot delicious lunch. On arrival the camp staff will usher you to your respective tents. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure or interacting with the locals; later head out for the evening game drive.

Amboseli has a wide variety of wildlife ranging from the Big five, cats, plains game and birdlife. Dinner and overnight at Kimana Camp.

Day Eight: Amboseli

Wake up bright and early to the most intoxicating view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which sits majestically as the backdrop of this amazing park, on a clear day the snow peaks are visible. After breakfast head out for the morning game drive which provides the opportunity to see the most since wild game come out to hunt or browse/graze very early before the sun becomes too hot.

Amboseli has the highest population of elephants and has been the centre for elephant research for the last thirty years with each individual known by name. The game drive will include a visit to the outlook post which gives you the opportunity to have an aerial view of the Amboseli plains.

Return to the campsite for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure or take a walk around the camp making friends. Head out for the evening game drive; large herds of elephants can be encountered. Amboseli has a variety of bird life both migratory and terrestrial. All meals and overnight at Kimana Camp.

Day Nine: Amboseli – Lake Manyara

Depart Amboseli after breakfast and hit the road to the Namanga border and after formalities proceed to Lake Manyara arriving by mid day. Pitch tent as you wait for lunch to be prepared. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure and later go for the evening game drive as the African sun sets, giving you a perfect setting to take amazing photos and selfies.

Lake Manyara is 230 kilometers squared while the whole park is 330 kilometers squared inclusive of the lake. It is located under the wall of the Rift Valley and has the highest population of elephants per square kilometer in the country. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions.

The lake attracts thousands of lesser flamingos as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks, due to its alkaline nature. Dinner and overnight at Jambo campsite.

Day Ten: Lake Manyara – Serengeti

After a mouth watering breakfast embark on a short game drive as you exit the park. Depart and head to Serengeti passing through Olduvai Gorge, a fossils site that was excavated by the Leakey family and they discovered human fossils dating back 2 million years.

Hot lunch at the Olduvai gorge; later proceed to the world famous Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is one of the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world and it is also the site of the most breathtaking events in the animal kingdom.

The migration of over a million wildebeest to the Masai Mara game reserve. After settling in the campsite; pitch your tent and head out for the evening game drive. Dinner and overnight at the Seronera campsite.

Day Eleven: Serengeti

After breakfast embark on extensive game drives in this world class famous park. Serengeti means “endless plain” in the Maasai language and much of the landscape epitomizes what we have come to expect from an East African safari; vast open savannahs dotted with acacia trees, rocky outcrops, riverine bushes, scrubs, rivers and swamps.

These features give Serengeti a fascinating variety of sceneries. Spend the day exploring this amazing park with a morning and evening game drive. The park’s wildlife population is over 4 million and over 400 bird species both migratory and terrestrial. Meals and overnight at Seronera campsite.

Day Twelve: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast you will have a morning game drive which offers you an opportunity to view game you might have missed, return to the camp for your full breakfast and shortly depart afterwards.

Hit the road and journey to Ngorongoro crater enjoying the ride as your driver keeps you entertained and informed on the different landscape sceneries on the way; hot lunch en route arriving in the afternoon.

Pitch a tent at the campsite which is at the rim of the crater and take a guided walking tour on the crater rim; this offers an amazing view of the crater. Dinner and overnight at Simba campsite.

Day Thirteen: Ngorongoro Crater

Breakfast will be served bright and early as the African sun rises. Descend 2000 meters with a four wheel drive vehicle to the floor of the crater. Ngorongoro crater is commonly referred to as the “Garden of Eden” and the park is inhabited by about 30,000 animals, of which half are zebra and wildebeest.

The park has recorded over 14000 wildebeest. Tanzania’s few remaining black rhino are regularly sighted in the crater, as are large herds of buffalos. On the crater floor and in the Ngoitokitok swamps, reside plenty of hippos who remain partially submerged during the day and graze on grass at night. Bird life is also abundant.

Spend the day exploring this natural habitat. Break for lunch at Ngoitoktok springs picnic site. Later ascend back to the campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day Fourteen: Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire

Rise and shine to the intoxicating African sun rise; breakfast will be served. Depart amd travel to Tarangire national park arriving the campsite in time for hot lunch. After pitching your tent, relax at the campsite enjoying your afternoon and later head out for the evening game drive.

Tarangire is Tanzania’s third largest national park and sanctuary for an unusually large elephant population. Majestic baobab trees are an interesting feature of the park, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them. Animals concentrate along the Tarangire River, which provides the only permanent water supply in the area. Tarangire is famous for its tree climbing pythons.

Game to view in this park includes zebras, heartbeests, elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, gazelles, oryx and abundant birdlife. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.

Day Fifteen: Tarangire – Arusha

Pre breakfast game drive; depart the camp by 6:30 A.M and this will give you the opportunity to view the African sunrise and you will also get the chance to spot any game species you might have missed on our previous game drives.

Return to the camp around mid morning; your full breakfast will be served and afterwards depart and journey back to Arusha; arriving in time for hot lunch. Drop off at a hotel or the airport where the best Kenya & Tanzania Backpacking safari ends.

End of services.

What's Included
What's Excluded

Transport in a customized safari van / jeep with a pop up roof ideal for game viewing .
All park entrance fees.
Meals as described in the itinerary.
Accommodation in a budget campsite with basic amenities.
Game drives and other activities as described in the itinerary.
Services of an English speaking driver guide.
Complimentary Bottled water 1 Litre per person per day.
All government taxes.

International airfares.
All expenditure of personal nature such as telephone calls, hard drinks, soft drinks and laundry.
Tips.
Visas.
Travel Insurance.

Book This Safari

Kenya & Tanzania Budget Accommodation

We provide permanent erected tents for Samburu camping safari. Our tents have beds, a bathroom with hot water, flush toilets incorporated within the tent.

Within the campsite we have a common dining area where meals are served and a bar. Fresh food is prepared in the camp site in a buffet style. In the evening there is a bonfire and the Masai warriors entertain you unwind.

Most campsites use generators as the source of lighting and the generators are turned off at 1000 – 1100 hrs. Most preferable is Umoja Campsites which is built along the river thus one can view game from the campsite.

Lake Nakuru is a relatively small park and thus has limited camping facilities within the park. However there are optional campsites around the park and budget hotels located in Nakuru town.

Ground camping is very popular and enticing for that tourist who loves the outdoor camping adventure. The campsites are spread out within the park and close to the lake offering panoramic views of the park’s vistas, i.e Makalia falls.

The famous Masai mara has a lot of options when it comes to budget camping accommodation. We have many campsites located within the reserve and others are right adjacent to the reserve.

The campsites offer permanent erected tents which have beds, beddings, mosquito nets, flush toilets and hot showers. Beddings are changed every morning and you are also provided with a towel. A tent can accommodate one, two or three people. You can opt to pitch a tent within the campsite ground.

The campsites have dining areas where meals are served and a bar. Fresh food is prepared in a buffet style by our cook. We also cater for special dietaries. In the evening there is a bonfire and the masai warriors entertain you as you socialize and unwind.

Lake Naivasha has a wide selection of campsites and budget hotels. Some of the campsites are adjacent to the lake while others are at a close proximity to both the lake and hell’s gate game park. You can opt for budget tented camps or ground camping within the campsite.

We recommend Cray fish camp, Fish Eagle cottages, Fishermans camp and Camp Carnelley’s. All this facilities are at a close proximity to the lake.

Campsite facilities at Amboseli national park are limited and located outside the park’s perimeter but a short driving distance to the various park entrance gates. The campsites offer tented camps or you can opt for the ground camping experience.

The tented camps have beds, beddings, mosquito nets, flush toilets and hot showers. Beddings are changed every morning and you are also provided with a towel. A tent can accommodate one, two or three people.

Lake Manyara budget camping varies from pitching dome tents in a public campsite, facilities at the public campsite include a long drop toilet, bucket showers and a dining mess. Meals are prepared by our cook.

This can be referred to as basic camping. The other form of camping available is middle range where you find permanent erected tents with beddings, flush toilets and hot showers. Facilities include a swimming pool and a bar.

For those of you who are new to camping, don’t worry; all tents are easy to erect, your friendly guide will give a demonstration and are around to help you out.

Serengeti National Park budget camping comes in the form of public campsites which number up to nine, six around seronera, one at Kirawira in the Western Corridor, and one near Ndabaka Gate in the far west along the Mwanza-Musoma road.

The camps have well maintained toilets, hot showers heated by firewood and it is possible to visit the lodge bars and restaurants in the evening.

Wild animals frequently visit the campsite which is not fenced, so you should move with caution. There are also several rest houses at Seronera with running water, blankets and cooking facilities. You’ll need to bring your own food, although there’s a small shop at Seronera selling soft drinks, water and a few basic commodities.

Ngorongoro Crater camping comes in the form of public and private campsites all located at the rim of the crater. The campsites don’t have facilities and the tour operators carry everything required with them. Hot showers are available, heated by wood fires.

The toilet is a long drop. It is possible to visit the lodge bars and restaurants after dark, but we advise you to drive with caution, as many animals move through the area at night. Views of the crater are only a short walk away and are absolutely stunning.

Wild animals from the crater and Serengeti as far as from other parts of Ngorongoro conservation Area frequently visit the campsite which is not fenced, so you should move with caution. The campsite can become fairly cold (from an African perspective) and sometimes noisy at night.

Our cook will place you tent in the area where you will be comfortable and easily reached. He will also take care of your belongings while you are in game drive. We will provide camping equipment as far as an extra sleeping bag just in case you forget yours. Simba Campsite is a public campsite so you should expect other tourists from different companies.

Tarangire National Park budget camping includes a public campsite located 5 km south of the park gate. The public campsite has a capacity of 50 beds. The camp is owned and managed by TANAPA.

The campsite has toilets or pit latrines, showers and dining facilities. Public campsites offer minimal facilities and need to be booked one month in advance, we can provide portable facilities on request.

Know Your Parks & Reserves

Samburu game reserve is the most popular wildlife gem of the northern frontier. The Reserve occupies an area of 165 km2. The driving distance from Nairobi is 350 km. The reserve lies on the northern bank of Uaso Nyiro River, which flows from the Kenyan highlands to Lorian swamp, the river serves as the only source of water that sustains wildlife.

Samburu game reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the lioness, made famous in the best selling book and award winning movie “Born Free”.

Samburu’s topography is composed of river Uaso Nyiro, scattered acacia, riverine forest, thorn trees and grassland vegetation.

There is a wide variety of animal and bird life seen at Samburu National Reserve. Several species are considered unique to the region, including its unique dry-country animal life.

All three big cats, lion, cheetah and leopard, can be found here, as well as elephants, buffalo and hippos, Olive baboon, gerenuk, warthogs, Grant’s gazelle, Kirk’s dik-dik, impala, waterbuck, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe and over 350 bird species.

Lake Nakuru is one of the alkaline lakes of the Great Rift Valley. The lake is also known as “Pink Lake” or Africa Bird’s Paradise. It is ideally located in central Kenya within Lake Nakuru National park. The park occupies an area of 188 km2 while the lake occupies an area of 62 km2.

The lake is famous for the millions of flamingos that flock the lake although flamingos are unpredictable birds and are not always to be found in such vast numbers. From the baboon cliff the lake looks pink in color due to the flamingos. The topography at Lake Nakuru consists of grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, acacia woodlands and a forest made up of euphorbia trees.

There are two species of flamingos namely lesser flamingo and greater flamingos, they feed on algae, which flourishes due to the warm alkaline waters of the lake. Apart from flamingos other bird species include ducks, pelicans, cormorants, plovers, vultures, eagles, and buzzards.

Lake Nakuru has over 50 mammal species which include hippos, reed bucks, water bucks, rothschild giraffes, baboons, black and white colobus monkey, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, lions, gazelles and impalas among others.

The world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve is the best game-viewing reserve in Kenya. It has been voted two years consecutively as the best game reserve in Africa by the world travel awards. This reserve offers you the best chance to view the big five.

The “Big Five” (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos) may be spotted here, and more than a million wildebeests and zebras migrate annually to Masai Mara from the parched Serengeti plains of neighboring Tanzania (The Great Migration). Large numbers of ungulates are also easily visible; they include the wildebeest , thomson gazelles, grant gazelles, buffalo’s, rhinos, impalas, topis, elands, zebras, giraffes and duikers.

They camp at the river bank for weeks just waiting for one of them to have the courage to jump into the river and cross over and they all follow suit. The river is infested with crocodiles where many wildebeest perish and also big cats place themselves strategically so that they can pounce on young and weak wildebeest and make a kill.

The common predators include the lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals and foxes. Masai mara has over 450 identified species. Some common birds include the common ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, hornbills, storks, eagles and vultures.

The masai mara game reserve is owned and run by the county government of Narok which is the richest county council in Kenya due to the revenue collected as park entrance fee. Part of the masai mara which is called the mara triangle is contracted out and privately run. Park fees are paid by the number of nights one spends in the mara conservancy.

Hell’s gate is famous for its natural hot geysers, eagle and vulture breeding grounds, visitors have the choice of driving, walking, camping, cycling and rock-climbing within the park. Horseback safaris can also be arranged. The landscape has several iconic vistas which include Fischer’s tower, formerly a volcano’s plug, the central tower and Njorowa gorges.

Two extinct volcanoes: Olkaria and Hobley’s are worth a trip. Natural steam vents rise from fissures in the volcanic rock. Obsidian, a striking black glassy rock formed from cooled molten lava is a feature of this landscape. Game to view includes: buffalos, Masai giraffes, elands, coke’s hartebeest, gazelles and antelopes

A haven for ornithologists and rock climbers, the cliffs of hell’s gate are breeding grounds for vultures, verreaux’s eagles, augur buzzards and thousands of swifts; 103 species of bird have been recorded in the Park.

Lake Naivasha is at the highest elevation of all the Kenyan Rift valley lakes standing at 1,890 meters (6,200 ft). The lake is fed by two rivers namely Malewa and Gilgil rivers, and has no visible outlet. The lake covers an area of 140 km² but this varies annually due to the rainfall. The lake has an average depth of 8 meters and it is a freshwater lake.

Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree. These forests abound with bird life, and Naivasha is known as a world class birding destination.

The lake has schools of hippos and many bird species are found here. The most common is the fish eagle. A wonderful way to spend the afternoon or morning is to take a boat ride.

Amboseli National Park is located south of Nairobi; 140 kilometers which is a four hours drive from Nairobi. The park occupies an area of 392 km2. The ecosystem is made up of a seasonal lake called lake Amboseli where the park derives its name from, swamps, open plains, acacia woodland, rocky out crops, thorny bushes and marshes.

The landscape is dominated by the backdrop of the majestic snow-caps of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. The snow capes are visible when the clouds are clear mainly in the early mornings and late evenings. The scenery gives you the opportunity to capture wonderful memories on camera for friends and loved ones back at home.

Amboseli national park is considered Kenya second best wildlife gem after Masai Mara game reserve by many tourists and is the only national park in Kenya that has the highest population of elephants. The ecosystem of Amboseli, though small compared to other parks, sustains a large number of bird species and game.

The locals are mostly the Masai but other Kenyan tribes have moved to Amboseli in search of greener pastures. Beside game viewing and the ecstatic views of Mount Kilimanjaro one can visit a local Masai village to learn their way of life and to interact with the locals.

Lake Manyara lies 127 kilometers west of Arusha town, a driving distance of 2 hours. The park covers an area of 330 km2 which consist of dry arid land, forest and the lake. The Lake covers an area of 200 km2 and its alkaline, the lake dries up during the dry season and it is almost non-existent.

Most of the land area of the park is a narrow strip running between the Gregory Rift wall to the west and Lake Manyara to the east. Ernest Hemingway once described the park as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa.

The park’s terrain is vast and impressive including large areas of ground water forest with giant fig and mahogany trees alternating with acacia woodlands and open plains. A good network of roads and tracks gives the tourist a maximum game and bird watching opportunity.

The lake is famous for its tree climbing lions, this behavior has been attributed to the torment of biting flies which is minimal while arboreal. The lake attracts thousands of lesser flamingos as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. due to its alkaline nature.

Over 400 hundred bird species have been recorded in the park. Game to view include Leopards, lions, elephants, blue monkeys, dik-dik, gazelle, hippo, giraffe, impala, wildebeests and zebras.

The Serengeti National Park is widely regarded as the best wildlife reserve in Africa due to its density of predators and prey. The park covers 14,763 km2 (5,700 sq mi) of grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. The park lies in the north of the country, bordered to the north by the national Tanzania and Kenyan border, where it is continuous with the Masai Mara National Reserve.

The park is usually described in three regions: Serengeti plains, Western corridor and Northern Serengeti. Serengeti plains are characterized by the endless, almost treeless grasslands. This is where the wildebeest breed, as they remain in the plains from December to May.

Other ungulates also occur in huge numbers during the wet season. Kopjes are granite formations which are very common in the region, and they are great observation posts for predators, as well as a refuge for hyrax and pythons. The Western corridor the “black cotton” soil covers the swampy savannah of this region.

Grumeti river is home to enormous Nile crocodiles, colobus monkeys, and the martial eagles. The migration passes through from May to July. The Northern Serengeti landscape is dominated by open woodlands and hills, ranging from Seronera in the South, to the Mara river in the limit with Kenya.

Apart from the migratory wildebeest and zebra (which occur from July to August, and in November), the bushy savannah is the best place to find elephants, giraffes and dik diks. The park is well known for its healthy stock of other resident wildlife, particularly the “Big Five”. The park also supports many further species, including cheetahs, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, topis, elands, waterbucks, hyenas, baboons, impalas, African wild dogs and giraffes.

The park also boasts about 500 bird species, including ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, crowned crane, marabou stork, martial eagle, lovebirds and many species of vultures.

The Ngorongoro conservation area was established in the year 1959 and later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The crater is one of the biggest caldera in the world and has been described as one of the most spectacular game hunts in Africa. The crater has a diameter of 14.5km and a depth of 2000ft – 2500ft. The crater covers an area of 264 km2.

The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas dominated by Acacia xanthophloea. The major source of water for the park is Ngoitokitok Spring, Munge Stream and Lerai Stream.

The best vantage point is the flat-topped Engitati Hill in the north-eastern corner of the park. Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the south-western corner, is the main feature of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually be seen here.

The Lerai forest, a fever tree forest located in the south, is a good place in the park to see animals such as elephants, waterbuck and flitting sunbirds. Swamps, thorn scrub and grassland fill the rest of the park and provide the bulk of wildlife viewing. The park is one of the most densely crowded wildlife areas in the world and is home to an estimated 30,000 animals. There are no giraffes, topi or impala in the park.

Another big draw to this picturesque park is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot.

The Ngorongoro Crater is only open from 06h00 to 16h00 and only 6 hour safari permits are issued which allows for only a single 6 hour morning game drive or 6 hour afternoon game drive to the park. There are two picnic and toilet spots in the crater.

Serengeti N/P
Ngorongoro Crater C/A

Tarangire National Park lies 118 km southwest of Arusha town and covers an area of 2,850 square kilometers. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire river that crosses through the park, being the only source of water for wild animals during dry seasons.

The Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania after Ruaha, Serengeti, Mikumi, Katavi and Mkomazi. The landscape is composed of scattered baobab trees alternating with open acacia woodlands, open bush, plains, swamps, rivers and palm trees.

Tarangire national park is famous for its huge number of elephants, baobab trees and its tree climbing pythons. Visitors to the park can expect to see any number of resident zebras and wildebeests in addition to the less common animals. Other common animals include waterbuck, giraffe, and olive baboons.

Home to more than 550 bird species, the park is a haven for bird watching enthusiasts who can expect to see dozens of species even in the dry season. The swamps are the focus of the largest selection of breeding birds anywhere in the world.

Besides game viewing other activities include guided walking safaris, day trips to Maasai and Barabaig villages, as well as to the hundreds of ancient rock paintings in the vicinity of Kolo on the Dodoma Road.

Do's & Dont's Within Parks / Reserves.