The Perfect Camping Safari

Days - The Perfect Camping Safari

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OVERVIEW

Our Explore trip, which extends over eight magical days, concentrates heavily on Tanzania’s most renowned National Park, the unforgettable Serengeti, with three nights spent there. But there is much more, too! We begin this fantastic journey with a visit to another favorite, Tarangire, a park famed for its diversity and with plenty to see at any time, before we head for Serengeti for our three-night stay. Then, we continue this fantastic safari to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Nearby, we will visit the Empakaai Crater, smaller than Ngorongoro but still spectacular, and walk down to the shores of its crater lake. Finally, we take to our vehicle to descend into the natural wonder of the famous Ngorongoro Crater, a location that will surely take your breath away with its many, many fascinating inhabitants.

ITINERARY

8 Days, 7 Nights

Destination Covered: Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha

Accommodation: Outpost Lodge

Welcome to Tanzania
Whatever your arrival time at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your Easy Travel driver-guide will be waiting for you with a warm welcoming smile. Kick back and relax in your comfortable vehicle as he takes you to your hotel in Arusha, Tanzania’s self-styled ‘safari capital.’ On your one-hour journey to the hotel, you will get a brief impression of this large, bustling, commercial city. Depending on your arrival time, you may have your pre-safari briefing today; if not, it will take place early tomorrow morning.
Accommodation:

Outpost Lodge

Located 7km from the centre of Arusha, Arusha Outpost Lodge warmly welcomes you to Tanzania.

Balcony views out onto the lush gardens are an attractive feature of the spacious bedrooms. Styled with tasteful African touches, they are all non-smoking and equipped with air-conditioning and televisions. You can enjoy the cool of the hotel’s outdoor swimming-pool, or simply relax and make use of the sun-loungers – and both indoors and out, there are plenty of places to unwind. Wi-Fi is available in public areas.

When it comes to dining, Arusha Outpost Lodge can offer a choice of international or local cuisine in its pleasant restaurant. Meals are prepared to order, and staff will encourage you to try our local Tanzanian specialities. Try nyama choma, rice/ugali with fish, banana stew and many others. Our welcoming team will look after you – enjoy your stay!

Meal Plan
Dinner at your hotel.
Destination Covered: Arusha, Tarangire National Park

Accommodation: Tarangire Campsite

Tour Briefing
Unless your arrival time yesterday allowed time for your safari briefing, then this will take place after breakfast. We will provide you with all the essential information, before we set off westwards then south to our first safari destination, Tarangire National Park, where we take lunch and then set out on our game drive.

Journey: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Our two-hour (120km) journey first takes us westwards from Arusha. Along the route, your eyes will be opened to all the colours and character of Tanzania: perhaps some Maasai herdsmen driving their flocks of goats to new pastures. You’ll get to know your driver-guide, amazed at his depth of knowledge as he effortlessly answers all your questions.

Day’s Highlight
Your afternoon game drive in Tarangire, with its incredible diversity, massive baobab trees and herds of elephants.

Safari (Game Drive) in Tarangire National Park
Tarangire is huge. As you stand at the park gate and look south, it stretches as far as the eye can see. Known as the ‘Elephant Playground,’ this phenomenal park contains huge herds of these mighty mammals. But Tarangire is also home to buffalo, lion, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle and the park can rival Serengeti for sheer animal densities. What might you see today? Perhaps a solitary male lion stretched out beneath a tree, perhaps a trio of male cheetah enjoying some lazy bonding-time in the sun. Maybe some graceful Grant’s gazelle or zebra bounding away from the road or a couple of giraffe munching happily from the choicest acacia branches. For Tarangire specialities, look out for kudu and oryx.

Here as in other parks, it pays not to ignore the small animals. It’s so easy to be mesmerized by the power and majesty of an elephant or the elegance of the giraffe. Ask your guide to find you an agama lizard, especially a male one who changes colour in front of you according to the temperature! Or a hyrax, known as pimpi, an insignificant-looking creature of around 30cm in length…who astonishingly is related to elephant!

Not many trees will pass you by without something of avian interest catching your eye. A memorable flash of colour might be a lilac-breasted roller or blue-eared starling. Ostrich are plentiful and it’s hard not to chuckle at the sighting of the well-named, studious-looking secretary bird as it awkwardly pads across the grasslands. The park is also famous for its splendid baobab trees, rolling savannah and acacia woodland. It can be dusty – wear a scarf over your mouth – but this is a minor inconvenience for sighting wildlife in such abundance.
Accommodation:

Tarangire Campsite

Publicly operated by the Tanzania National Parks Authority, Tarangire Public Campsite lies inside the park itself. The campsite is unfenced, which means that animal visitors are a possibility here! Toilet facilities and showers are available, though note that there is only cold water at this campsite. Your meals will be prepared for you by our Easy Travel staff.

At night, entertainment will be provided by the sounds of the wildlife as you fall asleep under the star-filled African skies. This is real adventure-time!

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at Arusha Outpost Lodge. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also Provided for you to take out on Safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Tarangire Public Campsite.
Destination Covered: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park

Accommodation: Seronera Campsite

Journey: Tarangire National Park to Serengeti National Park
With Serengeti as our destination, and with the wonders of Tarangire still fresh in your mind, we set out to the north and west for our 5 ½ Hours (280km) journey. On the journey, you can quiz your driver-guide about all aspects of Tanzanian culture, traditions, tribes and of course wildlife. Treat him as an ‘encyclopedia on legs’ – he will rarely disappoint with his answers! In no time, you too will feel like an expert, even before you reach the awesome Serengeti plains. On arrival, we will enjoy our lunch before taking an afternoon game drive.

Day’s Highlight
Here’s a National Park which will offer you a whole variety of wildlife surprises over the next few days, but perhaps today’s highlight – certainly for first-time visitors – will simply be the Serengeti terrain itself. The sheer vastness, as the plains roll away in front of you into eternity, will leave you with a sense of awe.

Safari in Serengeti National Park
At last! Serengeti, the incomparable wonder of Tanzania, will be the stage for the natural animal theatrics which will be performed over the next few days. Your afternoon game drive here combines the known with the unknown, the certainty that you will be amazed with the uncertainty of exactly what you will see and when. Changing light, a changing cast of animal actors, ensuring that at every turn there is a new experience. Snap off some memorable photos, but don’t forget to simply take a deep breath and enjoy nature in its real-time, raw beauty.
Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

In central Serengeti, the Seronera Public Campsite provides basic facilities in an open area visited by wildlife. Your Easy Travel staff will assemble your tent and make you as comfortable as possible. Water here for showers is cool and toilet facilities are basic. Visitors should be aware that when the camp gets busy, the cleanliness at this camp can suffer a bit.

At night, listen to the sounds of the animals and marvel at the star-studded African skies – a real Tanzanian adventure!

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at Tarangire Public Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Seronera Public Campsite.
Destination Covered: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation: Seronera Campsite

Day’s Highlight
Today, we set off from our accommodation to again explore the Serengeti and all its magic. Wildlife is abundant: sometimes you may think it has come to find you, rather than the other way around. Today’s highlight is unknown, as the animals don’t publish their schedule (!) What we see also depends on the season, but this area is where bushland meets grassland, a favorite spot for big cats looking for prey. Cheetah, leopard and lions are all possibilities today.

Safari in Serengeti National Park
TToday is a full day of discovery, a chance to enjoy the varied landscapes of the Central Serengeti. The Seronera River weaves its way through this area, providing waters for all species of wildlife. You will also see the distinctive rocky outcrops, the famous kopjes which characterize the Serengeti landscape.

Lunch will be an unforgettable experience, enjoyed in the middle of the bush. Everything here varies with the seasons, but in May, November and December migrating herds join the already rich population of resident animals which live here year-round. (In the rainy season, the landscape turns black with hundreds of thousands of wildebeest – a simply incredible sight.)
Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

After your day of thrilling game drives, your driver will return you safely for another relaxing night at your Serengeti accommodation (see above). Drink, relax, dine and sleep, all out in the wilderness of the Serengeti. What could be better?

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at the Seronera Public Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Seronera Public Campsite.
Note: for those who have booked the Balloon Safari for today, you will be picked up from the lodge at 05.00 hours for a 06.00 hours departure. After your 60 – 90-minute aerial adventure, bush breakfast and champagne, your driver will pick you up for your full-day game drive.
Destination Covered: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation: Seronera Campsite

Day’s Highlight
Again, our highlight is waiting to reveal itself. But do look out for the magnificent sight of the world’s heaviest bird capable of flight, the Kori Bustard. The avian equivalent of a lumbering cargo plane, it can weigh up to 15kg and has a wingspan of nearly three metres! We will explore the park with game drives before and after our lunch.

Safari in Serengeti National Park
With its informative visitor centre, the Seronera area of Central Serengeti is the national park’s most popular area. And it is very popular with the wildlife, too. The Seronera river enjoys year-round waterflow, so there is always something of interest to observe.

Several game drives can be undertaken here and might reveal lions in sizeable prides, hippo or herds of elephants, whose populations in the park have risen in recent times.

Depending on animal movements and sightings, we may choose to call in at the Serengeti Visitor Centre, where there is an excellent explanation of the park’s eco-system and a chance to understand the history of conservation in this area. In particular, you will find out about the work of the Frankfurt Zoological Society and of Bernhard Grzimek who had the foresight and vision of preserving the Serengeti’s eco-system. Even at this center, you may well find wildlife: populations of hyrax and mongoose, as well as many small bird species.
Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

After another day of thrilling game drives, your driver will return you safely for another relaxing night at your Serengeti accommodation (see above).

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at the Seronera Public Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Seronera Public Campsite.
Destination Covered: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Journey: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After a morning game drive and lunch, this afternoon we will head south-east towards Ngorongoro, a distance of 145km which will take us around 3 ½ hours.

Day’s Highlight
Today, we will get our first sight of the spectacular, incomparable Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and the heart of the Conservation Area of the same name. But before that, we have another morning game drive in amazing Serengeti, marveling at its animal inhabitants. Another day of adventure, another day to enjoy the wildlife.

Safari in Serengeti National Park
After our morning game drive, perhaps trying to find any animal that has – until now – been elusive enough to evade your eagle-eyed driver-guide, we head south-east towards Ngorongoro.

If it has not already struck you with its vastness, Serengeti’s ‘endless plains’ will certainly now make a deep impression on you as we take the long, straight road which passes Simba Kopjes (famous from ‘The Lion King’) to reach Naabi Hill Gate, close to the divide between Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Here you can gather information at the gate’s visitor center, clamber up the hill for superb views back over the plains, or look out for a colorful agama lizard among the rocks.
Accommodation:

Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Imagine tall trees, clear starry skies, the sounds of animals shuffling nearby at night-time. Welcome to Ngorongoro Simba Campsite, the public campsite based on the crater rim above stunning Ngorongoro Crater. This is a simple place, a great location in the middle of nature and just a short distance from the beating heart of the famous Conservation Area.

Here, you can sit by your tent and marvel at the surroundings or chat to your companions in one of the communal spaces provided at this public campsite. Washing and toilet facilities are basic here and as these are shared facilities, the cleanliness can suffer a bit when the campsite is busy. Guests dine together in a common dining area. Most important of all, don’t forget that the site is located at an altitude of 2300 metres (7546 feet). It can be very cold at night, so warm clothes are absolutely essential here!

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at Seronera Public Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Ngorongoro Simba Campsite.
Destination Covered: Ngorongoro: Empakaai Walking Safari

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Journey: (morning) Ngorongoro to Empakaai Crater
After breakfast, we drive to the trailhead on the rim of Empakaai Crater, a 3-hour journey (80km). We will walk down to the crater lake to see flamingos, then back up the path to the vehicle for our hamper lunch, before returning in the late afternoon to camp.

Day’s Highlight
The view from the rim of Empakaai Crater, down to the crater lake with its population of flamingos, is justifiably regarded as one of the finest in Africa.

Walking Safari at Empakaai Crater
From our safari camp, we set off after breakfast, an early departure to pick up our armed park ranger and then reach the Empakaai Crater rim.

From there, we walk down to the crater lake, keeping our eyes peeled for points of natural interest along the way. In the background, you will see some of Tanzania’s many volcanoes. The crater lake here is around 80 metres deep, much deeper than the lake in Ngorongoro. This is a peaceful place, with chatter of the flamingos and the distant clatter of cowbells often being the only sounds to disturb the silence.
Accommodation:

Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

After your walking safari, you will return to your Ngorongoro accommodation (see above) for some relaxation, your evening meal and a welcome sleep.

Meal Plan
Breakfast is enjoyed at the Ngorongoro Simba Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari. Your dinner will be a full, cooked meal provided by our safari chef at the Ngorongoro Simba Campsite.
Destination Covered: Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro International Airport

Journey: Ngorongoro Crater to Kilimanjaro International Airport
After our morning visit to the incomparable crater – see below – and then lunch, we will have a 5-hour journey, covering the 250km back to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Day’s Highlight
Like nothing else on Earth, the stunning crater of Ngorongoro is a unique home for many, many species of Tanzania’s wildlife. With some luck, you may even see a black rhino here.

Safari in Ngorongoro Crater
From our accommodation, we set off after breakfast, a 6am departure to reach the rim and then descend into the vast crater itself. At one side there’s the Lerai Forest, classic mountain forest landscape with almost tropical characteristics.

This is good elephant country, so keep your eyes peeled. By the side of the nearby swampland is what is sometimes called the ‘elephant graveyard’ as the mighty male tuskers at the end of their lives come to chew on the soft, swampland grasses once their teeth have failed them.

The crater has a population of around 120 lions, with well-defined territories; 15,000 wildebeest, 9,000 zebra, 400 hyenas, and around 50 black rhino. Many wildebeest and other herd animals are resident, benefiting from the many sources of year-round waters and are boosted by some migrators in season. Buffalo, Thomson’s gazelle and eland are also present in numbers. Hippos can be found in pools and swampland and highland birdlife is colourful and plentiful around the waters. Flamingos can often be seen in Lake Magadi, which occupies part of the crater floor.

Meal plan
Breakfast is served at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite. Lunch will be a nutritious and balanced meal, also provided by our safari chef for you to take out on safari and enjoyed after your morning game-drive, before we return you to the airport for your flight home. As today is your departure day, please note that dinner tonight is not included in the tour.

Departure Instructions
Please note that this The Perfect Camping Safari – 8 Days tour ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport at 17.30 hours. Your departure can only take place today if you have pre-booked a domestic flight which leaves from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 19.40 hours or after, or an international flight which leaves at 21.00 hours or after. Otherwise, you will need to book an extra night’s accommodation (not included in the tour price) and take a flight the following day.

Post Tour Extension
After your exhilarating time on safari, you may want to extend your Tanzanian holiday with time on Zanzibar’s wonderful beaches. Please contact us for details.

Accommodation:

Inclusions

Easy Travel Trip Safety: AMREF Flying Doctor Insurance. A Flying doctor Insurance to Air transfer you before dark from nearest airstrip to hospital during Emergency
Easy Travel Transport: 4X4 Custom built – Toyota Landcruiser – Pop-up Roof, Opening Sliding windows, Seat Belts, Heavy duty wheels and Extra Fuel tanks. Refrigerator for cooling drinks, one pair of binoculars per couple, Eco friendly Trash Bag. Wi-Fi on board during safari, Charging Outlets type Plug G for charging Cameras and smart phones
Easy Travel Trip Crew: Professional English-Speaking Driver guide – A Friendly, Experienced and Passionate Driver Guide expert at a wide variety of skills: Flora and Fauna, Tanzania’s cultural and natural history. Professional and totally committed Safari Chef – A Friendly, Experienced and Passionate Safari Chef committed in maintaining the very highest of standards at every meal
Easy Travel Camping Equipment: Camping Tents, Table and Chairs, Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Mattress, Bed Sheet and Pillow
Easy Travel Treat: A Special Safari Hamper – Soft drinks, Coffee/tea and Water during game drives A bottle of Wine
Arrival and Departure Transfer: TO/FROM Kilimanjaro International or Arusha Airport – One arrival Transfer and One departure Transfer
Accommodation:
1 night at Outpost Lodge on Half Board
1 night at Tarangire Public Campsite on Full Board
3 nights at Seronera Public Campsite on Full Board
2 nights at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite on Full Board
Photographic Safari: Experience Wildlife with Easy Travel 4X4 Safari Vehicle – Game drive in Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater
Walking Safari: Walking Safari in Empakaai Crater in Ngorongoro
Park Entrance Fee: Park fee for Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater
Camping Fee: Camping fee for Tarangire Public Campsite, Seronera Public Campsite and Ngorongoro Simba Campsite
Taxes: 18 % VAT (Value Added Tax)

Exclusions

Tipping: Tipping is of course discretionary, but is an expected part of the way inwhich business is done in Tanzania. It counts as an expression of gratitude to those who – hopefully – have made your experience an unforgettable one and enables you to directly reward those people. Our passengers come from all around the world, with different cultural attitudes to tipping, but a tip is of great significance here in Tanzania and will be hugely appreciated by the recipient.

We know that the act of giving of a tip can be a bit awkward and we would suggest that the best way to remove this ‘awkwardness’ is for each couple to put their tip anonymously into an envelope and for the envelopes to be presented by the couple to the staff member. As a guideline, you should consider tipping at the following levels:

Driver guide: $25 US per day, per couple.
Safari chef: $15 per pay, per couple.

For hotels/lodges/tented camps, please do not tip individual staff members, but instead use the ‘Tip Box’, which you should find at the reception of your accommodation. For guidance, you should consider tipping between $5-7 US per day, per guest, at each accommodation.
Balloon Safari: Experience 60 – 90 minute (depending on wind condition) aerial adventure, followed by bush breakfast and champagne.
Any Changes done by you: The trip excludes changes done by you during safari or before safari which deviates from the original program
Post Night Accommodation in Arusha: This Tour ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport at 17:30hrs, you can only depart on this day if you have booked a Domestic flight which departs from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 19:40hrs and onwards or an International Flight which departs at 21:00hrs and onwards. Otherwise, you will need to book a post night Accommodation if you are departing with any earlier flight. Please contact us for details.
Flights: The trip costs Excludes International and Domestic Flights
Visa: The trip costs Excludes all visa costs including arrival visas and transit visas
Medical Insurance: The trip cost Excludes Medical Insurance which is mandatory
Travel Insurance: The trip cost Excludes Travel Insurance which is mandatory
Laundry Service: If you require to launder your clothes while on your safari, then you will need to pay an amount that the accommodation charges as per their rate sheet.
Drinks at the lodges/camps: All kinds of soft drinks and hard drinks at the lodges/camps are not included
Drones: The government of Tanzania does not allow anyone to bring drones into the country.

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Booking & Travel Information

The The Perfect Camping Safari offers amazing year-round experiences. The dry season, from June to October, is ideal for wildlife viewing as animals gather around water sources, making sightings frequent and predictable. The green season, from November to May, is equally wonderful, as the landscape transforms into a lush paradise. This season is ideal for bird enthusiasts, with many migratory species arriving, and you’ll also have the chance to see young animals in their first months. The green season offers a quieter, more peaceful safari experience with fewer visitors, allowing for a truly immersive adventure.
Yes, most travelers will need a visa to join the The Perfect Camping Safari, Visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. Many visitors can obtain a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa before their trip. For detailed information on the Tanzania visa application process, please refer to our comprehensive guide here .

If you choose a visa on arrival, be prepared for potentially longer wait times at the immigration checkpoint. Please note that the visa fee must be paid in USD, as other currencies are not accepted.
If you need to cancel your booking for the The Perfect Camping Safari, please notify us in writing. The cancellation will take effect from the date we receive your written notice. Please be aware that the deposit and any amendment charges are non-refundable. Cancellation fees are calculated as a percentage of the total tour price, as outlined in Section 6 of our terms and conditions, which you can view here .

OVERVIEW

ITINERARY

Accommodation:

Outpost Lodge

Accommodation:

Tarangire Campsite

Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

Accommodation:

Seronera Campsite

Accommodation:

Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Accommodation:

Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Accommodation:

Inclusions

Exclusions

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OVERVIEW

ITINERARY

Day 1 : Arrival Day: Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha

Day 2 : Arusha – Tarangire

Day 3 : Tarangire - Serengeti

Day 4 : Serengeti

Day 5 : Serengeti

Day 6 : Serengeti - Ngorongoro

Day 7 : Ngorongoro: Empakaai Walking Safari

Day 8 : Ngorongoro Crater – Kilimanjaro International Airport

Inclusions

Exclusions

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Booking & Travel Information

When is the best time to go on safari in Tanzania?

Can I add or reduce the number of days?

Will I require a visa?

What is the cancellation/refund policy?

Is there a discount if more people join us on safari?

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