Camping safaris in the famously game-rich Serengeti, Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Crater National Parks are an authentic way to experience Africa. I slept under the stars in tents equipped with mattresses and sleeping bags, which provided me with plenty of adventure.
The schedule was tailored to match my specific needs, such as an interesting boutique hotel near the park.
Day 1: Travel from Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Following breakfast at my hotel, I was transported to Tarangire National Park, where I went on my first game drive. Forests of acacia trees and massive African baobab trees make up most of the park’s natural vegetation.
On my game drive, I had the opportunity to observe big herds of elephants, wildebeests, zebra, elands, hartebeests, buffaloes, gerenuks, fringe-eared oryx, and flocks of birds of many different species, which surpass the Serengeti in terms of population density.
My day began with a picnic lunch in the park, followed by an overnight stay at Jambo Campsite.
If you’re looking to book your own Safari, check out TourRadar.
On Day 2, Travel to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, I headed for Serengeti National Park, passing through the tiny hamlet of Karatu, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Southern Serengeti before arriving in the late afternoon.
The name is derived from the Maasai word “Siringet,” which means “endless plains.” In one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges, a diverse range of vegetation, including grassy plains, savannah with acacia trees, wooded hills, and mountains, serves as a backdrop for an extraordinary concentration of animals, which reaches its zenith during the wildebeest migration. The refuge is one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges.
In the afternoon, I embarked on a wildlife drive across the Serengeti National Park. Wildebeests, buffaloes, hippopotami, elephants, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, lions, giraffes, impalas, and topis are among the animals that can be found here. The Serengeti is also home to over 500 different bird species.
Day 3: Serengeti National Park
I had a full day in the Serengeti, with both morning and afternoon game drives with lunch and rest at the campsite. This made a wonderful full day with packed lunches in the Serengeti National Park.
Day 4: The Ngorongoro Conservation Area
I rose early in the morning to go on my final wildlife drive in the Serengeti before returning to camp for breakfast. Later, after a delicious picnic lunch, I drove to the magnificent Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
This location is located within the Great Rift Valley, and the terrain comprises volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes, forests, and archeological sites, among other things. From here, you can travel to Olduvai Gorge, also known as “The Cradle of Mankind,” where Dr. Louis Leakey discovered the first fossils of hominids who walked upright. This is a must-see destination.
Day 5: Arusha, Tanzania
After breakfast, I traveled along the crater rim and down the descending road, about 600 meters below the edge of the crater. The Crater’s resident fauna includes some of Africa’s few remaining black rhinos, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and leopards, as well as a variety of other species. I spent many hours on the crater floor seeing wildlife before returning to Arusha for an overnight stay in one of the local hotels.
