Holiday to Tanzania Changed How I Think About Safari. It Might Change Yours, Too.
Holiday to Tanzania Summary: works best June-October (dry season, migration in the north) or January-March (calving, predator action). Park fees run $70-140 per person per day for the Serengeti when entry and concession fees are combined. Budget £300-500 per person per day total for mid-range safari. The northern circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire) gets mobbed July-August—go to Ruaha or Katavi in the south if crowds bother you. A 7-day trip costs £2,500-4,500 depending on the season. April-May is cheaper and greener, but some lodges close. Zanzibar adds 3-4 days and £400-600 per person to any trip.
The first afternoon I spent in the Serengeti, I thought I’d made a terrible mistake. Not because of the wildlife—we saw three lions within an hour of entering the park. It was the dust. Nobody warned me about the dust. It coated my camera lens. It got in my teeth. By the time we reached camp, I looked like I’d been rolled in flour, and my sinuses felt like they’d been sandblasted. I ended up wearing my buff over my face for the rest of the trip like some kind of safari bandit. That’s Tanzania. Nobody tells you the real stuff. They show you the glossy photos of lions at sunset and forget to mention you’ll be coughing up brown phlegm for a week afterwards.
A holiday to Tanzania costs more than you expect, takes longer to plan than you’d like, and involves more driving than the brochures suggest. I’ve seen 30 vehicles crowded around a single lion pride in the Seronera Valley, engines running, tourists standing through the roof hatch, snapping away while the lions tried to sleep. That’s peak season for you. But here’s the thing: Tanzania has parks that make everywhere else look tame. The Serengeti is roughly ten times the size of the Masai Mara.
Ruaha in the south gets so few visitors that you can drive for hours without seeing another soul. And the combination of safari followed by Zanzibar beaches—sitting on the sand with a cold Mbege beer (mixture of millet & banana) after a week of 5 AM wake-up calls—that’s hard to beat anywhere. Rough numbers: budget £300-500 per person per day for a mid-range Tanzania safari holiday, including vehicle, guide, accommodation, and park fees. The Serengeti alone charges about $130-160 per person per day when entry and concession fees are added together.
A 7-day northern circuit trip runs £2,500-4,500 per person, depending on season and how fancy you want your tent to be.
The Parks
The Headline Acts
Serengeti National Park is what everyone pictures when they think of Tanzania. Endless plains, the Great Migration, lions lounging in the grass. It deserves the reputation. But here’s what nobody mentions: the central Seronera area in peak season feels like a wildlife theme park. Drivers radio each other the moment someone spots a leopard, and within fifteen minutes, you’ve got a traffic jam. I’ve written separately about Serengeti holidays if you want the full breakdown on how to avoid the worst of it.
Ngorongoro Crater is a zoo without fences. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true. It’s beautiful—the walls of the caldera trap animals inside, creating one of the densest concentrations of large mammals anywhere. But seeing 40 Land Cruisers surrounding one bored-looking lion makes you feel like part of the problem. If you go, do so at 6 a.m. when the gates open. By 9 AM, the crater floor looks like a parking lot.
Tarangire National Park—this is where the real soul of the trip is. Forget the Serengeti for a day. The baobab trees here are ancient, some over a thousand years old, and they look like something out of a fairy tale. The elephant herds are massive. If you don’t see an elephant within ten minutes, your guide is driving with his eyes closed. And it’s quieter. So much quieter. Explore Tarangire
Skip the Crowds, Go South
This is where Tanzania gets interesting. Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s largest and one of the least visited. I took a group there last year, and we saw four other vehicles in three days. Four. We watched a pack of wild dogs hunt at sundown, and I forgot to take photos because I was too busy watching. The trade-off: you either drive a long way from Dar or fly in on a charter.
Katavi National Park is even more remote. Three camps in the entire park. Light aircraft only. I met a German couple who’d done twelve African safaris and said Katavi was the first place they’d correctly felt alone.
Nyerere National Park formerly Selouk) offers boat safaris on the Rufiji River. Hippos everywhere. Crocodiles sunbathing on every sandbank. It’s relatively close to Zanzibar, which makes it suitable for safari-and-beach combinations.
Zanzibar
After the dust and the early starts and the bone-rattling roads, Zanzibar is precisely what you need. I’m not going to pretend it’s paradise—the tourist areas around Nungwi and Kendwa can feel crowded, and the beach hawkers selling sunglasses and boat trips are relentless. But the water is genuinely turquoise in a way that looks photoshopped, and there’s a guy at the Forodhani Gardens night market who makes this thing called a ‘Zanzibar Pizza’—it’s basically a grease bomb filled with egg and meat and cheese, and you’ll crave it every night. Stone Town is worth a full day of wandering.
Get lost in the alleys. Find a rooftop bar. Watch the sunset over the dhows. Most people spend 3-4 nights on Zanzibar after their safari. That’s enough to decompress without getting bored or broke—the beach hotels aren’t cheap. Learn about Zanzibar holidays
Timing
June to October is when everyone goes. The grass is short, animals cluster around water sources, and the migration is in the northern Serengeti doing its river-crossing thing. It’s also when you’ll pay premium rates for everything and share the Crater with half of Europe.
January to March is my personal favourite—calving season on the Ndutu plains. Thousands of wildebeest are giving birth, predators are circling, and the light is soft and golden for photography. It’s hot—properly hot, drink-three-litres-of-water-a-day hot—but the wildlife action is non-stop.
April and May are the long rains. Many lodges close completely. Roads turn to mud. But prices drop by 30-40% and the landscape goes from brown to electric green. If you don’t mind getting stuck occasionally and adjusting your expectations, the green season is genuinely underrated.
November and December are transition months. Migration heading south. Short afternoon rains. Fewer tourists than in peak season, reasonable prices. I’ve taken guests in every month. There’s no bad time—just different trade-offs between what you’ll pay, what you’ll see, and how many other people you’ll see it with.
Costs
I find Tanzania to be quite expensive. More expensive than Kenya, more costly than most people expect, and full of hidden extras that add up fast, including the 18% tax that tour operators never mentions when providing you with a quote. I found this same situation with Zanzibar, where you get infrastructure tax when checking out of the hotel – but why not charge be when I’am making the booking!
The Park Fees That Make You Wince
The Serengeti charges $70 per adult per day just to enter (or $60 in low season), plus another $60-71 per night if you’re sleeping inside the park. Ngorongoro Crater is $70 per day entry, and then they hit you with $295 per vehicle to actually descend into the crater. That’s per vehicle, not per person—small mercy. Tarangire and Lake Manyara are more reasonable at $50 per day. Ruaha is a bargain at $30 per day, which is one reason I keep recommending it. All fees are card only. Visa or Mastercard. No cash. Add 18% VAT to everything because Tanzania likes to quote prices before tax.
What I Charge
We charge £160 per person sharing per day for a Land Cruiser with driver-guide and fuel. During peak season (July-October), the price jumps to £310 per person, per day, sharing. I know it sounds steep. Peak season is expensive everywhere.
What You’ll Actually Spend
I budgeted £3,500 per person for a 7-day northern circuit trip in July and still ended up spending more because a beer at the fancy lodges is £6, the balloon safari is £475 (daylight robbery, though I’ll admit it was worth it), and tips add up to £100+ by the end. In low season, the same trip runs £2,400-2,800 per person.
For 10 days with Zanzibar tacked on: budget £4,400-5,000 per person in peak season. That includes days of safari, 3 nights at a beach hotel, and the flight between Arusha and Zanzibar. These aren’t cheap holidays. If you’re looking for budget Africa, look at Zambia or maybe self-driving in South Africa. Check Tanzania packages
Itineraries
The Quick Hit (5 Days)
Fly into the Serengeti on day one, spend two days there, drive to Ngorongoro on day three (or skip it—I’ve started telling people to spend that time in Tarangire instead), then wrap up with Tarangire before flying home. It’s rushed, but it works. Budget £2,20-£3,500 per person, depending on when you go.
The Classic (7 Days)
This is what most people do. Three days in the northern Serengeti chasing river crossings if it’s migration season. Two days in central Serengeti. Two days at Ngorongoro with a morning crater descent. You’ll be tired by the end. You’ll also have seen things you won’t forget. Budget £3,200-5,000 per person.
The Full Experience (10 Days)
Six days doing the northern circuit, then fly to Zanzibar for three or four nights of doing absolutely nothing. Beach. Cocktails. Zanzibar Pizza. Sleep past 5 AM for the first time in a week. This is the trip I’d do if I were paying with my own money. Budget £3,800-5,500 per person. Book your Tanzania holiday.
The Stuff That Actually Gets To You
The Driving Will Test Your Patience
Let’s be honest: you’re going to spend a lot of time staring at the back of your guide’s head. The ‘African Massage’ is authentic—these roads aren’t just unpaved; they’re bone-rattling. I ended up wearing my pajama bottoms under my khakis at 5 AM one morning because the wind cuts right through the open-sided Land Cruiser, and I was too cold to care about looking stupid. A typical northern circuit involves 6-8 hours of driving between parks. If you’ve got a bad back or get carsick easily, pay the extra £200-400 and fly the leg from Arusha to the Serengeti. Your spine will thank you.
The Crater Is Beautiful and Awful
I’ve already called Ngorongoro a zoo without fences, and I stand by it. The wildlife is incredible—black rhino, huge lion prides, flamingos on the soda lake. But the experience of sharing it with 40 other vehicles at 8 AM makes you question why you came. If you go, be first down and first out. Or skip it entirely and spend that day in Tarangire instead. I’ve started suggesting that to guests and nobody has complained.
Everything Costs More Than You Think
Optional activities add up fast. Hot air balloon? £475. Walking safari? £50-100. Maasai village visit? £30-50. Drinks at the lodge? Marked up to pub prices in central London. Tips? £10-15 per day per person minimum, and your guide and camp staff genuinely depend on them. Budget 15-20% extra beyond your package price. Then add a bit more.
The Scams
Be wary of anyone approaching you at Kilimanjaro Airport or in Arusha offering last-minute safari deals. Some are legitimate operators trying to fill empty vehicles. Most are not. Book with established operators before you arrive. Also: at Naabi Hill gate (Serengeti entrance), there’s a guy selling wooden carvings. He’s fine, just persistent. But don’t let anyone tell you there’s an ‘official souvenir fee’ or ‘cultural contribution’—there isn’t. I’ve seen tourists hand over £20 for nothing.
Practical
Getting There
Most Tanzania holidays start from Arusha (northern circuit) or Dar es Salaam (south and Zanzibar). From the UK, you’re looking at one connection minimum—Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, KLM, or Turkish. Budget 10-14 hours. Kilimanjaro Airport is tiny and chaotic. Don’t panic when you land and it looks like a bus shelter. That’s normal.
Visa
Apply online before you travel—currently $50 single entry. Print the approval letter because they will ask for it. I’ve seen people frantically searching their email on airport wifi that barely works.
Health
Yellow fever certificate required if coming from an endemic country (sometimes includes Kenya—check). Malaria is everywhere; take prophylaxis. See NaTHNaC for current guidance.
Pack This
Neutral colours. Layers—5 AM game drives are cold. Buff for the dust. Binoculars. Zoom lens. Sunscreen. Repellent. And snacks. The driving is long, lunch is whenever, and you will get hungry.
When to Book
Peak season lodges book 6-12 months ahead. I’m not exaggerating. If you want a specific camp in July, start now.
Questions People Ask Me
Is Tanzania safe? For tourists, yes. Safari parks are some of the safest places you’ll visit—biggest danger is sunburn and mosquitoes. Cities have normal city stuff. After the re-election of Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of Tanzania, there were some post-election tension, but safari areas didn’t notice. Check Foreign Office advice before booking.
How many days? Five minimum. Seven to ten is the sweet spot. Add three or four for Zanzibar if combining.
Can I do Tanzania and Kenya together? We do this all the time. The migration moves between the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Adds complexity and cost but some people want both countries. Compare Tanzania vs Kenya
Serengeti or Masai Mara? Serengeti is bigger, wilder. Mara is smaller but predator density is insane. First-timers on a budget: start with the Mara. It’s cheaper and easier. Done the Mara already? The Serengeti goes deeper. Honestly? Both are brilliant. Compare Masai Mara vs Serengeti
What about Kilimanjaro? Separate trip—6-8 days for the climb. Most people who do Kili are too knackered afterwards for full game drives. Maybe a day trip to see some colobus monkeys, then collapse. Combining proper Kili with proper safari is ambitious. Explore Mount Kilimanjaro
Right Then
Look, I’m not going to give you some inspirational closing paragraph about how Tanzania will change your life. It might. It might just be a really expensive holiday where you saw some cool animals and got dust in places dust shouldn’t go.
But I’ve been doing this for ten years, and I still get a kick out of standing on the rim of Ngorongoro at sunrise, watching the mist lift. I still forget to breathe when I find a leopard draped over a branch in Ruaha. The Serengeti still feels like the edge of the world when you’re out there with nobody else around. Is it worth the money and the hassle and the 5 AM wake-up calls? Yeah. Probably. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you about the dust. Plan your Tanzania holiday
