Tanzania is among the most remarkable safari countries in Africa, with superb wildlife, dramatic scenery and several of the most famous national parks in the world. On a budget safari you can see that wilderness without paying for an expensive luxury package. Given the right route, places to stay and transport, you get a genuine African safari at a cost you can manage.
Budget Tanzania Safari
Tanzania National Parks looks after 21 national parks. Between them they cover an extraordinary range of country and experiences: the Serengeti plains and Mount Kilimanjaro, tropical forest, mountains, lakes and remote wilderness.
Budget Tanzania Safari: The Best Way to Explore Tanzania
Travelling on a budget in Tanzania does not mean giving up outstanding wildlife. Comfortable budget lodges, campsites, shared safari vehicles and well-chosen routes bring the price down, and you still go on game drives with experienced guides.
The best-known affordable circuit is in the north. It links Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Tarangire is celebrated for its elephants and baobab trees; Lake Manyara for its varied habitats, its flamingos and its famous tree-climbing lions.
Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is the best-known safari area in Tanzania and one of the finest places in Africa for classic game viewing. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest live on its vast grasslands. It is also at the centre of the annual Great Migration, which makes it a favourite with anyone planning a Tanzania wildlife safari.
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire fits a budget Tanzania safari well, because it is easy to combine with the other parks of the northern circuit. It is famous for its large elephant population, its ancient baobabs and the wildlife that gathers there in season. TANAPA calls Tarangire an elephant stronghold and draws attention to its spectacular baobab landscapes.
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara is a small park with a surprising variety, set beneath the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. It has groundwater forest, the scenery of an alkaline lake, hippos, elephants, giraffes, monkeys, a wealth of birds and a chance of tree-climbing lions. Being close to Arusha and Mto wa Mbu, it is especially handy for shorter and cheaper Tanzania safari routes.
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park protects the highest mountain in Africa, which rises to 5,895 meters. People come here mainly to trek, not for traditional game drives, and it can be added to a Tanzania safari by travellers who want mountain adventure as well as wildlife.
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park lies near the city of Arusha and offers montane forest, savannah, lakes and views of Mount Meru. It suits travellers who are short of time and visitors who want hiking, walks and wildlife before or after a safari in northern Tanzania.
Nyerere National Park
Nyerere National Park is one of the great wilderness areas of southern Tanzania. Elephants, lions, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles and other wildlife live among its rivers, lakes, floodplains and woodland. The Rufiji River is what makes the park special: you can explore by boat safari as well as on traditional game drives.
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha is an immense wilderness in southern Tanzania, famous for elephants, lions, buffaloes and leopards and for its impressive birdlife. The Great Ruaha River is one of its defining features, and walking safaris offer a closer way of experiencing the bush.
Mikumi National Park
Mikumi is one of the easiest safari areas to reach in southern Tanzania, above all for travellers arriving from Dar es Salaam. Elephants, lions, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest and giraffes live on its Mkata Floodplain, which makes it a practical choice for a shorter or budget safari.
Katavi, Mahale and Gombe National Parks
Western Tanzania is more remote. Katavi is known for its wilderness, its hippos and crocodiles and its large gatherings of wildlife. Mahale Mountains National Park is famous for chimpanzee trekking beside Lake Tanganyika, and Gombe Stream National Park is known worldwide for chimpanzee research and the pioneering work of Jane Goodall.
Udzungwa, Saadani and Tanzania’s Other National Parks
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a biodiversity hotspot of forest, mountains, waterfalls and species found nowhere else. Saadani is unusual in combining coast and wildlife, so that you can go on safari close to the Indian Ocean.
The remaining national parks add still more variety. Mkomazi has mountain and savannah scenery and important conservation areas, and Rubondo Island offers a one-of-a-kind island safari on Lake Victoria. Kitulo Plateau is renowned for its spectacular seasonal flowers and mountain views. Saanane Island has wildlife close to Mwanza, and Ugalla River National Park has remote wilderness and river ecosystems. Rumanyika-Karagwe contributes scenic country and wildlife in the west. Taken together, these parks show that Tanzania is far more than the Serengeti.
Best Time for a Budget Tanzania Safari
The best time depends on what you want from the trip. In the dry season, June to October, game viewing is generally excellent, because animals are easier to find near water. The green seasons bring lush scenery, fewer visitors and excellent birdwatching, though some roads can turn muddy.
If you are watching your budget, travelling outside the busiest periods can sometimes get you better value on accommodation. Bear in mind that safari prices vary with park fees, accommodation, vehicle arrangements, season and route.
Why Choose a Budget Tanzania Safari?
A budget Tanzania safari lets you see world-famous wildlife without paying luxury prices. Shared 4×4 safari vehicles, budget-friendly lodges or campsites, shorter itineraries and well-chosen national parks make Tanzania easier to afford and keep everything that matters about a safari.
At Afoyo African Safaris we plan Tanzania safari holidays around your budget, your dates and your interests. You might want a short budget safari to Tarangire and Lake Manyara, or a longer journey through the Serengeti and southern Tanzania. In either case we can put together a practical route that gives you excellent value and wildlife you will remember.
Start planning your affordable Tanzania safari, and discover the wildlife, landscapes and national parks that make Tanzania one of the great safari countries of Africa.