Safari planning: parks, seasons and costs

A first Tanzanian safari is a loop, not a list. Land at Kilimanjaro (JRO), sleep one night in Arusha, then take 4–6 nights across Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. That covers elephants and baobabs, a crater floor with very high wildlife density, and open plains where the migration sits for much of the year.

Go in the dry season, June to October, when tracks are firm and animals concentrate at water. January and February are the second window: the herds are on the southern Serengeti plains around Ndutu and calving peaks in February. April and May are the long rains — many camps close and some roads become hard work.

Add Zanzibar after the safari rather than before. Beach first, then early game drives, is the wrong order for most people.

This page is for independent travellers and small groups booking a first safari, not for people joining a specialist photographic or walking expedition. It assumes you are flying into northern Tanzania and have 5–12 days on the ground.

If you have 10 days or more and want fewer vehicles around you, the southern parks — Nyerere (Selous), Ruaha, Mikumi — are a different trip with a different season. Most southern camps open only June to October. Do not try to bolt them onto a short northern itinerary; the distances are too long.

Families with young children should check minimum ages per lodge and per activity: some camps and most walking safaris and balloon flights set their own limits.

1. Fix your season first. Dry season June–October is the easy window everywhere. January–February is the calving window in the south of the Serengeti. November and December bring short rains — light, but enough to change road conditions.

2. Pick the route, then the lodges. The northern circuit is Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. Where in the Serengeti depends on the month: the herds move through the Western Corridor around June, reach the far north near Kogatende in July–September, and drift back south from October.

3. Decide drive or fly. Driving between parks is cheaper and shows you the country, but a Tarangire–Serengeti transfer eats a day. Light-aircraft hops between Arusha, Seronera, Kogatende and the crater cost more and save hours.

4. Book the operator and the park fees. Park and conservation fees are usually paid by the operator and passed through; ask for them as a separate line so you can see what is the lodge and what is the government.

5. Sort the paperwork. Tanzania uses an e-visa; from 1 October 2026 there is a mandatory inbound insurance for mainland arrivals at about US$44. Check the current rules before you pay for anything non-refundable.

6. Add the practical layer: yellow fever certificate if you are arriving from a risk country, malaria prophylaxis, and travel insurance that covers medical evacuation from remote areas.

Safari pricing is per person per day and bundles vehicle, guide, fuel, park fees, meals and lodging. A mid-range lodge safari in Tanzania commonly lands around US$250–450 per person per day in 2026, and a budget camping safari around US$150–250. High-season July–September and Christmas push both bands up; green-season April–May rates can be well below them, when camps are open at all.

Park and conservation fees are the part travellers underestimate. They are charged per person per 24 hours, so a slow route through several parks costs more than a fast one. Ngorongoro in particular carries a crater service fee on top of the entry fee. Ask for the fee schedule in writing before you compare two quotes.

Flights inside Tanzania are the other swing factor: a light-aircraft leg can cost more than a night's lodging. Balloon flights over the Serengeti are a separate premium add-on and are priced per person.

Time on the ground: allow one full day per park as a minimum, two to three nights in the Serengeti, and one night at the crater rim so you can descend early.

Rains. April and May are the long rains: some camps and Zanzibar hotels close, and unpaved tracks get muddy. November and December short rains are lighter but still affect the southern and western parks.

Migration position. The herds are not on a schedule you can book. River crossings on the Grumeti and Mara are variable from year to year; treat any operator promising a crossing on a given date with caution.

Southern and western parks. Nyerere, Ruaha, Mikumi, Mahale, Gombe and Katavi mostly run June–October, with a long wet season from November. Chimpanzee trekking at Mahale and Gombe is easiest in the dry months.

Holidays and festivals. Zanzibar fills around New Year and the Sauti za Busara festival in February. Ramadan and Eid shift each year and slow the coast by day.

Rules and fees. Park fees, visa rules and the inbound insurance requirement are set by government and change. Re-check before you pay a deposit.

The northern circuit is the busiest and the easiest to organise: more lodges, more operators, shorter transfers, and the crater and Serengeti in one loop. The southern parks are larger, quieter and greener, with a shorter season and fewer flights.

Choose north for a first safari, for the crater, and for the migration. Choose south for fewer vehicles, walking and boat safaris, and a sense of space — accepting that you will likely fly in and that many camps shut for half the year.

Short answers to the questions that decide the trip.