Serengeti Solo: Tanzania Self-Drive Safari In the Cradle of Humankind

This journey through northern Tanzania has temporarily cured, but ultimately only heightened my case of Mal d'Afrique.

Up there in the Olympus of road trip countries, each has its own dominion. The horizon belongs to the Land Down Under. The lakes and forests are of Canada. New Zealand owns the green. But the Sun..the Sun belongs to Central Africa.

The sunrise in the morning shines through your bones but mostly your brain, stirring up primal feelings. It's a Sun that feels ancient, yet so recognizable that it feels like you never left.

It doesn't get more primordial than this. Camping in national parks and getting way too little sleep because of the ever present roars of the lions, far away in the distance, yet throbbing in my heart. My tent swaying from mastodontic elephants who apparently just had to eat from the bush right next to me.

Overview

As a road trip addict, I wasn’t satisfied with simply organizing a safari; I had to drive it myself. I wanted the freedom to spend as much time as I liked staring at a single, unassuming zebra, listening to the raw sounds of the wild without a guide's schedule.

While the standard Land Cruisers communicate via radio to rush toward the most "Instagrammable" sleeping lion, this itinerary prioritizes "living" inside the parks. By avoiding the typical one-night lodge stays and rushed morning game drives, this "Slow Safari" allows you to truly take in the feeling of the wilderness and not just the sights.

This loop covers the legendary Northern Circuit, a route that balances rugged adventure with breathtaking biodiversity, focusing on the following national parks

1. Tarangire National Park: Two days among the ancient baobabs and massive elephant herds.
2. Lake Manyara: A lush, alkaline oasis teeming with birdlife and tree-climbing lions.
3. Ngorongoro Crater: Descending into the "eighth wonder of the world," a self-contained Eden.
4. Serengeti National Park: The crown jewel. I spent five days here, camping under the stars while the tent swayed from mastodontic elephants feeding just inches away, and the distant roars of lions throbbed through the night.

Prepare to get way too little sleep and far too much soul-stirring adventure. Welcome to the ultimate self-drive through Northern Tanzania.

The Fast Facts

Tanzania at a Glance

• Language: Swahili, English
• Population: 57.7 million (2017 est.)
• Timezone: UTC +3 (East Africa Time)
• Political System: Unitary presidential republic
• Ethnic Groups: African, Arab, and Indian ethnicities
• Religions: Muslim majority, with a small Christian minority
• Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
• Credit Cards: Credit cards and ATMs are widely available in large cities but not common in rural areas
• Electricity: 230 volt / 50 hertz (type G, BS 1363)
• Tipping Customs: 10-15% in restaurants and hotels
• Haggling Culture: Common in markets and shops

Getting Around

Safari Etiquette

1. Turn off the engine at a wildlife sighting to avoid startling them and allow their natural behaviors to continue (and also not to disturb other visitors if there are any). 
2. Respect other visitors and avoid blocking their viewpoints and keep noise and voice to a minimum during sightings. 
3. At a wildlife sighting, where many other landcruisers will be queued to get a front-row seat to admire the animal, do not overtake or attempt to squeeze in the queue.
4. Obviously never feed wildlife, approach or attempt to touch them
5. Stay in your vehicle unless at designated areas (e.g., picnic sites or guided walks with armed rangers). 
6. Maintain a safe distance from animals. Both for safety reasons and just out of respect and not being "in their face"
7. Avoid flash photography, which can disorient animals.
8. As for any national park, do not litter in campgrounds and obviously on the road to preserve the environment.
9. Stay on designated roads to prevent habitat damage and erosion. Offroad driving is prohibited in most national parks.
10. Absolutely no honking around wildlife. Also in cities, Tanzanian drivers do not use their horn much, contrary to other African, especially North African, countries.
11. Follow the speed limit. As much as it is fun to drive and drift a bit on the sandy and gravel roads, inside parks it makes no sense as you miss out on the sights and become a danger to others, and the wildlife itsel

Camping

Car Rental & Insurance

The minimum age requirement to rent a car is 21 years old.

Avoid the standard Europcar, Avis etc and stick to local rental companies that provide sturdy "battle hardened" 4x4 vehicles.

My car was a Land Cruiser booked through Road Trip Africa. The reservation can be easily done online and the owners follow up via email providing a lot of information.

Be sure to organize with them all the park permits beforehand. For some it just saves the hassle. For the Ngorongoro crater it must be done beforehand and booked for a specific date.

On the morning of the pickup they will explain in detail every aspect of the vehicle (tyre changing, 4x4 gears, pop-up tent and roof, etc.). The handover is long and could take a couple of hours.

As always, be sure to give a name to your car (mine was Arro). For this trip it will be your trusty companion, and I would find myself praising it with "good boy"s after a rough patch where I thought I would flip over. It's a pity that treats and biscuits to give to cars don't exist.

Campsites

Each national park has a plethora of private "special" campsites, and of course other accomodations that range from glamping solutions to luxurious lodges.

I stayed in the public campsites for the most part, with the exception of one day in Serengeti where I stayed at African Serengeti Ikoma, which on top of being beautiful was quite amusing because I arrived covered in dust, mud and sand after a week of very spartan camping. and might have ruined a bit the view for the other visitors relaxing at the pool.

Public campsites are paid separately from the entrance fee and can purchased at the park gate. Once inside you can choose whichever you like.

What to expect

Don't expect much in terms of amentiies. There are toilets, cold showers, a single large (fenced) kitchen area, and thats's about it. You'll need to be self sufficient in terms of gear and food. Operators will often cut down some wood that they will happily share. Try to find a spot more on the interior of camp. I often stayed away from other cars and tents because I wanted the "raw" experience, but that meant sleepness nights and jumpscares as I was the first to be met by roaming elephants and scavenging hyenas at night. In Tarangire especially it felt like they were scratching their back on my car.

Safety Rules

Whether you choose a vehicle with a hard shell tent, a normal rooftop tent, or a tent to place on the ground, doesn't make much of a difference in terms of safety. Predators will not get in the campsite, and large elephants that just don't give a damn regardless.

In national parks consider everything as a potential threat and you should never get out of your vehicle except in designated areas (I did a couple of times in vast low grass areas),

Driving: The Rules of the Bush

• First and foremost, the basics: in Tanzania, driving is on the right side, and all common driving requirements are followed (i.e., mandatory seatbelts, it is illegal to drive under the influence (limit at 0.08%), and the driving legal age is 18).
• An IDP is not required to drive in Tanzania. That being said, a general rule is that the license must always use the characters that are used in the country, so if your drivers license is written with Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic, or others you will need to an IDP.
• As per common traffic rules with RHT, priority must be given to vehicles coming from the right, except on roundabouts which are anticlockwise, with way given to those already in the roundabout (so to the left). Outside of main urban areas, traffic moving along a main road has priority at an intersection.
• No Night Driving: This is a hard rule. Between unlit carts, livestock, and lions, the roads become a different world after dark.

Speed Limits

In towns the limit is strictly 50 km/h and is enforced with frequent police checks.

Outside towns and villages, in rural areas the limit is 80 km/h.

In national parks, the (maximum) speed limit is 40 km/h or 50 km/h. The exception is Ngorongoro where the limit drops to 25 km/h. Needless to say that in the presence of wildlife the speed reduces dramatically (also why would you want to speed through and avoid all the sights?)

Obviously animals that happily cross the road like giraffes, baboons, elephants, and zebras have the right of way.

Roads

This road trip is quite simple and you will basically always remain on one road which is well maintained with few, if any, potholes. There are no traditional highway tolls, and tolls are in form of park entry fees. Roadworks are common, leading to traffic deviations off the road.

A whole different story will be the section after Ngorongoro which is abysmal. That stretch will give you a nice "African Massage": the road is corrugated gravel, bumpy, dusty, and is truly car breaking and bone shattering.

Park Fees

These are the real "tolls", and park entry fees can be quite expensive. Below is breakdown for adults, during peak season, with a standard vehicle < 2000 kg

The Ngorongoro Crater Descent Fee is a hefty ~$295 USD per vehicle, but worth every penny.

Fueling

Needless to say to keep an eye on your gas tank. Most 4x4 will have two tanks, or a spare jerry can, but it's obviously better to always have half a tank full before entering the deep bush.

That being said, most likely you will only need to stop for fuel once or twice at most during this trip. Fuel can be paid in cash or by card and gas stations are both serviced and self-service.

Good places to refuel are the major cities like Arusha, Karatu, and Mta Wa Mbu. Try not to refuel in towns within national parks like Seronera as it is obviously more expensive.

Consider that from Karatu to the Serengeti it's 160km of low gear driving, plus the exploration of the vast plains, and the return path (regardless of whether you take the southern or northern exits)

Police

You will encounter a lot of police checkpoints. Police however tends to ignore tourists and your stop will probably amount to a friendly "Jambo"and some chit chat before letting you through.

Wildlife & Roadkill

Needless to say that wildlife spotting is the entire point of this trip.

You won't encounter a lot of roadkill. Within national parks the speed limit is low and clearly great respect is given to the fauna. Outside of national parks cattle are always accompanied by the Maasai shepheard, and in town traffic is slow and busy. Also, any dead animals on the roads are quickly "cleaned up" by vultures, hyenas and other scavengers.

Driving Culture & Quirks

• The frequent car breakdowns you will encounter should be preceded by a reflective triangle, but more often you will see large bundles of acacia tree branches placed on the ground. If you encounter these shrubs on the road be prepared to see a vehicle being repaired.
• Most lanes in Tanzania, especially outside the main cities, are narrow, so it’s a common practice for drivers to look out for other drivers by giving signals using their indicators to communicate. When a driver in front blinks his right turn signal, it means it’s not safe to pass, and there's oncoming traffic. If the driver flashes his left turn signal, it means the road is clear and there’s no oncoming traffic for you.
• Drivers of overlanders carrying tourists are simply doing their job and will try to get as close as possible to animal sightings near the roads. Similarly, where there isn't any wildlife to be seen they will speed through the dirt roads to get to the next attraction.
• Drivers will also tend to remain in the center of the roads, to avoid potential flat tyres when going a bit to the left or right where the roads are less smooth. This driving behaviour might seem a bit aggressive but everybody is just trying not get a flat tyre (and there is an unspoken battle as to who dodges and moves to the side).
• In towns, be prepared for all kinds of encounters. From vendors running to your car to sell fruit, children hoping to get some money, people carrying carts of goods, cattle such as goats and cows, children going to school, and Maasai herders.

General Info & Tips

Seasons & Best Time to Visit

Tanzania has a tropical climate, with generally warm temperatures throughout the year. The country experiences two distinct rainy seasons, typically from March to May and from November to December. The coastal regions and islands have a more humid and tropical climate, while the highlands have a milder and cooler climate. The northern and central regions tend to be drier and more arid, while the southern region is typically hot and dry.

The best time to visit is during the Dry Season in Summer, but it's also the peak tourism months. In general:

• Dry Season (June to October): The "Goldilocks" zone. Animals congregate around water holes, making them incredibly easy to spot. The weather is cool and clear.
• The Calving Season (January to February): Head to the southern Serengeti to see thousands of wildebeest calves being born (and the predators that follow them).
• The Long Rains (March to May): The "Green Season." It’s lush and beautiful, but some remote tracks in the Serengeti can become impassable mud-pits. Also the vegetation means the wildlife is much harder to spot.

Safety

Tanzania is a stable country politically and one of the safest countries in Africa. That being said, the country is not very safe for tourists. There is a moderate risk of mugging and terrorist attacks, and female safety is generally considered low. The major risks involve petty crimes such as scams and pickpocketing, which are very common, so for example, avoid hailing taxis on the street and be wary of your surroundings in crowded areas.

Natural risks: The most common natural disasters in Tanzania are droughts, and floods. Various epidemics are common but droughts are the primary safety concern.

Malaria is also a concern for this trip. While mosquitoes are generally less present at higher altitudes like Ngorongoro or Kilimajaro NP, they are present in Tarangire, Manyara, and Serengeti. Antimalaria profilaxis and strong (30-50% DEET) insect repellents are recommended.

Emergencies number: 112 (police), 114 (fire department), 115 (emergency medical services)

Safety Indices

Entry Requirements

An entry visa is required for most countries except those directly neighboring Tanzania. For most countries, an eVisa or visa on arrival is necessary.

Click the map to see details on visa requirements for each country

Alternatively, input your passport citizenship and quickly see the requirements that apply to you:

Other Tips

• Download the TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) app and offline maps like iOverlander2 for areas with no coverage. In general you should always have offline maps and camping apps. Check out this article for an extensive coverage of the best maps, camping, and overnight stops apps
• Beware of dusty roads and keep your windows up on those gravel roads unless you want your car interior (and your lungs) to turn the color of Serengeti silt.
• Learn your basic greetings: "Asante" (Thank you), "Karibu" (Welcome), "Jambo" and "Mambo"

Frequently Asked Questions

Itinerary

With all that said and done, let’s move on to the itinerary.

Driving times overview

Below is a breakdown of the major stops and driving distances.

Arusha is the gateway to the Northern Circuit. Standing at the foot of Mount Meru and at 1,400m above sea level, it enjoys a temperate climate and a lush, verdant landscape characterized by leafy suburbs, coffee estates, and bustling local commerce.

You will most likely land at Kilimanjaro International Airport (about a 1-hour drive from the city center) or at Arusha Airport with a domestic flight from Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar (which by the way are a great big city or paradise beach addition to this African trip).

Arusha as a city doesn't offer much in terms of sightseeing or monuments. It has a strong coffee culture that traces back to colonial times, with several coffee farms which offer tours and tasting. There is also the Cultural Heritage Center with its massive collection of African art, and Maasai markets that sell local produce, crafts and street food.

Once you get your vehicle you can explore the surroundings of Kilimanjaro National Park, and Arusha National Park, or leave them for last for when you return and instead head straight onward to the wild and out into the open plains of the Great Rift Valley.

Arusha National Park

1.5h outside of the city stands Arusha National Park. It is a great initial and "easier" park which can be visited as a half or full day trip and complements big‑game parks.

It is compact but diverse, with rainforest, the Ngurdoto Crater knowns as "Little Ngorongoro", and the alkaline Momella Lake where thousands of pink flamingos can be spotted in the wet season. Because it lacks large predators, it’s also one of the few places where you can ditch the car and experience the bush on foot (accompanied by a ranger).

Impressions

This was my favorite stop. There is something humbling about seeing a large family of elephants drinking under a 2,000-year-old tree; it makes you realize how small your rental car actually is.

There were also very few visitors. I encountered only a couple of landcruisers on the main road, which made it feel like the park was all to myself, and the experience felt more intimate and rugged.

Tips

• As mentioned earlier, Tarangire is prime tsetse fly territory, so avoid dark blue and black clothing and keep your windows up as much as possible. There is also a risk of malaria in the area, so seek medical advice accordingly.

Impressions

Lake Manyara is quite frankly overhyped in my opinion. Depending on the season the park can be flooded or the lake too dry (meaning that the famous flamingos disappear). The tree-climbing lions are also elusive and do not climb every day. Speaking with locals throughout my journey I learned that over the past several years, wildlife has been more and more scarce in the region.

However, the baboon colonies are massive and genuinely impressive, and driving the loop through shallow rivers is a fun technical challenge.

Because it’s a compact park that you can "finish" in a few hours, I recommend to treat this as a half-day trip without stopping for the night in a campground.

The great thing of Ngorongoro is that seasons do not affect as much as other regions in terms of wildlife abundance. It is a self-sustained ecosystem, and many animals remain inside in the crater valley, creating this little world where they are all "stuck" together year-round.

To get to the Serenegeti you will have to cross the Ngorongoro conservation area, paying around 100$. This allows you to visit the crater rim, although the altitude and frequent mist means the area will be foggy and there won't be much to see.

Instead, be sure to organize a visit down to the crater. It's not cheap but worth it. This is also the only area that cannot be visited without a ranger, so as a solo driver will need to hire one. They can either drive or accompany you as passengers.

Note that the Ngorongoro crater is compact. While it might take multiple days to see everything in the conservation area, including hikes, and visits to Maasai bomas, the crater highlight can be visited in around 5 hours.

Be sure to drive to the Lerai Forest which is the key feeding ground of hundreds of elephants, and Lake Magadi for hippos (and, as always, flamingos in season)

Impressions

The conservation area is beautiful and compact. Witnessing servals hiding in tall grass, lions perched on rocks scouring the horizon, families of hippos, wildebeest, buffalos, elephants, hyenas, and gazelles all relatively closeby, and all living in this ecosystem packed to the brim, is a sight to behold.

If I have to do an economical evaluation though, considering that it costs 4 times as much to visit compared to other areas, is it 4x as impressive? Not really.

My guide was friendly, a great co-pilot for managing the steep road, and an excellent spotter (although I did not have binocullars so the spotted rhino in the distance was a mere grey dot). However, after I had visited all the parks, I have to say that I enjoyed more other moments and experiences.

Tips

• If, like me, you plan on visiting the conservation area as a day trip and proceed to the Serengeti, this will be a packed day, and you have to account for at least 3 hours of very rough road after the visit to the Serengeti gate, plus 1 hour to Seronera.
• Aim to be at the crater rim early in the morning to avoid the crowds. If needed, stop on the way in the town of Karatu, the last major city you will encounter. It is also the last reliable fuel stop before the Serengeti and the next ~400 kms (counting return) .
• 4x4 is required. Make sure your brakes are in top condition, as the descent/ascent is very steep.
• If you arrive in the morning, the crater rim which sits at around 2000 mt will be chilly and covered in mist.
• The access to the crater is limited one 6‑hour session per vehicle, and gates typically open ~06:00–18:00.
• Last time I mention it: wear appropriate clothing against tsetse flies, and insect repellent since malaria is a risk.

Impressions

I did not visit the museum as the day was almost over and had to reach the Serengeti before sunset to camp for the night. What impressed me though, apart from the road from hell, was the transition of the landscape. My morning was spent in the misty rainforests of the Ngorongoro rim, and the afternoon in this desolate and incredibly dusty lunar landscape.

I also had a peak experience towards the end. After hours of bone shattering, with my car filled with fine powdery sand, it started raining. The road became a slick, muddy lane, and I spent over half hour just drifting, admittedly going too fast, to reach the campground. Then the clouds opened up just at the final stretch, and I witnessed a fiery Sun setting in the Serengeti plains. The wildlife was everywhere, intent on grazing the freshly wet grass. And then I saw them. My favorite animal when I was a child and that I never managed to spot: a majestic leopard quickly darting across the road and disappearing in the bushes. It called out and was followed by her two clumsy cubs.

With dust-filled lungs, broken bones, but teary eyes I reached the Dik-Dik public campsite.

Tips

• Put your clothes and electronics in plastic bags.The dust on the Olduvai road is so fine that it will penetrate your car no matter what and even get inside luggage.
• It's wise to lower your tire pressure. If the corrugated road with sharp rocks perforates a tire, changing it on the side of the road surrounded by dust winds and flying shrapnel rocks from other drivers is not a fun experience.
• Visibility will also be extremely low from the thick dust clouds. Keep a safe distance (and try to overtake other cars when safe to avoid getting all their raised sand).

After around 4 hours you will have arrived Seronera, the main town of the the Serengeti where most public campgrounds are located.

You've finally reached the Endless Plains. In fact the name says it all: Siringet means "the place where the land runs on forever." The Serengeti isn't just a park but a 15,000 km² ecosystem that demands at least 3 days to even begin to process.

The Serengeti is East Africa’s quintessential safari destination: endless short-grass plains, acacia savanna, and granite kopjes threaded with seasonal rivers and teeming with predators. It's Great Rift Valley at it's finest.

Whether you’re tracking the Great Migration or admiring cheetas and lions in the central valley, or croc-guarded rivers, or millions of wildebeest and zebras in the southern calving grounds, the Serengeti is raw, unfiltered nature.

Impressions

I loved the sightseeing rhythm that I developed. I would follow other landcruisers who were speeding to a certain location (since they communicate via radio and notify each other of animal sightings) to get the "sightseeing" part. The spots were incredibly crowded, sometimes dozens upon dozens of landcruisers on the sides of the road and gathered to get a front row seat. In these situations the etiquette of turning off the engine often goes out the window, as it is fundamentally a traffic jam, and other cars try to squeeze in.

After seeing the "mandatory" sight, or after the crowds would become unbearable, I would purposely avoid any roads with other cruisers, looking for "my own" sights. There, simple giraffe crossings, or single-file caravans of zebras were made even more beautiful by the surrounding solitude and silence.

In this regard one of the most memorable moment was driving the Ikoma Circuit, where I was awestruck by the vast herds of wildebeest: hundreds stretching across the plains, grazing under acacia trees. I spent a lot of time there, perched on top of my landcruiser, surrounded by their loud bellows for territory (and many flies). Each morning I would also go to the road crossing of the Orangi River and Serengeti river, and the Retina pool to watch for a long time the dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of hippos grunting and splashing in the peaceful still waters.

Tips

• Look out for kopjes. These small hills and rock formations will often have big cats resting there and taking in the view just like lazy domestic house cats (especially in the morning).
• In the wet season (winter), head to the Ndutu plains of southern Serengeti to the calving grounds, where zebras, gazelles, and especially wildebeest give birth to hundreds of thousands of calves.
• In the dry season (summer), head to the Western corridor and northern Serengeti to witness the mass migration and crossings of the Grumeti River and Mara River.
• Book a Sunrise Balloon Safari. Drifting in hot-air balloons over the plains at dawn is a unique and romantic experience. I didn't do it in this camping trip, but experienced it as a child and still have indelible memories to this day. It's an expensive activity (~ $500), but a bucket-list item for sure.
• Camping: Most public campsites are located within the central region around Seronera. For a more wild experience the Lobo Public Campsite lies in the north and offers incredible views over the plains and kopjes. The Kirawira Public Campsite is in the Western Corridor along the Grumeti river, and the Kogatende Public Campsite is in the far north near the Mara river.

Lake Natron is another landscape that seems taken from another planet. This alkaline soda lake is inhospitable to most animals, yet thrives with salt-loving microorganisms. These microbes produce red pigments that often turn the water a blood-red hue, intensified during the dry season when evaporation increases salinity. Lake Natron is also the the primary breeding ground for 75% of the world's Lesser Flamingos.

The Return to Arusha: From Lake Natron, head south toward Engaruka and eventually hit the tarmac at Mto wa Mbu.

Impressions

Since I visited on my way back on the last day before ending the trip, I didn't explore much of Moshi. I instead took the time to relax in a nice boutique hotel with beautiful views of Kili, sipped Serengeti and Kilimanjaro beers while taking baths on the terrace (and spent a lot of time cleaning my car).

Closing Thoughts

Self-driving through these national parks is a visceral joy. You learn to appreciate the "down times" between wildlife sightings, finding fun in the technicality of off-road driving and the rhythm of the trail.

It is a luxury. In the end you spend almost as much as going on an organized safari. But when you stumble upon two lions resting under a lone acacia, and they aren't yet surrounded by a dozen other vehicles, it feels as though the moment was made specifically for you. You kill the engine. You sit in the silence. You can admire a herd crossing the road or watch the complex social hierarchies of monkeys for hours. In an organized safari, even the best guide creates a subtle pressure to move on and "see it all." When you hold the keys, you aren't just a spectator; you are there, living alongside these majestic creatures. You start to feel at home.

Stopping for the night in a public campground is also an entirely different world. Here, you lack the buffer of a professional crew. The local guides are occupied setting up elaborate glamping scenes for their clients or tending to their own camps. Yet, the camaraderie of the bush remains; they are quick to offer a friendly word to the uninitiated, answering questions like, "Am I pitched directly in an elephant's midnight path?", or sharing firewood, soap, and water for cooking.

As the light of the (unrivalled) sunset fades, the atmosphere shifts. The nights are special, and at times, terrifying. Whether the danger is concrete or merely imagined, your "lizard brain" recognizes the sounds of the dark. Those roars and rustles are a stark reminder of where we once stood in the food chain.

The next morning, during the golden hour of sunrise you don't merely watch the sun with your eyes, but with your skin. It settles into your soul and when it's finally up you feel that you can go out again, timidly, like other small herbivores and preys.

For a few fleeting days, I didn't just visit the long stretches of the Serengeti, I was part of it.