Before visiting Tanzania we were worried the Serengeti might feel crowded or overhyped. Instead we found ourselves watching lions, cheetahs and elephants alone with no other safari jeeps around. After spending 7 days exploring Tarangire, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater we completely understood why this is considered one of the best safari experiences in Africa.
A Serengeti Safari is one of the most incredible wildlife experiences in the world, with the chance to see the Big 5, the Great Migration and vast African landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world. After experiencing a safari ourselves this guide shares everything, what to expect, the best time to go and whether a Serengeti Safari is actually worth it. This guide shares safari tips, animals, what to expect, accomodation, game drives and our exact tour.
We booked this 7-day Tanzania safari with Safari Soles and genuinely loved the experience. Our private Serengeti safari had excellent guides, beautiful lodges and incredible wildlife sightings throughout. This is the safari we would personally book again.
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We booked this exact 7-day Tanzania safari with Safari Soles and would happily do it again. Private jeep, incredible guides and unforgettable wildlife sightings throughout.
Table of Contents
Serengeti Safari Quick Facts
| Best time to visit | June to October |
| Ideal Trip Length | 7 days |
| Average cost | $2,500 – $7,500 USD |
| Best for | First time safari |
| Big 5 Sightings | Yes |
| Great Migration | June – August |
Tanzania or Kenya?
We haven’t done a safari in Kenya yet but we decided on Tanzania simply because it has the highest amount of animals per area. We heard it was the best place for safari so we figured that we might as well start there. I am so glad we made this choice because it was incredible. I will update this once we have done a Kenyan safari and share my thoughts.
Why Choose a Serengeti Safari?
We finally settled on a Serengeti Safari because as our first safari experience we wanted it to be as good as it can possibly get…and the Serengeti is known to be the best place in Africa to see animals. What I wasn’t prepared for was actually how good it was! When Mike told me that the Serengeti was the best location for safari I was thinking “but is it too late, has it been ruined or over touristed?” The answer is a solid no! The Serengeti is the perfect place to visit for safari and especially for your first African safari. Check out my detailed post here on why this is the best choice.
How Much Does A Serengeti Safari Cost?
Budget Safari: budget camping options start around $1,500–$2,500USD
Midrange Safari: between $2,800–$4,900 USD total
Luxury Safari: start around $8,000 and up to $18,000 for luxury fly in options.
Balloon Safari: adding a balloon safari experience usually costs between $500-$1000 USD and usually includes champagne breakfast.
Park Fees: ~ $75USD per person per 24 hours, concession fee to stay inside the park ~$60 USD, vehicle fee ~$200USD depending on the car etc and an 18% VAT tax applies to all fees. These are the basic fees although there could be more. These will all be covered by your safari tour company.
Tipping: The rough guide (per person/per day) is between $10-$25 for the guide/driver and $5-$10 at lodges placed in a tip box (no individual tipping to staff). If you have a chef and other staff with you (usually budget camping groups do) they are tipped at $10 per day per person.
Our safari cost: Our 8 day Safari in lodge accommodation costs $3423 USD per person. It was all inclusive and we didn’t need to pay for anything unless it was an extra souvenir or item we wanted. All our food, drinks, accommodation, transport, guide and drives were included. It was excellent! I highly suggest checking availability as it does book out. You can add a balloon safari direct with them once you have booked.
We booked this exact 7-day Tanzania safari with Safari Soles and would happily do it again. Private jeep, incredible guides and unforgettable wildlife sightings throughout.
Our Serengeti experience was the best!
We booked this 7-day Tanzania safari with best Tanzania safari company and genuinely loved the experience. Our private Serengeti safari had excellent guides, beautiful lodges and incredible wildlife sightings throughout. This local Tanzanian owned company made our safari a complete joy. Every day we had an experience that was unforgettable and unexpected.
Our safari consisted of a private guided tour with 5 nights in the Serengeti and two nights in the main town of Arusha. I have written a page up detailing the full itinerary so you can see our complete experience. We booked the mid-range tour which included very comfortable accommodations (that felt more like luxury than mid-range), excellent food and a private guide and jeep complete with an esky of cold soft drinks, wine and beer to have during the drives and lunch. It was the best complete safari, we were incredibly happy! Check availability here.
Our Serengeti Safari Itinerary
Our itinerary was across 7 days. 5 days were spent on game drives in national parks, one before and one after within the town of Arusha. I am not exaggerating when I say this safari was one of the highlights of my life. It was so unbelievably good that I would redo it all now in a heartbeat! The whole tour ran according to this timeline:
- Day 1 – Picked up by our tour company and taken on a guided tour of Arusha market, the Arts Market and dropped off to our accommodation.
- Day 2 – Full day on a game drive in Tarangire National Park.
- Day 3 – Enter the Serengeti National Park Game Drive
- Day 4 – Witnessing the Great Migration in Northern Serengeti
- Day 5 – Leopards, cheetahs and lions in the Southern Serengeti
- Day 6 – Ngorongoro Crater Conservation area
- Day 7 – Day trip to the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro
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Best time to visit the Serengeti:
We wanted to go in the best time for the weather, animals and also the great migration. We chose to go in July (10th to 17th July) as it seemed to be a good fit for us. The weather was excellent, slightly cool but not cold, blue skies and almost no rain. The animals were plentiful and the great migration was definitely on its way.
That said, we were a little too early for the full migration to be underway and had we been a week later or in August it would have been in full swing. Of course this will change yearly and your booking has to suit when you can actually get away as well. We were really happy with our experience and were glad we went when we did. I didn’t want to be there in the rainy season as it would have made game drives less enjoyable.
FAQs for Serengeti Safari
Is Serengeti safari worth it?
Yes! We 100% think our Serengeti Safari was worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
How many days do you need?
Our safari was 7 days and we think it was perfect as we got a mix of animal sightings, local life and unique cultural experiences. After 7 days we were tired and ready for a rest but we were also very sad it was over!
Is Tanzania or Kenya better?
We loved our safari in Tanzania and although we haven’t been to Kenya (we would love to) we do think that doing a Tanzania safari for your first experience would be the best. The sheer number of animals, the well organised and quality experience gave us the most memorable and perfect first safari.
Can you see the Big 5?
Yes! You can see the big 5 on our safari tour, we almost got them all. We saw the Big 4 only missing out on the black rhino that is quite rare. It is giving us a reason to go back and do it again.
Is it safe?
Our Serengeti Safari was very safe, in fact this is the best Tanzania safari company. Our guide was so experienced and knowledgeable we felt totally safe at all times.
Best month for migration?
The best month to see the great migration is typically July. We were there in late June and it was just starting but would have been in full swing a week or so later.
Would We Book This Serengeti Safari Again?
Absolutely.
This was one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had and we would book the exact same tour again without hesitation. If you want an incredible first safari with excellent guides, comfortable accommodation and unforgettable wildlife sightings, this is the safari we personally recommend.
We booked this exact 7-day Tanzania safari with Safari Soles and would happily do it again. Private jeep, incredible guides and unforgettable wildlife sightings throughout.
Plan your trip:
Read next: Is a Serengeti Safari worth it?
Plan your trip: The ultimate safari packing list you need!
Don’t miss: 7 Reasons the Serengeti Is the Best Safari in Africa
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