Cross-country camping safaris are an ideal, and inexpensive, way to get deep into the African bush. Forget ideas of 'roughing it'. On our African camping safaris, you'll enjoy excellent meals served on properly laid tables under the stars. Your tent will be spacious and insect-proof with sewn-in groundsheets, mosquito nets and mattresses.

There is no better way than a camping safari to truly experience the African Bush. After the excitement of game viewing all day, you return to your campsite where another adventure begins. It may be gazelles making their way to a favorite watering hole or curious baboons wanting to inspect your tent while all around you the sky is emblazoned with the brilliant colors that make East African sunsets famous. As night falls, the heavens come alive with millions of stars that seem so close, you could almost pluck them from the skies. While you drift off to sleep, you can hear lions roar and an impala calling for a mate as strange shadows fall across the canvas of your tent.

The most popular safari destination in Tanzania is the Northern Safari Circuit which includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and the National Parks of Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha and Mt. Kilimanjaro. In all of Africa, nowhere else provides the sheer numbers and varieties of game or the ease with which they can be viewed. Each park has its own distinctive habitats and their proximity to each other allows for a satisfying safari experience in a relatively short period of time.

A camping safari can range from a budget tour where you are expected to pitch your own tent and help with the cooking to the luxurious with a private campsite, walk-in canvas tents with cots, uniformed waiters and portable shower and toilet facilities. However, most visitors utilize a full service camping safari where regular park campsites and facilities are used and a driver/guide and cook are responsible for all camp chores. We are flexible and are willing to customize your safari to allow for your special interests or requirements. If a week is too long for you to go without a shower, you may want to request a night in a permanent tented lodge which has an ensuite bathroom with hot water and flush toilets. A safari is always an adventure of a lifetime but a camping safari authenticates the experience and satisfies one's fantasies of the romance of a bygone era.

General Information: If you have a limited time for your camping safari, it is better to make arrangements with a tour operator in advance. This will ensure your ability to visit the parks of your choice since there are restrictions as to the number of vehicles allowed in each park. A passport, visa, and yellow fever certificate are required. There are exceptions to the visa and vaccination requirements but it is advisable to check with the Tanzanian Embassy for current regulations.

It is difficult to compare the costs of camping safaris. This is because there are so many variables involved. These include the number of people in your group and a vast range in the levels of service to be provided. On a fixed schedule, it is better to pay more for a full service camping safari and the reassurance of a worry-free adventure. Feel free to ask us for specific information. A luxury camping safari will cost considerably more.

Do's and Don'ts:

• Do read all you can about the safari experience before planning your trip. Your appreciation of the animals and culture will be greatly enhanced.
• Do plan to use a tour operator. Tanzanian regulations discourage "do it yourself" safaris. There are tour operators for every budget.
• Do be sure to ascertain exactly what is covered in a quoted fee such as airport transfers, use of their camping equipment, park entry fees, camping fees etc.
• Do be aware that a safari can be quite hectic. The smaller your group, the more flexibility you will have in setting your own pace.
• Do allow for the unexpected such as problems with your vehicle, changes in the weather and bugs. These are unavoidable so try to maintain a sense of humor.