How To Book A Serengeti Safari in 8 Easy Steps + First Time in Serengeti

This Serengeti Trip Planner is a step-by-step guide where we tell you How To Book A Serengeti Safari, together with some insider tips. A first-time tourist may find it challenging to plan and schedule a Serengeti Safari tour in Tanzania because there are numerous aspects to consider. Choosing a tour operator, kind of lodging, mode of transportation, additional optional activities, manner of payment, and documentation of all essential travel documents are some of these considerations. Each of these characteristics will be discussed in detail below.

The Serengeti National Park – Scenic Wildlife Film With African Music

The Ultimate Guide to Booking a Serengeti Safari

Basics Of Booking A Safari

Set your heart on Serengeti National Park in Tanzania for your next Safari Holiday trip. It is a top wildlife attraction in Africa and Tanzania’s flagship conservation region. Because of its diversified population of wildlife including as elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, hyena, eland, gazelle, and the Serengeti’s famous big cats, the park provides great year-round game viewing.
After deciding on a vacation destination, the next step is to look online for a trustworthy tour operator in Tanzania or in your own country to acquire a quote and guide you through the planning process. We will include some of the basic details that tour operators will request from you when making an inquiry below;

• Select your travel dates: You must enter your travel dates, even if they are months away, as this will help with pricing for your Safari vacation. So, when is the best season to visit the Serengeti? The Serengeti is considered a year-round safari destination since it has a more or less optimum climate and an abundance of species for good game watching all year.
  If you are intending on visiting the park for the Great Wildebeest Migration, the optimum time to visit Serengeti is between late July/early August and mid October, which also corresponds with peak season. Prices tend to rise during peak season due to strong demand, making it more expensive to reserve accommodations. If you have a limited budget, it is recommended to avoid peak season and travel during the low (April to June) or shoulder season (January to March), when rates are lower and hotels are plentiful.
• Group Size: Tell your tour operator how many people will be traveling, and if you are traveling with children, please also note their ages at the time of trip, as this will help plan your Safari tour. Solo travelers are very well served.
• Room Plan: Depending on the number of persons traveling, choose your preferred room plan, such as single, double, twin, triple, or family room. This is also useful when pricing your tour.
• Mode of Transport: You can choose a road Safari tour that includes transportation in either a Safari Tour Van or a 4×4 Land Cruiser Jeep, or you can opt for a luxury Fly-in Safari that includes a return flight from Arusha to the Serengeti. Serengeti Safari Packages can be found here.

Choose A Tour Operator

Before deciding on a travel agency to assist you in organizing and booking your Safari Tour. Conduct comprehensive research online and choose a well-established and renowned Tour Operator based in Tanzania who is also a member of TATO (Tanzania Association of Tour Operators), since this will ensure that you get good value for your money.

Select Level Of Luxury

Top Hotels, Lodges & Tents in Serengeti, Tanzania, Africa

Serengeti National Park has some fantastic hotels that offer a wide range of lodging alternatives to suit every budget. Accommodation options range from adventure budget camping to mid-range tented camps to ultra-luxurious safari hotels. As a result, it is critical to identify your chosen sort of lodging while keeping in mind that your selection should be in line with your budget. There are economical, mid-range (lower to upper mid-range), and luxury campgrounds and lodges to pick from.

• Luxury tents and lodges are often modest, boutique-style structures that are designed to blend into their surroundings and adhere to the greatest environmental requirements. The overarching concept is to provide luxury while remaining as close to nature as possible.
• Camps in the middle of the spectrum This category includes various Serengeti campgrounds and lodges. They provide travelers a superior experience at a reasonable price. Many of these camps have more lodge-like amenities and are larger than small exclusive or mobile campers, with swimming pools, vast common spaces, well-stocked gift stores, and some even purpose-built Spas.
• Budget Camps are designed for the budget-conscious traveler. Almost all inexpensive hotels are located outside of the main Serengeti National Park boundary.

Add Optional Activities

Aside from the regular Serengeti Safari package, which includes your primary Safari charges such as lodging and food, transportation to and from Arusha, safari game excursions, and park entry fees. You can also include additional activities such as a hot air balloon safari, a Maasai village tour, nature and bush walks, bush lunches and sundowners. All of these activities are optional, but they are fascinating and contribute to your Safari experience.

Get A Quote

After submitting all of the following information, you can now obtain a quote based on your itinerary. Please double-check that the cost includes all of your requirements. It is also necessary to establish whether the lodging is full-board, half-board, or bed and breakfast.

If you opt to book a road safari, you should also consider the type of vehicle, which might be a Safari Tour Van or a 4×4 Land Cruiser Jeep that can transport up to 7 people. Tour vans are the most popular means of transport for safari tourists because they are less expensive than other vehicle types. Toyota Landcruiser 4x4s are more expensive than Tour Vans, which is understandable given that these are larger, four wheel drive vehicles that make rough road driving significantly more comfortable.

Book Your Serengeti Safari

TANZANIA SAFARI | Exploring The Serengeti

Choose an acceptable quote and book the tour. Typical booking conditions involve a deposit with the remainder due one month before the start of the arrangements. Your tour operator will give you with booking criteria such as deposit payment and cancellation terms/policy.

Payment

Safari operators in Tanzania commonly accept credit cards (Visa or Mastercard) using a secure online payment system or through the PayPal system. Once your reservation has been confirmed and your sales consultant has issued you the invoice, you will receive an email with a link that will take you to a secure online payment system where you may enter your information and process your payment. All credit card payments are subject to a surcharge ranging from 3 to 7%, depending on the credit card company.
Payment can also be done by debit card in the same way as credit card, with bank transfer fees ranging from 4.5 to 5%.

Entry Requirement To Tanzania

After check-in and prior to arrival, all passengers flying into Tanzania must complete a health surveillance form online here. After submitting the form, you will receive an email with a QR code that must be presented to port health officials in order to proceed to arrival immigration.

You must also show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 96 hours of departure. You can find a list of nations that are exempt from quarantine upon arrival here.
All guests wishing to visit the Serengeti who need a visa to enter Tanzania are recommended to apply for the visa in advance through the Tanzania evisa website. Tanzania visas are accessible upon arrival in Tanzania, whether at the airport or at the border crossing. A visa on arrival costs $50 for non-US citizens and $100 for US citizens. This must be paid in US currency.

Documentation

Not to be overlooked are travel documents such as your passport, health cards (vaccination certificates if necessary), airline tickets, credit cards, and insurance paperwork. Check that all of the paperwork are in order and up to date. Your passport must have at least two blank pages and a validity period of six months from the anticipated date of departure from Tanzania.