Discover Tanzania with Omotangati Africa
How basic camping Safaris Work?
In addition to a variety of lodging choices, Omotangati Africa offers affordable/rudimentary camping options for our safari tours in Tanzania and its northern parks. Basic camping safaris include a cook and camping equipment in addition to the standard driver/guide. You will be taken to the campsite, which may be inside or even outside the park, where your tent will be set up in front of you following your daily safari game drives. Your camping gear includes a tent, chairs, sleeping bags, pillows, a foam mattress, and a small table. Your chef is going to prepare the evening meal. . The restrooms and toilets will be shared. We pack up our belongings, load them onto the land cruiser, and head to our next destination in the mornings after the cook has finished preparing our meals. You will be in the middle of the wilderness if you choose to camp inside the park. Since there is no fence surrounding these campsites, you must be ready for animals to visit and interact.
Campsite locations
According to the itinerary, we typically use the campsites listed below: For Central Serengeti: One of the public campsites in Seronera, which is in the middle of the Central Serengeti; For Ngorongoro Crater: Simba Campsite (public), situated on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater; For Manyara: A private campsite approximately five minutes outside the park. For an additional cost, a park campsite might be offered for Tarangire, a private campground outside the park. For Ndutu-Simba campsite (public), situated on the rim of Ngorongoro crater (one to two hours from Ndutu), a campsite inside the park may be offered at an additional fee. The closest public campground to Ndutu is this one. In the North Serengeti, Lobo Public Campsite is the only public campground and is about 1 and a half hours from Kogatende/Mara River
Meals and Drinks
Three meals a day will be prepared by the cook you were assigned. Every day, we give each customer two liters of drinking water. If you let us know ahead of time, we can add more drinking water. Before you get to the campsite, you can purchase snacks and alcoholic drinks from grocery stores if you’d like to add them. The campsite serves breakfast and dinner. The meals are either served at a table set up in the open area or, if available, in the campground dining room. Almost always, lunch is made, packed in lunchboxes, and served at picnic areas in the center of the park.
And don’t worry, as after a filling meal, your cook and guide will make sure that no food scraps are discovered close to your tent, which could otherwise draw a lot of animals. Tented camps and lodges provide a greater range and quality of food because they have a restaurant with a staff of chefs and assistant chefs who prepare multiple dishes for each meal. They also have access to a large supply of ingredients and a spacious kitchen tent. During in-camp safaris, your guide assists your cook in preparing meals for you using supplies and cooking equipment brought from Arusha. Even on camping safaris, we rarely hear complaints from customers regarding the food because we use highly regarded chefs and have a bigger budget for meals than the majority of other basic camping safari operators. As a result, customers frequently give us five out of five stars for the food.
What is Included
A basic or budget camping safari also includes the following: Cooking supplies and equipment, two-person dome tents (two clients will share each tent), sleeping bags, foam mattresses, pillows, tables, and chairs, in addition to vehicle and guide fees, park fees, concession fees, and other statutory fees that are necessary for their safari.
Facilities at Campsite
A separate kitchen place will be provided for your cook to prepare meals, and the campsite will have basic restroom facilities. However, because the restroom will be shared, it may not be as hygienic as one in your own private lodge room. Customers who have gone camping on a tight budget frequently report that the shared restrooms lack hot water. Additionally, it is not recommended to use these restrooms after hours. There will inevitably be animals around, and in the dark, they could be dangerous. In case of a bathroom emergency at night, the majority of guides keep a bottle nearby, and they encourage travelers to follow suit. A low-budget safari is therefore not really appropriate for families with small children.
Charging your devices
You won’t have to worry about running out of batteries because your safari car will have charging ports for phones and cameras.
Experience in the wilderness or close to nature:
Do camping safaris provide a more intimate or in-the-middle wilderness experience than do ensuite accommodations (tents or lodges)? In our opinion, the answer is generally no. The degree of wilderness or closeness to nature depends largely on where you stay. For instance, all of our ensuite rooms at the Serengeti are located in the center of the park and provide the same degree of wilderness experience as standard camping.
At Tarangire and Manyara, you can choose to stay inside the park rather than outside for both basic camping and en suite accommodations. In both situations, staying in the park provides an adventurous and up-close experience with nature.
We use Simba campsite, which is situated inside the park on the edge of a crater, for inexpensive camping at Ngorongoro, while Karatu town provides reasonably priced ensuite lodging. Therefore, compared to staying at low-cost lodges in Karatu, basic camping here offers a more intimate connection to nature.
Baggage
Basic camping safaris include a cook who rides in the vehicle with you, in contrast to safaris that stay at lodges or tented camps. Along with your luggage, you will also need to bring any additional camping supplies, like tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, chairs, tables for the crew and everyone, and kitchenware for the three meals the group eats each day . Therefore, there is much less free space in the car than on safaris with ensuite accommodations, especially for safaris with six people. As a result, there will be less room for movement within the land cruiser.
When it rains
In the event of rain, camping on a budget is not comfortable. The campgrounds become slippery and muddy, making it difficult to exit your tent. Despite being waterproof, the tents can occasionally become wet and allow moisture to seep through, particularly during the intense downpours that occur from March to May. In addition to the fact that tented camps and lodges provide discounts during the rainy season, we do not advise low-cost camping safaris between March and May.
Prices
Relatively inexpensive camping safaris are roughly 10–20% less expensive than comparable tours with subpar accommodations on Serengeti itineraries. The cost of camping safaris is comparable to, or occasionally higher than, that of comparable tours with low-cost lodges in Karatu or Mto Wa Mbu for short itineraries that do not visit the Serengeti. Budget camping safaris are roughly 20–25% less expensive than the most expensive ensuite lodgings found inside parks if you want to spend every night there.
Mixing basic camping with tented camps/lodges
Although it is feasible to spend some nights at basic camps and others at tented camps or lodges, this is not a practical choice because cooking and camping equipment rentals are billed on a daily basis, and you may be billed for these services even during your stays at tented camp. Therefore, the total cost may be comparable to spending all nights at a tent camp or lodge. However, we might be able to provide such a tour at competitive prices if you would like to experience both basic and tented camps. Please check with your sales consultant.
Bottom-line
Therefore, a low-cost camping safari has a few advantages (less expensive in going to Serengeti) and a few disadvantages. If you require a large room to store your belongings, a sturdy bed, and a bathroom where you can take a hot shower after a long day at the office, you might not find it appealing. However, it might be a good choice for young people and backpackers on a tight budget to save roughly 10–20% on the tour cost.
Book Your Safari with Omotangati Africa
Start your adventure today! Whether you’re looking for a thrilling wildlife safari, a cultural immersion, or a relaxing beach getaway, we have the perfect tour for you. Contact us now for more information, or simply book your dream safari online.
Why Choose Omotangati Africa?
- Tailored Itineraries: Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned explorer, our safari experts will tailor your experience to match your interests and pace.
- Experienced Guides: Our local guides are passionate, knowledgeable, and committed to providing you with an authentic Tanzanian safari experience.
- Sustainable Travel: We are committed to preserving Tanzania’s natural beauty by promoting eco-friendly tours and supporting conservation efforts.
- Luxury & Comfort: Enjoy the perfect balance of adventure and comfort, with handpicked accommodations ranging from luxurious lodges to classic tented camps.