Self-Launched Northern Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
7 days · Tanzania
Zara Tours charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,040 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Zara Tours' 7-day northern Tanzania lodge safari. Instead of a fully guided group lodge tour, you build the same route yourself: fly into Kilimanjaro, base in Moshi, then join a shared small-group camping/budget safari (the standard backpacker option) covering Tarangire, Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, finishing with a self-booked Materuni waterfalls and coffee day trip. Park fees are the single biggest cost and are unavoidable — but shared camping safaris and local transport bring the total to a fraction of the lodge tour price. All figures are approximate, per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport → Moshi
Moshi
Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and take a pre-arranged shared airport transfer or local taxi (~$30-40, around £25-32, split between passengers) to Moshi town, about 45 minutes away. Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Moshi (e.g. around Kaloleni or the main Moshi strip) and use the afternoon to buy a Tanzanian SIM/data bundle (Vodafone or Airtel, ~£5), change money, and confirm your safari pickup for tomorrow. Eat dinner at a local 'hoteli' — a plate of chipsi mayai or ugali with beans costs £2-4.
🚌Shared airport transfer or taxi from JRO to Moshi (~£25-32 total)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Moshi (~£15-20)
- →Airport transfer to Moshi
- →Buy local SIM card and data bundle
- →Evening orientation walk in Moshi town
Moshi → Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park
Depart Moshi early with your shared safari group (most budget operators include Moshi/Arusha pickup). Drive roughly 2.5-3 hours to Tarangire National Park, famous for its giant baobabs and huge elephant herds. Enter the park with a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon on a game drive, then overnight at a budget tented camp or campsite near Karatu/Mto wa Mbu. If you want to keep costs low, book a camping safari rather than a lodge safari — same parks, same guide, a fraction of the price.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle (included in safari package)
🛏Budget tented camp or camping safari (~£20-25, usually bundled into the safari package)
- →Full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park
- →Baobab and elephant herd viewing
- →Picnic lunch in the park
Tarangire area → Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park
Long but spectacular driving day: pass through Karatu and the Ngorongoro highlands, then descend onto the Serengeti plains via the Naabi Hill gate. Full afternoon game drive en route to your camp in the central Serengeti (Seronera area) — expect zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, lion and, in season, the migration herds. Overnight at a public campsite inside or just outside the park (basic but unforgettable — animals call all night).
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle, ~5-6 hours driving with game viewing stops
🛏Serengeti public campsite (~£20-25, bundled into safari package)
- →Game drive through Ngorongoro highlands
- →Afternoon game drive in the Serengeti
- →Sunset at Seronera
Serengeti → Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Early morning game drive in the Serengeti when predators are active — the best wildlife window of the day. Return to camp for brunch, then drive south towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, stopping for viewpoints over the crater rim. Overnight at a campsite on or near the crater rim (Simba or similar public campsite). It gets cold up here at 2,300m — bring a warm layer.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle, ~4-5 hours driving
🛏Crater rim campsite (~£20-25, bundled into safari package)
- →Sunrise game drive in the Serengeti
- →Crater rim viewpoint stops
Ngorongoro Crater descent
Ngorongoro Crater
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn through the misty forest — the single most reliable place in Tanzania to see the Big Five in one morning, including the rare black rhino. Spend 4-5 hours on the crater floor, picnic lunch by the Ngoitokitok springs (watch the hippos), then climb back out. Drive to Karatu or Mto wa Mbu for the night, or push on to Moshi/Arusha. Note: crater entry is a separate $295 vehicle fee plus $70+ park fee — it's normally wrapped into the safari package price.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle, ~3-4 hours driving plus crater descent
🛏Budget guesthouse in Karatu or Moshi (~£15-20)
- →Dawn descent into Ngorongoro Crater
- →Big Five game viewing including black rhino
- →Picnic lunch at Ngoitokitok springs
Materuni Village, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm
Materuni Village, Moshi
Independent day trip from Moshi to Materuni village on Kilimanjaro's lower slopes. Take a dala-dala (shared minibus, ~£1-2) towards Uru/Kyaria then a boda-boda or short walk to the village, or book a self-guided Materuni trip via GetYourGuide (~£35-45 including village fee, guide and lunch). Walk 45 minutes through coffee and banana plantations to the Materuni waterfall, swim in the cold basalt pool, then join a traditional Chagga lunch, learn to grind and roast coffee with singing and dancing, and taste local banana beer. Back to Moshi for the evening.
🚌Dala-dala and boda-boda to Materuni and back (~£5-8), or GetYourGuide transfer
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Moshi (~£15-20)
- →Materuni waterfall hike and swim
- →Traditional Chagga lunch
- →Coffee farm tour and grinding demonstration
- →Banana beer tasting
Moshi → Kilimanjaro Airport
Kilimanjaro Airport
Last morning in Moshi — grab breakfast, pick up any souvenirs or a final coffee, then head to Kilimanjaro International Airport by shared transfer or taxi (~£25-32) for your onward flight. If your flight is late, you can squeeze in a short visit to the Moshi market or a hot spring trip to Chemka/Kikuletwa if time permits.
🚌Shared airport transfer or taxi to JRO (~£25-32)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Moshi market visit (time permitting)
- →Departure transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport
Self-launched vs. Zara Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Zara Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,040 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,360 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Zara Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,040
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Northern Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,040 per person for 7 days in Tanzania. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Zara Tours?+
Yes — Zara Tours charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,040 — a saving of roughly £1,360 (57%) per person.
How long is the Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Tanzania.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, budget trip through Tanzania, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.