Self Driving Safari Serengeti National Park
Self Driving Safari Serengeti
There is a certain charm in planning a self-driving safari in Serengeti. It is a very personal experience that tests your skills in driving a 4×4 under some difficult conditions. Additionally, it gives you the reward of finding the wildlife on your own. Self-driving in one of Africa’s national parks is also quite a common activity.
The logistics of planning a self-driving safari in Serengeti. Unlike in many other parts of the world, where planning a road safari simply means renting a car, planning a route, and getting on the road, visiting Serengeti by your own vehicle is more complicated than you think. First, you need to take into consideration that prices will go up significantly. Additionally, expect to drive 300-400 km daily if you want to make the most of your time in Serengeti. Furthermore, you need to know how, and when to explore Serengeti with 4×4, finally the camping site in Serengeti.
Game Drive Serengeti
The Serengeti is the most rewarding national park in the world. However, it’s a park one can enjoy when prepared well in advance. With Toyota Land Cruiser, you can drive into Serengeti. Through the main road running from Naabi Hill gate to Seronera, the center of Serengeti, and from there radiating to east or west. Serengeti has challenging roads with rocky surfaces and washboard ribbons. Due to a notorious rough road, driving is limited to the speed of 25 km/h, or else you’ll lose control instantly with a single-vehicle rollover as a result this is NOT covered in the insurance.
Serengeti is part of a cross-border ecosystem including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Masai Mara in Kenya. From Arusha, the most accessible parts of Serengeti are the southern plains comprising Ndutu and Seronera. The western corridor and north of Serengeti comprise Lobo is rewarding to explore, but it is far out. If you want to explore lesser flamingos from Lake Natron.
How To Get To Serengeti
Serengeti is managed by Tanzania National Park (TANAPA). Driving to Serengeti may opt to pass through the Ngorongoro when coming from and returning to Arusha (Transit). Be aware that you may end up paying the fee twice – once on way to the Serengeti and on your return to Arusha. To avoid this, you can exit Serengeti via other gates.
Klein’s gate is located in the northeast of Serengeti. You may exit Klein’s gate to Lake Natron. Taking into consideration from Klein’s to Lake Natron it’s a long drive with the bumping road.
Ndabaka gate, the westernmost gate into the Serengeti, is located along the Musoma – Mwanza highway. It is mostly used by tourists coming from Mwanza.
Fort Ikoma gate is located on the northwestern border of the Serengeti national park, a few kilometers south of the entry point into the Grumeti game reserve and the small village of Robanda. It is also a few kilometers north of the Ikoma historical site.
Accommodation In Serengeti
Depending on what type of accommodation you will prefer, there are public camps, private camps, and lodges which can be budget, medium-range or luxury. Visiting Serengeti on a self-drive trip is expensive, especially in the high season. The most budget option is camping at the public campsites. There’s a cluster of campsites close to Seronera and two public campsites in the north at the Lobo area. During the migration, this is a good place to stay. It’s around a two-hour drive from Seronera to Lobo. You will pay for public campsites at the gate using a credit card only. You don’t need to book a public campsite in advance.
The Great Migration Serengeti
The Serengeti is famous for its annual wildebeest migration. Over 1 million wildebeest accompanied by large numbers of zebra, smaller numbers of Grant’s & Thomson’s gazelle, and impala migrate in seeking fresh grazing and water with predators such as lions following in their footsteps. However, it’s worth planning your trip dates around the migration. In our experience, Serengeti offers superb wildlife viewing year-round. Moreover, expect to pay exorbitant prices for the mobile camps that congregate near the river crossing and to see plenty of other safari vehicles. Watching the herd of the wildebeest migration crossing the Grumeti and the Mara river is truly spectacular and a highlight of any trip.
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