24 Days Self -Drive camping Safari: Southern & Western and Northern Tanzania

Trip overview of 24 Days Self -Drive camping Safari

These 24 days safari adventure through Tanzania will take you to all top safari destinations of Tanzania while self driving offering you a chance to encounter the top safari destination in northern Tanzania including the renowned Serengeti national park for the wildebeest migration, Ngorongoro crater, the biggest unbroken caldera in the world and Tarangire national park, famous for its huge concentration of elephants and magnificent landscape.

You will further visit different parks in the southern park of Tanzania including Nyerere national park which is the biggest protected area in Tanzania. Then proceed to Mikumi national park national park, famous for its magnificent landscape and diversified wildlife. You will proceed to Udzungwa mountains national park for the hiking experience. Continue with your wildlife adventure to Ruah national park for more wildlife viewing before exiting the southern circuit with the stop over at Mbeya city heading to the western part of Tanzania where you will be able to encounter different primates.

The trip will further extend to the western part of the country where you will visit places like Gombe stream National Park, the home to the endangered mountain gorillas and various other primates that you will encounter during your visit there. After Gombe, you will Katavi national park for another great experience with the wildlife.

The safari will start from Dar es salaam and end in Arusha a circuit that will give you a great understanding of Tanzania demography and all that make the country a prime destination on African continent.

Summary itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Dar es salaam airport

Day 2: Dar es salaam- Nyerere national park

Day 3: Nyerere National Park

Day 4: Nyerere – Mikumi National Park

Day 5: Mikumi National Park

Day 6: Mikumi to Udzungwa National Park

Day 7: Udzugwa to Ruaha national Park

Day 8: Ruaha National Park

Day 9: Another day in Ruaha National Park

Day 10: Ruaha to Kitulo National Park

Day 11:  Rest day in Mbeya

Day 12: Kitulo to Lake Tanganyika

Day 13: Lake Tanganyika

Day 14: Lake Tanganyika to Katavi national park

Day 15: Katavi national park

Day 16: Katavi to Kigoma

Day 17: Gombe stream national park

Day 18: Kigoma to Mwanza

Day 19: Mwanza to Serengeti national park

Day 20: Serengeti national park

Day 21: Serengeti to Ngorongoro conservation area

Day 22: Ngorongoro crater transfer to Tarangire national park

Day 23: Tarangire national park

Day 24: Tarangire to Arusha

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Dar es salaam airport

On your arrival at Dar es salaam international airport, you will be received by the company driver with your car fully equipped with all the camping equipments. After the brief inspection of the cars together with the driver and test driving, you will proceed to process your payment and receive your car to start off your 24 days trip that will begin from dar es salaam. Spend the rest of the day within Dar exploring some beautiful places. You can also opt to visit Coco beach in Dar es salaam before heading to sleep late in the evening.

Day 2: Dar es salaam- Nyerere national park

After your self-prepared breakfast, you will head to Nyerere national park (formally serous national park) for a greater wildlife adventure through the park. Nyerere is the largest national park in Tanzania with a lot to offer even though it attracts less traffic when compared to other parks in the northern.

Day 3: Nyerere National Park

It is the day to explore selous national park, the largest protected area in Tanzania. Nyerere National Park, formerly Selous Game Reserve, offers a diverse range of attractions, including abundant wildlife, diverse birdlife, and unique safari experiences. Visitors can enjoy game drives to spot the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, and black rhino), along with other species like giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and wild dogs. Boat safaris along the Rufiji River provide opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, and numerous bird species. Walking safaris and cultural tours also offer unique perspectives on the park’s ecosystem and local communities

Day 4: Nyerere – Mikumi National Park.

After the morning game drive at Nyerere, you will drive to Mikumi national park located near Morogoro city. The park is about 300 kilo metres from Nyerere national park which is about 5-hour drive to the park.

Day 5: Mikumi National Park

After the breakfast, you will start your early morning game drive to have an encounter with the early grazers of the park. Mikumi National Park offers diverse wildlife viewing opportunities, including the “Big Five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino) and a variety of other animals and birds. The park’s landscape, featuring savannahs, woodlands, and mountain ranges, adds to its appeal. Bird watching, game drives, and hiking opportunities are popular activities at the park.

Day 6: Mikumi to Udzungwa National Park

Now that you have explored Mikumi national park, you will head to Udzungwa mountains national park. The park is located about 150 kilometres from Mikumi national park which is about 3 hours to reach this mountainous park is the southern Tanzania. Once you arrive at the park, you will head to Udzungwa waterfall for a breath-taking view of these magnificent falls. You will also do a forest walk to discover various bird species and different plans species in the forest with the help of the local guide

Day 7: Udzugwa to Ruaha national Park

Early in the morning, you will hike through the mountains to enjoy the diversifying landscape that define the park. The park is famous for its highly diversified ecosystem that you will witness during this early morning walk. After this guided hiking, you return to your car to continue with your journey to Ruaha national park located about 360 kilometres from Udzungwa mountains. The drive to Ruaha will take about 6 to 7 hours where you will arrive in evening for a dinner and overnight stay.

Day 8: Ruaha National Park

A game drive in Ruaha national park will start very early in the morning with the hope of encountering the early grazers. Ruaha National Park, known for its diverse wildlife and vast wilderness, offers a variety of sights for visitors. The park is renowned for its excellent wildlife-sighting opportunities, including the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo) and numerous other animals like waterbuck, impala, and gazelle. Beyond the animals, the park features a mix of rugged landscapes, baobab forests, and rocky outcrops, making it a visually stunning destination.

Day 9: Another day in Ruaha National Park

Surely a day in Ruaha national park is not enough. Have a second day to discover whatever you will have missed out on the first day to ensure that you leave no room for regret after this great adventure.

Day 10: Ruaha to Kitulo National Park

Now that we have seen it all in Ruaha national park, we shall transfer to Kitulo national park, located about 300 kilo metres from Ruaha national park which is about 7-hour drive from. You will arrive at the park late in the evening for a well-earned rest and over night stay.

Day 11:  Rest day in Mbeya

Mbeya is a city in southwest Tanzania. It sits at the base of soaring Loleza Peak, between the Mbeya and Poroto mountain ranges. On the town’s outskirts is Lake Ngozi, a huge crater lake surrounded by dense forest rich in birdlife. Kitulo Plateau National Park, southeast of the city, is known for its colorful wildflowers. Farther south is Matema Beach, a resort town on the shores of the vast, fish-filled Lake Nyasa. On this day you will have a relaxation with a boat cruise on the alkaline lake. This boat cruise is optional and not paid for in our quotation.

Day 12: Kitulo to Lake Tanganyika

Continue with your drive west of Tanzania to Lake Tanganyika near Burundi and DRC borders. The driving time and distance will be determined by the exact location where you will be going along the lake showers but is estimated to be an average of 8 hours and about 350-kilometre drive from Mbeya.

Day 13: Lake Tanganyika

Have a boat cruise on Lake Tanganyika and experience the various aquatic life along the lake. You will also be able to Lake see a variety of activities, including visiting local fishing villages, relaxing on beaches, enjoying water sports like diving and snorkelling, and experiencing the local fishing lifestyle.

Day 14: Lake Tanganyika to Katavi national park

Then transfer to Katavi national par. Katavi National Park is located about 40 to 50 kilometers east of Lake Tanganyika. This means it’s relatively close to the lake, making it a convenient option for a combined wildlife and lakeside experience.

Day 15: Katavi national park

A day to explore Katavi national park. Katavi National Park offers a variety of wildlife viewing and nature-based activities, including game drives, walking safaris, birdwatching, and boat safaris. You can also enjoy cultural encounters, camp in the park, and explore the park’s natural beauty. All that will be experienced during your visit to the park.

Day 16: Katavi to Kigoma

Now that you are fully immersed with Katavi national park beauty, proceed to Kigoma. Kigoma town is located North of Katavi National Park, and the journey takes approximately 5 hours by road. The distance is roughly 128 km (80 miles). It can also be reached by chartered flight or by boat from Katavi.

Day 17: Gombe stream national park

Gombe stream national park is famously known for being a home to the endangered chimpanzees that inhabit within the park. The park is also a home for Jane Goodall research centre that was established to ensure that these great apes do not get extinct. Beside chimpanzees, you will be able to encounter several other primate species during you visit to the park and Gombe is also famous for its high concentration of various bird species.

Day 18: Kigoma to Mwanza

Now that you are done with Chimpanzee tracking, you will transfer to Mwanza city which is about 600 kilometres from Kigoma town and about 10-hour drive. This full day drive will bring you to the city in evening ready for the dinner and an overnight stay in the stay

Day 19: Mwanza to Serengeti national park

Continue with your drive to the renowned Serengeti national park. The drive from Mwanza to Serengeti is about 140 kilometres and it will be about three 3 hour drive to the northern of Serengeti through Ndebaka gate. On arrival o the park you will star with a game drive through the endless plain of Serengeti as the park name suggest.

Day 20: Serengeti national park

Continue with a full day game drive to witness various wildlife including the famous wildebeest. Depending on the time of your travel, you will be able to witness the mara river crossing of the wildebeest if the timing is rights. This is an event that draws thousands of revealers all over the world to witness zebras and wildebeest crossing the crocodile infested river mara river as they are looking for the new grazing areas. The park is also famous for its high concentration of big cats and the big five of Africa.

Day 21: Serengeti to Ngorongoro conservation area

After adventuring Serengeti, drive towards the south of the park to Ngorongoro conservation area. Another famous protected area which is connected to Serengeti national park at nebi gate in Ndutu area. Continue with the drive to Karatu where you will be spending your night.

Day 22: Ngorongoro crater transfer to Tarangire national park

The adventure continues to the biggest unbroken caldera in the world in Ngorongoro craters, the only place where you will be able to witness all the big five of Africa in less than a day and also enjoy the diversifying landscape that makes Ngorongoro to stand out as on of the 7 wonders of the world. After the exploration, ascend the crater to and drive to tarangire national park for your overnight stay and dinner

Day 23: Tarangire national park

Your final day on this 24 best of Tanzania adventure will be spent while exploring Tarangire national park, famously known for its high concentration of elephants and Baobab trees that are known for their ability to reserve waters.

Day 24: Tarangire to Arusha

After the breakfast, you will return to arusha to catch your next flight to you next destination and this will spell the end of this 24 days great adventure through Tanzania.

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