Self Drive in Serengeti National Park – Car Rental Tanzania.
Serengeti National park is the oldest and most popular national park in Tanzania. Was established in 1952 and it is a home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. Its fame comes from the annual wildebeest and zebra’s migration. They migrate looking for new pastures. The migration period is a peak season because it attracts several wildlife enthusiasts who visit Tanzania for the sole purpose of coming to Serengeti National park.
You need a good 4×4 to travel inside of Serengeti, and you also need to be skilled at driving it, as the park’s roads are rutted and rough. Remember that you can’t expect a speedy, city-style assist if you breakdown inside Serengeti. It’s therefore very important to travel in a well-serviced off-road vehicle that’s up to the rigours of the terrain.
Is Serengeti National Park your dream destination?
Still wondering whether to rent a car in Tanzania for a self-drive or go on a guided safari? Whatever your decision might be, what is important to know is that Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly a vast protected area and requires a comfortable rental car for you to navigate through it on self-drive safari. This requires you to plan for it in advance. In this article, we bring to you a complete guide to self-drive safari in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
There are several considerations you have to put forward to have a successful self-drive trip to Serengeti National Park especially if you have decided to hire a safari car.
Areas of interest on guide to self-drive in the Serengeti National Park
- Is it possible or safe to explore the Serengeti National Park on a self-drive tour?
- How do I plan for the park permits for my self-drive tour in Tanzania?
- When should I visit Serengeti to witness the annual wildebeest migration?
- How many gates that access Serengeti National Park?
- Where to stay in the Serengeti on self-drive tour
- Can I book a special campsite on self-drive in the Serengeti National Park?
- How to get to Serengeti National Park?
Is it possible or safe to explore the Serengeti National Park on a self-drive tour?
Yes,
it is possible and safe to explore the Serengeti National Park on self-drive tour. The Serengeti National Park is one of Tanzania’s outstanding safari parks known for its gigantic wildebeest migration experience. But it is an amazing safari park that rewards travel energies especially if well-prepared in advance. The best way to explore Serengeti is by embarking on a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser rental car. This can let you navigate through this vast conservancy area known for its breathtaking landscape.
The Serengeti National Park makes up part of the across-border Eco-system that also coves the vast Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), the Masai Mara in Kenya and several tiny game reserves. If you are from Arusha, Serengeti is reachable from its southern plains consisting of Ndutu and Seronera.
The western corridor and Lobo are amazing to explore although far. The perfect way to explore the least visited part of Serengeti is by embarking on self-drive tour or guided safari using any of our rental cars.
To access Serengeti via Loduare gate (Ngorongoro Conservation Area entrance) to Ngorongoro Crater entrance, it is 1 and half hours’ drive. From Ngorongoro Crater entrance to Naabi Hill gate/Serengeti entrance, it is 2 and half hours’ drive.
From Naabi Hill gate to Seronera, it is an hour’s drive. From Seronera to Lobo to the North, it is 2 hours’ drive and from Arusha to Seronera, it is 9 to 10 hours’ drive.
How do I plan for the park permits for my self-drive tour in Tanzania?
Permits for all parks run by TANAPA are paid at the entrance gate using credit card (Visa/MasterCard). No need for prior bookings and no cash is accepted or debit cards. For Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will secure an entrance quote first prior accessing the gate to pay for the park entrance fee.
Best Time to visit Serengeti National Park?
The wildebeest migration fully depends on the rain season. You cannot successfully be determined when is the next wildebeest because seasons are changing these days due to climate change however car hire companies like Car Rental Tanzania can guarantee you to rely on their expertise-they easily make the best wildebeest migration because of their experience in trips to Serengeti National Park, i highly recommend anyone going for a wildebeest migration safari to consult them.
We have heard about tourists who ended not seeing any zebra or wildebeest in Serengeti National park-all they saw was a green savanna. The reason for this is wrong timing-the season wasn’t right. I wouldn’t wish anyone to get frustrated for not getting what you want. Knowing the wildebeest migration period shall surely save you from frustration and regrets. Simply hire a car when you are sure about the season.
How many gates that access Serengeti National Park?
The Serengeti has four main entry and exit point:
- Naabi Hill Gate
Serengeti’s main gate and also the busiest, Naabi Hills Gate is located approximately 45 kilometers from Seronera. Gate is open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily.
- Ndabaka Gate
Main access gate for the Western Corridor area; approximately a 1.5 hours drive from Mwanza and 145 kilometers from Seronera. Gates are open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily but please note that last entry is at 16h00.
- Klein’s Gate
Klein’s Gate is located in the far north-east of the Serengeti. Gates are open between 06h00 and 18h00 daily but please note that last entry is at 16h00.
- Bologonya Gate
Bologonya Gate is located en route to or from Kenya, but the border is currently closed and unlikely to open soon.
Where to stay in Serengeti National Park?
There are Accommodations and Safari lodges that are found with in the park , We recommend Mid Range and Luxury lodges if your on Car Rental and Accommodation basis . See the List of recommended lodges
- Namiri Plains,
- Tortilis Camp,
- Dunia Camp,
- Singita Mara River,
- Kimondo migration Camp,
- Kabu kabu tented lodge,
- Taasa lodge,
- Mwiba lodge,
- Roving bush top,
- Four seasons Serengeti Safari lodge and Singita Faru Faru lodge.
Can I book a special campsite on self-drive in the Serengeti National Park?
Special campsites within Serengeti are mostly booked by private tour companies who bid on them for the season. An individual visitor isn’t in position to have an overnight there. Usually, the least interesting special campsites aren’t taken by tour companies and they are the ones available for reservation by individual visitors. To have a special campsite booked, you will require spending a day in Arusha prior actual date of your tour and visit TANAPA and Ngorongoro Conservation Area offices in Arusha from Monday to Friday.
How to get to Serengeti National Park
By car from Arusha
The drive to Serengeti National Park from Arusha Airport will take roughly eight hours, but you’ll enjoy some incredible scenery along the way. When visiting Serengeti we highly recommend exploring the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected area suitable for wild animal spotting and home to a vast volcanic crater.
By plane from Arusha
The fastest way to get to Serengeti is by taking a small plane from a regional airport such as Arusha Airport to one of the several small airstrips located directly inside the park. To best way to get to Arusha Airport is by taking a domestic flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport, Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
By plane from Dar es Salaam
Alternatively, to a domestic flight from Arusha it is possible to take a domestic flight from Dar es Salaam to Serengeti. More than eight flights per day depart to Serengeti National Park with flight duration of about two hours. Julius Nyerere International Airport, Tanzania’s largest and busiest airport is located 12 km from Dar es Salaam. International airlines such as Emirates, KLM, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines operate at this airport.
Conclusion
It is possible to hire a self-drive car in Serengeti National park Tanzania. Still figuring out whether to hire a car with carrentaltanzania.com for a self-drive safari, whatever you decide, it’s good to bear in mind that Serengeti national park is massive, and requires some logistics to be taken care of in advance. Before you travel, make sure you read our extensive practical guide and visit the Serengeti well prepared.
