Car Rental Serengeti: Rent A Car For Self Drive in Serengeti National Park
Car Rental Serengeti, Are you seeking a dependable 4×4 vehicle for rental, either with a driver/guide or for self-drive, in Tanzania? Serengeti Trips provides an extensive selection of dependable and well-maintained 4×4 rental vehicles in Arusha, Dodoma, Moshi, Mwanza, Morogoro, Tanga, Zanzibar, Kigoma, Tabora, Lindi, and Dar-es-salaam.
You may engage a 4×4 with a professional English-speaking driver or embark on your own journey with a self-drive rental option. Our vehicles are fully insured, routinely maintained, available with unlimited mileage, and include 24-hour roadside support.
Our collection include vehicles such as the Toyota Prado, Nissan Safari, Land Cruiser GX, VX, V8, and Hardtop. For camping safaris in Tanzania, we provide robust 4×4 vehicles equipped with double and family rooftop tents, bush tents, and a refrigerator.
Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is one of Tanzania’s premier attractions, featuring savanna grasslands, acacia trees, and small forests and woodlands. The park offers an exceptional opportunity to observe diverse wildlife species because to its hosting of the great migration.
The migration entails a herd of over 1 million wildebeests and thousands of zebras as they advance towards the Mara River to cross into Kenya. During the migration to Kenya, the animals encounter numerous hurdles, including predatory crocodiles and lions, resulting in significant fatalities among them.
Additional wildlife to observe throughout the safari comprises elephants, cheetahs, buffalo, hyenas, impalas, wild dogs, elands, gazelles, lions, ostriches, and several others. Wildlife can be observed during various park activities, including game drives, nature walks, hot air balloon excursions, and others.
Self Drive in Serengeti National Park
Self drive in Serengeti national park, The Serengeti National Park Safari is a 4×4 self-drive expedition in Tanzania’s renowned Serengeti, allowing you the autonomy to traverse expansive plains, observe The Big Five, and immerse yourself in Africa’s untamed splendor at your leisure. Budget-conscious tourists experience adventure and freedom by self-driving in a rugged 4×4, typically a Toyota Land Cruiser, allowing them to camp under wide starry sky at their discretion. You will lack a guide radio or continuous dialogue from the safari vehicle, yet you will possess unencumbered independence and solitude. A 4×4 self-drive safari in Serengeti National Park necessitates meticulous planning due to the rugged terrain; but, the rewards are substantial: you may create your own itinerary, pause for wildlife photography at your discretion, and camp amidst genuinely untamed scenery. A 4×4 Rooftop Tent or a 4×4 Pop-Up camper integrates transportation and lodging, circumventing costly accommodations while being in the heart of the activity.
Arusha Car Rental offers a 4×4 self-drive Land Cruiser equipped with a rooftop tent for your 4×4 Self-Drive Safari in Serengeti National Park, enabling you to camp extensively in the Serengeti wilderness with all necessary equipment included.
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with Roof Top Tent
The 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser LX
4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser Hardtop
4x4 Toyota Rav4 ( Car Rental Arusha)
Toyota Land Cruiser with Double Roof Top Tent
Toyota Land Cruiser Gx Single Roof Top Tent
Can I explore the Serengeti on a self-drive safari?
Indeed, you are able to do so! The Serengeti is arguably the most fulfilling game reserve globally. Nonetheless, it is a park that is most appreciated when one has adequately prepared beforehand.
Self-drive safaris in the Serengeti are permitted with Serengeti Trips Tanzania vehicles, exclusively with a Land Cruiser. The primary route extending from Naabi Hill gate to Seronera, the focal point of activity, and branching off to the East and West from Seronera, is infamous among Tanzanian tour operators for its challenging driving conditions. The path is arduous, characterized by a rugged terrain and undulating ridges. Maintain a maximum speed of 25 km/h; failure to do so may result in immediate loss of control. A single vehicle rollover resulting from this incident is not covered by the insurance.
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Serengeti National Park constitutes a component of a transboundary ecosystem. Comprising the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), the Maasai Mara in Kenya, and other smaller game parks. The southern plains of the Serengeti, including Ndutu and Seronera, are the most accessible areas from Arusha. The western corridor and Lobo offer rewarding exploration, albeit at a considerable distance. For those seeking to discover the less frequented regions of the Serengeti, it is strongly advisable to rent a vehicle accompanied by a driver-guide in Tanzania.
The driving durations to the Serengeti are as follows:
- Travel time from Loduare Gate (entry to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area) to the Ngorongoro Crater entrance is 1.5 hours.
Travel time from the Ngorongoro Crater entrance to Naabi Hill Gate (Serengeti entrance): 2.5 hours - Naabi Hill Gate to Seronera (public campsites): 1 hour
- Travel time from Seronera to Lobo (public campgrounds in the North): 2 hours
- Arusha to Seronera: 9 to 10 hours
How much is the entrance fee for the Serengeti?
Consult the Tanzania Practical Information section for a current summary of entrance costs for all Tanzanian parks.
A ranger to aid with animal spotting costs $23.60 and can be requested at the park gate. He enters your vehicle, but you will operate it independently. This is strongly advised, given the vastness of the Serengeti.
As a lone traveler, you are unable to reserve a ranger for a guided walking safari, unlike in the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire. This must be arranged through a specialized company, such as Wayo Africa.
Traveling to the Serengeti necessitates passage through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) when departing from and returning to Arusha. The charge for the NCA is $70.80 per individual every 24 hours, in addition to the car price. All those entering the Conservation Area are required to pay, even if merely transiting to and from Serengeti National Park. Note that you will incur the NCA fee twice – first while route to the Serengeti and again upon your return to Arusha. The sole method to evade the dual payment of the NCA fee is to depart the Serengeti by Klein’s Gate in the park’s northeast, en route to Lake Natron. Be aware that the journey from Klein’s Gate to Lake Natron is lengthy and arduous, requiring a substantial 7 to 8 hours of travel through a secluded region.
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Timing your visit to the Serengeti with wildlife migration
The Serengeti is renowned for its yearly wildlife migration, as millions of wildebeest and other herbivores traverse in search of fresh grass and water, accompanied by predators like lions trailing after. Determining whether to schedule your safari dates in accordance with the migration is a personal decision. Based on our expertise, the Serengeti provides exceptional animal observation throughout the year. Despite your utmost intentions, you can never be certain that your limited days in the Serengeti will align with the river crossing. Additionally, anticipate incurring high costs for the Mobile Camps situated near the river crossing, as well as encountering numerous other safari cars. Nonetheless, observing the tumultuous herds of wildebeest during their migration over the Grumeti and Mara Rivers is genuinely magnificent and constitutes the pinnacle of any safari experience.
Expert Africa serves as an outstanding resource for inquiries regarding wildebeest migration locations, providing visual representations of the migration through maps available here.
We have outlined the migration cycle below, which, influenced by local rainfall patterns, has a somewhat predictable trajectory:
December to May: the Southeastern region
The game migrations are most regular from December to April, when wildebeest and zebra gather in the Ndutu area to give birth. Following the brief rains of early November, the herds congregate on the short-grass plains, consuming the young, nutrient-rich grasses. They remain here between January, February, and March, with the majority of wildebeest calves being born within a brief period (about February), as predator densities reach their zenith.
May to July: Western Corridor
Wildlife observation is consistently favorable year-round, with a notable increase from late May to July, coinciding with the migration period. Millions of wildebeest move northward in a braying procession of up to 40 kilometers in length. The primary challenge encountered by the wildebeest during this migration is traversing the crocodile-infested waters of the Grumeti River in the Western corridor. The crossing usually transpires from June to early July, with the initial herd to cross facing heightened hazards. Consequently, it may take several weeks from the arrival of the initial wildebeest at the southern banks of the river for the crossing to commence. Numerous wildebeest assemble near the riverbank. Observing the tumultuous herds of wildebeest during their migration across the Grumeti and subsequently the Mara River may be remarkably stunning, frequently characterized by scenes of intense terror and disarray.
July to September: Mara River.
Wildlife observation is exceptional year-round, but reaches a peak of fascination between August and September with the migration of the herd across the Mara River, near the Kenyan border.
September to October: Lobo region.
In October, the wildebeest herds migrate southward once more, returning to the Serengeti, specifically towards the Lobo region and beyond. In December, the cycle recommences.
Camping and affordable places to stay in the Serengeti
Embarking on a safari in the Serengeti incurs significant costs. The most economical choice is camping at public campsites. A cluster of seven campsites is situated near Seronera Wildlife Lodge, along with two public campsites in the northern Lobo region. This is an advantageous location to reside during migrating. The journey from Seronera to Lobo takes around two hours by car.
The camping fees for TANAPA are $35 per person per night. Payment for public campsites is made at the entrance, exclusively via credit card. Advance reservations for public campsites are unnecessary.
The Seronera campsites are somewhat lacking in character and are mainly designed to accommodate inexpensive group safari groups. A spacious enclosed cooking space, designated for the bush chefs of the tour operators, is accompanied by a distinct covered dining area. As an independent traveler, you may also utilize these facilities. You will likely share the campsite with a minimum of 40 other campers with a cheap safari provider. Fortunately, we did not encounter this in the other safari parks in Tanzania.
Expect the following costs when residing in a resort or mobile camp:
Budget: $300 – $400 – Double / Bed and Breakfast
Mid Range: $400-$600 – Double / Bed & Breakfast
Luxury: $600-$800 – Double / Bed and Breakfast
The Arusha Car Rental Travel Guide accompanying your Serengeti Trips Tanzania rental vehicle is an excellent resource, detailing various resorts and campsites. Expeditions to the Serengeti Tanzania has positive experiences with WAYO Green Camps (luxury) and Serengeti View Camp (one of the more economical lodges); nevertheless, we are not familiar with or have not visited all the camps in the Serengeti, as there are numerous options and new ones continually emerging.
Can you help me to book my special campsite ? YES
The designated special campsites in the Serengeti are predominantly allocated to private safari operators, which compete for them by bidding for the season. As a solitary traveler, you will be unable to reside there. The less appealing special campsites are not utilized by safari companies and can be reserved by lone travelers.
Securing a camping permit is challenging and costly; nonetheless, it offers an authentic wilderness experience in a secluded setting. Provide your own food provisions. No facilities are available, including drop toilets or showers.
If you wish to stay at a private campsite rather than a public one, we recommend spending a day in Arusha prior to your safari to visit the TANAPA and NCA headquarters (open Monday to Friday) to explore availability and secure a reservation.