Serengeti walking Safari : A walking safari in a park full of lions, elephants, and other big game is one of the most thrilling activities you can do in your Tanzania, Serengeti safari tour and make your holiday unforgettable. While walking safaris are popular in southern Africa, they are uncommon in east Africa, with only a few exceptions, such as Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. A walking safari in Serengeti National Park is mostly offered by accommodations and lodges inside the park, though some tour companies such as Focus East Africa Tours can also organize this unique activity for you. Walking safari isn’t allowed in all parts of Serengeti National Park and it is only allowed in small and few areas where there are few predators such as lions so as to ensure your safety.
The Ikoma area is a comfortable safari destination with accommodation located within the Serengeti Ecosystem and just 300 meters from the National Park border. Located between the Serengeti Seronera, Grumeti, and Ikorongo Game Reserves, the location is ideal for exploring the Serengeti on a walking safari. Walking safaris in the Serengeti National Park are divided into two types: short walking safaris lasting 1 to 4 hours and costing USD 20 for adults; and long walking safaris lasting more than 4 hours and costing USD 25 for adults.
What to pack and wear in Serengeti walking safari?
What to bring/wear is different from a wildlife drive or a hot air balloon safari, when you sit in your safari vehicle and stroll around while wearing shorts or whatever. Because you never know what is within the bush on your route when you are doing a walking safari in Serengeti National Park, we recommend that you bring and wear clothing that covers all of your body. For example, wear walking shoes, socks, long trousers, long shirts, safari hats, sunglasses, etc. Don’t forget your water bottle because you will spend some time in the bush walking and it is easy to get thirsty.
How long does walking safari take in Serengeti?
How long does a Serengeti walking safari take? Walking safaris in the Serengeti National Park, as well as most other African parks that offer this incredible safari experience, do not take long. The walking safari usually lasts about 2 to 4 hours, but you can request more time if you’re still interested in exploring the jungle and have the energy, but you’ll have to pay more. Walking safaris are ideally paired with other safari activities such as hot air balloon safaris, game drives, and horseback riding because they do not take long.
What to expect on a walking safari in Serengeti National Park?
Your day will typically begin with a quick breakfast to get you moving at 06:30 a.m. A packed breakfast will be served on a rock or next to a stream somewhere out there. Your guide will try to get you back to camp before it gets too hot for a sit-down meal. Afternoons are usually spent in a shaded location, as if you were animals with our eyes closed. As the day grows cooler, you go for a short afternoon walk to get a glimpse of an African sunset.
With a highly well-trained walking guide, a ranger, a chef, and porters who will carry the bulk of the equipment, you go into remote sections of the Serengeti. All you need is a light backpack (limit 15-20 kg) and the ability to put up your own lightweight tent. Sleeping in a tent under the stars, with only the canvas between you and the bush, is an unforgettable experience.
Walking safari take place in wilderness and rhino conservation zones, where only a few other people are permitted. You will be able to explore the wide, unspoilt nature in peace. The gentle sloping hills with little streams, springs in the valleys, and small grassland plains flanked by scant acacia woods make up the majority of these distant locations. The area has a terrific feel and aspect thanks to the large granite outcrops known as kopjes. You will walk from camp to camp on an exciting tour. Except for a daypack carrying personal things for a day stroll, water, and possibly a snack provided by the cook, you won’t need to bring anything. The camp will serve three-course meals at all times.
Expect to get quite close to wild creatures on your walking safari in the Serengeti national park wilderness, and this is the peculiarity of this safari activity, as you will never get this experience on a game drive or a hot air balloon safari. You will be going through various vegetation zones, so anticipate observing a variety of plant species. Don’t worry, you will be accompanied by a Focus East Africa Tours knowledgeable guide who will assist you in interpreting and naming everything you see, from insects to plants.
You will see a lot of insects such as butterflies, also small mammals can be seen and larger mammals such as zebras, giraffes. if your luck, you will even encounter lions and leopards at a very close distance just looking at you with a hungry face, but don’t worry, you will be with an armed park ranger who will be ensuring your safety, so whatever you see predators, don’t be afraid and don’t shake.
When is the best time to go on a walking safari in Serengeti National Park?
The greatest time to go on a walking safari in the Serengeti National Park is during the dry season (from late June to October). This is the best time to see animals in general, with the great wildebeest migration being the ultimate highlight. Wildlife viewing is fantastic all year, but particular sites are better at certain seasons of the year. Also, walking safaris in the Serengeti are best done during the dry season because there is no rain to interrupt and disturb you when you are in the middle of the boundless plains of the Serengeti.
Conclusion, on your safari journey to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, a walking safari is one of the greatest ways to experience the African bush. Walking safaris are also better in the morning and evening when there is no sun, as this is when the animals are more visible. Walking safaris in the Serengeti National Park are short, lasting no more than four hours, making it possible to combine them with other safari activities such as game drives, horseback riding, canoeing, and hot air balloon safaris, which can be done before or after your morning walking safari.
To get the most out of your Tanzania walking safari, combine the Serengeti National Park with other nearby parks into one itinerary and go on walking safaris in all of them, such as Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and Arusha national parks.
