Serengeti Without a Guide: Here's Why You Shouldn't
The Serengeti is a very beautiful Park. Its also one of the most popular safari destinations in the world. However, this popularity comes with a big price tag. With the average organized tour costing upwards of $3000 per person, you may have wondered to yourself, if you can go to the Serengeti without a guide or organized tour. I was wondering this, the other day, so I did some research and he’s what I found.
While it is possible to go to the Serengeti without a guide, it is not very advisable. Tour guides hugely enhance your experience in any African national park and they are well worth the money you pay to have them accompany you. This is because they know where all the animals are and can provide you with history and context that you may not be able to pick up from a book or the internet. In this article, I will break down what it takes to go to the Serengeti without a guide and outline the reasons why it’s not a great idea.
Defining “Without a guide”
What I mean by ‘going to the Serengeti without a guide’ is not using an organized tour or hiring any help for your Serengeti adventure. This means that you will be totally on your own only been assisted by maps, the internet and other tourists.
Is it possible to go to the Serengeti without a guide?
I will first begin by stating that it is possible to go to the Serengeti without a guide. All you need is to hire your own vehicle and book accommodation in the lodges or camps within the park its vicinity.
One of the things you will need to put into consideration is that you will not be able to go to the Serengeti without a vehicle. The gates are far and isolated so taking a bus there is not an option.
The great thing though is that once arrive in the Serengeti, there are no restrictions or requirements that you have a guide accompanying you as you explore the game park.
Going without a guide is ideal for you if…
Going to the Serengeti without a guide is ideal if you fit any of the following:
- You do not have the budget to pay for the organized tour of Serengeti but are still keen on visiting the park.
- You are already familiar with the park and wouldn’t easily get lost in the park
- You have a wild sense of adventure and don’t mind getting lost once in a while
- You do not have any particular animals that you would like to see and won’t be disappointed if you don’t see any of the popular ones.
- You would like to experience the scenery and avoid the worn path that most tourists use
- You are a competent driver and know how to handle a four-wheel-drive vehicle in rough conditions.
- If you are accompanied by a child below the age of 10. Most tour operators have a lower age limit and you may be forced to do a self-drive tour.
Why this is NOT a good option for most people
The following are the reasons why going to the Serengeti without a guide is not a great idea for most tourists
Not see all animals
If you’re going to be driving yourself within the Serengeti you might not see all the animals that are there. This is because spotting animals takes a bit of skill and most guides have perfected this art. Tour guide also know the best viewing and vantage points and the best locations to find specific types of animals.
May not see spectacles like hunts
Most tour guides operate in a network and provide information with each other when something interesting happens like when a lion is hunting or when a fresh kill has just been caught. Not having a guide will put you at a clear disadvantage in such situations.
May get lost or stranded
The Serengeti is a vast place and it’s easy to get lost in there. you will need to have a really good sense of direction to avoid getting lost or stranded in the middle of the park. GPS will also help with this so if you’re planning to go on your own, plan appropriately to avoid getting lost.
May get stuck during the rainy season
the rainy season makes many of the parks in East Africa difficult to navigate. Though most roads are all-weather murram roads, a number of them become impassable during the rainy season. You may get stranded if you were not prepared for this.
The roads at the Serengeti can get like this one
May be more expensive
The tour operators and travel agencies usually negotiate discounts with hotels and lodges and they sometimes pass on these savings back to their clients. Traveling without a guide may end up costing you more than using their service if you are not able to hunt for deals.
Self-driving Is riskier
Driving on the roads in Africa can be a daunting experience especially if you are not used to driving on rough roads or with unruly drivers. You may want to read about an article I wrote about driving in Kenya as a foreigner. The guidelines outlined in that article can also apply to Tanzania.
When is the best time to go to the Serengeti without a guide?
If you are planning to do the safari without a guide, the best time to travel is in the dry seasons of June to August. Or Late December to February. These seasons provide the least risk of getting stuck in the Serengeti mud.
This season also experiences concentrations of animals around watering holes and this makes them easier to spot.
An Alternative cheaper guide.
In case your reason for not using a guide is your budget, you may want to consider hiring one of the game Rangers at the Serengeti to accompany you during your drive.
They are familiar with the lay of the land and will give you a similar experience to a tour guide from an organized tour. They would know some of the best places to see your favorite animals and help you stay away from some of the roads that may be impassable.
The standard tipping procedure for such guides is negotiating a price before you start and then pay them at the end of the day. If they did a good job, I would encourage you to tip them something extra than what you had agreed. upon. If they will be accompanying you the whole of the day expect to provide them with lunch as well.
Something to note about the game Rangers is that many do not know English. Before engaging them, establish whether you’ll be able to communicate effectively with each other.