5 Days Mikumi & Nyerere Game & Boat Safari - Budget Camping Safari

Days Classic Southern Circuit Safari – Budget Camping

This rewarding 5-day budget camping safari is ideal for adventurous travelers who want to experience Tanzania’s famous Southern Circuit while keeping costs affordable. The journey takes you through some of the region’s most wildlife-rich landscapes, including Mikumi National Park and Nyerere National Park (Selous Game Reserve), renowned for their vast wilderness, open plains, river systems, and diverse ecosystems.

With the extra day, enjoy a more relaxed pace and extended time on safari, allowing deeper exploration of both parks. Take part in multiple guided game drives with excellent opportunities to spot elephants, giraffes, buffalos, lions, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, and a wide variety of birdlife.

Spend your nights at public campsites, sleeping under the African sky and embracing the true spirit of safari life. Bush lunches, scenic drives, and unforgettable sunsets over the savannah complete this classic Southern Circuit budget camping safari — an authentic and immersive wildlife experience for travelers seeking adventure and value.

Duration: 5 Days / 4 Night
Destinations: Mikumi NP – Nyerere NP
Safari Style: Budget Camping
Start/End: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Safari Highlights

Explore Mikumi’s wide open savannahs, often compared to the Serengeti, and the vast, river-rich wilderness of Nyerere National Park.
Experience high wildlife density across both parks — lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalos, wildebeest, hippos, crocodiles, and a rich variety of birdlife.
Enjoy excellent game viewing around the Mkata Floodplain in Mikumi and along the Rufiji River in Nyerere.
Immerse yourself in an authentic budget camping experience at public campsites, sleeping under the African sky with basic facilities.
Ideal for travelers with limited time who want a complete, immersive, and adventure-filled Southern Circuit safari experience.

🗓️ Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Dar es Salaam / Morogoro → Mikumi National Park

Early morning departure from Dar es Salaam or Morogoro with a scenic drive to Mikumi National Park. Upon arrival, enjoy an extended game drive across the Mkata Floodplain, one of the park’s prime wildlife areas. Look out for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalos, lions, and a variety of antelope species.
Have a picnic lunch inside the park, then continue with afternoon game viewing.
In the evening, transfer to a public campsite, enjoy dinner, and sleep under the African sky for a true bush camping experience.

Day 2: Full Day Mikumi National Park

Spend a full day exploring Mikumi with morning and afternoon game drives, maximizing your chances of spotting predators, large herbivore herds, and diverse birdlife.
Lunch at the campsite, followed by rest during the hottest part of the day. Optional short walking safari or additional game drive in the late afternoon.
Return to the public campsite for dinner and overnight under the stars.

Day 3: Mikumi National Park → Nyerere National Park

After an early breakfast, depart Mikumi and drive south toward Nyerere National Park (Selous Game Reserve), Tanzania’s largest protected area.
Arrive in the afternoon and enjoy a game drive en route to the campsite, with chances to see elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife along rivers and open plains.
Dinner and overnight at a public campsite inside or near Nyerere National Park.

Day 4: Full Day Nyerere National Park

Spend a full day exploring the vast wilderness of Nyerere with morning and afternoon game drives. See large herds of elephants, buffalo, and giraffes, as well as predators and diverse birdlife along the Rufiji River.
Enjoy a bush lunch in the heart of the park, and take time to relax at the campsite during the midday heat.
Return to the public campsite for dinner and overnight under the African sky.

Day 5: Nyerere National Park → Dar es Salaam

Start the day with an early morning game drive, taking advantage of the active wildlife along the rivers and open plains.
After breakfast at the campsite, begin the return journey to Dar es Salaam, arriving in the late afternoon with unforgettable memories of your Southern Circuit safari adventure.