Tanzania Safari Tour Food & Drinks Review: How It’s Really Like
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A full review of Tanzania Safari Tour Food & Drinks based on my recent vacation there.
Although not buffet, buffet, and buffet like Kenya, you can expect cooked local meals from your chef for each meal during your safari tour in Tanzania. I joined an 11-day Kenya–Tanzania safari tour during my last vacation in both Countries.
Before my travel there, I was so worried about the food quality during the tours. Especially in the Tanzanian part, we will be living in tents most of the time during our journey in Serengeti and Ngorongoro (the same for most of the budget-organized tours in Tanzania). I even packed over 20 pieces of protein cookies in advance for that.
In the end, it was totally unnecessary, and I had to carry those cookies back home. So this blog post is to show you what food and drinks to expect during your safari tour in Tanzania, in particular if you are heading to Serengeti and Ngorongoro as I did.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
Even In A Budget Tour
Even for the budget safari tour in Tanzania. You will be accompanied by a chef for even-day tour. There you will have the local food like fried rice and local meat during your game drive in picnic style.
In General, What Food & Drinks To Expect During a Tanzania Safari Trip
On a typical budget Tanzania camping safari (~ 200 – 300 USD), your crew consists of a driver-guide and a dedicated chef. Unlike having a buffet at the campsite in Kenya, your Tanzania part is covered by your local chef.
For lunch, you will be either on the way to a safari or inside a safari. The chef will bring you the food in a couple of large containers (just like our feature page for the post). It usually consists of 3 to 4 courses, from local meat courses like chicken, steamed vegetables, to African fried rice. During my first lunch in a Tanzanian safari, we used the front of the jeep as the lunch table and had a great lunch in the safari.
For breakfast or dinner, you will likely have them at your camping site (yes, a real one with tents). The chef will cook at the dining hall and serve them fresh. Similar to lunch, for dinner you can expect a meat, vegetable, and carb dish. Other than that, during dinner, you could also expect popcorn as an appetizer and soup.
For breakfast, it will be a simple meal like sausages, bread, or local pancakes. As for drinks, the safari jeep is well equipped with bottled water. For breakfast/dinner at the campsite, you can expect basic hot water, coffee, and local tea.
The menu may vary depending on your tour operator. I saw some other groups had a grand meal with steaks and pizza, which I suspected should be a bit more expensive than the budget tour I joined.
Below are the menus I had during my stay in Nyani and Simba campsites during my visit to Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
Breakfast At Nyani and Simba Campsites:
Similar to Kenya, Breakfast is served between 6:00 and 7:00 am in the campsite’s dining hall before you leave for the morning game drive. Below is what I had for my 3 days 2 nights in for Tanzanian safari.
– Fresh bread (white or brown) with margarine, jam, peanut butter, and honey
– Grilled beef or chicken sausages
– Pancakes or thick crepes served with syrup or honey
– Omelette eggs cooked
– Huge fruit platter with watermelon and pineapple
– Instant coffee (Africafe brand), black tea, or hot water
It’s straightforward but filling—exactly what you need before nine hours of bumpy roads and animal spotting.
Lunch At Nyani and Simba Campsites:
Most days are full-day game drives, so lunch is a packed picnic, like what I mentioned earlier. On the day of Ngorongoro National Park, I had lunch at the Simba campsite due to its proximity to the national park.
– Pilau—the famous spiced Tanzanian fried rice with cloves, cinnamon, and sometimes bits of beef
– Spaghetti or penne in tomato-mince sauce
– Pieces of fried or grilled local chicken (kuku choma style) or beef
– Steamed mixed vegetables (cabbage, carrots, green beans)
– Fresh fruit and a small box of juice
– Bottled water
Dinner At Nyani and Simba Campsites:
Dinner is very similar to lunch, except you would have the hot beverage, soup, and popcorn as snacks. It is usually served around 7:00–7:30 pm after sunset drives, eaten together in the dining hall of the campsite.
– Popcorn as an appetizer
– Soup (creamy vegetable, pumpkin, or carrot-ginger)
– Main course: pilau rice or ugali, beef stew, grilled chicken or fish, plenty of steamed vegetables
– Dessert: fresh fruit platter
– Hot beverages like local coffee, tea, and water
Food and Drinks To Expect In Arusha During Transition Stay
Most Tanzania safaris include one transit night in Arusha (usually at the start or end). Budget operators put you in a simple hotel with breakfast included only. The hotel breakfast is buffet style: eggs, sausages, toast, baked beans, fruit, cereal, tea/coffee—standard international hotel fare.
Lunch and dinner in Arusha are on your own, which is actually the perfect chance to explore the city center and try authentic Tanzanian street food:
– Nyama choma (grilled meat) with ugali and kachumbari
– Chipsi mayai (Tanzanian chip omelette)
– Grilled chicken quarters with fries
– Different kinds of grilled fish
– Locally crafted beers
The city is very safe compared to Nairobi in Kenya. You use Bolt for transportation at a low price. I made use of the transit day there to explore the main attractions of the whole city, while having great food at local restaurants like Africafe and Fifi’s Restaurant and Café. On the night of returning to Arusha, I even had a supper at a local bar called Andrew’s for beers and local BBQ fish.
The Comfortable Wild Camping Experience With Great Picnic Food
Although it is not buffet style like Kenya, the picnic-style food in Tanzania is a very unique experience with well-balanced carbs, meats, and vegetables offered. I hope this blog post provides you with an idea of what to expect for food in an organized Tanzanian budget safari tour. Again, it did exceed my expectations and made my 20 + protein cookies more or less unused for my whole journey.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
Local Food In The Wild
The food provided during the budget safari tour is not only enjoyable but it also provides a great unique experience to picnic / having freshly cooked food in the campsite !
Frequently Asked Questions – Tanzania Safari Tour Food
Is the food on a Tanzania budget camping safari actually good?
Yes—fresh, chef-cooked, 3–4 courses every meal. Much better than most people expect, hard to imagine it is from a “budget” tour.
What’s the difference between Tanzania camping food and Kenya safari food?
Tanzania budget = freshly cooked meals for your small group (warm-hot). Kenya budget/mid-range = mostly buffet style kept under heat lamps.
Do I get a private chef on a Tanzania camping safari?
Yes, every jeep of 4–7 people has its own dedicated chef who cooks all meals.
Do I need to tip the chef?
No, tipping is totally voluntary. I did offer 10 USD for 2 days in total as a gesture, though.
Are picnic lunches just cold sandwiches?
No—pilau rice, chicken, pasta, vegetables, fruit, and juice. Sometimes still warm.
What drinks are included on a Tanzania budget safari?
Unlimited bottled water (or at least more than sufficient), tea & coffee. Beer/soft drinks extra (~$3–4 at campsite).
Is vegetarian or special diet food available?
Yes—just inform the operator when booking. Plenty of options for every meal.
Do I need to bring snacks?
Only chocolate or nuts for long game drives. Meals are more than enough.
How hot is the food?
Warm to hot, rarely scalding—cooked outdoors on gas stoves (for dinner and breakfast at the campsite), not buffet warmers.
Is dinner included every night?
Yes, always a full 3–4 course meal with soup, popcorn snack, main, and fruit.
