Has anyone travelled recently from Dodoma north towards the serengeti , arusha region. I am looking for budget places to stay or camp sites along the route.
any advice on visiting the parks also welcomed as I am driving a foreign registered car and when I start to add up the costs for a family of 4 its over $200 a day just to visit without over night fees!
Thanks

I haven't driven the whole of your route but this info may help

Clive

Royal Beach Hotel Babati S 04.23143 E 35.74350 Run down place in a lovely position. Sloping site, no facilities inc water. Restaurant awful. Lots of bird life, hippos, dugout canoes rides. 20000Tsh after neg.

Lakeview Campsite Tarangire S 03.67158 E 35.93117 Level site under development. Great views, no power at sockets. Nice bar, food excellent by locally trained chef. 20,000 Tsh pn
Don't be put off by entrance. Nice cabins with H & C water Close to entrance to Tangire NP

Jambo Lodge and Campsite, Mto Wa Mbu S 03.37458 E 35.86678 Shade, elec poss. Otherwise poor facilities. Arranges trips to Ngorongoro Crater. $10 pppn

Oasis Lodge and Camping 20kms west of Arusha S 03.40574 E 36.50993 Almost level site but not much shade, friendly. Restaurant – meat from own farm. Occasional overland group. 13,000Tsh pppn inc elec.

Maserani Snake Park Nr Arusha S 03.46986 E 36.48328 Level, poor facilities, bar, no elec. Entry to park $15 pp inc free camping, snakes and Masai museum. 2 nights ok for entry fee

Masai Camp Arusha S 03.38528 E 36.71943 Level , shade, average facilities, used by overland trucks, adequate bar and restaurant. $12 pppn

thanks Clive, I will check them out

We drove that way in 2013 - we met a couple of people who took the road directly North from Dodoma to Babati and regretted it - an easier route is to go Dodoma-Singida-Babati - it's tar all the way and lots is excellent.

We stayed at one of the small hotels on the edge of Lake Singida (Stanley Motel Annex) - basically we camped in their grounds - no problems.

Be aware that the Masai camp at Arusha can be noisy - as in revererating disco till 4am....

Ian

One solution for park entry in Tanz can be to find a friendly local farmer and ask if you can rent one of their vehicles for use in the parks - it sometimes works and can save bundles on entry fees but you then need to work out where to sleep.....it's approx $300/night for our vehicle plus us - and thats not even in the Serengeti

Dodoma road to Arusha is in poor condition.

Better route is Dodoma, Manyoni, Singida, Babati, Arusha. Virtually all good tar other than about 2km and some roadworks near Arusha that you'd hit anyway.

Any guest house will be reasonable and cheap, about 10,000TSH a night including breakfast. I didn't wild camp in TZ.





Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk