Is the $4K max for both of you?
- from this you'll have to deduct airfare from Europe which during this peak period can be at least $800/person return; doesn't leave much for the safari segment;
- best airport to arrive would be Kilimanjaro/JRO Tanzania but fares are quite high via KLM out of AMSterdam;
- there are more competitive airfares into Nairobi/NBO Kenya from where you can take a cheap ($35/person) shuttle bus to Arusha Tanzania to commence safari.

You may very well have to increase your budget at $1,200/person might not get you very far.

August is peak season with highest prices even if only a budget camping safari.
- Basic budget camping will incur costs for a guide/vehicle and cook at about $225/day, then the park fees and fees for campsite; per person rate and also any equipment you might have to rent.

How many days do you plan to stay in-country?
- only 5/days, you can just about visit at Tarangire (great for elephants, predators, birds, other and a mini-migration during this time); along with a stop at Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater where you'll find lots of game at the latter.
- if only interested in the Serengeti, you'll have to figure 1/day getting to Central and 1/day for return... then whatever your costs will be.
- if more than 5/days, you can visit Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, allowing for road transport to/from and between all.

For the Serengeti, know that from Arusha it will take an entire day to drive there and that's only to the Central area, which is almost always best for game as there is local water source for them during this dry period. However, if you wish to catch the 'migration' that would have to be the very Northern Serengeti, where there aren't any budget camping sites. Though there is a lower priced lodge in the Lobo area, but this is still about a 3.5-4/hrs drive from true north.

There is no guarantee how many animals or which you will see as when visiting game in their natural habitate this will vary. If you want to be assured... gotta go to a zoo!

Suggest you contact a few in-country Tanzania tour outfitters, see the TATOTZ site for a list of many; select 5-6 of them and send individual emails detailing: when visiting, # of people, # of days in-country, type of accommodations (i.e., budget camping/low cost lodges), estimated budget. Then see what they recommend and the costs.

Good luck!

I just booked my trip from the U.S for 2 weeks. We will be staying in tent camps on the Serengeti and we do have a private guide for our Safari. I will be going from NY to Amsterdam to. Kilimanjaro. My trip is running $1,500 for air and $5,600 for land,

olive 1209 thanks for including your pricing. That is really helpful. I have booked my kenyan safari but am having trouble with the tanzanian part. The pricing is ridiculous and it looks like the company we paid our deposit to has ripped up off. hmm.