“Prepare your cameras, keep your eyes open and shout if you see something move!”

“What are you gonna…”  My heart stops for a few seconds while he turns the jeep around and rushes off in the wrong direction. It’s past 6 pm and park rules don’t even allow us to be driving around for fun anymore, but full double rainbows and almost pitch black silhouettes of trees against deep yellow and orange skies have made us loose track of time.

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

“Shouldn’t we close our windows?!?” … Silence…

This moment is what we came for. The two lions are standing so close to the jeep we could touch them, but we sense there’s no need to be scared. We aren’t. And neither are they. It’s magical.

Note: don’t be that stupid tourist who ACTUALLY tries to touch the animals, keep your arms and everything else inside the jeep!!

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

A safari in Serengeti national park

We’d left the camp site near Lake Manyara earlier that day and drove for a few hours before arriving at our camp for the night, inside the Serengeti. Dust had been the main theme of the ride, as dry season had arrived and there was not a drop of rain in sight. After dropping off our tents and luggage, it was time to get back out there, and take it a bit more pole pole – slowly.

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

We head out into the enless plains (*) of the majestic Serengeti singing ‘Can you feel the love tonight’. Little do we know exactly how much love we’re about to get… (**)

(*) Serengeti means ‘endless plains’ in Maasai language. / (**) Disney’s Lion King was inspired by the Serengeti. 

I get the best seat in the car, right next to the driver. It doesn’t take me long to open the roof, stand up on my seat and enjoy the show with a lot of dust the wind in my hair and the afternoon sun softly caressing burning my skin. #AllWorthItThough 
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

The afternoon views are close to perfect, but as sunset approaches, it becomes nature’s best all together in one place. The sky turns from an almost threatening dark blue to bright purple, and as if the full double rainbow wasn’t enough, we get a lion walking right into it, and another one sitting in a tree…

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

As the sun sets, the sky’s on fire, and two more lions willingly pose right in front of it (look closely, there’s another one a bit further back). It’s past 6 pm and park rules don’t even allow us to be driving around anymore, but we’ve completely lost track of time.

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

“Prepare your cameras, keep your eyes open and shout if you see something move!”

“What are you gonna…”  My heart stops for a few seconds while he turns the jeep around and rushes off in the wrong direction. The lions get so close to the jeep we could touch them. It’s the perfect end of an already unbelievable day.

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

Want to live this experience yourself? I have my own tour business in Tanzania and can organize it for you! 

Have a look at our website and get in touch with all your questions.

Pin it for later!

The next morning we wake up early for a sunrise drive, before leaving the park and heading to Ngorongoro crater for our last day. It’s cold but we don’t care. If day two’s half as perfect as day one, we’ll consider ourselves the luckiest girls in the world. We open the roof, start driving and quickly discover that yes, you CAN get THIS lucky 2 days in a row…

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
The first rays of sun turn the dry grass into gold and warm us up slowly. We spot them shortly after. The male carelessly showing off his manliness, the female tirelessly trying to impress him. It’s a game of seduction, of push and pull, of not giving up, and while reality is probably less romantic than the image in our imagination, we can’t help but just stand there and dream of everlasting love.
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

It goes on for more than 30 minutes before they decide to leave. Another male lion is approaching from far and the nearby rocks offer better shelter. The male takes the lead, and it’s almost as if he’s inviting us to follow them. Another 30 minutes pass by as we advance slowly, but we don’t get bored for even a second. “Can you feel the love tonight today?” How could we not?!?

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures
Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

But our luck’s not over yet. A bit later we run into a whole group of lion cubs and their mothers, and right before we leave the park we spot a leopard jumping out of a tree. Big 5, 4 down, 1 to go, with 1 day left! With our fingers crossed for rhinos tomorrow (there are no rhinos in Lake Manyara or the Serengeti so our only chance to spot them will be Ngorongoro crater), we leave the Serengeti.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST 2 DAYS IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

The scenery of the Serengeti is stunning, but mother nature’s show of rainbows, picture-perfect skies, animals showing up at exactly the right time and jaw-dropping sunrises and sunsets made it indescribable. It feels like there’s even more dust than when we arrived, but the only theme of this ride is gratitude. 

Photo guide - A safari in Tanzania - Serengeti National Park - travel guide in pictures

Disclaimer: this article is about my first safari ever, long before I had my own tour company. The safari was fully paid for by yours truly and opinions are my own and straight from the heart, as always.

Want to live this experience yourself? I have my own tour business in Tanzania and can organize it for you! 

Have a look at our website and get in touch with all your questions.

Any other thoughts or ideas? See you in the comment section!

301 thoughts on “IN PHOTOS: A safari in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania”

    1. Serengeti is one of African safari destination (Masai Mara tops)
      Hence the best experience. From your writing, the love was really on the air.
      Cheers

  1. Wow! Great post and amazing photos! I admire your bravery and I cannot imagine myself going on such an adventure. Anyway, really awesome photos and I enjoyed them very much. Keep up the good work.

  2. Lovely pics and would love to visit these places. Also I am a foodie and interested to cook food which is made in simple steps. As I was looking for such dishes came across “https://www.vahrehvah.com”. You should also definitely try it.

  3. I’ve traveled to more than a dozen countries in Africa and I still haven’t been to the Serengeti. I need to add it to my bucket list.

    That picture of the male lion with his mouth open is amazing!

    Lesley

  4. Hi! we are headed to the serengeti in September – cannot wait!
    I would love to know the lenses you used while you traveled there – I’m trying work out if the one i have is long enough (up to 420mm full frame equivalent!)

  5. These are some amazing pictures! I can’t believe you could spot so many lions just like that. I mean I have never ever spotted a lion or a tiger even in a jungle! Tanzania is on my radar now. Thanks for this virtual safari!

    1. Wow, I bet that must have felt like a proper welcome to Africa! I’d love to hang out with some lions, I think my cats have fairly big yawns so I can only imagine what a lion’s would be like.

      Do you know where you’re going next? I hope you’ll find your way to South Africa at some point, the sand boarding there is soo much fun.

  6. Hello Lisbeth, thank you for your nice article and lovely photos, I would like to invite you to come to Uganda, to see the last remaining wild mountain gorillas.

  7. I second you on getting everyone to visit this place. Serengeti National Park is one of the very best in the world. And your photos do so much justice to this place. Thanks for highlighting it.

  8. Amazing! Africa is one of my favorite reasons in the world. And the main reason is Safaris. I love nature. Your travel story and photos have made my heart ache. I want to go back!!!

  9. Tanzania is always fascinating for a wildlife explorer. A land where lions and giraffes roaming freely. It’s a rare opportunity to meet the animals in their original habitat. Your post covers it all.

  10. A safari adventure! I have always dreamed of going into one! Your photos are so nice its like you have taken me there through your pictures, amazing!

  11. Just Awesome Lili! Great insight and photos. I can see why you are ranked as one of the top must have blogs to subscribe to. We did the National Geographic gig last year and your insights are spot on. If your ever in our neck of the woods look us up.

  12. Tanzania was never on my list, but you make it sound like a wonderful place to explore. And you got too take so many great pictures of lions. I only got to do that at the zoo.

  13. What an amazing experience. You capture the atmosphere very well, both in text as in these gorgeous photos. Can’t wait to experience it for myself one day.

  14. I got mesmerized by the picturesque view of Tanzania Serengeti Safari. These kind of Safari experience remain in your heart for forever. Really the night view are worth of spending time there. An amazing experience that can inspire many across the globe who love to do such thrilling trip. Thanks for sharing.

  15. Beautiful pictures! I wish I could also capture amazing pictures like you. And also the post is super amazing. I will also try my best to visit Serengeti National Park and click the pictures as good as yours in the coming days.

  16. Stunning photos! I’ve always wanted to go on safari and definitely feel like I need to put a trip to Tanzania at the very top of my bucket list. Thanks for all the photographic inspiration because I would love to do the combination of a sunset visit on day 1 and a sunrise drive on day 2 just like you did. Thanks for all the great info.
    Laurel Christine (Laurel@byLaurelChristine.com)

  17. That’s a lovely text you have written, it’s one of a kind online. I have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of what you have written. A brilliantly though piece of writing it is. Overwhelmed to read it.

  18. The photography in this piece is simply stunning. This looked like an incredible adventure. The serengeti and Kilimanjaro are on mu bucket list! Thank you so much for this wonderful story!

  19. Thank you so much for sharing this. Is there any news when the safari trips will be back in Tanzania? Because a lot of trips were canceled due to COVID-19. What do you think?

  20. Wow, what an amazing adventure and photographs! I hope these kind of adventures will continue for everyone soon, although it’s not looking that way .

    What have you been doing since you stopped traveling to make ends meet?

  21. First off, the photos look astoundingly surreal and out of this world! It’s like the sceneries were only captured to be viewed on a movie screen! The beautiful art of nature plus great photography equals these masterpieces! Thank you for sharing these beautiful places with us even though it’s only through virtual but you made us inspired and motivated to work our asses off to even just visit one out of these many wonderful places!

  22. Safari in Cape Town South Africa was one of my most favorite vacations ever. I love the story you told about your experience. Heading to somewhere new without any idea when you are going “home” is so scary and exciting. You are living a wonderful life– thanks so much for sharing your life with us!

  23. Wow! Awesome photos and post. I want to try out this kind of adventure at least once in my life. I would love to see a lion and giraffe up close. Hoping that I’ll be able to visit a safari soon. Thank you for sharing this!

  24. Such an amazing trip!!!! this post is so inspirational and I’m very thankful for your hard work.
    Thanks for sharing these amazing photos and moments with us. we look forward to more posts like this one.

  25. Kumbe Tanzania is that beautiful. I thought Uganda was the most nature gifted country in East Africa. I think i need to travel beyond now, i have fallen in love with Tanzania and its natural wonders. And please Lili, thanks for the good work.

  26. I love this article!!! Such great story-telling, and the pictures are absolutely stunning. It makes me want to go on a Tanzanian safari myself… hopefully I can post-COVID

  27. Wow I always thought that the oceans are the best places to travel but now your albums and journeys changed my mind. Hope that you’ll make many more posts like this for me to admire and maybe travel there in the near future.

  28. Happen to chance across your travel blog, I truly enjoy reading your content and I’m inspired by your willingness to share your travel experiences! Someday I will bring mine family to visit this place too! Keep up the great work and stay safe! Cheers

  29. Thank you for the amazing tips and knowledgeable guide you have shared through your blog. All the placed you have mentioned are beautiful and must be visited once in a lifetime.

  30. Thanks you for another great article. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect way of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such information.

  31. Tanzania has always been on my bucket list. I wish to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro someday. Serengeti would be such a good addition to that trip. Serengeti National park seems to be famous for Zebras. I have never seen one. Lake Manyara seems beautiful too. Thanks for the suggestions.

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