The first step is simple: tell us about your trip. Useful details include your preferred month, trip length, budget range, comfort level and special interests such as big cats, birdlife, photography or cultural visits. Mention children, mobility needs or celebrations so we can plan sensibly. You do not need to know the parks or names yet. Rough ideas are enough, and our team will suggest options, explain trade-offs and help you decide what matters most. The more you tell us, the closer the first draft will be, and you can always add details later.

Choosing parks and pace shapes the whole journey. The Serengeti offers vast plains and the Great Migration, Ngorongoro Crater delivers dense wildlife, Tarangire is known for elephants, and Lake Manyara adds scenery. Some travelers prefer two parks with longer stays, while others like a wider circuit. Because the safari is private, you can start early, rest at midday or stay longer at a sighting. We balance driving time against wildlife time so each day feels enjoyable. We also check realistic drive times so you are never exhausted by long transfers between parks.

Accommodation is where customization is most visible. You can choose budget camping, mid-range lodges, luxury camps or ultra-luxury retreats, and mix levels across one trip. As a general guide, budget camping is about $250-$390, mid-range about $550-$990, luxury about $990-$2,500, and ultra-luxury from about $2,500 per person per day. Location matters as much as style, since a camp near the action saves driving time. We explain each option clearly so your choices match your budget and priorities. Mixing levels is common, such as a luxury camp in the Serengeti and a simpler lodge near the crater.

Extras turn a good safari into a memorable one. Popular additions include a hot air balloon flight, a walking safari where permitted, a Maasai cultural visit, a Zanzibar beach stay, or a Kilimanjaro or Meru climb beforehand. Photographers can request extra time at sightings, and families can ask for child-friendly pacing. Celebrating something special? We can arrange small surprises. Each extra is optional, priced openly and added only when it genuinely improves your trip. Our team will tell you honestly which extras suit your dates and which are better skipped.

Your plan can keep evolving. Before departure, you can swap lodges, add days or change parks as ideas settle, subject to availability. During the safari, your private guide adapts to weather, wildlife movements and how you feel, so you might stay longer with a leopard or skip a stop. Great Migration timing varies with rainfall, so flexibility is valuable. We stay in contact throughout and help adjust where possible. Whatever changes, you keep one point of contact who understands your plan and your preferences.

A customized safari is a private trip designed around your preferences instead of a fixed schedule. You choose the parks, length, accommodation level, pace and activities, and travel with your own guide and vehicle. Foot Slopes Tours and Safaris drafts the route, explains the options and revises it with you until it feels right. This approach suits couples, families, photographers and first-time visitors who want a safari that reflects their own interests.

Start by telling us your travel month, trip length, budget range and interests through our planning form or by contacting our team. Rough ideas are enough. We reply with a draft private itinerary and suggested lodges, then refine it together. There is no need to research every park first, because we explain the choices clearly and help you decide step by step before anything is confirmed. If you prefer to talk first, our team is happy to discuss ideas with you before writing the itinerary.

Booking six to twelve months ahead gives the widest choice of lodges, especially for July to October and the Christmas period. Shorter notice is often possible, though some camps may be full. If your dates are flexible, we can suggest alternatives. Contact us as soon as you have a rough idea, and we will check availability and propose a realistic plan for your chosen travel dates. Early planning also helps with flights, since seats to northern Tanzania fill earlier in the peak months.

Yes, changes are usually possible after the first quote, and refining is a normal part of the process. You can adjust parks, lodges, number of nights and activities, and we will update the price and details. After final confirmation, changes depend on availability and supplier terms, so we explain conditions clearly. Our aim is for you to feel comfortable with every detail before you travel. You will always see the updated cost before approving a change, so there are no surprises later.

Not necessarily. Cost depends on your lodges, season, route and length rather than on customization itself. As a general guide, budget camping is about $250-$390, mid-range about $550-$990, luxury about $990-$2,500, and ultra-luxury from about $2,500 per person per day. Because the plan is yours, you can spend more on what you value and save on what you do not, keeping the final quote transparent. Simply tell us your comfortable budget and we will show where each dollar goes in the plan.

Yes, combining experiences is one of the most popular reasons to customize. Many travelers pair a safari with a Kilimanjaro climb, or finish with a relaxing Zanzibar beach stay. We sequence the parts sensibly, arrange flights and transfers, and allow rest days where useful. Tell us what you want to include, and we will build a single private itinerary with clear timings and logistics. We can also suggest a sensible order, such as the climb first and the safari and beach afterward.

You can customize almost everything on a private Tanzania safari, including the dates, length, parks, pace of each day, accommodation style, meals and special experiences. You might add a walking safari, a hot-air balloon flight, a Maasai cultural visit, a photography focus or a few relaxing days on Zanzibar. Your vehicle and driver-guide are private, so each game drive follows your wishes. Foot Slopes Tours and Safaris builds the itinerary step by step with you, adjusting the route until it matches the safari you imagine. Nothing is fixed until you are happy.

A custom itinerary can include any of Tanzania's main parks, such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Arusha National Park. Many travelers also choose the remote southern and western parks, including Nyerere, Ruaha, Mahale and Katavi, for a quieter experience. The right mix depends on the season, your interests and how much driving you accept. We recommend suitable parks and an order that limits long transfers, so your time is spent watching wildlife rather than sitting in the vehicle. Tell us what you hope to see, and we will suggest a sensible, comfortable route.

Budgets vary with accommodation level, season and trip length. As a general guide, budget camping safaris cost about $250 to $390 per person per day, mid-range safaris about $550 to $990, luxury safaris about $990 to $2,500, and ultra-luxury safaris from about $2,500. Because your itinerary is tailor-made, you decide where to spend and where to save. Tell us your comfortable budget, and Foot Slopes Tours and Safaris will propose options, explaining clearly what each price level includes. Prices depend on season, so we confirm exact figures in your quote.

Yes, a customized safari can be designed for couples, families with children, solo travelers, friends or multi-generational parties, always in a private vehicle with your own guide. We adjust game drive length, rest breaks, room types and activities to your needs, for example shorter drives and family-friendly camps for children, or flexible schedules for older travelers. Solo travelers enjoy complete freedom without compromise. Tell us who is travelling, and we will shape the pace, comfort and experiences so everyone enjoys the journey. Every itinerary remains private and tailor-made, from the first game drive to the last.

For the Great Migration, plan around where the herds are expected. From December to March they are usually in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, with calving around late January and February. From July to October they move through the northern Serengeti, and Mara River crossings peak in August and September. Timing varies with rainfall, so sightings cannot be promised. Because migration camps are limited, we suggest asking about your preferred dates early, so your tailor-made itinerary can be placed in the right area. Our team will explain each option honestly before you decide.