Tented Camp Safety: Is It Safe to Sleep in it in Tanzania?

Is It Safe to Sleep in a Tented Camp in Tanzania?

Yes. A tented camp in Tanzania is safe when you stay at an established camp and follow a few simple rules. You will probably hear lions, hyenas or hippos at night, and in some camps animals walk through after dark. That is part of the experience, and good camps are designed and run around it.

This guide explains how a tented camp works at night, what the sounds are, which rules keep you safe, and how to choose a camp that suits you. If you are still deciding where to go, start with our guide to planning your first safari in Tanzania. If you want to know what the days feel like, read what to expect on a safari in Tanzania.

The short answer

Is it safe? Yes, at an established camp, when you follow the rules.
Do animals come into camp? In many unfenced camps inside the parks, yes. They walk through and past, usually with no interest in you.
Who keeps you safe? Trained camp staff, often called askari, who escort you to and from your tent after dark.
What is your part? Stay in the tent at night, keep it zipped, and never walk alone after dark.
Is there a lower risk option? Lodges with solid walls, suit nervous guests well.

What is a tented camp actually like?

Picture a hotel room with canvas walls. A permanent tented camp has a real bed with proper bedding, a solid floor, a zip door and windows with mesh screens. In most mid range and luxury camps there is also a bathroom attached to the tent, with a flush toilet and a hot shower. Many tents sit on a raised platform with a veranda. Power usually comes from solar panels or a generator, so lights and charging points work, but some camps switch the generator off at night, so keep a torch beside the bed.

People often mix up the different styles, so here is how they compare:

Permanent tented camps stay in the same place all year. They are what we are talking about in this topic.
Seasonal or mobile camps move to follow the herds. They are smaller and closer to the action, and the tents are just as comfortable.
Public campsites are basic. There is very little between you and the bush, and most first time guests do not need them.
Lodges are solid buildings, like a normal hotel.

We explain how to choose between them, and when to stay inside or outside a park, in our guide to planning a first safari in Tanzania

Do animals come into the camp?

In many unfenced camps in Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Serengeti, yes. Camps are built in the animals’ home, often without a fence, and wildlife moves through at night. Animals you might see or hear near camp include:

Hyenas and jackals, which patrol the edges of camp looking for scraps.
Elephants, which sometimes pass through camp, especially in Tarangire.
Hippos, which leave the water at night to graze on land.
Buffalo, zebra, giraffe and antelope, which walk and graze near camp.
Baboons and monkeys, which look for food in tents during the day.

Lions and leopards are around too, but they rarely come into camp. Animals tend to walk around a tent the way they would walk around a boulder. They do not see it as food, and they are not looking for you. The real risk is surprising an animal on a dark path, which is exactly why the escort system exists.

What are the sounds you hear at night?

Most nights are mostly insects, frogs, birds and wind. When something louder happens, this is usually what it is:

Lions roar with a deep, rolling sound that can carry for several kilometers. You usually hear them far away, not outside your tent.
Hyenas whoop and giggle. It sounds eerie and is often close.
Hippos grunt and honk in rivers and pools, and you may hear them grazing.
Leopards make a rasping, sawing cough.
Elephants rumble, snap branches and splash.
Zebras make short barking calls.
Tree hyraxes scream, which startles almost every first timer because it sounds so unlikely for such a small animal.

A sound is not a sign of danger. Animals are loud because that is how they talk to each other, often across long distances. It is common for first time Safari travelers to feel worried or nervous when they hear such sounds. Some have told us that the sounds kept them awake the first night. But they soon got used to them, and on the second day, they slept normally.

How do camps keep you safe?

Good camps use a system, not luck.

Escorts after dark. Staff walk you between your tent, the dining area and the lounge with a torch. This is the single most important rule.
A way to call for help. Camps give you a whistle, a radio, a bell or clear instructions for calling the night guard if you need someone.
Trained staff. Askari and camp teams know the animals, the paths and what to do when an animal is close.
A sensible layout. Tents stand close to the main area with lit paths, and good camps manage food waste and water so animals have fewer reasons to come near.
A safety briefing. On arrival the camp manager explains the rules, the call system and what to do at night.

The rules guests follow at night

Never walk alone after dark, even for a few meters.
Wait for your escort, and use the camp’s call system if you need one.
Keep your tent zipped when you leave it, including during the day, so baboons and monkeys stay out.
Do not keep food in the tent.
Carry a torch and keep it by the bed.
If you hear an animal near the tent, stay inside and stay quiet. Do not unzip the door to look, and do not shine a torch straight at it.
Stay away from the river or water’s edge in the dark, because hippos graze on land at night.

What if you need the toilet at night?

In most mid range and luxury tents, the toilet is inside the tent, so you never need to go outside. If your camp has toilets in a separate block, call your escort and wait. Do not go alone, even for a short walk. Ask the camp staff at check in how the night system works, so you know it before it gets dark.

Are some camps safer than others?

All established camps work to the same basic standard, but the setting changes the experience.

Lodges outside the parks, such as in Karatu: the calmest option. Solid buildings and very little large wildlife.
Solid walled lodges inside the parks: more separation from animals, with the park all around you.
Permanent tented camps without fences: the classic safari experience, with escorts.
Mobile and seasonal camps: closest to the wildlife, with the same rules.
Public campsites: the least separation and the most exposure. Choose these only if you are comfortable with that.

In the Serengeti, you sleep inside the park, which is why a camp’s escort system matters more than a fence. Around Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, you can choose between staying inside or outside, and staying outside is the calmer option.

Is it safe for children, older travelers and nervous guests?

Yes, with the right camp. Some camps set a minimum age for children, and some require children to stay with an adult at all times. Tell your operator the ages of your children and any worries before you book, so the right camp is chosen. If you are nervous, ask for:

A solid walled lodge or a fenced camp.
A tent close to the main area, so the walk is short.
A clear explanation of the night routine at check in.

If you are an older traveler or have limited mobility, ask about steps, path surfaces and the distance from your tent to the dining area.

How to choose a safe camp: questions to ask your operator

Is the camp fenced, and do animals pass through at night?
How do night escorts work, and is a guard on duty all night?
How do I call for help from my tent?
Is the bathroom inside the tent?
How far is my tent from the main area?
What is the minimum age for children?
Who gives the safety briefing, and when?
Does the camp have first aid trained staff and a plan for medical emergencies?

If you are booking a lodge yourself, check the answers with your operator first. The right camp depends on your route as well as your comfort. We explain why in our planning guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to sleep in a tent in the Serengeti?

Yes. Established Serengeti camps have escorts, trained staff and a clear night routine. Follow the rules and you will be fine.

Do lions come into tented camps?

Lions rarely enter camps. You may hear them from a distance. If an animal does come close, staff know what to do and you stay in your tent.

Can animals get into the tent?

Tents have solid floors and zipped doors, and large animals tend to walk around them. Baboons and monkeys can open or enter an unzipped tent, so keep it closed and keep food out.

Are tented camps fenced?

Some are and many are not. Ask your operator, and choose a fenced or solid walled lodge if that matters to you.

What should I do if I hear an animal outside my tent?

Stay inside, stay quiet, and do not unzip the door to look. If you need help, use the camp’s call system.

Ready to plan a safari you feel comfortable with?

Tell us what worries you most, and we will choose an accommodation type that suits you. Start your Tanzania safari plan, or see our 6 day classic Tanzania safari and other classic safari packages.