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Tanzania safari costs – what does a safari in Tanzania cost?
Overview of costs
he cost of a Tanzania safari can vary greatly. The price depends mainly on the duration of the trip, the accommodation chosen, the number of travelers and the route through the national parks.
An individually planned safari offers the advantage that the route, accommodation and comfort can be adapted exactly to your wishes. This allows you to plan your trip flexibly, regardless of whether you want a classic safari, a family safari, a honeymoon safari or a particularly comfortable luxury safari you are planning.
What factors influence the cost of a Tanzania safari
Trip duration
The longer your safari lasts, the higher the total cost of the trip. Many travelers opt for a safari of between one and three weeks to discover several national parks. As a rough guide, the cost of a safari in Tanzania is often between around 400 and 1200 US dollars per person per day. This price usually includes accommodation, meals, safari vehicle, private guide and park fees.
A combination with a beach vacation on Zanzibar incurs lower costs, as there are no cost blocks such as guide, vehicle or national park fees.
Number of travelers
The number of travelers also has an influence on the cost of a safari in Tanzania. Many basic services such as the safari vehicle, the private guide or certain transfers are incurred regardless of the group size. These costs are distributed among the participants on a trip.
If several people are traveling together, these fixed costs can be shared, which often reduces the price per person. This is why safaris for four or six travelers per person are often cheaper than for a single person or a couple.
Especially on a Tanzania Individual Trip couples, families or small groups benefit from the fact that they can travel together and share certain costs, while still enjoying a private safari with their own guide and having maximum flexibility within the framework of the daily itinerary.
Season and travel time
The travel time can also have an influence on the cost of a trip to Tanzania. Demand is particularly high during the peak travel season from June to September and around international vacation periods. During these months, many lodges and camps are fully booked early and prices can be correspondingly higher.
In other months of the year, demand is often lower, which means that more attractive prices are sometimes possible. However, it should be noted that the price differences are not necessarily huge.
However, Tanzania is a fascinating destination all year round. The animals are permanently present in the national parks and can be observed regardless of the season. You can find more information on this on our page on the best time to travel to Tanzania.
Lodges
The choice of accommodation has a major influence on the costs. In Tanzania, there is a wide choice from simple camps to comfortable lodges and exclusive safari accommodation. Prices vary greatly depending on the standard of the accommodation. The location of the accommodation is also important. Lodges within the national parks are usually more expensive, but offer a special experience and proximity to the wildlife.
Another factor is the food. During the safari, full board is the standard – breakfast and dinner at the lodge and a lunch box for lunch on the go. On Zanzibar or Mafia Island, however, it naturally makes a difference to the price whether you book breakfast, half board, full board or even all-inclusive.
You can find more information about this on our page about Tanzania accommodation.
National parks and park fees
The best-known national parks have different entrance fees. Parks such as the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater or Tarangire National Park in particular are among the most spectacular safari regions in the country and are often part of many safari routes. The fees vary between 60 and 90 USD per person per day up to 300 USD per vehicle per day. There are also so-called WMA fees for accommodation that is not located in national parks but in other protected areas.
If you would like to find out more about the individual regions, you can find more information on our page about the Tanzania National Parks.
Private guide and vehicle
Our safaris are organized as private trips. You travel with your own driver guide and safari vehicle, which allows you to organize your trip flexibly. Both the vehicle, including fuel and equipment, and the guide are cost blocks. Only certified tour guides work for us and we also have an internal training program to ensure the highest quality. Our guides are paid accordingly. Unlike most providers, we also cover the costs for the guides’ overnight stays and vehicle cleaning. With many companies, the guides have to bear these costs themselves. Unfortunately, this is no joke!
Additional activities during the safari
Additional activities can also affect the cost of a safari. In addition to classic game drives, there are other special experiences in many regions of Tanzania that can be optionally integrated into the trip.
These include, for example, guided nature walks, cultural encounters with local Maasai, a coffee tour or balloon rides over the savannah. A balloon safari over the Serengeti in particular is one of the most impressive experiences during a trip and offers an extraordinary perspective of the wildlife and landscape.
Many travelers also decide to combine their safari with other experiences, such as a stay in Zanzibar or a climb to Mount Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro ascent.
You can find more inspiration for special activities during your trip on our page on Tanzania activities.
Domestic flights within Tanzania
Domestic flights can also affect the total cost of a safari. Especially for trips that include a combination of safari and beach vacation, flights within the country are often used, for example for the onward journey to Zanzibar.
Many travelers fly from Arusha to Zanzibar after the safari part. These flights are usually cheaper, as Arusha is an important starting point for travel in northern Tanzania and is served by regular flights.
A more comfortable, but usually somewhat more expensive option is a flight directly from the Serengeti to Zanzibar. In this case, the flight departs from a small airstrip within the national park, for example from Seronera or Kogatende. The advantage is that you don’t have to drive back to Arusha after the safari, saving you a lot of travel time.
Especially for longer safari routes through the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater or Tarangire National Park, a direct flight to Zanzibar can significantly increase travel comfort. At the same time, it enables a particularly relaxed combination of safari and Zanzibar without additional long journeys.