Tanzania is a luxurious safari destination with its prime wildlife viewing which includes the big five and the numerous bird species found in the different National Parks located in the different parts of the country.
Tanzania costs can be categorized into three categories which include
Budget safaris
A budget safari in Tanzania costs anything from US$200 per person per day depending on the accommodation chosen.
Mid-range safaris
Midrange safaris in Tanzania costs about $500 per person and more depending on the destination.
Luxury safaris
Luxury Safaris in Tanzania can cost about $1500 and more per person / per day, on a typical luxurious safari in Tanzania. There are other factors that will affect the cost of a safari and these include the size of the group, type of accommodation when to travel and extra activities carried out on the safari. Learn here on how to plan a tanzania safari tour online easily.
Factors affecting the cost of a Tanzania safari
The duration of the safari
The length of a safari highly determines the cost of your safari, for example, the more days you spend on your safari the more money you spend and the fewer days, the cheaper the safari will be. Recommended days of a safari will be 3 to 4 days if you are traveling on a low budget but in case you want to spend more days on your safari with a low budget, we suggest that you search for budget accommodation to reduce the costs.
Time / Season of travel
This is an important factor that affects the cost of a safari in Tanzania. There are two travel seasons that is the peak/dry season and the wet/green season and these have different costs, especially for accommodation. The peak season has the highest prices because of the many tourists that visit the country during this period starting in June to August and sometimes it pushes till October. The demand for accommodation is high which spikes the prices almost doubling and sometimes tripling the initial cost.
The number of travelers
Traveling for a solo safari to Tanzania is a bit costly since you have to pay for all the costs that need to be incurred. The beauty of having a solo safari is that you get to travel with all the much-needed comfort and privacy that you need. For tourists who are traveling on a low budget, we advise that you share the costs with other tourists by traveling as a group, this helps in reducing the costs making the safari affordable.
Accommodation on safari Tanzania
The type of accommodation chosen also affects the cost of your safari. Accommodation in Tanzania is categorized into three that is Budget-friendly accommodation, mid-range accommodation, and luxury accommodation facilities. You need to choose an accommodation type that fits your budget.
Safari activities
Normal safari activities that are included in the National Park entrance fees are game drives and birding excursions. You will have to pay an extra cost for other safari activities and an estimation of what to pay for the activities has been listed below but note that the cost fee can easily change and you will have to keep checking to see the current cost.
Guided Nature walks $40
Boat rides $20 to $60
Night game drives $60
Hot air balloons $600
Night game drives $175
Masai tours $40.
The above Tanzania safari activities prices are subject to payment of an 18% VAT tax. Please ask our Tanzania safari experts for a precise activity cost at your time of travel.
Additional costs on a safari in Tanzania
Visa fees for Tanzania
There are two visas that tourists can apply for and these are the ordinary visa and the multiple entry visa. The ordinary visa and the multiple entry visa are $50 to $100 per person and all tourists are required to have a visa for entry into Tanzania besides the EAC and South Africa citizens.
Most countries in the world require a visa to Tanzania, a visa that costs USD 50 per 3 months visa. Afew nationalities pay USD 100, including Americans, Nigerians and Irish passport holders. Get more information on Tanzania visa from or travel experts.
Premium drinks
Food and drinks are provided throughout your safari duration but when it comes to premium drinks like international whiskeys, wines, and beers, the money has to come from your pockets. You will be provided with a list of the drinks that are on the house and those that are to be paid for.
Travel insurance
For anyone traveling to Africa, you should know that travel insurance is a must even when traveling to safe countries. Your travel insurance should at least cover the cancellation of flights, theft, medical evacuation, and sickness among others. It’s hard to tell how much your insurance travel will cost because this will entirely depend on the insurance company.
Tipping on Tanzania Safari
Although tipping is not mandatory, it is still a polite way of saying thank you to the people who are helping you while on your safari. You will find that some facilities have tipping boxes where you are free to leave something for the staff as a way of thanking them. Groups of people that are mainly tipped include chefs, tour guides, potters, driver guides, and room service people if possible. The tipping should be at least $10 or more.
Laundry costs
There are a few accommodation facilities that offer free laundry services, you have to pay for the laundry services and the cost depends on the amount and type of clothes you have. (That’s why we advise that you carry a few clothes as you pack for the safari).
Safari cost according to destination
Ngorongoro safari price- 280 USD to 600 USD
Ngorongoro is located in the Northern part of Tanzania just 180 Km from Arusha. The conservation Area was established in 1959 and is mainly popular for the Ngorongoro crater that is home to hundreds of animals that are best seen during the dry season like buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, gazelles, lions, leopards and leopards among others.
The cost depends on the number of days that you plan on spending in Ngorongoro and it can go as low as 280 USD to 600 USD per day per person. Entrance fees to the conservation Area is about 70 USD during the peak season and 60 USD during the dry season per day per person.
Lake Manyara National Park – 450 USD to 600 USD
Lake Manyara National Park is the second oldest National Park in Tanzania mainly known for the climbing lions. The entrance fee to Lake Manyara National Park is $50 and $ 45 during the peak and low season respectively per person and it is valid for only 24 hours. The cost of the safari with the entrance ranges between $450 to $650 and more depending on the number of days spent and the accommodation type.
Serengeti National Park – 350 USD to 650 USD
The entrance fees to Serengeti National Park are $70 to $60 per person per day depending on the season and when you add other safari costs, the cost of the safari to Serengeti goes from $350 to over $650 per person per day making it the most expensive place to visit in Tanzania. Serengeti National Park is located in the northern part of the country in the Northern safari circuit and is a top tourist destination because of the annual wildebeest migration that has millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles crossing from Serengeti because of a change in the weather to Masai Mara and then back (the wildebeest migration is a cycle).
Serengeti is a good place to participate in many activities like game drives, hot air balloon rides, guided nature walks, and birding among others. Note that you will have to pay an extra cost for some of the activities like hot air balloon rides since the entrance fees do not cover them.
Tanzania safari price inclusions and exclusions
The inclusions include a safari driver, all meals, airport pickups, transfers, park entrance fees, and safari accommodation. They exclude Travel insurance, personal purchases, Visa fees, local flights, tips, international flights, and gratuities.
FAQS
How do I pay for my safari?
Payment is usually done through bank transfers but when you get to Tanzania, international credit cards are allowed we advise that you travel with some cash, master cards, or visa cards for daily transactions while on a safari to Tanzania.
What is the most affordable safari destination in Tanzania?
The most affordable destinations in Tanzania are all found in the Northern circuit and this is because they are easy to get to in terms of transport and there are many destinations within the circuit which makes it easy to visit a few if not all of them. On the other hand, the southern circuit is harder and more expensive to get to.
How can I save money on my Tanzania safari?
There are several ways in which you can save and these are:
- Travel in groups so that it is easy for you to split the costs
- Try to participate in free safari activities
- Plan on traveling either in the shadow or low season.
- It’s better if you drive between the lodges to avoid extra expenditure on flying.
How much is hiring a safari vehicle?
If you are planning on going for a self-drive safari in Tanzania, you will need to hire a vehicle, and to get a good one and in good working condition, you will have to part with at least $100 to $200 per day and the cost is sometimes affected by whether you will be self-driving or hiring a car with a driver. Vehicles that are normally hired out are 4×4 safari vehicles and below are some of the estimated rates.
Hiring with a driver $150
Hiring with a driver and fuel $200
Self-drive $120
These rates are current rates (2022) and applicable per day. Rates are subject to a VAT of 18%.
Should I take extra money for my safari?
Yes, you should take extra money on your safari at least more than $1000 to be on the safe side and to also be able to make personal purchases when the need arises. Although most of the destinations do not allow cash, you will need to have some loose change for tipping and getting yourself souvenirs. We also advise that you change your money into Tanzania currency for easy trading with the locals.
In conclusion, we have discussed the cost of a safari in Tanzania and although prices have been thrown here and there, they are bound to change depending on several reasons but not to worry, we will be able to update our website with the current estimated prices.