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A safari is one of the most exciting and memorable holidays you’ll ever undertake. There are a lot of factors that go into the cost of an African safari – such as location, time of the year, and level of comfort – but there are also some good rules of thumb to follow for your safari budget...

African Safari Costs: What to Keep in Mind

Safari

  1. Package deals are not necessarily cheaper. A tailor-made safari will be crafted to your specific budget, allowing you to save and splurge where you and your agent feel it’s necessary. A package deal or scheduled departure tour locks you in to a specific itinerary and non-flexible price.
  2. The more privacy and exclusivity you want, the more you will spend. But you can still have a great time in a less luxurious environment – this is where your agent’s knowledge and experience are so important.
  3. South Africa remains one of the most affordable safari destinations thanks to a favourable rand-dollar exchange rate. South Africa is a fantastic option for first-timers to Africa and an excellent ‘introduction’ to safari. But it also offers rich rewards for experienced safari goers.
  4. ‘Doing it yourself’ is not necessarily cheaper – or often even possible. In many places, you need your agent’s specialised knowledge of light aircraft schedules, transfer companies and ground handlers for your itinerary.
  5. Using an agent gives you a single ‘all-inclusive’ price. Your agent will have access to room availability, special deals and other factors that allow him or her to create an entire itinerary – including international flights – with one cost so there are no ‘surprises’.
East African Safari Costs

East African Safari Cost Guidelines

Keyna

Kenya is home to the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Park, among many others like Mount Meru, Tsavo and the Aberdares. Tanzania counts the equally famous Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater Conversation Area, Nyerere National Park (previously Selous Game Reserve), and Ruaha among its national parks.

Together, Tanzania and Kenya make up East Africa and are considered to be the birthplace of safari. This is also where you will encounter the Great Wildebeest Migration.

Tanzania Safari Cost

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$550 – $700 $600 – $800 $900 – $1,300 $1,050 – $1,500 $1,400 $2,000

Kenya Safari Cost

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$450–550 $600–700 $715–825 $900–1,155 $1,200–1,375 $1,450–1,900

Tanzania & Kenya Safari Cost Combined

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$550 $715 $770–1,250 $1,300–1,500 $1,600 $2,000–3,200

**All the costs in this blog are guidelines only and an average for per person, per night, sharing a room in High and Low Season.  They exclude international flights, visas and optional activities. Note that conservation fees, levies and permits are all subject to change. Peak or High Season generally runs over Christmas and New Year, and from about July to October.

Southern African Safari Costs

Southern African Safari Cost Guidelines

Zim

Botswana’s most famous wildlife areas are the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. South Africa is home to the Kruger National Park, Cape Town and Sun City. Namibia’s big hitter is the astonishing Etosha National Park, while Zimbabwe and Zambia share the Victoria Falls.

Namibia and South Africa are the most affordable of all the safari destinations we offer because you can rent a vehicle and drive yourself around, as well as stay in self-catering accommodation. Driving and cooking yourself will bring costs down but will add to the ‘work’ you do on vacation.

Peak season once again falls between July and August, thanks to a dry winter and huge demand from international visitors. The times between high and low season are known as ‘shoulder season’: the rains are starting or ending, the weather is heating up or cooling down and, generally, both availability and rates are good.

South Africa offers the best year-round game viewing. Many camps still close for Zambia’s intense rainy season, which falls between November and May. October is the hottest and driest month in Botswana, which makes for good game viewing but uncomfortable conditions unless you are in an air-conditioned lodge. By November, the rains have scattered the animals, making for challenging game viewing.

Botswana Safari Prices

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$650 $900 $900 $1,350–1,500 $1,600 $2,000–3,100

Namibia Safari Prices

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$350–500 $400–550 $650 $800 $1,450–1,700 $1,750–1,900

South African Safari Cost

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$500 $550 $600 $650–900 $1,100 $1,200–1,850

Victoria Falls Costs

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$600 $650 $650 $800–1,000 $1,200 $1,300–2,000

Zambia Safari Costs

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$1,000 $1,100 $1,050 $1,350 $1,600 $2,200

Zimbabwe Costs

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$800 $1,200 $1.050 $1,600 $2,900 $3,250

**All the costs in this blog are guidelines only and an average for per person, per night, sharing a room in High and Low Season.  They exclude international flights, visas and optional activities. Note that conservation fees, levies and permits are all subject to change. Peak or High Season generally runs over Christmas and New Year, and from about July to October.

Gorilla Trekking Costs

Gorilla Trekking Cost Guidelines

Rwanda

Gorilla trekking takes you into the pristine and unbelievably beautiful heart of Africa, to the green hills and rainforests of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda that endangered gorilla call home. Tourism is a non-negotiable part of gorilla conservation and some porters and guides are even reformed poachers who now derive an income from protecting Africa’s great apes.

Congo Costs

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$1,300 $1,900 $1,300 $1,950 N/A N/A

Rwanda Pricing

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$1,250 $3,050 $1,300 $3,050 $2,900 $3,350

Uganda Costing

4-star comfort 4-star luxury 5-star luxury
Low High Low High Low High
$650 $1,300 $700 $1, 350 N/A N/A

**All the costs in this blog are guidelines only and an average for per person, per night, sharing a room in High and Low Season.  They exclude international flights, visas and optional activities. Note that conservation fees, levies and permits are all subject to change. Peak or High Season generally runs over Christmas and New Year, and from about July to October.

Ready to Start Planning Your Dream Safari?

The important thing to remember is that the above costs are guidelines only. Your agent at Go2Africa is an expert at maximizing your budget so you get the most bang for your safari buck. Don’t be shy to find out what you can get for your money – you may be very pleasantly surprised!

Written By

Angela

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