Safari costs in short
The headline numbers before the detail.
Budget safari?
From about €200 per person per day.
Luxury safari?
From about €600 per person per day.
Biggest fixed cost?
Park fees — $82.60/day in the Serengeti.
Cheapest way to save?
Be four rather than two — the vehicle cost divides.
What is not included?
Flights, visa, insurance, tips and drinks.
Very cheap quote?
Ask for it itemised. Park fees are fixed for everyone.
The short answer
A Tanzanian safari costs roughly €200 to €600 per person per day, all inclusive. The spread is wide because three things move the number more than anything else: which parks you visit, where you sleep and how many people share the vehicle.
| Level | Per person / day | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget / camping | €200–250 | Camping or simple lodges outside the parks, shared vehicle |
| Mid-range | €250–350 | Comfortable lodges, private vehicle |
| Fly-in | €400+ | Light aircraft instead of long transfers |
| Luxury | €600+ | Camps inside the parks, private guide, full service |
Below, we break that down into the actual line items so you can see where the money goes — and where you can realistically save.
1. Park fees — the biggest fixed cost
Park fees are set by the government and are identical for every operator. Nobody can discount them, and on a Serengeti itinerary they often account for a third of the total price.
| Park | Adult / 24h | Concession / night |
|---|---|---|
| Serengeti | $82.60 | $59.00 |
| Ngorongoro | $82.60 + $295 per vehicle | $59.00 |
| Tarangire | $59.00 | $47.20 |
| Lake Manyara | $59.00 | $47.20 |
| Ruaha / Mikumi | $35.40 | — |
A worked example
Two people, four days, Tarangire + Serengeti (2 nights) + Ngorongoro, sleeping outside the parks:
| Item | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Tarangire entry | $59.00 × 2 | $118.00 |
| Serengeti entry | $82.60 × 2 × 2 | $330.40 |
| Ngorongoro entry | $82.60 × 2 | $165.20 |
| Crater descent | per vehicle | $295.00 |
| Park fees alone | ≈ $908.60 |
That is before a single night's accommodation, litre of fuel or day of a guide's wages.
2. Accommodation — the biggest variable
This is the line that decides whether your safari is "budget" or "luxury". The wildlife is identical either way.
| Type | Per person / night |
|---|---|
| Public campsite (inside park) | $35.40 park fee + camping costs |
| Lodge outside the park | $60–150 |
| Lodge inside the park | $150–400 + concession fee |
| Tented camp inside the park | $200–600 + concession fee |
| Mobile migration camp | $300–700 + concession fee |
| Ultra-luxury | $700–1,500+ |
Note the concession fee: sleeping inside a park adds $47–59 per adult per night on top of the room rate. It buys you dawn and dusk inside the ecosystem, which is when predators are active — genuinely worth it on a short trip, less so on a long one.
3. Vehicle and guide — why group size matters so much
A Land Cruiser with a driver-guide costs the same whether there are two of you or six. Fuel, the vehicle, the guide's wages and the crater descent fee are all per vehicle, not per person.
This is the single most effective way to reduce the per-person price, and most travellers do not realise it.
| Group size | Vehicle cost share | Effect on per-person price |
|---|---|---|
| 2 people | 50% each | Baseline |
| 4 people | 25% each | Noticeably cheaper per head |
| 6 people | 17% each | Substantially cheaper per head |
If you are two people on a tight budget, joining a shared group departure achieves the same saving. You give up some flexibility over timing and stops.
4. What is never included
Budget an extra $300–500 per person for visa, tips and incidentals on a week-long trip, on top of the safari price.
How to spend less without ruining the trip
Things that save real money
Things that are false economies
What real itineraries cost
Guide prices per person, two people sharing, including park fees, vehicle, guide, accommodation and meals. Your written quote itemises every line.
| Itinerary | Budget / camping | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days — Tarangire & Ngorongoro | ~€400 | ~€600 | ~€1,200 |
| 3 days — Serengeti & Ngorongoro | ~€750 | ~€1,050 | ~€1,800 |
| 4 days — Big Five circuit | ~€1,000 | ~€1,400 | ~€2,400 |
| 6 days — Migration safari | ~€1,500 | ~€2,100 | ~€3,600 |
| 10 days — Safari + Zanzibar | ~€2,800 | ~€3,500 | ~€6,000 |
Indicative only. Prices vary with season, group size and availability.
Safari costs — frequently asked questions
Roughly €200–250 per person per day for budget camping, €250–350 mid-range, €400+ for fly-in and €600+ for luxury. Park fees alone account for a large share of that, and they are identical for every operator.
Normally: 4x4 vehicle with driver-guide, fuel, all park entrance fees in the itinerary, accommodation and meals as described, and drinking water. Not included: international flights, visa, insurance, drinks, tips and optional extras.
Travel in low season, be four people rather than two so the vehicle cost divides, sleep outside the parks, choose Tarangire and Manyara over the Serengeti, and consider camping.
Substantially. The vehicle, guide, fuel and crater descent fee are all charged per vehicle, not per person. Four people sharing pay noticeably less each than two, and six pay less again.
Yes. Park fees are public and fixed for everyone, so a price barely above the fee total is being funded elsewhere. Ask any operator to itemise their quote.
Around $20–25 per day for the driver-guide, from the group as a whole, plus $10–15 per day for camp staff. On a week-long trip for two people, budget roughly $200–300 in total.
US$50 for most nationalities, obtained online at visa.immigration.go.tz before travelling, or on arrival. Beware of unofficial sites charging additional fees for the same thing.
Our standard terms are a 30% deposit to confirm and the balance 30 days before arrival. If you are booking a long way ahead we can usually be flexible about the timing — just ask.