How Much Does a Tanzania Safari Cost?

A Tanzania safari tour typically costs between $200 and $1,500 per person per day, depending on the level of service you choose.

Budget Tanzania safaris offer camping and shared vehicles, while mid-range options provide comfortable lodges and private guides. Luxury safaris, featuring exclusive lodges, private game drives, and personalized services, fall on the higher end.

Factors such as the season, destination within Tanzania, group size, and included activities also affect the overall safari price. This guide breaks down the Tanzania safari costs to help you plan the perfect trip.

Small Group Travel: (with a guide)

Small Private Travel: (with a guide )

Self Drive: (no guide )

Large Group Travel: (overland vehicle with Tour Leader to parks and Zanzibar)

Can I do a Tanzania Safari for under US$200?

Yes, you could do a safari for under US$200. But do you really want to?

Tanzania safari tours priced under $200 per day are rare and often compromise quality, safety, and overall experience.

These ultra-budget options may cut corners on crucial aspects like reliable vehicles, knowledgeable guides, park fees, or decent accommodations.

You might face overcrowded tours, limited game viewing, sub-standard accommodation, or logistical issues that detract from the adventure.

While the low price may be tempting, there will be hidden costs like transfers, meals, conservation fees and park fees that will all come out of your own pocket. Spending more ensures a safer, more inclusive, enjoyable safari that delivers the unforgettable wildlife encounters Tanzania is known for.

Budget Tanzania Safaris: What are they, and how much do they cost?

Budget Tanzania Safaris are an affordable option for exploring the country’s iconic wildlife destinations, designed to maximize value while keeping costs low.

These safaris typically include basic accommodations such as camping or budget-friendly lodges, shared transportation, and group game drives. Meals are often prepared at campsites or provided by budget lodges, offering simple but hearty fare.

Costs range from US$250 to US$350 per person per day, making it an accessible choice for travellers. While it lacks the luxury of high-end safaris, a budget safari still provides memorable encounters with Tanzania’s stunning wildlife and landscapes.

What is a Mid-Range Safari and How Much Does it Cost?

A mid-range safari in Tanzania offers a balance of comfort and value, ideal for travelers seeking a quality experience without the premium price tag.

These safaris typically feature stays in comfortable lodges or tented camps with private bathrooms, good amenities, and scenic settings. Guests enjoy private or semi-private vehicles for game drives, along with attentive service and delicious meals.

Costs for mid-range safaris generally range from US$350 to US$670 per person per day, depending on the season and itinerary. This option provides a more personalized and enjoyable safari experience while exploring Tanzania’s incredible wildlife and landscapes.

What is a Luxury Safari, and How Much Does it Cost?

A luxury Tanzanian safari is a high-end experience offering unparalleled comfort, exclusivity, and personalized service.

Guests stay in upscale lodges or tented camps featuring spacious suites, private plunge pools, gourmet dining, and premium amenities. Private vehicles and expert guides ensure tailored game drives and activities, while exclusive access to prime wildlife areas enhances the experience.

Luxury safaris typically cost US$670 to US$1,500+ per person per day, depending on the location, season, and level of exclusivity. This option is perfect for travelers seeking an unforgettable, indulgent adventure in Tanzania’s iconic landscapes.

For an example of a luxury Tanzania safari combined with a beach holiday, see our 12-Day Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Holiday Package, which includes Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and five nights at a 5-star beach resort on Zanzibar’s east coast.

Different kinds of safari booking companies & the perks of booking with African Budget Safaris

Safari booking companies vary widely, from luxury operators specializing in bespoke experiences to budget-focused agencies offering affordable group tours.

While international companies act as 'middlemen' and often have inflated prices to cover overheads, it is by and large local operators with deep regional knowledge who run operations on the ground. The type of company you book with significantly impacts the cost and quality of your safari.

African Budget Safaris stands out by combining local expertise with competitive pricing, ensuring authentic, well-organized trips that maximize value without compromising the experience.

Booking with a trusted operator like African Budget Safaris not only ensures transparent pricing and reliable service tailored to your budget but also guarantees your booking through membership to SATSA & ATTA.

Read more about how African Budget Safaris saves you money.

Luckily there is a Tanzania safari tour to suit every budget, from US$250 to US$625 per person per day for budget-friendly safaris, through to expensive top-end safaris where the sky is the limit.

• Please note: The Tanzania safari costs mentioned here were accurate at the time of writing. For the most current pricing, contact one of our expert travel consultants.

Factors for Tanzania Safari Costs

The two major factors that determine the price of Tanzania safaris are the type of safari you choose and the duration. Then there are a host of other travel cost factors such as seasonality, destinations in Tanzania, your flights and visas, safari activities and a few often-forgotten extra costs. The type of safari you choose is the single largest cost factor as prices vary greatly based on the kind of accommodation, tour group size, transportation used, and the level of participation required.

Below we provide an overview of how much a Tanzania safari costs based on the type of tour package you choose and the main cost factors just mentioned.

Safari Type: Group vs Self-Drive vs Private Tours

Firstly, you have a broad choice between joining a group safari, doing a self-drive safari or booking a private safari tailor-made for you. Group safaris are cheaper than customized safaris, but they don't offer as much flexibility or exclusivity. Both self-drive and private safaris can be fully customized to include the standard of accommodation and activities that you prefer, which gives you more choice.

Private tailor-made safaris become more affordable when you are travelling in a group of 4 or more people. Even if your travel party is smaller, you may find the extra expenditure worthwhile, especially if your group needs a specialist guide who speaks your language (French/Italian/German speaking, etc). Private safaris are also ideal for groups with special interests, such as hiking, photography and birding. Self-drive safaris can be the cheapest option if researched and planned carefully, but with Tanzania safaris, self-drive isn't necessarily the cheapest way to go.

If you're going to take the self-drive option, we recommend arranging your Tanzania safari through a self-drive company that will book your accommodation, vehicle hire, and certain park fees/activities in advance. Booking in advance becomes even more important in the high season when availability is often an issue.

Note that travelling independently requires more flexibility and effort, especially in Africa. You can hire a 4x4 from about US$75 per day (including insurance) or $110 per day with an English-speaking driver.

Add about US$25 per day extra for a rooftop tent and camping equipment. Plus, there are additional fees for vehicles entering the national parks, which can add up!

Style of Safari Travel

Lastly, the style of travel you choose will be one of the most important factors determining the cost of a private safari in Tanzania, as with group tours.

The cheapest option is a private safari with basic camping accommodation, costing about $300 per person sharing (for a group of four travellers). That includes your own guide, cook, 4x4 transport, park fees, all meals during the safari, mineral water, activities, Flying Doctors Insurance, tents and camping equipment.

The next step up from standard private camping safaris is the fully-serviced mobile camping safaris which offer extra comforts and make use of private camps. These private mobile safaris offer excellent value for money when booking for private groups of 4 or more travellers. Private mobile camping safaris in Tanzania cost from $340 to $445 per person per day based on a group of four travelers.

For private lodge safaris in Tanzania, costs start at about $320 per person per day for a 2 or 3-day safari to Ngorongoro Crater and northern safari circuit national parks, excluding Serengeti. Budget tailor-made lodge safaris can cost up to about $600 per person per day (for a group of four) in the low season for a 6-day private safari in Tanzania, which includes Serengeti Park. These are just a few starting prices for well-priced customized safaris but you can easily spend much more on a private safari, depending on the level of luxury at the tented camps and lodges, ranging from 3 to 5-star establishments.

• Please note: The Tanzania safari costs mentioned here were accurate at the time of writing. For the most current pricing, contact one of our expert travel consultants.

Tour Transport Options & Costs

Travelling overland (in a vehicle on land) is far cheaper than flying from destination to destination, plus it's way better for the environment!

On group Tanzania safaris, you are collected from the airport upon arrival on day one and transferred back to the airport on the last day of your trip. Alternatively, pick-up and drop-off can usually be arranged at/from your pre-safari and post-safari hotel if you prefer. During Tanzania safaris, land travel is typically conducted in a 4x4 vehicle that can cope with rough African roads.

Fly-in safaris entail domestic flights to the local airstrips close to your chosen wildlife destination and lodge. Flights are conducted in a small fixed-wing plane, transferring clients from one of Tanzania's cities or towns to the local airstrip. From there on out, a 4x4 safari vehicle is used for wildlife-viewing activities at the lodges and parks. When visiting multiple lodges on a fly-in safari, clients take a "bush flight" from the airstrip of one lodge to the next. This is where fly-in Safaris become pricey, as bush flights aren't cheap.

Safari Seasons in Tanzania - the price differences

Tanzania is a seasonal safari destination, with marked high and low seasons, so the time of year that you decide to travel has a noticeable impact on costs.

• High season: July to October and December
• Mid-Season: Jan to Feb and June (about 20% off high season)
• Low Season: March to May and November (up to 40% off high season rates)

Most lodges and tour companies offer low and high season rates. Off-peak rates are often much lower and travelling in low season has its perks so consider booking in the shoulder and low seasons. The low season in Serengeti is during the long rains (March and April) and the high season is from late June/ early July to late August / early September when wildlife viewing is at its best.

Wildebeest Migration Time

Prices are higher during the Great Migration in Serengeti. In the southern region, prices go up around February, and in the northern area, around July to August, depending on animal movements in the given year.

Find out about Africa's Great Migration to get your timing right.

Tanzania Safari Destinations & the Cost Implications

Which Tanzania safari regions you choose to visit can have a major impact on the cost of your safari. 

Most notably, the park entry fees for the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are higher than for other Tanzanian national parks. The Serengeti Park is after all (arguably) Africa's most legendary safari destination and thus Tanzania's top tourist destination, whilst Ngorongoro Crater is world-renowned for its abundant wildlife and archaeological significance.

  Tanzania National Park Entry Fees (2025) for Non-East African Citizens

Please Note: The above entry fees DO NOT include camping fees, vehicle fees or special permits (sport fishing). The entry fees are subject to change so check before you travel.

Northern vs Southern Tanzania Safari Costs 

The Serengeti and Ngorongoro form part of the northern safari circuit in Tanzania which includes Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park. This northern safari circuit is Tanzania's most popular safari region. The higher park fees, especially for Serengeti and Ngorongoro, generally make safaris to the famous northern safari circuit more expensive than trips to Tanzania's southern game parks.

However, visiting the southern game parks of Tanzania requires more driving time and tours to this less-renowned region usually operate on a private departure basis which makes them more expensive for 2 to 4 travellers. The main appeal of the southern circuit game parks - Nyerere National Park (former Selous Game Reserve), Ruaha National Park, Mahale National Park and Katavi National Park - is that they offer a more off-the-beaten-track safari experience.

For Tanzania's northern safari circuit parks, on the other hand, there are private and group departure safaris to choose from. The set group departures offer better value for money if you are prepared to join a group travelling with a tour company on a pre-defined itinerary.

Northern safari circuit tours typically depart from Arusha. Browse budget safaris starting in Arusha.

Southern game park safaris usually depart from Dar es Salaam - see upcoming safaris from Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania Visa Costs

A Tanzania tourist visa costs US$50 for most nationals and can be obtained at the border upon arrival (for most nationalities) or through their online visa portal.

This is a single-entry tourist visa for visits of up to 30 days, valid for 90 days. For US citizens, a Tanzania visa costs US$100 but allows for multiple-entry visits of up to 90 days and is valid for 12 months.

Planning Your Tanzania Safari

A Tanzania safari is a journey into the heart of Africa’s wilderness, offering breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and unforgettable adventures.

Whether you're dreaming of the Serengeti’s great migration, Ngorongoro’s dramatic crater, or Zanzibar’s tropical beaches, careful planning ensures the best experience.

Let African Budget Safaris help you design the perfect itinerary—tailored to your budget and travel style.

Contact our expert team today for personalized advice and affordable safari options!

Andrew Hofmeyr Senior Safari Blogger

Andrew Hofmeyr is a seasoned travel writer with over 10 years of experience. He’s travelled widely in Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe, with favourites including Bali, the Drakensberg, and the Amatole Mountains. His writing covers conservation, wildlife, and travel advice, with work featured in Wild Magazine and the Kingdom of Eswatini Tourism. He also conducts insightful interviews with global experts.

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