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Tanzania Budget Safari Cost
A budget safari isn’t a “cheap” safari. It’s a smart safari. You’re not paying for marble floors and infinity pools. You’re paying for what matters: experienced guides, prime wildlife locations, and an experience of a lifetime.
A safari in Tanzania is not only for luxury travelers. With smart planning, you can witness the Great Migration, explore the Ngorongoro Crater, and sleep under the Serengeti stars—all on a budget.
Let’s address the question we hear every day:
“Can I go on a real Tanzanian safari without spending a fortune?” The short answer is yes.
At Blessing Safaris, we believe experiencing Africa’s wildlife should be accessible, not exclusive. This guide explains exactly what a budget safari costs in 2026, what you get for your money, and how to save without sacrificing safety or experience.
Several factors influence the cost of a budget safari in Tanzania, each contributing to the overall experience and budget.
What factors affect the cost of a budget safari in Tanzania?
The main key factors which affect budget safari cost in Tanzania include accomodation style, group size, seasonality ( high vs low season), the national park visited ( due to park fees ), the safari duration ( the longer the trips, the higher the safari cost ), extra activities like hot air balloon safari, cultural experience, and mode of transport.
Tanzania Budget Safari Season Guide
Shoulder Season
November is the best season for those who don’t like the most touristic season. Shoulder season offers a balance of good weather and lower prices.
Low Season
April and May, this season is characterised by heavy rainfall. The price for many accomodation tends to be low for more than 40% discount. Is it the best time for a photography safari?
The lush landscapes and few vehicles in many parks. Therefore, if you plan to save costs for your budget safari, consider travelling during the low season.
Peak Season
The premium time for safaris across Tanzania and East Africa. Peak season runs from June to October and from December to February. Prices during peak season tend to be higher than during the shoulder or low seasons.
Dry weather and the Great Migration are the key factors driving prices during this time of year.
Whether you visit Tanzania for the Mara River Crossing (July-September) or the Great Migration calving season, expect to pay more.
Budget Safari accommodation cost in Tanzania
This is often the most significant factor. Budget-friendly options like camping cost much less than mid-range or luxury lodges.
Budget safari accommodation costs range from $20 to $120 per person, per night
- What You Get: Basic amenities such as shared bathrooms, simple meals, and a campsite or basic guesthouse.
- Example: A budget safari in Tarangire National Park might include camping under the stars, using a shared kitchen, and enjoying hearty, straightforward meals prepared on-site.
- Well-known public campsites include Simba Campsite in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCAA) and Seronera Campsite in Serengeti National Park.
Who It’s For: Ideal for adventurous travelers, backpackers, or those on a tight budget who don’t mind sacrificing comfort for cost savings.
Additional Considerations: While budget options are affordable, they may lack amenities such as Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, or air conditioning.
However, they provide a close connection to nature, making them an excellent choice for outdoor enthusiasts.
Group size
Group size is another key factor affecting the cost of a budget safari in Tanzania. A private safari for a small group will be more expensive than a group safari.
Bear in mind that some costs are shared, such as vehicle hire, accommodation, guide fees, and cook fees. Therefore, if you plan to lower the price of a safari, focus on offering a group safari.
Duration and number of parks
Longer safaris increase the overall cost, though the per-day rate might decrease. Visiting more parks increases the total of individual park fees. Visiting more than one park increases the price of the budget safari.
In Tanzania, park fees vary from park to park. For instance, Serengeti fees are $70 + 18% VAT, which equals $82.6 per person per day, while Ngorongoro Crater fees are $60 + 18% VAT, which equals $70.8 per person per day. Crater service fees are $295 per vehicle.
Other parks, such as Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks, charge $50 + 18%, totaling $59 per person. So the number of days you spend inside National Parks will add up to the total cost of your budget safari in Tanzania.
Park fees
Fees vary by park. Famous parks, such as the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, generally charge higher entrance fees than other parks.
Chart 2: Daily National Park Entry Fees (2026/27)
This bar chart shows the total cost per adult (including 18% VAT) for the most popular national parks in Tanzania, based on our corrected data.
Source: Consolidated from TANAPA fee structure. Ngorongoro requires an additional ~$295 vehicle descent fee.
Transportation for budget safari
Transportation should be on your to-do list when budgeting for a safari. Whether you prefer domestic flights or ground transportation, note that local flights cost more than ground transportation.
For instance, a one-way flight from Arusha to the Serengeti costs around $290, though it’s more convenient than driving a safari.
Additional activities on your budget safari
There are many add-ons for your budget safari to Tanzania. Every activity you choose to include in standard safari packages incurs an additional cost; for instance, a hot-air balloon ride adds $560, while a night game drive in places like Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park costs $200 per person.
Chart 3: What Drives Your Safari Budget
This pie chart shows the three most significant factors influencing the total cost of your safari.
Explanation of these key factors for your safari cost in Tanzania
Safari accommodation (45%): The choice between camping and budget lodges is the largest source of price variation when planning a safari in Tanzania.
Seasonality (30%): Travelling during the Dry Season (Peak) can be 30-50% more expensive than the Wet Season (Low).
Group Size (25%): Joining a group dramatically reduces the per-person cost of vehicles, guides, and permits, resulting in a price drop of up to $200 per person for joining a budget safari in Tanzania
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest real safari in Tanzania?
A 3-day budget camping safari to Tarangire and Ngorongoro costs $550–$750 per person in a group of 6 during the low season. Includes park fees, transport, camping, and meals.
Are budget safaris safe?
Yes. Budget safaris use the same parks, follow the same wildlife rules, and employ the same professionally qualified guides as luxury safaris. Only the accommodation differs.
Can I self-drive to save money?
Technically yes. We strongly advise against it. Roads are challenging, park rules are strict, and breakdowns in remote areas are dangerous and expensive. A guided safari is safer and a better value.
Can park fees be discounted?
No. Park fees are set by TANAPA and NCAA. No operator can discount them. Anyone promising “discounted park fees” is misleading you.
What’s the best budget itinerary for first-timers?
5 days: Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro. Elephants in Tarangire, predators in Serengeti, the crater floor in Ngorongoro. $1,100–$1,300 per person.
Do budget safaris include airport transfers?
Most do not. Blessing Safaris includes one complimentary airport transfer for safaris of 5+ days.
What’s the single biggest money-saving tip?
Travel in a group of 4–6 people. Spreading fixed vehicle and guide costs among more people is the most effective way to reduce your per-person price.
Final Remarks: Your Safari, Your Way
Here is the truth about a safari in Tanzania.
You do not need to be wealthy to witness the Great Migration. You do not need a private charter, a five-star lodge, or a gourmet chef.
You need curiosity, a sense of adventure, and the willingness to sleep under canvas while lions roar in the dark.
A budget safari is not a compromise. It is a choice.
You choose authenticity over polish. You choose the smell of wood smoke over the scent of essential oil diffusers.
You choose the sound of hyenas whooping at midnight over the hum of the air conditioning. You choose to arrive as a traveler, not a consumer.
Here is the secret the luxury brochures will never tell you: the wildlife does not know the difference.
The leopard stalking impala in the dawn light does not care whether you slept in a $30 tent or a $1,200 suite.
The wildebeest crossing the Mara River does not check your thread count. The Serengeti sunsets burn gold and crimson for everyone equally.
At Blessing Safaris, we have guided travelers across every price point.
We have served champagne to honeymooners and boiled coffee to backpackers. We have watched both groups cry at the same river crossing, speechless before the same ancient drama.
Luxury is wonderful. Budget is wonderful. What matters is that you come.
Because the Serengeti will not wait forever. The herds will continue their eternal circle, with or without you.
The crocodiles will slide beneath the muddy water. The lions will teach their cubs to hunt. The acacia trees will spread their flat crowns against an endless sky.
The only question is whether you will be there to see it.
So stop waiting for the perfect moment. Stop convincing yourself that safari is “someday.” Stop believing the myth that Africa is only for the rich.
Start planning. Start saving. Start dreaming.
2026 is your year.
Whether you have $600 or $6,000, whether you want camping or cottages, or whether you have three days or three weeks—there is a safari with your name on it.
The herds are gathering, the river is rising, and the wild is waiting—there’s a sense of anticipation in the air, inviting us into the adventure. We would be honoured to take you there.
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