What a safari really costs
Operators hide prices until you enquire. We would rather you knew before you fell in love with somewhere. Real per-night ranges, and an estimator for your own trip.
The honest ranges
Lodging, meals where included, park fees and game drives. International flights, visas, tips and insurance are on top. Figures are typical 2026 high-season rates in US dollars; shoulder season runs 20 to 40 percent lower.
| Country | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | US$90–150 | US$350–600 | US$900–1800 | Self-drive Kruger with rest camps at the bottom; Sabi Sand private lodges at the top. |
| Botswana | US$160–260 | US$600–950 | US$1300–2500 | Mobile camping or self-drive at the bottom; fly-in Delta camps at the top. Few mid-range beds. |
| Namibia | US$100–180 | US$300–500 | US$700–1200 | The self-drive country: a 4x4 and NWR camps keep it cheap. Lodges are good value. |
| Kenya | US$150–260 | US$420–750 | US$900–1800 | Group lodge safaris at the bottom; conservancy camps at the top. Add Mara fees of US$200 a day in high season. |
| Tanzania | US$200–320 | US$450–800 | US$1000–2000 | Camping safaris at the bottom; migration camps at the top. Park fees are the highest in the region. |
| Zambia | US$180–280 | US$500–800 | US$900–1500 | Walking-safari camps are small and seasonal. Budget options cluster around Livingstone and Mfuwe. |
| Zimbabwe | US$140–240 | US$400–650 | US$800–1400 | Hwange and Mana Pools camps are excellent value against Botswana next door. |
| Rwanda & Uganda | US$250–350 | US$400–650 | US$900–1600 | Permits are the big line: US$1,500 in Rwanda, US$800 in Uganda, per trek, on top of the nightly rate. |
Ballpark your trip
A rough total, not a quote. Use it to decide which country and which style, then get real prices from a specialist or the lodge.
- Lodging, meals, fees, drives–
- Hire car–
- Permits–
- In rand–
- In pounds–
Excludes international flights, visas, tips (budget US$10–20 per person per day), insurance and anything you buy.
Where the money goes
Beds. In a private camp the nightly rate is 70 to 80 percent of the trip. Two nights fewer at a top camp pays for a whole week self-driving elsewhere.
Park fees. Tanzania charges US$70 to 80 a day for the Serengeti plus a concession fee; the Masai Mara is US$200 a day in high season from 2024; Kruger is about US$25. Over a week this is the difference between countries.
Flights between camps. Botswana and Zambia are fly-in. Budget US$200 to 400 per hop, per person.
Tips. Guides and camp staff are tipped in cash: a guide US$10 to 20 per guest per day, camp staff US$5 to 10, more at the top end. Budget it; it matters to the people who make the trip.
How to spend less. Travel in shoulder season (April to May, November), self-drive South Africa or Namibia, mix two nights of luxury with five of rest camps, and book the permit-and-flight-heavy countries through a specialist who gets the trade rate.
Checked October 2026. Entry rules, fees and seasons change; confirm with official sources before you book.
