How to go on a Budget Serengeti Safari
Serengeti national park is Tanzania’s most famous park, home to thousands of wildlife, and probably the best places in Africa to go on a wildlife safari. In this post, I am going to highlight 8 tips on cheap ways to travel and save money on Serengeti safari tours.
There are countless affordable Serengeti safari tours available, online, to suit every traveller’s budget. From budget camping Serengeti safaris to affordable tented camps and lodge safaris, I believe there really is something to suite everyone’s price range.
For many travellers planning to go on a Tanzania safari holiday, a trip to Serengeti national park is the ultimate bucket list experience. To explore the pristine wilderness, go on a safari tour and observe wild animals in their natural environment; it is such a unique experience. But how can one go on a budget Serengeti safari?
An idea of how much a budget Serengeti safari is…
A budget Serengeti safari is not cheap as the name sounds, park entry fee alone costs a whopping $ 70.8 USD per person per day, let alone other fixed costs such as park entry and concession fees, camping fee, etc.
Below is a guide on safari prices for different types of Serengeti tours.
- The cheapest Serengeti safari tours will cost approximately $170 – $250 USD per day, this is for a budget camping safari, these kind of wildlife safaris are best for the adventure traveller.
- Mid-range Serengeti safari tour prices range from $320 – $550 USD per day, these are best for travellers who would like a little bit of comfort during their safari in Serengeti national park, but without breaking the bank. Accommodation is in lodges and mobile tented safari camps.
- The average price of luxury Serengeti safari tours range from $600 USD per day to anything around the range of $1300 USD per day, there is an additional focus on comfort and style in this kind of safaris.
Check out some of our affordable Serengeti safari tours that include a combined visit to Serengeti national park with other parks in the region:
So let’s get back to planning a budget Serengeti safari
I know that planning a budget safari to Serengeti can be a daunting task – when to go; how long to travel; can I manage on my budget…. all valid concerns, and I aim to assist with the details to planning a budget safari to Serengeti national park with these safari tips.
8 Tips to Planning a Budget Serengeti Safari
It used to be that Serengeti national park seemed like an unattainable safari destination for budget-conscious travellers. Things have changed and although budget Serengeti safaris still come at a price, they can be done at a more affordable cost.
A significant factor to consider for most individuals who would wish to go on a safari to Serengeti national park is the cost. I talked about the pricing in our post on the cost of Serengeti safaris.
Whatever way you would like to visit the Serengeti national park, I have pointed out a few tips that one can consider in planning a dream affordable Serengeti safari of their budget. These tips can also apply to all Tanzania budget safaris to other national parks.
Go on a Serengeti budget camping safari
No doubt the cheapest Serengeti safari one can get is by going on a budget camping safari, this is one of the best ways to experience a true Serengeti safari tour while on a tight budget. This kind of budget Serengeti camping safaris are more attractive to the adventure traveller and involves travelling with all your camp equipment, your guide and possibly a cook in your vehicle.
Accommodation during your Serengeti budget safari will be in dome tents that include a mattress on the tent floor, pillow, and a sleeping bag. The Serengeti has designated public campsites with standard facilities including kitchen, washrooms, dining, concrete trails, parking area, and enough camping ground.
Hint – The average price of a Serengeti budget camping safari is US$ 170 – $200 per person per day.
Join a group safari to Serengeti
There are a number of budget Serengeti safari tours with almost daily departures that one can join to share the safari cost with other like-minded travellers. These kinds of low budget Serengeti safaris are usually camping safaris and start/end in Arusha and the safari itinerary usually combine a visit to Serengeti national park with other national parks in the region.
If you go on this kind of Serengeti safari with us, we are responsible for getting other travellers who will join to complete the group; group size can range from 4 to 6 guests and the price of this kind of safari tours to Serengeti national park is approximately $170 per person per day.
Hint – As a single traveller, you can take the Serengeti safari tour by joining a group to cut on the operational costs. This budget Serengeti safari tours go for approximately US$ 170 per person per day.
Opt for low budget Serengeti safari lodges and camps
Accommodation usually makes up the bulk of any Serengeti safari’s cost, so where you stay has the biggest impact on your overall safari budget. Options of accommodation in Serengeti range widely, from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars a night per person.
If you are wondering about affordable places to stay at during your Serengeti safari but would not like to go on a Serengeti budget camping safari, there are a number of affordable Serengeti lodges and camps of various prices that provide accommodation in this wild and scenic landscape.
Affordable safari lodges & tented camps in Serengeti national park
- Kati Kati Tented Camp & Tortillis Tented Camp – Central Serengeti
- Seronera Wildlife Lodge & TANAPA Bandas – Central Serengeti
- Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp – Northern Serengeti
Hint – Budget Serengeti lodges and camps go for approximately US$ 280 per double room per night.
Visit the Serengeti in the low season
The time of travelling has a big impact on the general cost of safaris to Serengeti. The Tanzania tourism season is divided into 2 major seasons, the high season and the low season.
Tourism High Season – July to March: This is the time when the Tanzania tourism industry is on a boom, accommodation prices are at the highest and general Serengeti safari prices are high too.
Tourism low Season – March to Mid-May: This is the time of the year when the rains come pouring, accommodation prices are also at the lowest price and general Serengeti safari prices are at the lowest cost too.
Hint – For budget Serengeti safari bargain hunters, the Tanzania tourism low season is the best time of the year to visit the Serengeti on a safari.
Travel to the Serengeti in a group
A group safari in Serengeti
Group size really matters on the final price of a safari to Serengeti. Some of the costs that can be shared when visiting the Serengeti in a group include safari car cost, accommodation – most safari lodges and camps have rooms that can accommodate up to 3 people in one room, etc.
The larger the travel group, the cheaper a safari to Serengeti national park will be. So next time you plan to save more on the cost of your Serengeti safari tour, convince some of your friends to come along.
Take advantage of Special Serengeti safari offers
A number of Serengeti lodges and camps partner with airlines and tour that arrange tours to the Serengeti national park to offer a variety special safari discounts that travellers can take advantage of, ranging from free nights, value for money upgrades to last-minute safari discounts where a traveller can save up to 40% of the normal Serengeti safari cost.
This special Serengeti safari offers usually depend on availability and run for a given time frame. Whatever time of the year, contact us and we can advise on availability on any Serengeti safari deals that are available.
Go on a self-drive safari in the Serengeti
Self-drive safaris in the Serengeti national park are not yet very popular, however, they are doable. For more experienced travellers, self-drive adventures in the Serengeti can assist in cutting down your overall safari cost.
You may have to arrange with your safari car rental company to assist you with the payment of some of the park fees.
Hint – The Serengeti is massive and roads can be very bad, I would only recommend going for a self-drive safari in the Serengeti to very experienced travellers who are familiar with off-road driving as the roads in Serengeti can be pretty bad.
Maximise on the time spent in the park
Last but not least, to get the best value for your Serengeti safari tour, I recommend requesting your trip planner to maximise the time that you will spend game viewing in the national park. According to the Serengeti park regulations, the park entry fee is valid for 24 hours (single entry) so your Serengeti safari should utilize all your time in the national park.
Our conclusion on the best budget Serengeti safari tips – Going on a budget safari to Serengeti does not mean you will get below standard services or game viewing experience, and the term “budget Serengeti safaris” has no clear definition as every custom-tailored safari to Serengeti national park is unique and costs vary significantly depending on a variety of factors, however, I believe that every traveller should get the right monetary value for their Serengeti safari tour of choice.
One way we can plan a Tanzania safari that fits your budget is to let us know your estimated safari budget and we can tailor your itinerary of choice to fit within this amount.
Now that you have a great idea on how you can plan for that safari to Serengeti that fits in your budget range, I wish you a Happy visit to Serengeti National Park!
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance in the planning of your safari to Serengeti national park.
