Planning a trip to Africa can be confusing with the so many destinations and different prices.
This guide will help you understand the costs of an African Safari.
In summary, the most popular areas in Africa are priced as follows:
Rates Per Person Sharing, Nightly
Kruger National Park from $420 pps
Serengeti Safari from $740 pps
Okavango Delta Safari from $500 pps
Masai Mara Safaris from $450 pps
Zambia African Safari from $540 pps
What affects costs?
Accommodation Level (4 or 5 star)
Time of Year (Seasons)
Length of Stay
All Inclusive or Half Board
Location (Which country or destination)
Top 5 Destinations
The destinations below are the most popular for an African safari holiday. It’s worth noting that we only work with the leading four and five star properties in each destination, and the pricing reflects this. Also keep in mind that all-inclusive safari packages differ from accommodation only.
We do not work with lower end properties, as our goal is always to give our clients a world-class experience.
The following destinations provide the very best all round experience from wildlife density and location, to luxury accommodation, cuisine and service.
KRUGER PARK COSTS
The Kruger Park in South Africa provides an all round safari experience for wildlife lovers, from self drive trips to guided game drives and bush walks with price ranges for everyone.
The Kruger Park is the largest of all the safari parks in Africa and offers the greatest variety of large mammal species and an abundance of bird species, with more than 200 resident species and 300+ migratory species.
Kruger Park Quick Facts: (Wikipedia)
Covers 19,000 sq km (7,500 mi)
Established in 1926
147 large mammal species (most in Africa)
517 bird species
Big 5 Animals
It’s interesting to note that the lodges in the Kruger operate off one yearly rate, there is no low or high season rate like in other parks.
This speaks volumes to the popularity of the Kruger Park year round.
KRUGER PARK SAFARI COSTS
4 Star – from $420 pps nightly
5 Star – from $860 pps nightly
The Kruger Park is often combined with Cape Town in the south of the country to provide a full African safari experience. This is also a very popular destination for South Africa honeymoon safaris.
The flight time from Cape Town to Kruger is roughly 3 hours.
For more information you can visit the official Kruger Park site.
SERENGETI COSTS
The Serengeti in Tanzania is of course notorious for the world’s largest animal migration, commonly known as the Great Migration - or Great Wildebeest Migration.
The endless plains of the Serengeti offer supreme game viewing conditions as more than 2 million animals move across them in search of greener grazing pastures, following the seasonal rainfalls.
The Great Migration in numbers: (Wikipedia)
7 million wildebeest
260,000 zebra
470,000 gazelles
500,000 calves
Hundreds of predators
SERENGETI SAFARI COSTS
Low Season from March to May and Oct to December
4 Star – from $740 pps
5 Star – from $1,085 pps
High Season from Jan to Feb and Sept to Dec
4 Star – from $1,340 pps
5 Star – from $1,715 pps
For more information check out the Serengeti Wikipedia Page.
OKAVANGO DELTA COSTS
The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a truly unique safari experience as the majority of luxury lodges are built near the waterways and channels of the sublime delta.
This makes for a special safari experience with unique offerings like a mokoro (traditional canoe) safari along the banks of the delta. A great way to view wildlife as they come down to the river banks to quench their thirst.
The Okavango Delta is teeming with animal and bird life and is easily accessible by light aircraft.
Okavango Delta quick facts
200,000 large mammals
30,000 elephant and buffalo
60,000 lechwe antelope
71 fish species (including tigerfish)
OKAVANGO DELTA SAFARI COSTS
Low Season from January to March
4 Star – from $500 pps nightly
5 Star – from $950 pps nightly
High Season from July to October
4 Star – from $1,085 pps nightly
5 Star – from $1,715 pps nightly
The Okavango Delta is a Unesco World Heritage site.
MASAI MARA COSTS
The Masai Mara in Kenya is renowned for it’s exceptional population of big cats, including the Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzania cheetahs.
The Great Animal Migration also passes through the plains from July to October, making for a spectacular combination of wildlife viewing opportunities.
All members of the Big 5 are found in the Masai Mara, in addition to large groups of hippo and crocodile in the Mara and Talek rivers.
The plains between the Esoit Siria Escarpment and the Mara River are the best for game viewing.
MASAI MARA SAFARI PRICES
Low Season from April to May
4 Star – from $450 pps nightly
5 Star – from $680 pps nightly
High Season from June to October and 20-31 Dec
4 Star – from $625 pps nightly
5 Star – from $1,035 pps nightly
For more information visit the Maasai Mara Wiki Page.
ZAMBIA COSTS
Zambia is a bit of an underdog on the African safari scene but offers tremendous value and wildlife opportunities.
The biggest tourist attraction is Victoria Falls located in the south of the country, along the Zambezi River, but Zambia is more than just one attraction.
Zambia is the home of the original walking safari, providing a truly unique way to experience the bush and the many fascinating aspects.
Kafue National Park is the largest park in Zambia and the second largest in Africa covering an area similar in size to Wales or Massachusetts.
This area is home to more than 55 different species of animals.
ZAMBIA SAFARI COSTS
Low Season from January to March
4 Star – from $520 pps nightly
5 Star – from $695 pps nightly
High Season from June to October
4 Star – from $588 pps nightly
5 Star – from $895 pps nightly
The mid season of course varies between these two rates in the other months.
Now that you have a good idea of the cost of a luxury African safari and the different locations, feel free to contact us and a friendly safari expert can help you select the perfect safari lodges and locations for your wildlife holiday.
African Safari Home is contracted to over 500 properties in South & East Africa and boasts more than 20 years safari planning experience, so you can book your package with confidence.
We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you may have re safari costs and pricing, or general accommodation and wildlife questions.
Also keep in mind that if you're traveling on your Africa Honeymoon Safari, special deals and discounts are available to you that are not available to regular travelers.
These deals include bonus night offers, free upgrades and bride pays 50% deals.
For more information, availability and special offer pricing, contact us today.