How much is a budget Tanzania safari? Tanzania is a famous safari destination which can be visited by all types of travellers during the different months of the year.
Visiting Tanzania on a budget is also an exciting experience and there are many destinations including national parks and game reserves as well as towns and villages and many other places to go to when exploring the country on a Tanzania safari.
There are many ways to travel across the different destinations in Tanzania on a budget safari and also enjoy the tour and some of the ways include the following;
Traveling during the low season
Safaris around Tanzania can be carried out during any month of the year including the high season or dry season as well as during the low season or rainy season. During the low season, the safaris tend to be more affordable and prices for lodges are also discounted which makes it easier to engage in a budget safari in Tanzania.
The low season is around March to May when rains are received around Tanzania and also in November. During the low season, there are also fewer tourists visiting Tanzania for safaris and the scenery around the national parks are also beautiful. Some tourists avoid travel during the rainy season due to the heavy rains and sometimes muddy roads and for activities like hiking, many people avoid travel when rains are received since the trails are slippery which makes the hiking conditions unfavorable. These hikes are commonly done in destinations like Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountain in Africa.
The dry season is considered the best time for safaris around Tanzania especially for wildlife viewing since the wildlife like elephants, buffalos, antelopes, zebras, giraffes and many others can be spotted around water sources in the national parks like Serengeti national park and many others.
Driving instead of flying during a safari
Another way to travel on a budget in Tanzania is by driving to the different destinations instead of flying for the safari.
The option of driving to the different destinations in Tanzania during safaris also depends on the form of vehicles used for safaris including private transport or public transport means. If you are looking to reduce the transport costs, you can drive around the safari destinations of Tanzania using public transport means.
Hiring a vehicle for a safari around Tanzania can cost about 180 USD to 200 USD each day in 4×4 safari vehicles which you can use to explore the wilderness of the peaks of Tanzania,
Joining a group
During a safari around Tanzania, you can also join a group for a safari as a way of reducing on the safari costs and traveling on a budget.
Group safaris are usually cheaper due to the shared costs on the safari like accommodation costs and transport costs. This type of safari usually has set dates or is scheduled and prices are also set for a number of people taking part in a safari for a specific duration of the safari which can range between 3 days safaris to more days.
Some group safaris in Tanzania can also be shorter such as day tours to destinations like Arusha town, Lake Duluti, Arusha national park, Tarangire national park, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara national park and many other places.
Staying in lodges outside the parks
Accommodation costs are among costs incurred when visiting Tanzania and they can be budget accommodations, midrange accommodations or luxury accommodations. During a safari, you can choose between lodges inside the national parks and the lodges outside the parks and in the neighboring towns.
The lodges located outside the parks in Tanzania tend to cost less as compared to the lodges inside the national parks which also attract a charge for concession or camping fees during safaris.
Camping safaris
Camping in Tanzania is another way to travel on a budget in Tanzania and these campsites include public campsite and private campsites.
When camping, you can bring your own camping gear which saves on costs during the camping safaris or hire the equipment for camping which is also available at an affordable price of about 10 USD to 15 USD depending on the equipment.
Aside from being affordable, camping is also a way to get closer and experience the nature around Tanzania. A guide and a cook or chef also accompanies you during a camping safari and help set up the equipment. In Tanzania, the campsites also have facilities like washrooms, toilets and also dining areas which can be used during camping safaris.
Booking short safaris in Tanzania
The duration of the safaris in Tanzania can also determine the costs of a safari around the country. Taking part in a short safari is a way to reduce or minimize costs when visiting Tanzania. This is because the costs incurred are less and the experience is also worth every penny spent.
If you have a short time for safari, it is also recommended to visit a destination that doesn’t require long drive time since this makes it difficult to enjoy the actual safari as most time is spent on the road. Avoiding far off destinations during a short safari also reduces on transport costs since national parks with drive time of over 10 hours may require flights which are costly.
Choosing a safari package that fits in your budget
Different tour operators offer tour packages in Tanzania and when deciding which safari to take part in, you can choose a package that includes all the activities you wish to engage in during the safari and also fits in your budget.
The activity which a traveler takes part in also affects the costs incurred on a safari and so if you are traveling to Tanzania on a budget, it will be of a great advantage to choose activities which are budget friendly and avoid more costly activities as exciting as they are.
Some of the activities which are done during safaris in Tanzania include game drives (morning, afternoon or night), walking safaris, cultural tours, hiking, canoeing, forest walks and many others.
