Tanzania Safari Planning, Costs & Packing

Two or three days give a good taste of the northern circuit — typically Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. For most travellers, five to seven days is ideal: enough time to include the Serengeti with at least two nights there, without spending most of the trip on the road. Eight days or more allow a slower pace, extra Serengeti nights in the right migration area, or a beach extension on Zanzibar.

Most safaris start and end in Arusha and follow the northern circuit. Tarangire is known for elephants and baobabs, Lake Manyara for its forest and Rift Valley scenery, the Ngorongoro Crater for dense wildlife in a volcanic caldera, and the Serengeti for vast plains, big cats and the Great Migration. Long drives connect the highlands and the Serengeti, so a sensible route balances travel time and game viewing.

Flying between parks on light aircraft saves time and adds spectacular views, and suits longer or higher-end itineraries. We also add experiences such as Lake Eyasi’s Hadzabe and Datoga communities, a Maasai village or a balloon flight over the Serengeti.

Safari prices are made up of a few main parts: park and conservation fees, accommodation, your private vehicle and guide, and meals and transfers. Park fees are set by the government and are charged per person per day — roughly US$59 to US$83 per adult per day in the main national parks, including VAT, depending on the park and season. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area charges around US$71 per adult per day, plus a crater service fee of about US$295 per vehicle for each descent.

Accommodation is usually the largest part of the cost and varies most between comfort levels. Because the vehicle and guide are shared within your group, the price per person falls as your group grows. As a guide, our private safaris start from about US$300 per person per day at Mid-Range for a group of six, rising to over US$800 per person per day at Ultra Luxury for two.

Your route, vehicle and guiding are the same at every comfort level — only your accommodation changes.

• Mid-Range: comfortable, characterful lodges and tented camps with en-suite rooms and warm service.
• Luxury: refined lodges in exceptional settings — more space, finer dining and polished, personal service.
• Ultra Luxury: intimate, exclusive properties with outstanding design, privacy and the very best locations.

All our safaris are private, so you set the pace, stop for photographs and change plans with your guide. Families are very welcome: we choose lodges with family rooms and pools, plan shorter drives and add activities children enjoy, though some camps have minimum ages. For honeymooners, we suggest intimate camps, a balloon safari, a bush dinner and a few days on Zanzibar to finish.

Since 2025, the Bank of Tanzania requires everyday payments inside the country to be made in Tanzanian shillings. Your safari, park fees and lodges are paid to us in advance, so you only need money for drinks, souvenirs, optional extras and tips. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at most lodges and hotels (a surcharge sometimes applies), and ATMs are available in Arusha, Moshi and larger towns. If you bring US dollars to exchange, they should be clean notes from 2009 or later.

Tipping is customary and much appreciated. As a common guideline, many travellers give their driver-guide around US$20–30 per day for the group, and add something to the staff tip box at each lodge or camp. Tip in shillings or dollars at the end of your stay.

Pack light, practical clothing in neutral colours such as khaki, beige and olive — bright colours can disturb wildlife, and dark blue and black can attract tsetse flies. Days are warm and early mornings cool, so layers work best. On light-aircraft flights, luggage is usually limited to about 15 kg per person in soft bags, including hand luggage.

Your guide will position the vehicle for the best light and angles; a zoom lens of 100–400 mm is ideal for wildlife. Stay inside the vehicle unless your guide says otherwise, keep your voice low near animals, and never feed wildlife. Always ask before photographing people. Drones need permits from the aviation authority and park authorities and are not allowed in national parks without them.