Author name: Inspired Feet Safaris

Going on an African safari is a bucket list travel experience that many people dream of. And for many, dreaming never turns into planning because they think African safaris are too expensive. The most common initial question people ask is, “What will it cost to go on an African safari?” The good news is that an African safari doesn’t have to be expensive. A safari can be surprisingly affordable depending on your safari destination, the time of year you travel, the number of stops on your itinerary, and your choice of accommodation. Understanding what factors contribute to the cost of an African safari will allow you to make an informed decision about what type of African safari itinerary is best suited for your budget, interests and expectations. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. But affordability does not always mean low quality. How expensive is an African safari? As a rough guideline, you can realistically expect to pay anything from US$250 per person per day up to US$2,000 per person per day. It all depends on when and where you decide to go. The cost of an East African safari East Africa, the birthplace of traditional safari, offers some of the most spectacular open-plain game viewing opportunities in Africa, and it’s the only place on the continent where you can go on an authentic gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari. Prices are usually quoted in US dollars. Kenya The typical price per person per night for a Kenya safari in the peak season ranges from just over US$600 for a scheduled, small-group budget safari up to US$2,550 for a private, fly-in luxury safari (2023 prices). This includes the cost of getting to your safari destination from Nairobi, national park entry fees, your game drives and perhaps a few other activities but excludes the cost of your international flights, visas and optional activities such as hot air balloon safaris over the Masai Mara and walking safaris at some camps. The time of year you visit Kenya, your mode of transport, your choice of safari camp and the number of domestic flights between destinations will influence the cost of your safari itinerary. Another point to consider is that safaris in Kenya are priced in US dollars, making them comparatively more expensive than similar experiences in South Africa, where safaris are priced in South African rands. Peak season in Kenya, and the busiest time of year to go on safari, is migration time — from mid-July to the end of September — when gigantic herds of wildebeest cross over from Tanzania into the Masai Mara National Reserve. If you can’t afford the cost of a luxury safari camp, where a more private and exclusive game-viewing experience is guaranteed, consider travelling outside of the peak season, during the short rains from January to March and sometimes in November. The typical price during the shoulder season ranges from around US$550 per person per night for a scheduled small-group safari to US$1,100 per person per night for a luxury fly-in safari. The parks and reserves are less crowded in the shoulder season, and the abundance of resident wildlife makes game viewing as attractive as in peak season. Here, we’re looking at authentic safari experiences inside the most popular game reserves. There are cheaper options if you stay at budget-friendly camps outside the game reserves. It’s important to note that the prices we mention here are very rough guidelines based on 2023 pricing. Your destination expert at Wild Wings Safaris will talk you through how travelling outside of Kenya’s peak season, choosing a private guide and personal driver over a fly-in safari and reducing the number of stops on your itinerary can help you cut costs. Tanzania As with Kenya, the cost of your safari will depend on the time of year you travel to Tanzania, how you get around (fly-in safari vs drive-in safari; private safari vs scheduled small-group safari), your choice of accommodation and the number of domestic flights you need to get from one national park or safari lodge to the next. While the park fees in Kenya are marginally lower than in Tanzania, there is not much difference in price between a Kenyan and Tanzanian safari which is also priced in US dollars. Overall, you can expect to pay between US$450 and US$2,800 per person per night (excluding international flights), depending on the season and choice of camp. Also, like Kenya, the wildebeest migration is a significant factor in the cost of a Tanzania safari. But unlike Kenya, where the migration peaks between July and September, the mega herds spend most of the year in Tanzania. The wildebeest migration can be witnessed in various phases over many months, starting with the calving season from January to March in Ndutu and Southern Serengeti, rutting season from April to June in Western and Central Serengeti, followed by the dramatic river crossings from July to August in Northern Serengeti. In October and November, the herds begin moving south again. Besides aiming for shoulder season, one way to keep costs down is the choice of accommodation. This is where the knowledge and experience of a reputable tour operator are indispensable. For some people on a tight budget, it may be worth joining a group tour and staying in some of the larger, more affordable safari lodges. Others may be willing to spend slightly more to stay at a small, more exclusive safari camp in a better location. Another way to cut costs is to reduce the number of stops on your itinerary. Instead of rushing from one game reserve to the next, which drives up the price, linger longer in one or two places and take advantage of long stay specials or early booking discounts.

The best time to go on safari in Kenya is anytime between June to October.Travel in early September and you can almost guarantee that your trip will coincide with the famous wildebeest migration across the Masai Mara. That said, Kenya is brimming with wildlife throughout the year, so it’s tough to go wrong. Visit at another time of year and you’ll avoid peak season and get more of a wilderness experience. Visit Kenya in winter, from October to May, to see birds in full breeding colours. The weather in Kenya is extremely variable owing to the altitude of the country, which ranges from the 5,199m peak of Mount Kenya down to sea level. Coastal areas are generally hotter and more humid than the interior, which tends to cool off at night. January and February are normally hot in Kenya, with little rainfall. March to May is known as “the long rains”, and is hot and rainy, with an average of 211mm of rainfall in April in Nairobi, compared to just 38mm in January and 28mm in August. June to August is a little cooler, but dry, and November and December are warm and rainy, with Nairboi averaging 109mm in November. As a result, the main tourist seasons are December to January and July to August, to avoid the rainfall – but safari fans tend to mark September in their diaries due to that great migration, which is truly a sight to behold.

Each day on safari in Africa is a magical experience, whether you’re exploring the savanna on foot or in a 4×4 vehicle in search of the Big 5, taking to the sky in a hot-air balloon to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration, or hiking through the thick rainforests of Uganda or Rwanda on a gorilla trek. Every single day is steeped in the promise of a unique adventure and cherished memories. Although each day is unpredictable to a certain extent, based on the time of year or location, there is a general format or schedule that safaris tend to follow but, as a rule, safari does follow a familiar rhythm that combines thrilling game viewing with ample time to relax in between – a dream vacation in anyone’s book. One rule of thumb is that there are usually two game drives a day – one in the early morning and late afternoon when animals are at their most active. If you want a more detailed look at what your schedule might be, we put together a guide that takes a deep dive into what to expect on a typical day on safari in Africa, when staying at a traditional lodge or camps that offers game drives in a national park, private concession or conservancy. 5.30am: Time for a Wake-Up Call Depending on what time the sun rises, staff will wake you up in time for the morning game drive. If you are not a morning person, it might help that they usually arrive with a knock at the door and a tray of very welcome tea, coffee and cookies. Generally, they confirm the time and your order the night before dinner. No matter your location, it’s always cool to cold in the early hours. It doesn’t help that you’ll be in an open safari vehicle for hours! So, you’ll want to dress warm and in layers to stave off the chill. It helps to lay out your clothes the night before so you don’t waste time getting dressed in the morning – you won’t want to miss a second of the early morning action! If you’re wondering why early morning game drives are held at an ungodly hour, it’s because this is when the most activity occurs. Many animals (especially predators) graze or hunt before the sun rises. It gets very hot in the savanna – too hot for animals to do anything other than find a shady spot to laze. So, they tend to seek out food while it’s still cool. 6am – 9am: Morning Game Drive or Hot-Air Balloon Safari Although you may set out before the first light, there is something magical about being out in nature as the moon sets and the sun comes up. The dawn chorus of birds is wonderful in Africa, and this is a great time to see nocturnal hunters like lions and leopards bedding down for the day or, in the case of lions, finishing off the last of their kill (leopards will stash theirs in a tree). Animals like elephants, gazelle, antelope, buffalo and giraffes will all start moving to waterholes to quench their thirst. Their reflections in the water in the soft morning light make for beautiful photos. Wild dogs will try to make a kill now before it gets too hot and exhausting to chase down prey in the heat. Your guide will generally serve coffee, tea and more cookies during a refreshment break during your drive. If you are going hot-air ballooning (mostly in Namibia, Kenya or Tanzania), you will also have to get up early as dawn provides the best conditions (winds are usually at their lowest in the morning). In private concessions and conservancies, you can head out at any time; in national parks and reserves, you will have to wait for the gates to open. 9am – 11am: Return to Camp for Breakfast or Brunch By mid-morning it will be too hot to be out (especially in South Africa where game-drive vehicles generally don’t have roofs) and the animals, having quenched their thirst, will be retreating to shade and will be hard to see and photograph in the dappled light. You will return to the lodge for breakfast or brunch, depending on how late it is and whether you had a cooked bush breakfast. The latter is often laid on for special occasions or after hot-air ballooning. It’s traditional after a hot-air balloon safari to drink a glass of champagne – go for it if you like, you’re on vacation after all! 11am – 1pm: Relaxation Time to Read, Nap, Swim, Walk or Enjoy the Spa After breakfast or lunch, do as you please. Free time between activities can be spent enjoying all the lodge or camp has to offer. Take a book down to the pool, go for a massage or pedicure, hit the gym or – quite frankly – take a nap. What you do will depend on the lodge’s facilities so if you like having lots of choices, ask your Africa Safari Expert to recommend accommodation with a spa, gym, pool, library, media centre, Wi-Fi, guided walking trails, kids’ clubs and so forth. Please note though, that not all camps have these elements. If you are active and the lodge or camp offers it, enquire the night before about taking a guided nature walk during this time (if it is very hot, some guides prefer to do it instead of the morning drive). You will need closed shoes and preferably long trousers, and the focus will be on the little aspects of Africa that often get overlooked on a vehicle: how the wind ‘whistles’ through a whistling acacia tree, how dung beetles know which direction they’re going, how termites build those massive mounds and how yellow weaver birds craft such intricate nests.

Standing out as one of the most spectacular wonders of the natural world, the Great Migration is an annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and other herbivores migrating clockwise through the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya’s Masai Mara in search of good water and green pastures. This event is also one of the world’s most famous and sought after spectacles by photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. The great wildebeest migration is renowned for being one of the worlds most visually stunning and breathtaking adventures. But determining when to travel to witness this amazing spectacle depends on a number of factors, as different times of the year are marked by variations in scenery so it is best to seek out advice from a reliable operator and experienced tour guide as they know when and where you should be. January – February: During this time, the wildebeests assemble by the droves in the southern part of the Serengeti where they give birth to thousands of baby calves. This is also known as the Serengeti calving season. The soil in this area is rich in potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, so the grass is usually lush. March: This period sees extensive levels of predatory activities taking place as the huge congregation of so many preys and new calves make easy targets for lions, cheetahs, and other carnivorous animals. This action quickly prompts a change of environment for the wildebeests. April – May: This is when the Serengeti starts to dry up and the grass disappears prompting the herds to move west towards the Grumeti River. June – July: At this time, the herds begin heading towards the Masai Mara, but before they get there, they are faced with the challenging obstacle of crossing the Grumeti river. This is arguably the best time of the year as travelers would be able to view all the excitement unraveling around the Grumeti River and beyond. August – September: By this time, the herds have crossed the Grumeti river and are en route to the Mara River. This is also a dramatic crossing that captures nature in its rawest form. October: This month sees the herds crossing the Mara river into the pool-table flat Masai Mara grasslands where they usually graze till the end of the month and continue their journey back to the northern Serengeti where short grass will have become abundant. November – December: The wildlife reaches the Seronera area where they will remain till they head back to the southern part of the Serengeti for calving season.