Safari cost calculator for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda: a lone acacia against a stormy Serengeti sunset

Safari cost calculator: how much will your safari cost?

A 7-day mid-range safari costs about $1,505–$4,210 per person in Kenya, before flights. This free calculator prices Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda from public park tariffs and sampled lodge rates.

Safari cost calculator

Four quick steps. Prices are in US dollars.

Where do you want to go?

Who is going, and for how long?

What style of safari?

Fine-tune children, flights, vehicle, tips

Uganda primate permits (optional)

USD 800 normally; USD 600 low-season permits in April, May and November (non-reschedulable). Includes that day's park entry. Minimum age 15.

USD 250 now (incl. entry), USD 200 low-season, rising to USD 300 from 1 Jan 2027. Children are not charged in this calculator.

Rwanda primate permits (optional)

USD 1,500 for foreign tourists. Promotional rates for residents/Africans do not apply to foreign tourists.

Kenya · 7 days · November · Mid-range

Estimated total for 2 travellers

$3,010 – $6,145

Per person$1,505 – $3,070
Per person, per day$215 – $440

Lodging 45% · Park fees 33% · Vehicle and guide 16%

An estimate, not a quote. International flights are not included.

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Serengeti, TanzaniaPhoto: Daniel Msirikale, CC BY-SA 4.0

The breakdown

Safari cost breakdown: where the money goes

Change the trip in the calculator above and every line below updates: park fees, lodging, vehicle and guide, flights, tips and extras, each as a low and a high.

Your estimate

Itemised safari cost breakdown

Kenya · 7 days · November · Mid-range

Per person
$1,505 – $3,070
Total for 2 travellers
$3,010 – $6,145
Per person, per day
$215 – $440
  • Park fees 33%
  • Lodging 45%
  • Vehicle & guide 16%
  • Tips 7%
Park & conservation fees33% · VerifiedAdult about $87–$167 per day, 6 park days
How it’s calculated

Adult about $87–$167 per day (low = KWS-park circuit (Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Tsavo); high = Maasai Mara-focused (Mara 70%, Amboseli 15%, Nakuru 15%)), 6 park days.

$1,045 – $2,005
Lodging – mid-range lodge/tented camp45% · Sourced6 nights at $120–$220 per person per night sharing
How it’s calculated

6 nights at $120–$220 per person per night sharing (off-peak month). Full-board tented camp to lodge, per person sharing (Ol Moran USD 120 pp all year; Mara Serena USD 200-220 pp, USD 410 pp mid-Jun to Sep).

$1,440 – $2,640
Vehicle & driver-guide (shared)16% · Sourced2 shared seats × 6 days at $29–$90 per person per day
How it’s calculated

2 shared seats × 6 days at $29–$90 per person per day. Private 4x4 with driver-guide: USD 200 (fuel extra, short hire) to USD 290 (USD 260 fuel included + USD 30 driver night). Shared seat: low = USD 200 / 7 seats; high = USD 90 per seat (Mara Serena day game drive).

$350 – $1,080
Tips (driver-guide & lodge staff)7% · SourcedDriver-guide $10–$20 per person/day; lodge staff $5–$15 per person per night
How it’s calculated

Driver-guide $10–$20 per person/day; lodge staff $5–$15 per person per night. Kenya-focused guidance used for all countries.

$180 – $420
Total for 2 travellers
$3,010 – $6,145
Per person
$1,505 – $3,070

Included: the lines above, low to high, rounded to the nearest $5.

Not included: operator margin, bush flights, visas, insurance, drinks and optional activities. Estimates, not quotes.

Prices checked · How we calculate · All data and sources

Email us this estimate
Where the Kenya numbers come fromSource, status and check date for every fee, lodging tier and vehicle rate
  • Maasai Mara National Reserve

    Adult $100 (varies by month), child $50 per day (6am-6pm ticket). Calendar 2026 (USD 100 Jan-Jun, USD 200 Jul-Dec). 2027 not yet published when verified.

    VerifiedNarok County Government · masaimara.travelchecked 2026-10-16
  • Amboseli National Park

    Adult $90, child $45 per 24 hours. KWS Conservation Fees, October 2025 schedule.

    VerifiedKenya Wildlife Service · Kenya Wildlife Servicechecked 2026-10-16
  • Lake Nakuru National Park

    Adult $90, child $45 per 24 hours. KWS Conservation Fees, October 2025 schedule.

    VerifiedKenya Wildlife Servicechecked 2026-10-16
  • Tsavo East / Tsavo West National Park

    Adult $80, child $40 per 24 hours. KWS Conservation Fees, October 2025 schedule.

    VerifiedKenya Wildlife Servicechecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Budget camping

    $42–$67 off-peak, $42–$67 peak, per person per night. Full-board camping/tented camp near the Mara gate (Kambu Campers). Single-property sample.

    SourcedKambu Campers Masai Marachecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Mid-range lodge/tented camp

    $120–$220 off-peak, $120–$410 peak, per person per night. Full-board tented camp to lodge, per person sharing (Ol Moran USD 120 pp all year; Mara Serena USD 200-220 pp, USD 410 pp mid-Jun to Sep).

    SourcedOl Moran Tented Camp · Mara Serena Safari Lodge 2026 rateschecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Luxury camp/lodge

    $623–$1950 off-peak, $623–$2950 peak, per person per night. Upper bound from Angama Mara's official all-inclusive rates (USD 1,850-2,950 pp); lower bound from a search-summary figure for Governors' Camp (~USD 623 pp) that we could not open, hence labelled estimate.

    EstimateAngama Mara rates · Governors' Camp Collection 2026 recommended selling rateschecked 2026-10-16
  • Vehicle & driver-guide

    Private 4x4 with driver-guide: USD 200 (fuel extra, short hire) to USD 290 (USD 260 fuel included + USD 30 driver night). Shared seat: low = USD 200 / 7 seats; high = USD 90 per seat (Mara Serena day game drive).

    SourcedAuthentic Adventures · Mara Serena Safari Lodge 2026 rates
Where the Tanzania numbers come fromSource, status and check date for every fee, lodging tier and vehicle rate
  • Serengeti National Park

    Adult $70 (varies by month), child $20 per 24 hours + 18% VAT. TANAPA tariff 1 Jul 2023-30 Jun 2026 (USD 70 peak, USD 60 for 15 Mar-15 May). TANAPA's 2026/27 database reportedly keeps ~USD 70 + VAT with no low-season rate; the low case uses USD 60 in Apr/May.

    SourcedTANAPA tariffs 1 July 2023 · Serengeti National Park Fees 2025-2026 · nationalparksatlas.comchecked 2026-10-16
  • Tarangire / Lake Manyara / Arusha National Parks

    Adult $50 (varies by month), child $15 per 24 hours + 18% VAT. TANAPA tariff 1 Jul 2023-30 Jun 2026 (USD 50, or USD 45 for 15 Mar-15 May).

    SourcedTANAPA tariffs 1 July 2023 · Serengeti National Park Fees 2025-2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Budget camping

    $42–$67 off-peak, $42–$67 peak, per person per night. ESTIMATE: no Tanzanian camping-safari rate was verified, so Kenya's budget camp (full board USD 42-67 pp) is used as a proxy. TANAPA campsite fees are added separately.

    EstimateKambu Campers Masai Mara · Our own assumptionchecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Mid-range lodge/tented camp

    $221–$299 off-peak, $421–$569 peak, per person per night. Single sample: Serengeti Serena from USD 990 per unit 1 Jun-31 Oct (USD 495 pp if a double) and USD 521 per unit 1 Nov-22 Dec (USD 260 pp). Because it is one property and 'unit' is assumed to be a double, a +/-15% band is added (estimate).

    EstimateSerengeti Serena Safari Lodge price list · Our own assumptionchecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Luxury camp/lodge

    $2210–$2795 off-peak, $3220–$3525 peak, per person per night. Ultra-luxury all-inclusive sample (Singita Serengeti: USD 2,210 pp Jan-mid-May & Nov-mid-Dec, USD 2,795 Oct, USD 3,220-3,525 mid-May-Sep). No mid-luxury Tanzanian sample was verified, so this tier is high-end only.

    SourcedSingita Serengeti rack rates 6 Jan 2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Vehicle & driver-guide

    ESTIMATE: Kenyan Land Cruiser hire rates used as a proxy; no Tanzanian operator rate sheet was verified.

    EstimateAuthentic Adventures · Our own assumption
Where the Uganda numbers come fromSource, status and check date for every fee, lodging tier and vehicle rate
  • Murchison Falls National Park

    Adult $45, child $25 per 24 hours. UWA Conservation Tariff Jul 2024-Jun 2026 (still published as the live tariff).

    VerifiedUganda Wildlife Authoritychecked 2026-10-16
  • Queen Elizabeth / Kidepo / Kibale / Lake Mburo / Bwindi (Category A)

    Adult $40, child $20 per 24 hours. UWA Conservation Tariff Jul 2024-Jun 2026 (still published as the live tariff).

    VerifiedUganda Wildlife Authoritychecked 2026-10-16
  • Mountain gorilla tracking permit (Bwindi/Mgahinga), per adult

    USD 800 normally; USD 600 low-season permits in April, May and November (non-reschedulable). Includes that day's park entry. Minimum age 15.

    VerifiedUganda Wildlife Authority · UWA circular 26 Feb 2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Chimpanzee tracking, Kibale National Park, per adult

    USD 250 now (incl. entry), USD 200 low-season, rising to USD 300 from 1 Jan 2027. Children are not charged in this calculator.

    VerifiedUganda Wildlife Authority · UWA circular 26 Feb 2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Budget camping

    $8–$35 off-peak, $8–$35 peak, per person per night. Camping USD 8 pp up to a basic twin tent USD 35 per tent (Red Chilli Rest Camp, Murchison). Meals are not included in those rates, so an estimated USD 15-25 pp/day for meals is added.

    SourcedRed Chilli Rest Camp, Murchison Falls · Our own assumptionchecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Mid-range lodge/tented camp

    $200–$270 off-peak, $200–$420 peak, per person per night. Full board: Chobe Safari Lodge 'from USD 200'; Paraa Safari Lodge standard room USD 270 (low) to USD 420 (peak). Reseller guide.

    SourcedParaa Safari Lodge Uganda prices 2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Luxury camp/lodge

    $380–$400 off-peak, $480–$580 peak, per person per night. Paraa Safari Lodge Safari/Honeymoon Suites (USD 380-580 pp). Only this top-of-market lodge sampled; ultra-luxury Uganda camps not sampled.

    SourcedParaa Safari Lodge Uganda prices 2026checked 2026-10-16
  • Vehicle & driver-guide

    ESTIMATE: Kenyan Land Cruiser hire rates used as a proxy. (A Ugandan-registered tour vehicle pays only about UGX 30,000 entry per day under the UWA tariff, which we ignore.)

    EstimateAuthentic Adventures · Our own assumption
Where the Rwanda numbers come fromSource, status and check date for every fee, lodging tier and vehicle rate
  • Mountain gorilla tracking permit (Volcanoes NP), per adult (age 15+)

    USD 1,500 for foreign tourists. Promotional rates for residents/Africans do not apply to foreign tourists.

    VerifiedRwanda Development Boardchecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Mid-range lodge/tented camp

    $170–$425 off-peak, $170–$425 peak, per person per night. ESTIMATE from rates seen in search summaries only: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge ~USD 170 pp, Five Volcanoes USD 260-425 pp.

    EstimateRwanda lodge rates seen in search summarieschecked 2026-10-16
  • Lodging: Luxury camp/lodge

    $1689–$3795 off-peak, $1689–$3795 peak, per person per night. ESTIMATE from search summaries only: Wilderness Sabyinyo ~USD 1,689-2,235 pp, Bisate ~USD 3,795 pp (all-inclusive).

    EstimateRwanda lodge rates seen in search summarieschecked 2026-10-16
  • Vehicle & driver-guide

    ESTIMATE: Kenyan Land Cruiser hire rates used as a proxy.

    EstimateAuthentic Adventures · Our own assumption

Destinations

Safari costs by destination: Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park

Open a country for the total trip cost, or go straight to the daily rate. Each guide lists every park fee, lodge range and source.

Quick answer: a 7-day mid-range safari for two adults sharing a vehicle costs roughly $1,505–$4,210 per person in Kenya, $1,950–$4,970 per person in Tanzania, $1,705–$3,530 per person in Uganda, $2,785–$4,800 per person in Rwanda, before international flights. The low end is a lower-fee month, the high end is peak season. Last updated .

Not yet covered: Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia. We have not verified their park fees and lodge rates from public sources, so they are not in the calculator. We would rather show nothing than guess. See what is covered

A safari vehicle parked beside a lone acacia on the Maasai Mara plains
Maasai Mara, Kenya

The numbers are public. The trip is ours.

The calculator runs on public tariffs and sampled lodge rates, not on our own price list, so you can check any line yourself.

We are the operator. When the budget works we plan the route, book park entry and camps, and arrange the vehicle and your guide. One team from your first message to the last game drive.

Send us your estimate
A Masai giraffe walking through golden grass, Serengeti, Tanzania
Serengeti, Tanzania

How to estimate your safari cost in three steps

  1. Set the trip

    Country, month, group size, days and style. The month matters: the Maasai Mara park fee doubles from USD 100 to USD 200 per adult on 1 July.

  2. Read the range

    You get a low and a high figure for park fees, lodging, vehicle and guide, flights and tips. Each line is marked verified, sourced or estimate.

  3. Send it to us

    If the budget works, send the estimate on WhatsApp or by email. We reply with an itinerary and a price we can book.

A striped hot-air balloon drifting over the Maasai Mara plains at dawn

We would rather show nothing than guess.

Our rule for countries whose fees we cannot yet verify. Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia are not in the calculator for that reason.

Maasai Mara, KenyaPhoto: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0

Every safari cost comes with its source

An estimate is built from parts, not from one guess. Park fees come from the tariff for the month you pick. Lodging comes from named sample properties. Vehicle and guide come from published hire rates. Flights, tips and extras are labelled estimates.

Verified
Read in the official tariff of the body that sets the price.
Sourced
Published by a lodge, operator or reseller, or a mirror of an official tariff.
Estimate
Our own assumption or an unconfirmed figure, always labelled.
Data and sources Africa park feesHow we calculate
  1. Traceable. Every figure has a source URL, a status and a last-checked date on the Data page.
  2. Ranges, not false precision. Results run from low to high, rounded to the nearest $5, because real prices move.
  3. Gaps stay visible. Countries we cannot verify are left out rather than guessed.
  4. Disclosed. We sell safaris. The numbers come from public prices, and the sources are shown so you can check us.
public sources
24
countries covered
4
data last checked
16 Oct 2026

Safari cost FAQ: what the estimate covers

Short answers on what a safari costs, what the estimate covers and what it does not.

How much does a safari cost?

A 7-day mid-range safari for two adults sharing a vehicle costs roughly (per person, excluding international flights): Kenya $1,505–$4,210; Tanzania $1,950–$4,970; Uganda $1,705–$3,530; Rwanda $2,785–$4,800. The low end is a lower-fee month, the high end is peak season. Budget camping costs less and luxury camps cost far more. Use the calculator for your own dates and group.

How much does a safari cost per day?

About $215–$600 per person per day in Kenya, $280–$710 per person per day in Tanzania, $245–$505 per person per day in Uganda, $400–$685 per person per day in Rwanda for a mid-range trip with a shared vehicle, tips included and flights excluded. Park fees, lodging and the vehicle make up most of it.

Is this an official safari quote?

No. It is an independent estimate built from public park tariffs, sampled lodge rates and clearly labelled assumptions. Real quotes from operators will differ and are often higher, because operator margin, bush flights, visas and insurance are not included. Use the calculator to set a realistic budget, then ask us for a real quote.

What do Verified, Sourced and Estimate mean?

Verified: read directly in the official tariff of the body that sets the price (for example Narok County, KWS, UWA or RDB). Sourced: published by a lodge, operator or reseller, or a mirror of an official tariff that we opened; indicative only. Estimate: our own assumption, a proxy, or a figure we could not confirm. Every line in your result carries one of these labels.

What is included in the estimate?

Park and conservation fees for the month you choose, lodging per night by tier, vehicle and driver-guide (shared or private), tips, optional international flights (always an estimate), an extras budget and optional primate permits. Not included: operator margin, bush or domestic flights, visas, travel insurance, vaccinations, drinks and optional activities.

When is the cheapest time to go on safari?

Usually outside peak season, and it depends on the country. In the 2026 tariff the Maasai Mara fee is USD 100 per adult per day from January to June and USD 200 from July to December. Uganda gorilla permits are USD 600 in April, May and November instead of USD 800. The calculator applies the right fees for the month you pick.

Do you sell safaris or take bookings?

Yes. We design and operate safaris ourselves. Use the calculator to set your budget, then send us your estimate on WhatsApp or by email and we will reply with an itinerary and a bookable price. Enquiries are free and carry no obligation. See the disclosure for details.

Which countries are covered?

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda are covered today (Rwanda is partial: Akagera, Nyungwe and verified lodge rates are not yet included). Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia will follow once their fees can be verified from public sources. We would rather show nothing than guess.

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A lioness resting in the grass under a darkening sunset sky, Maasai Mara, Kenya

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We plan and run the trip ourselves: park entry, camps and lodges, the vehicle and your guide. Send your estimate on WhatsApp or by email and we will reply with an itinerary and a price we can book. There is no charge for asking.

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