If you are anything like me you must have wondered how much a safari in Kenya costs. I’ll try to answer this question to the best of my ability and give you a few examples along the way.
The average cost of a safari in Kenya is USD $3000 for a 10-day Safari in Kenya. Budget safaris cost around $1700 while Luxury Safaris would cost as much as $10,000. These amounts do NOT include international flights, visa fees, and medical insurance. All of these safaris will have wildlife viewing and some will include time at the beach. Let me break down what you expect to pay when coming on a Kenyan Safari and different examples of tours and their cost structures. I have lived in Kenya all my life and have visited many of the popular national parks in Kenya and this will inform the recommendations I give here.
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Learn MoreHere is a short table summarizing the cost structures for the Safaris in Kenya.
| Safari | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Budget Safaris | $1,500 |
| Mid Range Safari | $3,600 |
| Luxury Safari | $10,000 |
Kindly Note: I have never had to use tours and travel companies that have organized tours in my visits to the National parks in Kenya. This is because it has always been more logical for us as Kenyans to use our own vehicles to visit the parks since its more economical and all of my visits to the different national parks could be completed within a day. This means that my advice will be a bit limited and may be overlooking some aspects. To compensate for this, I did almost a week of research when preparing for this article and contacted the tours and travels companies mentioned below to get an accurate picture of the exact costs of doing a safari in Kenya.
How Much Budget Safaris in Kenya Cost
Cost: $1,000 – $1,700
Most budget safaris will be bare-bones and will include the essentials that would constitute an ok safari. Accommodation for these types of trips would usually be in basic tents with basic amenities like a shower and bathroom. If you will be booked in hotels they will usually be budget hotels with no frills.
As an example, Check out this Budget Safari by Intrepid Travel that is restricted to 18 to 29-year-olds. It’s a budget Tour That takes you on a tour of the popular Maasai Mara and Serengeti for 9 days. Most of the nights will be spent in tents and the tour is a group tour where you share vehicles.
Amenities
What they include
The amenities usually included in these kinds of budget safaris include:
- Meals: Breakfast Lunch and Supper
- Transport: By Four-wheel drive safari vehicles
- Accommodation: In tented camps and budget hotels
- Activities: Game drives in the national parks, and sometimes will include visits to indigenous people like the Maasai villages.
- Park fees: budget safaris usually include park entry fees into the cost of the safari and you will not need to worry about paying for them.
- A professional driver/guide: good safari companies hire professional drivers who also act as guides for your safari.
- All transportation: once the tour starts.
- Drinking water: this is an essential one since, as I have written in this article it is not advisable for foreigners to drink tap water in Kenya.
What they don’t include
Due to the fact that these are budget safaris, they would have very few frills and would NOT include the following
- Transfers to and from the airport: transfers from international airports to the start of your Safari would usually require an additional payment.
- Accommodation before and after the Safari Starts: If you will be arriving the day before your safari starts or planning to stay one or two days after your safari ends you will need to pay for the accommodation yourself.
- Local Flights: while flights are very convenient in helping you get around Kenya they are also not cheap and would not be included in most budget safaris.
- Special Meals & Drinks: on some occasions, you may need to cater for your own drink bills or pay for any special meals that may not be within the budget of your safari.
Example of a Budget Safari in Kenya (USD $1,500)
Essential East Africa By Intrepid
Ages 18 to 29
About this Safari
Time to get serious, young adventurers. This is what Africa is all about. Hippos, lions, leopards, lakes, jeep safaris, fun-loving red-clad Maasai folk, wide-open grassy plains that stretch as far as the eye can see, and sunsets that would make your mother weep.
How Much Mid Range Safaris in Kenya Cost
Cost: USD $ 1,800 – $3,900
Most mid-range safaris in Kenya will include time at the beach. They would come with a lot more comfort than budget safaris and are more suited for the average tourist. Accommodation is usually more comfortable and is located in hotels that are more premium and comfortable. Some would also include cultural interactions with the locals eg. visiting a Maasai Village or interacting with the local communities near the parks or beaches.
Amenities
What they include
The amenities usually included in these kinds of mid-range safaris include:
- Meals: Breakfast Lunch and Supper for the length of your safari
- Transport: By 4×4 safari vehicles and sometimes some flights are included
- Accommodation: In hotels and/or well-equipped camps
- Activities: These include:
- Game drives in less crowded vehicles
- Sometimes it will include visits to indigenous people but the Maasai villages.
- Visit to the Kenyan Coast
- Park fees: Usually included
- A professional driver/guide: Essential for local knowledge and helping to spot difficult-to-spot animals.
- All transportation: and would usually include airport transfers
- Drinking water:
What they don’t include
Even though you may be paying more for your safari than a budget traveler, there are few things that would not be included
- Accommodation before and after the Safari Starts: you would still need to make your own arrangements if you will be arriving earlier than the scheduled time of the safari or spending a few days in Kenya after your safari is complete
- Flights: While some flights may be included, most Kenyan safaris would still have a lot of overland travel in a 4×4 Safari vehicle.
- Some drinks and meals: Since many mid-range safaris would be accommodated in nice hotels and budget homes you would expect to find better food and drinks but there will be a limitation to this.
Example of a Mid-Range Safari (USD $3,635)
Best of East Africa by Intrepid
About Safari:
Find the best of East Africa on this Intrepid adventure as you traverse across Kenya and into Tanzania. Discover the wildlife, history, people, culture and beauty of this incredible spot. Begin your adventure in the busy heart of Kenya – Nairobi – and then turn your attention to the wild as you see flamingos in Lake Nakuru, game and wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, and all manner of birds and beast as you travel the wide-open plains. Swap the savanna for a higher elevation when you visit Usambara Mountains, and then leave all your cares behind as you relax on the endless white sands of the beaches in Zanzibar. Leave this East Africa adventure with a deeper understanding and appreciation of this enchanting part of the world.
Check out the safari on the Intrepid Website
How Much Luxury Safaris in Kenya Cost
Cost USD $4,000 – $ 13,000
These are the top-of-the-line safari experiences and would be some of the most exclusive and high ticket Safaris. They offer a high degree of customization and would even allow you to determine what kinds of activities you would want to have in your Safari. Accommodation would usually be in five-star hotels and lodges that are exclusive and picturesque. These would definitely include interactions with the local culture if that’s something you’re interested in and their interactions would be more intimate and exclusive.
Amenities
What they include
Since these are the most expensive safaris you expect to have in Kenya, they would not hold anything back in terms of the amenities provided. An example of what you would expect in these safaris include:
- International Flights (At an Extra Fee): While other safaris would not offer international flights, luxury tour experiences would include international flights but at an additional cost to you. The benefit of this is that you do not have to hassle with trying to find tickets to get you to Kenya.
- English-Speaking Resident Tour Managers and Local Guides: These guides would be more refined than any of the other tiers and would be better trained to handle you as a tourist.
- Private Vehicle & Guides: These luxury safaris usually come in private vehicles and would not be shared with other tourists who you do not know
- Hand-Picked 5 Star Luxury Accommodations: The safari companies organizing these itineraries would pick the very best hotels in the Kenya safari circuit for the guests. These accommodations would come with amenities like these by Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara:
- Luxury rooms with freestanding bathtubs
- Additional connecting bedroom for children
- Fully open floor-to-ceiling windows
- Wraparound private decking area and infinity pool overlooking the river
- Private vehicle and safari guide
- Private lounge and dining area
- Exquisite meals freshly-prepared by an in-suite chef
- Fully stocked private bar with premium drinks
- Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfers: Unlike other safaris that would expect you to meet in a predefined location. luxury safaris would organize someone to pick you up from the airport.
- Luggage Handling: luxury safaris will handle your luggage for you and they usually hire staff dedicated to helping you carry any heavy luggage.
- Breakfast in Bed: Since the accommodations that you will be using will be 5-star and high-end, things like breakfast in bed are not uncommon.
- Your Choice of Activity: in some of the luxury safaris in Kenya, You get to decide what kinds of activities you would like on your safari and custom-design the experiences.
- Internet Access: Many safari camps and lodges are located in very remote areas that do not usually have good connectivity. However, luxury safari destinations would go out of their way to provide decent internet connectivity.
- Laundry Service
Example of a Luxury Safari (USD $10,295)
Kenya Safari in Style by Abercrombie and Kent
Experience the finest game viewing, enjoying five-star hospitality in the heart of the bush at luxurious safari accommodations, including a private A&K tented site, and exploring three of Kenya’s iconic safari areas: Amboseli National Park, Laikipia Plateau, and Masai Mara Game Reserve.
NOTE: I have no affiliation with A&K. I just thought they were worth recommending. I reached out to their team for information about pricing for this article and they were very helpful.
Check out the Abercrombie and Kent website here and View specific details about the safari above here
Will I Enjoy a Budget Safari
So the question you may be asking yourself is, Will I enjoy a budget Safari? You may not have the budget for any safari that costs more than $1700 and you must be also counting the cost of international flights and other additional costs like travel insurance.
The answer is yes. Although budget safaris in Kenya would not have all the bells and whistles that come with safaris that are more high-end, you will get to see animals and experience similar landscapes and sceneries as those who will be paying several thousand dollars more. The only difference will be that your accommodation will be a lot more modest and your transport a bit less fancy.
The thing that you will need to be more careful about is what kind of company you book your budget safari with. You may be hunting for a good bargain but end up with a truly horrendous experience if you don’t take time to check the reputation of the safari company you intend to use.
Please take some time to read the detail guide I wrote about how to choose a safari company for your African Safari. it contains a very useful framework to help you choose a company that will give you the kind of safari you are expecting.
Also, Look for online reviews of the travel company you intend to use on independent sites like Trustpilot. Also, read about the kinds of experiences that people like you have encountered on the exact safari you’re thinking of going for.
Are Luxury Safaris Worth It?
Another thing you may be wondering is whether Luxury safaris are worth their price. I have never been to a luxury safari experience and my opinion may be skewed but here it is:
While luxury safari experiences are extraordinary, I feel that you would achieve a somewhat similar level of comfort on a mid-range safari without having to spend all that money for a luxury safari. If you have the budget for it I would highly recommend going on a luxury safari since it will be an experience of a lifetime.
Masai Mara Safari Cost
Most plan safaris will include the Maasai Mara in their itineraries. This makes Maasai Mara one of the most popular safari destinations and also one of the most expensive to visit especially during the High season. You will find the Maasai Mara in the itineraries of Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury Safaris.
It would be difficult to place an exact price on how much it will cost just to visit the Mara since most companies bundle the Mara with other parks and you can find trips to the Mara on all tiers on the budget line.
The differences emerge in the kinds of accommodation each type of safari offers to its guests.
Budget safaris who book their guests in low-cost camps in the Maasai Mara or outside the park.
Mid-range safaris on the other hand who book their guests in lodges and tented camps that offer more amenities than budget camps.
Luxury safaris, on the other hand, will book their guests in the most exclusive and comfortable lodges within the Maasai Mara. The Sanctuary Olonana(picture below), for instance, is located on the banks of the Mara River and has an exclusive view of beautiful stretches of the park.
Amboseli NP Safari Cost
Just like the Maasai Mara, Amboseli National Park is also very popular and would be included in many safari itineraries. I’m not able to give an exact amount of how much you expect to spend when visiting the Amboseli National Park but here is what I found,
You should expect to spend slightly more than the average tourist who visits the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Park since this park is slightly out of the way from the Maasai Mara – Lake Nakuru Circuit. To save time you may have to take a flight to Amboseli and this will add to the cost of visiting the park.
Most Affordable National Parks in Kenya
Most affordable parks in Kenya are the ones that are near major cities. With these parks, you do not need to spend your nights in Safari lodges or hotels only catering to tourists. this, therefore, reduces the biggest cost to your safari experience: accommodation. If you are on a tight budget here are the national parks we should consider visiting in Kenya:
1. The Nairobi National Park
Located just a few minutes from the Nairobi Central Business District, Nairobi National Park is ideal if you are on a very tight budget and/or strapped for time.
You can spend your night in one of Nairobi’s hotels and visit the park using a rental vehicle. This will greatly reduce your cost and you would not need to use a Safari company for this.
I did a Self Drive of the Nairobi National Park and recorded my experience you can watch it in the video below
2. Lake Nakuru National Park
Located a few minutes from Nakuru town, this is another National Park you should visit if you are on a tight budget.
You do not need to use a safari company since you can access the Park using a saloon rental vehicle and can find accommodation within Nakuru town in a regular Hotel.
It’s important for me to mention here that Lake Nakuru National Park is not very large and can be viewed entirely in one day.
Because of this, you may also want to combine it with a hike in Hell’s Gate National Park which does not have a lot of animals but does have beautiful sceneries and beautiful water cut gorges.
Most Expensive National Parks in Kenya
The most expensive national parks in Kenya are the ones located in the most remote areas.
This is because getting you as a traveler to those locations will cost a lot more than taking you to the more popular parks that have better-developed infrastructure.
In addition to this, the logistics of ensuring that you are comfortable in these remote parks makes it more expensive per day than some of the more high-frequented parks. Some of the most expensive national parks in Kenya are:
Samburu National Reserve
Samburu national reserve is located quite a long way off from the popular safari circuit and this makes it a more remote park. I tried looking for proper information on pricing and the best I could find was $600 per night for one of the hotels there.
Is using a Tour Company cheaper?
One of the things you may be wondering about is whether using a Tours and Travel Company will be cheaper for you when going on a safari in Kenya.
using a safari company is not necessarily cheaper than traveling on your own because these companies help in reducing the hassle of organizing all aspects of your safari yourself.
You will be billed for this service through a higher total cost of a safari than if you organize it yourself. This makes traveling with a Tours and travels company more expensive than traveling independently and planning your safari on your own.
This means that if you are keen on spending the least amount of money on your Safari in Kenya, avoiding tours and travels companies will be a good idea.
At this point, I have to warn you that although it is possible to plan your safari yourself and not use a tour company, it may not be very advisable since you will have to contend with all the variables organizing a good African safari have.
What’s worse is that you may end up paying more than you would have paid an organized safari company. This is because you may not get the special rates and discounts safari companies receive due to the fact that they are larger customers who have the advantage of volume and high-frequency purchases.
In addition to this, As you saw in the video of my visit to Nairobi National Park, you may end up having a lousy experience since you will not have the advantage of local knowledge and connections. I didn’t get to see as many animals as was possible at the Nairobi National park since I didn’t have a guide and I was just driving around hoping to follow someone who looked like they knew where they were going.
Most Expensive time to go on Safari
One of the most expensive times to go on safari is during the peak season of late June to late September. This is because this is the best time to see wildlife and is also the time when the great migration is happening in the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
Most national parks in Kenya have a lot of tourists during this time and you’ll be competing for the few available rooms in the hotels and lodges.
The Most Affordable time to go on Safari in Kenya
You can get the biggest savings if you visit Kenya in the rainy seasons of October to November and March to June. Most of the national parks will have very wet conditions and these are not normally very ideal for spotting animals.
The downside to this is the fact that you may not see as many animals as you would expect and, even worse, could get stuck in the mud in one of the national parks.
Alternatives to A Kenya Safari
In my research, I found that safaris to South Africa are cheaper than the ones in Kenya and you may want to consider the southern part of Africa if you are on a tight budget.
A number of the parks in South Africa have paved roads and would be easily doable with a rental car. I don’t know very much about South African safaris and you will need to do a bit of research to establish whether this would be kind of safari experience you’re looking for.
Other Expenses that add to your total Safari Budget
The price you pay to the Tours and travel companies will not be the only cost you are going to incur when coming to Kenya for your Safari
- Flights: Flights will form a significant portion of your jungle safari budget and he will need to put them into consideration when planning your Safari. Booking early will help in getting the best cost savings and you can check out International Flight Deals on Skyscanner
- Vaccinations: You need to vaccinate yourself against common illnesses here in Kenya. Diseases like malaria are common and you need to prepare yourself by getting the necessary shots and prescriptions if you have any medical condition.
- Travel Insurance: Arguably the most important investment when going on safari, it is important that you make a good insurance policy that protects you from any risks that you may encounter on your safari. I have written a post on what is the best travel insurance for Kenya and you can read it here.
- Extra Accommodation: You may arrive a day before your safari begins or spend an extra day before your flight is scheduled to leave and you will need to pay for this accommodation.
- Gifts and Souvenirs: You probably want to carry gifts with you when going back home to share with your friends and family. If you have a long list of friends and family, the total cost of buying these souvenirs will cost a pretty penny.
- Time on the Beach: as I mentioned earlier, time on the beach may not be part of your safari package. If you are keen on visiting the beach, you will need to factor in how much it’s going to cost you to spend time in the hotels at the Kenyan coast and your fare to get there.
A Final Word
As you prepare for your trip to Africa, I would like to recommend a few products that would help make your life easier.
- Information About Africa: I have created a YouTube channel that focuses on things about traveling to Africa that only Africans can tell you about. Check out the channel for insights about African culture and things you can do as a traveler to optimize your trip. You should also visit TripAdvisor forum posts (Here is the Kenya Forum) and ask questions about your particular situation. There are a lot of people who are happy to help you out.
- Choosing a Safari Company: I have written an extensive article on how to choose a safari Company. You can. Check it out before starting the process of searching for a safari company.
- Safari Planning Services: If you’d rather leave the planning to an expert, I offer personalized safari planning services. I handle everything from helping you choose the right safari company, creating your custom itinerary, managing bookings, and even providing a packing list and reminders for important trip details. It’s like having a personal assistant dedicated to your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, so you can focus on enjoying the adventure. Learn More in this article
