Safari Guide
Tanzania Safari Costs per Day
Quick answer
How much does a Tanzania safari cost per day?
A Tanzania safari day is the park fees plus the safari company's price for the vehicle, the guide, the lodging and the food. The park fees are fixed and published: TZS 178,850 per adult per day in the Serengeti and TZS 127,750 in Tarangire and Lake Manyara, before VAT, and at Ngorongoro USD 70.80 per adult per day plus USD 295 per vehicle for the crater. The company's part depends on the lodge, the season and the vehicle, so compare quotes line by line.
| Serengeti entry | TZS 178,850 per adult per day, excl. VAT |
| Tarangire, Lake Manyara | TZS 127,750 per adult per day, excl. VAT |
| Ngorongoro entry | USD 70.80 per adult (16+) per day |
| Ngorongoro crater | USD 295 per vehicle and trip |
| Kilimanjaro entry | TZS 178,850 per adult per day, excl. VAT |
| The beach half | From USD 535 a night at Matlai, half board |
| Last verified | 2 October 2026 |
Per day
How much does a safari cost per day?
A safari day has two kinds of cost. The first is fixed by the authorities: the entry fee for each person and day, a concession fee for each night you sleep inside a park, and fees for the vehicle. TANAPA lists these on separate tabs of its tariff (entrance, vehicles, concession, camping and more), all exclusive of VAT. The second is the safari company's own price: the vehicle and fuel, the guide, the lodge or camp, and the meals.
The second part is where quotes differ, and we do not print typical day rates here because no official source publishes them; they depend on the lodge, the season, the group size and whether the vehicle is private. What you can do is ask each company for a price with the park fees shown as their own lines, and compare the rest like for like.
| Part of the price | Who sets it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Park entry and concession fees | TANAPA (Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Kilimanjaro) | TANAPA tariff, in shillings, excl. VAT |
| Ngorongoro entry and crater fee | Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority | NCAA tariffs, in US dollars |
| Vehicle, guide, lodge, meals | Your safari company | Its written quote |
| Flights between airstrips | The airline | The airline's timetable and fares |
| The beach half on Zanzibar | The hotel | At Matlai from USD 535 a night, half board (2026) |
Park fees
What are the park fees?
These are the authorities' own fees for non-residents, read on 2 October 2026. TANAPA's entry fees for the Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Manyara are the high-season row valid from 16 May 2026 to 14 March 2027, the only season row published that day; Kilimanjaro's fees are valid from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Children are 5 to 15 years old in the TANAPA tariff.
| Park | Adult per day | Child per day | Also charged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serengeti | TZS 178,850 | TZS 51,100 | Concession TZS 127,750 per adult per night inside the park |
| Tarangire | TZS 127,750 | TZS 38,325 | Concession TZS 102,200 per adult per night inside the park |
| Lake Manyara | TZS 127,750 | TZS 38,325 | Canopy walk TZS 51,100 |
| Kilimanjaro | TZS 178,850 | TZS 51,100 | Hut TZS 153,300 or camping TZS 127,750 per night; rescue fee TZS 51,100 |
| Ngorongoro (NCAA) | USD 70.80 | Lower rate for children | Crater service fee USD 295 per vehicle and trip |
TANAPA amounts exclude VAT. The parks themselves: Ngorongoro and, for the climb, Kilimanjaro.
Ngorongoro
Why does Ngorongoro cost more?
Ngorongoro is not a national park: the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority runs it, with its own tariff in US dollars for visitors from outside East Africa. The entry permit is USD 70.80 per adult aged 16 or over per day. Driving down into the crater adds a crater service fee of USD 295 per vehicle for each trip, whatever the number of people in it.
That per-vehicle fee is why group size matters. Two adults in their own vehicle pay USD 436.60 together for a crater day, USD 218.30 each; four adults sharing a vehicle pay USD 578.20, USD 144.55 each. These are the authority's fees only, before the company's price for the vehicle, the guide and the lodge.
Extras
What is not in the price?
Every company draws the line differently, so ask what its quote leaves out. The usual gaps are tips for the guide and the camp staff, drinks, optional activities, flights between airstrips, and your travel insurance. Ask what is customary for tips before you go and carry it in cash; at our hotel there is one tip box in the office, shared by the whole team.
Light aircraft have weight limits that cost money if you ignore them: Coastal Aviation's standard ticket allows 15 kg of luggage, and its XL seat class allows 30 kg once operations confirm the extra weight. Our safari packing list has the limits. For the entry rules: You need one policy, for the place you land first: land on Zanzibar first and you buy the Zanzibar insurance (ZIC, USD 44 per adult, USD 22 per child aged 3–17); land on the mainland first and, since 1 October 2026, you buy the mainland’s NIC (USD 44), which also counts on Zanzibar. Either covers up to 92 days.
Saving
Where can you save?
Sleep outside the park boundary where it suits the route: the concession fee is charged only for nights inside a park. Share a vehicle at Ngorongoro, where the crater fee is per vehicle. Children cost less: TANAPA's child rate for 5 to 15 years is TZS 51,100 a day in the Serengeti against TZS 178,850 for an adult.
Do not save on the company. A clear written quote with the park fees as separate lines, a licensed operator and a vehicle in good order are worth more than a lower total. After the safari, the beach half is easy to price: a room at Matlai starts at USD 535 a night with half board in low season, plus the government infrastructure tax of USD 4 per person per night; rooms and rates has every season.
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- TANAPA: park entry tariffs (online reservation system): The official park fees in Tanzanian shillings, excluding VAT (public "Park Entry Tariffs" tab)
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority: tariffs: The Ngorongoro entry permit and the crater service fee per vehicle, in US dollars for non-East-African visitors.
- Coastal Aviation: timetable and price list (updated July 2026): The luggage allowance: 15 kg on a standard ticket, 30 kg in the XL seat class.
Checked on 2 October 2026. We link to the bodies that set the rules, not to summaries of them. Rules change: check the page itself before you travel.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
The cost questions we hear from guests who come to us after their safari.
How much does a Tanzania safari cost per person per day?
There is no single honest figure, because the largest part is the safari company's own price for the vehicle, guide, lodge and meals. The fixed part is the park fee: TZS 178,850 per adult per day in the Serengeti, TZS 127,750 in Tarangire or Lake Manyara (TANAPA, before VAT), and USD 70.80 at Ngorongoro (NCAA). Ask every company for its price with the park fees shown as separate lines.
Why does Ngorongoro cost more than expected?
Because there are two fees. The entry permit is USD 70.80 per non-East-African adult per day, and the crater service fee is USD 295 per vehicle for each trip down. Four adults sharing one vehicle pay USD 578.20 together for a crater day, or USD 144.55 each, before the company's price.
Are the park fees paid in shillings or in dollars?
TANAPA, which runs the Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Kilimanjaro, publishes its fees in Tanzanian shillings and states that all fees are exclusive of VAT. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority publishes its fees for non-East-African visitors in US dollars. Your safari company usually pays both; our money guide covers what to carry yourself.
What does a stay inside a park add?
A concession fee per person per night, on top of the daily entry: TZS 127,750 per adult in the Serengeti and TZS 102,200 in Tarangire or Lake Manyara, before VAT. Lodges outside the park boundary do not charge it, so ask where each night's lodge is.
What is usually not in a safari price?
Ask each company directly; the usual gaps are tips for the guide and the camp staff, drinks, optional activities, flights between airstrips and your travel insurance. For Zanzibar and the mainland: You need one policy, for the place you land first: land on Zanzibar first and you buy the Zanzibar insurance (ZIC, USD 44 per adult, USD 22 per child aged 3–17); land on the mainland first and, since 1 October 2026, you buy the mainland’s NIC (USD 44), which also counts on Zanzibar. Either covers up to 92 days.
What does the beach half after a safari cost?
At Boutique Hotel Matlai a room starts at USD 535 a night with half board in low season (2026 rack rate), plus the government infrastructure tax of USD 4 per person per night. Our page Zanzibar after safari prices 5, 7 and 9 nights.
Your stay at Matlai
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Why guests book Matlai
- Your own butler, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
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