How do you shoestring Tanzania?
Posted by badboyzpwns@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 24 comments
Planning to see Serengeti, and I think it will break my bank. I think 1 week seem to be enough? I can do less. Im not a fan of wildlfie, I do care about nature more and It seems Sergenti is breahttaking.
But from what Ive read and seen online, this will be very very costly! how much is the average mid budget trip to Tanznaia? I think its cheapre to travel to certain western EU countries (eg; with hostel, transporation, etc).
I remember Libya was also quite expensive! 1.6k USD for 3 ful nights, and I think this seems to be in compairison...
Aromatic_Package_615@reddit
Book everything from Arusha.
65sickelk@reddit
I used Safari Bookings to research and book my safari. You can sort by country, length of trip, cost, etc. I found it and the reviews of providers helpful.
adventure__architect@reddit
A couple of years back I went to Masai Mara in Kenya, which is much much cheaper. Prices vary A LOT by the season (skyrocketing during great migration)
T_KVT@reddit
The park fee is now $200 so it isn't cheaper.
adventure__architect@reddit
Maybe it has changed but I don’t think it is correct. I paid USD 350 in total for 4 days including everything (jeep, guide, accommodation, food, park entrance). Again, prices vary by the season
T_KVT@reddit
What is even the point of writing this? The entrance fee is $200 USD now.
adventure__architect@reddit
Checked now online and between January and June it is USD 100 and not USD 200
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Thanks! would you say Masai Mara and serengeti is very different? I keep reading that serengeti is very very beautiful and it does look like it :)
T_KVT@reddit
You can do what I did and rent a motorcycle and ride to lake natron. It is a budget safari but it isn't cheap.
Tanzania has decided it only wants moneyed tourists and has implemented systems to ensure you can't do much on a shoestring.
zennie4@reddit
I have not visited Serengeti - the wildlife is apparently amazing. But I have visited Masai Mara (the same area, from Kenya side). The wildlife was amazing but the scenery was very boring, especially compared to some other parks I have visited - mostly Ngorongoro (Tanzania), Amboseli (Kenya) or Nakuru (Kenya).
Moreover, Serengeti is pretty far from major airports and you will need more time to get there (yes there are flights directly into Serengeti but not exactly a shoestring thing).
If you are in the region and you enjoy nature, I'd suggest you visit Nakuru, Naivasha, Aberdare, Mt Kenya, Kilimanjaro, or even Victoria Falls, Namibia and South Africa (a bit far yes).
I have no idea why you would want to visit a very costly park for a week if you are not even interested in what it offers.
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Wow thank you so muchf or sharing your experience
> Ngorongoro (Tanzania), Amboseli (Kenya) or Nakuru (Kenya).
In your opinion, are these safaris very different to oen another in terms of nature? is it wroth visitng all of them or is 1 suffice?
>Victoria Falls,
Yes! would you suggest zambia or zimbabwe side?
boris1047520223@reddit
Zambia side. Chobe NP in Botswana is very close. You can see the same animals there a lot cheaper
wanderingdev@reddit
Africa is generally pretty expensive. I spent 6 months there about 6 years ago and it was significantly and shockingly more expensive than living in Europe for lower quality. I was in Tanzania, but spent most of my time on a sailboat as I was there for a race. But, I visited Kruger in SA and the most cost effective way was to rent a car and self drive and stay in the budge lodges in the NP.
Pristine_Remote2123@reddit
What's with people using the word budgetb and then spending so much on such a short holiday, I was on company paid work trip to Tanzania and not a fan, never understand people wanting to see the backward/less developed countries for holidays.
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
> never understand people wanting to see the backward/less developed countries for holidays.
Culture, hopsitality, people, food, sights, historical sites, etc. :). My favourite countries are what is considered less developed.
MoashRedemptionArc@reddit
Kenya is cheaper and it's the same serengeti
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Oh yes I plan to visit Nairobi too! do you mean that there are tour guides in Kenya (maybe the accomodation people know) that can take to sergenti with a much cheaper cost? Im very excited about kenya!
MoashRedemptionArc@reddit
Yes, as far as I know the government charges less tax and fees, and there are more companies and hotels that compete with each other, meaning prices go down and services improve.
Masai Mara is host to the Great Migration through August-November and is a much smaller park than Serengeti, meaning the wildlife is denser. If you don't have long, I would go there.
Kenya also has Amboseli, Tsavo, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Naivasha
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
thanks so much! how do you find these safari tours? Ive heard online is much more expensive, do I talk to my accomodation?
zennie4@reddit
Fyi entrance ticket to Masai Mara costs 200 USD per day and if OP is not interested in wildlife, I have no idea why they would pay to visit it.
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Im mostly intersted in the nature! Would you suggest to skip serengeti? I think its fine to do it atleast once for maybe a shorten amoun of day like 1 or 2 days?
gaifogel@reddit
Arusha has tour agencies that will charge you 200 USD per day per safari. Bear in mind that first and last days are also long travel days to/from park to Arusha and they might be half a safari day only. That's 200 USD per day including all food, sleep, entry fee, transport etc. that's the cheapest I found about 2 years ago. I stayed 4 months in Arusha and that's what I found. Then there are smaller attractions, cheaper parks..Arusha has a bunch of small attractions - lakes, waterfalls, Moshi springs, mountains, masai land, craters, sometimes you need a local to show you though. Use Google maps and zoom in on Arusha and search for tour agencies and safaris. Pay a small deposit for the tour. Or even just arrive - tours are going all the time. Ngoro ngoro crater is amazing too. Arusha national park has a walking safari cheaper. There's a hiking group hiking every Saturday or Sunday in Arusha, forgot their name. Try to find the expat WhatsApp group for Arusha here or on Facebook, link up with someone who lives there and ask for advice
Excellent_Border_302@reddit
I was just hitchhiking there. Stay in the local hotels they are 2-12$ a night. Eat at local restaurants, it's like 1-4$ a meal. Idk about safari pricing. I just hitchhiked around and guides picked me up and showed me stuff for free but it's not guaranteed. I guess safaris aren't guaranteed either but higher chance. Many masaii will let you sleep in their huts and hang out with them during their daily life for a price. They are pretty business savvy.
Kloppite16@reddit
I did 4 days/3 nights in the Serengeti for $750 and I found that amount of time to be perfect as by the final day we had seen so many lions that no one wanted to take photos of them any more, safari can be funny like that.
It was a group joining camping safari and I only booked it the day before departure in Arusha. If you book online the quoted prices are easily 2-3 times what I paid. Even on my own safari jeep two Korean girls had paid $1,100 for the exact same trip.
I did a write up on how to see the Serengeti for cheap on here at the time, go into my Posts under my profile and you'll find it. www.bookallsafaris.com and filter by cheapest price is a good starting point to find budget camping companies.