Cheap places to go on safari?

teaspoon1

I'm looking to go on safari in Tanzania but it is veeery expensive... minimum $500 per person for a 2-night safari and an extra $100 or so if we want to sleep in a lodge (I don't fancy a tent with wild animals around, apparently the camps are not fenced off!!!) :eek: Thinking of just spending the 10 days in Zanzibar instead and going on safari some other time in a cheaper country.

Are there any countries which would be cheaper for a safari? And where are the best countries to go on safari? It doesn't have to be Africa. Thanks in advance.

Incapuppy

Kenya is cheaper than Tanzania. Check the Trip Advisor forums for plenty of info on how to book locally.

Incapuppy

I have no idea, you'll have to price it up; some TO's do twin safaris/beach stays in Kenya with Zanzibar so it must be fairly do-able. Transfer costs may well add up though and mean you are just as well doing a Tanzanian Safari.

Where did you get your safari quote from? Have a look on the Trip Advisor Tanzania and Kenya forums for loads of recommended companies that will organise safaris locally for you. Safaris are not cheap but the quote you have seems high for a standard short safari unless you are looking at very expensive camps/air transfers etc.

Sorry I can't be of further help but you will find loads of useful info, and be better off asking your questions on the Trip Advisor forums (being dedicated to travel rather than an off-shoot of a money saving website)

Incapuppy

I meant to say as regards places to go on safari, it all depends what you want from your safari experience and how deep your pockets are,

In Africa you will be looking at Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and possibly other countries too, depending on which animals you wish to see.

India offers (I believe) tiger and elephant safaris and if its just elephants you want then Sri Lanka has them in spades.

You will also need to check which is the best time of year to see specific animals in these countries.

trrk

Don't rule out a camping safari if you want a cheap safari. I did one that included South Africa and Botswana and there was no time that I felt at risk from being eaten by wild animials! No good company would put you in a position where you are not reasobaly safe. On of the most important things when on safari is having a good guide (someone who is knowledable and most importantly good at spotting animals).

JeffDH

I have travelled a lot in Africa, by organised tour and a six month overland.

You should definately not rule out camping. The camps in some of the parks are not fenced in as mentioned, but the likely hood of having animals near your tent are slim. You would have to have food etc around, and these are kept in stores and locked at these camps.
The experience of waking at dawn is unforgetable. You may have the small antelopes run through the camp. You are in place to start your safari drives at sunrise, and then back to camp for breakfast.
In Zambia, we stayed at a campsite on the river. When we arrived they led us very carefully into the camp. There was some elephants feeding right on the edge of the camp, they made thier way round the camp to the river.
For a first safari I would recommend Kenya or Tanzania or a combination of both.
There are numerous TO's that offer the basic beginner safari in Kenya and then beach options. Then you get the adventure companies that offer the particpation camping/safaris. Or the full overland trips, though no one does central Africa now.
Jeff

littlestar1981

Nooooo!! You can't rule out Tanzania safari because of the cost!

I did a 2 night safari through the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater. It was about $350 per person (4 of us). Another girl booked it, and until the night before I didn't know we were camping... when I heard I cried, I haven't camped since I was 10 years old!

But there's something magic about waking up, seeing the hot air balloons on the horizon and getting ready to drive. Definitely research local companies (try gap year and lonely planet sites) as they are much cheaper, I went with a company called Masumin Tours. You CERTAINLY can't go to Tanzania without going on safari!!!

matthew74

Self drive safari in South Africa is the way to go. Get flights to Joburg, hire a car and drive 5 hours to Kruger. Stay in the park run camps (about £40 per night) and self cater or eat in the cheapish restaurants. A fantastic safari.

markandkate

We booked a cheap package deal to Mombassa and then organised a safari with a local company when we got ther. You can travel overnight to Nairobi on the train which is great fun and then drive to the Massai Mara. You could try looking at pricing things up this way we were collected from the station in Nairobi had 3 nights in the camp and then were driven back to Nairobi where we had the day before the train back again. although we paid for 5 nights in the hotel that we did not use it was still beter value and we used local people rather than paying multi national corporations. It was very quiet and most of the time on the game drive we had the driver and bus to ourselves. This meant we learnt a lot more as we were talking to him rather than other tourists. The lodge was called Fig Tree Camp and we also went on a balloon flight which I can recommend. I have never seen it in any of the travel brochures