How much does a safari cost in Kenya

A Kenyan safari is one of those safari experiences that I believe you should add to your bucket list and experience at least once in your lifetime or more than once. Driving through the national parks and spotting the different animals and bird species will always take your breath away. There are so many safari destinations in Kenya and that is why it is one of the best safari destinations on the African continent. The different safari destinations in the country include Masai Mara Nature Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Samburu, Nairobi National Park, Meru National Park and one of the many beaches in the country among others.

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Kenya was once known as a cheaper safari destination as compared to its neighbours Tanzania and Uganda, but this is no longer the case due to the increased park fees that fully kicked in on 1st July 2024. The three countries are now comparable when it comes to the cost of safaris because of the updated costs.

Luxury safaris in Kenya: If you want the best safaris coupled with premium services, a luxury safari to Kenya is the best for you. These can be tailored with the help of a tour operator and offer exclusive and private safaris to tourists. Your travel budget will determine whether you have a luxurious safari to Kenya. Luxury safaris can be easily arranged to the different safari destinations in the country and all this has to be done in advance to properly plan for your safari.

Mid-range safaris in Kenya: Mid-range safaris are one of the most popular safaris in Kenya giving you a good safari experience in Kenya with comfortable and affordable accommodation. A mid-range safari in Kenya usually involves a moderate and comfortable accommodation facility, park fees, three meals per day and transport.

Budget Kenya safaris: Budget Kenya safaris are the best especially if you are travelling on a budget and with the help of a tour operator, you will be able to enjoy Kenya safaris with a limited budget. All meals will be provided throughout your entire safari, transport might be shared with other tourists that have the same itinerary however the accommodation in most cases has shared facilities like bathrooms and toilets, and sometimes accommodation comes in the form of tents or public campsites among others.

Accommodation on a Kenya safari

Accommodation on a safari in Kenya is made up of lodges, camps, tented camps and hotels located both within the national parks or reserves and outside in the nearby villages. These are categorized into 3: basic accommodation facilities, mid-range accommodation facilities and luxury accommodation facilities to cater for all types of tourists visiting Kenya.

Basic/budget accommodation: The basic/budget accommodation facilities in the different safari destinations. Basic facilities approximately cost $150 to $200 per person per day or more depending on the facility management and the season of travel. Most of the budget/basic facilities are comfortable and there are those where you will share a few facilities like bathrooms and toilets with other guests.

Mid-range accommodation: These offer a more luxurious stay as compared to the basic/budget accommodation facilities and they usually cost $350 to $400 per person per night although it can cost more depending on the mid-range facility that you have chosen.

Luxury accommodation: Luxury accommodation facilities are the best when it comes to safaris as they offer premium amenities and facilities to guests, personalized services and executive stays throughout your safari. They are on the high end and approximately cost $600 to $1500 and above.

Transport within Kenya

Transport will greatly affect the cost of your safari depending on the mode that you choose to use when in the country.

Depending on the mode of transport you prefer to use for your safari within Kenya either by road or flying, this will greatly affect the cost of the safari. Flying is a good and faster way of getting to the different safari destinations in Kenya but it is more expensive as compared to travelling by road. When you go for fly-ins, you have a better chance of spending more time in the wilderness but this all depends on your budget.

Fly-ins are air transfers from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya to the different safari destinations. You can opt to have a budget-friendly tour van or a 4x4 luxurious safari vehicle. Jeeps are normally used and tourists can go for shared transport or private transport.

Luxurious land cruiser jeeps mean that you have exclusive use and access to the safari vehicle providing you with a more private and personalized experience throughout your safari. The safari vehicles are comfortable, spacious, and well-maintained and have a few amenities like complimentary drinking water, view windows and air conditioning. The cost of these vehicles is higher as compared to shared transport as the entire cost of renting the vehicle plus other additional services rests entirely upon you.

Shared transport is more cost-effective because the cost of transport is shared among the tourists. This can easily be organized by a tour operator to accommodate groups of tourists that have a similar itinerary. However, note that with shared transport, there is little or no privacy and you have to follow the itinerary as it is.

The choice in the mode of transport to use ultimately is yours and you can get more advice from a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa safaris to help you plan and suit your preference and budget.

Season of travel

Kenya is close to the Equator and has two seasons that are similar to the neighbouring countries in East Africa and the seasons are the wet and dry seasons. The climatic conditions in Kenya either increase or reduce the cost of the safari.

The dry season: Kenya has two dry seasons which are June to October and January to February. This is also the peak/high season which is characterized by large crowds of tourists, and high prices on the different safari services including transport, accommodation and meals among others. The dry season is the best is to travel to Kenya for your safari because most of the safari activities are best carried out during this period including game drives, wildebeest migration, guided nature walks, boat rides and cultural trips among others.

During the peak/dry season, there is a high demand for safaris and more travelers visit Kenya during this time. As a result, tour operators tend to charge higher rates because of the increased demand. Kenya also has limited safari accommodation facilities that fill up fast during the peak season and this is why they increase their rates.

The wet season: Just like the dry season, the wet season has two seasons which include the short rain season and the long wet season. The short rainy season is from November to December and March to May. The advantage of travelling during the rainy season which is also the low season is that it has uncrowded safari destinations and reduced rates. Photo safaris and bird watching are the best safari activities that are carried out in Kenya during the wet/low season.

During the wet season, the demand for safaris in Kenya is low and few tourists choose to travel during this period because of the rains and this leads to the low rates, especially with accommodation facilities.

It is worth mentioning that the best season of travel depends on your desired safari activities and your budget but the weather in Kenya is unpredictable so be ready for anything and weather changes.

The safari duration

The length of your safari also affects the cost of your safari. Longer safari trips cost more because the more days that you spend, the more money spend on transport, meals, personal purchases, activities and accommodation. if you are traveling on a budget, it is better to go for shorter days on your safari and the recommended days are three days.

The inclusions and exclusions

Tourists should understand what exactly is included in the safari package to fully understand the full cost of the safari so that they are not side-lined. When we talk about full board safaris, we mean a safari that fully covers park entrance fees, meals, safari activities and other additional amenities at the lodges including spa treatments, laundry services and front desk services among others. However certain activities that are optional might not be included in the package price and some of these include premium drinks from the bar, optional safari activities like balloon rides, cultural trips and guided nature walks. Some of the exclusions when planning a safari that affects the cost of the safari include the following:

Personal purchases: Most tourists do not take into consideration the personal purchases that they make and yet they greatly impact the cost of the safari. These are not part of the money paid for the safari but the more things that you purchase, the higher the cost of the safari. Kenya destinations have a lot of souvenir shops where you can carry out your shopping.

Packing list: The packing list also greatly affects the cost of the safari because you have to purchase the different items that you will need for your safari. If you lack much of the packing list items, you end up spending more hence increasing the cost of the safari.

Travel insurance: Although Kenya is a safe country to travel for a safari, you still need travel insurance and this is to be covered by you. Ensure that before you travel to Kenya, your travel insurance is updated.  You can also get medical insurance and travel insurance covers things like delays in flights and bad weather conditions among others.

International flights: Tour operators do not cover the fare for your international flights to and from Kenya and when planning your safari, make sure that the cost for the international flights is part of the cost of the safari. The cost of the flights depends on where you are coming from and these need to be booked in advance to avoid missing out on the safaris.

Myths about the cost of the Kenya safari

There are myths about a Kenya safari budget that we need to correct. The travel myths are related to safari companies/agents, self-drive safaris and package deals and these include the following:

Travelling with safari agents is extremely expensive and you need to have a large travel budget to be able to afford one. This is not the case because within the circles of safari agents, they can easily plan your safari putting your budget into consideration since they have access to all types of accommodation, and transport and know the safari destinations more. Safari guides are here to help you plan your safari and advice where necessary giving you the best deals that fit into your budget.

A do it yourself (DIY) safari is cheaper than using a travel agent and this is not the case. Many tourists are told that it is cheaper, you do not have the rigidity of following an itinerary, and you have time to do what you want giving you a richer experience on your safari. However note that many of the safari destinations in Kenya involve travelling for longer distances since they are located in remote areas and since you are not used to the country and the destinations, it will be hard for you to get there and might end up spending more than what you had planned. Safari guides are there to help you with all the planning from transport, and meals to accommodation among others.

Package deals are cheaper and more convenient as compared to tailor-made safaris. Tailor-made safaris are the best and they not only help you get around the country with ease, they also are tailored around your budget for the safari.

We can help you plan your safari to Kenya with your travel budget and advise you accordingly on the different safari activities. Get in touch with us for more information about the cost of the safari to Kenya.