One thing that always comes up when talking about a big trip is the budget, and safaris have the reputation of being expensive. There are many components that make up a safari trip, each of which will have a more fixed or flexible cost to it.
Here we break down all the components that will make up your safari budget. The good news is that you can book most of them directly through Tukio when you book on our website, leaving very little room for surprises.
International Flights
You can book your international flights to any international airport near the park you will be visiting. All of our providers will be able to schedule a pickup and return to any airport you will be landing to. Be mindful of the distances though, as these may add costs to your trip.
Try searching for flights that are not in the main touristic seasons if you can like school holidays, the great migration or other events that will make flight prices increase. It always helps to also have a bit of flexibility to be able to take advantage of last minute deals.
Lodges, meals and activities
Accommodation, meals and activities will make up the biggest part of your safari budget. The good news is that you have a variety of options and can go as light as a budget camp with self catering, all the way to five star luxury.
The reason why this will be the most expensive part of your package, especially if you choose a lodge, is that the parks are located in remote areas and everything needs to be transported.
When choosing a lodge accommodation, we recommend that you select the full board meal plans at the lodge you choose to stay at, as dining options inside national parks are very limited. On Tukio, you are able to see all the meal plans offered by each lodge and select the best one for you. Most lodges will charge extra for soft drinks and alcohol, so keep that in mind.
When it comes to activities, the main one that you will always want to add is the game drives. Here again there are ways to make it more budget friendly by selecting a shared game drive in a van. If you want a more exclusive experience, you can go for a private 4×4 vehicle just for you and your group. A lot of the lodges that have access to conservancies will also offer night game drives at an extra cost.
Game drives can be long and tiring, so one thing that we do recommend is selecting to go for half day game drives, or split your day and go for a morning and an afternoon drive. The ability to do this will depend on the location of your lodge and the re-entry rules each park has.
Another budget alternative is to do a self driving safari. You can rent a car, just make sure that it’s in very good condition as the parks can get bumpy. This way you can explore the parks at your own pace, but it is best to do it with someone who knows their way around and where it is more likely to spot animals.
Additional activities include bush walks, balloon safaris, village visits and many others. These are usually quoted per person and are optional depending on what you wish to see and do during your trip.
At Tukio, all of these prices are broken down so that you know exactly what you are paying for during your trip, and we try to include as much flexibility as possible so that you are not paying for something you don’t want.
Park Fees
One cost that you cannot avoid is the entrance fee to the national parks. Each park has its own fees and rules, and we are not able to go around that. You will need to pay the entrance to the national park for every day you enter for a game drive, or for every night you stay at the park in case your lodge is inside the park.
Some budget alternatives are to choose to enter the park on game drives on some of your days and relax or do other activities on the rest of your trip. There are also great selections of conservancies that have much lower fees and still offer great wildlife experiences.
On Tukio, you can add the amount of the park fees to your total during the booking process for your convenience or skip it and buy your entrance at the gate when you arrive if you wish to. The second option is also better if you do not want to enter the park on all days of your visit (only applicable if your lodge is not insider the national park).
Local Transportation
There are many ways to travel within Kenya:
Local Flights
You can take one of the local airlines directly to the airstrip nearest to your lodge or to one of the coastal destinations. Flight prices don’t tend to fluctuate a lot, but as these are small aircrafts, for larger groups it might be more cost efficient to use other means of transport.
SGR (Train)
Kenya’s new train connects Nairobi to Mombasa, with many stops in between. The trains are comfortable and can safely get you closer to many destinations. Some of our lodges will propose to pick you up from an SGR station which might be the most efficient way to get there. Bonus points if you can spot a lion (the train does go through a part of Tsavo national park).
Road Transport
The most mainstream way to get to most places will be by road. Kenya’s roads are being improved and it is increasingly safer and faster to get from one place to another. You can also rent a car and self drive to your destination.
Visas and vaccines
An often overlooked part of a travel budget is what you will spend before you even get on the plane.
Each country will have different requirements based on where you are coming from with regards to visa and vaccines. Make sure to check at least a month in advance of your departure to make sure you have enough time to cover all requirements.
What to expect to pay on average
While the choices you make on each of the factors we listed above will influence the final cost of your safari trip, here is what you can expect to pay on average including park fees:
Budget safari: up to $200 per person per night
Mid-range safari: $280-$350 per person per night
Upper-range safari: $350 – $500 per person per night
Luxury: There is no limit to how expensive a trip can get depending on the amenities of the lodge and activities selected.
One of the reasons we started Tukio was that we wanted to give travelers the possibility to allocated their travel budget to what they value the most. When booking your safari online on Tukio, you are in charge of what you spend on accommodation, transportation and activities during your safari by creating your own package.
