Budget saving tips for booking a safari!

10 top tips on how to save money when booking a safari!

1. Book with a local safari company and avoid booking through a third party. Big, well-known travel agents will charge much more and take a huge cut! Ultimately you will still be travelling with a local company on the ground, even if you book through a big well known travel agent! Booking local also supports the local economy as well and you'll be supporting sustainable tourism.

2. Opt for a 'budget safari'. This means camping in a two-person tent! Comprise on the comforts and embrace your wild side!

3. Skip the luxury accommodation! Opt for mid-range accommodation. We thought the mid-range accommodation was great, super comfortable and had everything we needed! To be perfectly honest, you spend so little time in your accommodation (as after all, you're there to see the wildlife right?), it's not worth spending the money on the luxury accommodation.

4. Opt to stay in accommodation outside the National Parks. This accommodation is generally cheaper. We would recommend staying in the park if you can afford it as it offers an amazing experience - nothing beats being in the Serengeti under the stars listening to the lions roaring at night!

   

5. Travel during shoulder season or low season. January - February is a wonderful time to safari in Tanzania as there is a break in the rains, particularly if you want a glimpse of the Great Migration herds! For even lower rates, opt to go in the low season, but bear in mind it will be the wet season, so wildlife viewing will be harder and some roads could become inaccessible!

6. If travelling during the low season, try and book last minute (if you can cope with the uncertainty of that!!), as often some of the lodges may have some awesome deals!

7. Opt for a 1 or 2 day safari! If travelling to Tanzania to explore the country, climb mount Kilimanjaro or to visit the beaches of Zanzibar, opt for a day safari to Tarangire National Park, Arusha National Park or the Ngorongoro Crater!

8. Opt for the smaller, lesser known parks such as Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara. Prices will generally be cheaper if you're happy to skip the more popular parks like the Serengeti.

9. Opt for a group safari as this will spread the cost for the safari among all the guests!

10. Exercise caution if you find a safari company whose rates seem insanely cheap in comparison to other companies. Unfortunately there are a lot of safari companies that run scams, so usually this is a HUGE red flag!