How to Rock Africa on a Budget: Africa’s Affordable Safaris
Our African Budget Safaris and Tours offer the best quality on African Affordable safari vacations. We organize Budget African Safaris for families, couples, or groups who want to explore the best of Africa. Authentic, sustainable, and personalized African safaris that will leave you inspired. Affordable African Safaris offers the opportunity to unveil a world unknown. The curtains draw and a world previously reserved for tales becomes very real.
African Budget Safaris for 2025, Witness incredible landscapes and rare animals in their most immaculate form as Kabira African Safari will meticulously design your safari experience for the optimal nature vacation. Your adventure starts today.
Journey to the unspoiled natural beauty of Africa for an unforgettable Affordable African Safaris experience. Kabira African Safaris and Tours pioneered the modern safari, and no one has a higher standing in Africa. Our longstanding relationships from Nairobi, Kampala, and Kigali to Arusha Town allow us to offer an unrivaled safari experience, from luxurious mobile camping to the finest expert-led game viewing in Africa.
Sample Budget Africa Safari Itineraries
Get inspired with our Budget African Safaris below. You can have any trip tailor-made for your private travel. Any number of days. Any departure date. Any experience you want. Contact Us
Budget Safari Tanzania | Serengeti National Park | Ngorongoro Crater |
African Affordable Safaris
Our African Affordable Safaris offer a budget friendly (not cheap) journey while seeing and enjoying the finest of Southern and East Africa. The opportunity to watch Wildlife in their natural environment while learning about the customs and civilisations of Africa.
Create unforgettable experiences on one of our many affordable camping tours of Africa, affordable accomodation tours (with a little more comfort), or deluxe tent camp and lodge safaris. Discover our Small Group Safaris if you’re looking for a more intimate vacation experience.
Budget Gorilla Trekking
One of the most charming sustainable wildlife adventures is gorilla trekking in Uganda. But how much does it cost to actually meet these magnificent primates? Before you plan your dream trek, it’s important to know what all the costs are, including permits, lodging, transportation, and any additional expenses.
For budget-conscious travellers, although gorilla trekking in Bwindi is not inexpensive, it remains the most suitable location for engaging in this renowned activity at a reasonable cost.
Budget Uganda Safaris
Uganda provides an extensive selection of economical safari tours and is progressively acknowledged as one of Africa’s most undervalued yet fulfilling wildlife destinations. Engaging in mountain gorilla tracking is an essential wildlife experience, as Uganda is one of only three nations that host these captivating primates, alongside Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While mountain gorillas have elevated Uganda’s profile as a travel destination, the country also presents opportunities to observe the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) in some of Africa’s least populated savannah reserves.
Rwanda Budget Safaris
Rwanda is not your usual safari destination. Unlike most other countries on Africa’s safari circuit, it is relatively tiny in area, it supports a bigger percentage of forest than savannah, and its number one attraction is primate viewing. Volcanoes National Park is arguably the premier location for tracking mountain gorillas, an essential experience that many consider to be the most captivating wildlife encounter globally. Rwanda offers additional activities such as chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey trekking, and woodland excursions in the biodiverse Nyungwe National Park. Moreover, although Rwanda is not commonly linked to the Big Five, its often-overlooked Akagera National Park currently hosts the complete ensemble of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black rhino, and white rhino.
Short Uganda Wildlife Safaris
Short Uganda wildlife safaris are those itinerary packages that last for 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, and 5 days. These tours are popular because they take a short period of time therefore favorable for those who have limited time in the Pearl of Africa and they are also affordable. To have a memorable Budget/short Uganda Wildlife Tours, one should ensure that it is well planned with desired Uganda safari activities. Any of the 10 national parks in Uganda can be visited on a short trip in Uganda. The top short Uganda wildlife tours include 2 days Murchison Falls Safari, 3 days Murchison Falls safari, 2 days Lake Mburo safari, 3 days Queen Elizabeth National Park tour, 4 days Queen Elizabeth safari, 4 days Murchison Falls Safari, and 4 days Kidepo safari.
Tanzania Budget Safaris
Tanzania is the perfect safari location. One-quarter of its surface area is conserved as a network of parks and reserves. This contains a quartet of Unesco World Heritage Sites: world-famous Serengeti National Park, majestic Ngorongoro Crater, snowcapped Mt Kilimanjaro and enormous Nyerere National Park (previously Selous Game Reserve). Home to 20% of Africa’s wildlife, Tanzania boasts three unique safari circuits. The emphasis for cheap safaris is on the Northern circuit. This includes Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Arusha, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara National Parks. Zanzibar, the spice island, is the perfect destination to conclude your journey. Spend several days relaxing and snorkelling on a palm-fringed beach.
Kenya Budget Safaris
Few nations are as ideally suited for budget safaris as Kenya. The nation’s safari sector emphasises its economical safaris and capitalises on optimal expedition circumstances. An apparently infinite range of opportunities is generated by affordable lodging and economical transportation alternatives, such as the pop-top safari minivan. Kenya is, in numerous respects, the epicentre of the East African safari, and there are few superior locations to organise your expedition than this destination. A series of renowned national parks and reserves offer exceptional opportunities for animal observation, including the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Lake Nakuru, and Samburu.
Unmissable Safari Experiences on a Budget
1. Botswana: Best for hippos
The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, Botswana’s principal safari locations, rank among Africa’s most cherished. For a cost-effective alternative, consider traversing by mokoro (traditional canoe) or riverboat, and journey overland to public safari zones where, importantly, self-drive vehicles and tour buses are allowed. You will observe several elephants and hippopotamuses.
2. Zimbabwe: Best for wild dogs
Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is home to elephants, antelopes, and baboons amidst towering forests. It serves as a conservation and research institution for African wild dogs, an endangered species. Integrate it with an excursion to Victoria Falls and Botswana’s Chobe National Park.
3. Zambia: Best for leopards
An exciting multi-day route winds eastward from Victoria Falls through Zambia, into Malawi and southern Tanzania, and ends with a splash in Zanzibar for a bush-and-beach fix. Zambia shares one of Africa’s top attractions, Victoria Falls, with Zimbabwe, but it also boasts an abundance of natural treasures of its own. South Luangwa National Park is excellent, especially for leopard-watching.
4. Tanzania: Best for giraffes, wildebeest & zebras
Travel to Arusha, where you can stay for well under £90 per night, to see two of Africa’s most spectacular protected areas: the Serengeti, the big brother of the Maasai Mara, where you can see cheetahs running after their prey, and the Ngorongoro Crater’s rich ecosystem, which includes rhinos, elephants, and hippos.
Reviews of African Budget Safaris from our Travelers
Bwindi Gorilla Trek Uganda
Excellent
by phmoody from San Francisco, CA
My husband and I had 9 day Safari in Uganda with Kabira Safari Travel Agency and end it up marvelous. Brian the Tour Guide and Sharon the Owner are fantastic. They are very nice, knowledgeable, informative and helpful. We highly and deeply recommend the Kabira Safari Travel Agency. We are definitely using them again. READ MORE
Gorilla trekking and Kenya safari
by Coastal197777 from USA
Booked a last minute trip through Sharon, her advice was on point, very professional. Hotels amazing, tour guides very knowledgeable, food amazing. Would use them again and recommend them highly. Thanks again
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How to book a Budget Africa safari
Affordable African Safari Is It Worth It
An insider who loves safaris and animals provides her best advice for making a safari go farther on a budget.
Although most people would rather not link a luxury safari with affordability, it is still one of the most desired vacation experiences. Thankfully, going on a safari doesn’t have to remain an elusive dream vacation destination. Connect with your inner explorer and witness Africa’s vast, open vistas and exciting wildlife encounters firsthand without draining your money or roughing it—all with an open mind and professional knowledge.
Book through a travel agent who knows Africa
It is difficult to put a price on the services of a professional trip planner who has lived in and experienced the properties and isolated locations you will be visiting. You can save time and money on your safari planning and travel if you invest in quality advice before you go.
According to Sharon, who works with Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa and The Bespoke African Safari Co., you should not skimp on the quality of your game drives or guides. “Collaborate with a travel professional who has been to the location not long ago and had first-hand knowledge of the places you wish to see, as well as the knowledge and skill of the tour guides.”
Sharon, a safari designer for Kabira Safaris & Tours + The Bespoke African Safari Co., advises that if you want an objective view of Africa, you should follow agents who concentrate on the continent rather than social media influencers.
Sometimes we even pay to visit safari lodges and businesses that we feel are the most ethical, high-quality, and cost-effective. Because we value our clients’ satisfaction, we will not post anything on our feeds that we do not personally believe in.
You don’t need to visit the Masai Mara in July and August to witness the yearly migration; nevertheless, few people know that the herds may be seen year-round in different parts of Africa. It is possible to avoid the crowds during off-seasons if you hire a safari expert who is familiar with migration patterns, as Sharon puts it.
Consider off-season travel
You can save money and help alleviate the problem of over tourism by planning your trip outside of a destination’s peak season. The communities surrounding conservation areas that rely on nature-based tourism and the ecosystem both benefit from spreading love.
You can increase your chances of obtaining a bargain by being flexible with your travel dates. Keep in mind that if you can wait until four or six weeks before your departure, several safari operators and camps offer last-minute discounts.
By avoiding popular times to travel, you can save a significant amount of money, as Prince demonstrates. Low season prices in Botswana, for instance, are frequently half of what they are during peak season. The “green” months of March through May are typically when you may find the best bargains in East Africa. The best months to arrange a trip to Southern Africa are May, June, or November.
The more safaris I go on, the less I care about the seasonality,” says Scott Dunn’s Africa team leader, Matt Shock. Any time of year can provide an unforgettable experience if you’re at the correct spots.
Most African countries have microclimates, according to Sharon of Kabira Safaris & Tours plus The Bespoke African Safari Co, who also notes that some lodges charge up to five different tariffs based on the season. With proper preparation, one can still enjoy a memorable experience even during off-seasons.
When you book your camps via the same company for several locations, you can usually save more money or even get flights within the country for free. Deals are available even from the most opulent carriers if you stick to their routes. As an example, the Royal Itinerary is offered by the opulent and personally-run Royal Portfolio. It includes a safari at Thornybush’s Royal Malewane and an urban adventure at Cape Town’s The Silo, and in exchange for each property, guests receive a complimentary night’s stay and an internal transfer.
The benefit of remaining loyal to one provider, especially for solitary travelers, is the availability of single-supplement exemptions.
Take a deeper dive into one safari destination
Staying longer in a destination instead of transferring to a new property every two or three days can also assist save on pricey inter-camp travel (plus, it’s also a more ecological way to travel, lightening your carbon footprint). As nice as a safari and beach holiday sounds, the more transfers and planes included in your itinerary, the higher the cost will be.
“Staying in one country or region can soften the sticker shock. I often have guests stay in Kenya for a full vacation, beginning in Nairobi and concluding at Diani Beach for some rest before flying home. We start with a few nights in Northern Kenya, then move on to the Mara, and finally spend a few nights at Diani Beach. Sharon explains that guests can enjoy diverse landscapes, encounter wildlife, and engage with local cultures without the hassle of lengthy flights and complicated arrangements.
Don’t avoid all-inclusive
When you go on a safari, the benefits of an all-inclusive package really pay you. There are no surprises when you book your safari in a camp or resort, even though the rates may appear steep at first. Everything you need is provided, including lodging, a hearty breakfast, most beverages, the essential game drives, and other activities like walks.
Consider splurging when it’s worth it
If you can afford the luxury of space, exclusivity when seeing animals, and greater solitude in camp, then it’s worth investing a little more. Private game reserves and other privately protected areas are worth paying more for exclusive access to, particularly if you can only visit during peak travel times. Because there is a cap on the number of vehicles allowed, you are more likely to see animals alone and encounter less tourists. In addition to the limited activities available in camps in national parks, there are usually other options, like as walking safaris and night drives. Find out how many people will be riding shotgun in the conservation area you’re exploring, and inquire about the bed-to-hectare ratio.