Is an African safari worth it? Yes an African safari is worth it 100% of the time, even with how much an African safari costs! If you love animals, if you enjoy unique vacations/holidays, if you want to experience travel unplugged from work, phone calls, and the internet, then a safari is one of the most incredible trips you can take.
But you do not have to take our word for it. Let us break down what it’s like to go on an African safari and then let you decide if a safari is worth it for you.
This blog has been updated with new information in December 2024! [Original blog was published in 2020.]
What Does an African Safari Cost and What Do You Get?
Dollar for dollar, African safaris are one of the most expensive vacations you can take. A luxury African safari can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 USD. It all depends on where you go on safari—South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, etc.—what season you go on safari, and how long you stay there. Also, please note that an African safari cost is usually divided up PER PERSON and per night.
So, is an African safari worth the price, and what do you get for the cost of a safari?
All-Inclusive
Most safaris are all-inclusive. This means that the nightly price for your lodge or camp covers everything: food, safari activities (game drives, mokoro, boating, walking safaris, etc.), and even most alcoholic drinks. The good news is that this means you can more easily budget your safari upfront and know exactly what an African safari costs from the very beginning.
At Brave Africa Safaris, your all-inclusive safari cost includes:
- Lodging
- All meals, snacks, and in-house beverages (including local beers and wines)
- All-day safari activities, including game drives, mokoro, village visits, walking safaris, etc.
- Daily laundry and cleaning services
- Road transfers between locations/camps while with Brave Africa
- $50 or $35 nonprofit donation per guest
Exclusivity
The higher you budget for an African safari, the more exclusive your experience will be. That is because the high cost includes private concessions, campsites, and locations not drowning in tourists. These off-the-beaten-path safaris cost more but also provide far more premium animal encounters. You won’t be in the middle of thousands of tourists, pushing through crowds to see a single lion on the ground. This makes an African safari worth it if you can afford it.
Exclusivity is one of the things that makes a Botswana safari so special. Botswana limits the number of lodges, camps, and tourists that can be in any location at one time. This means that there is serious crowd control, the animals are not used to humans, and there are many times on safari when you are alone. But a Botswana safari is also one of the most expensive safaris you can go on. You pay for exclusivity, but it is worth it. We promise. Botswana is one of the few countries left in southern Africa where a safari harkens back to the early years of adventures in the wilderness. Botswana’s safari tourism model is fewer tourists and better experiences. At Brave Africa Safaris, our vehicles max out at six guests (two per row) and six tents (12 guests total at camp and two safari vehicles).
An African safari should be about you, the animals, and nature. The value of an exclusive African safari experience cannot be overstated. It’s a chance to truly get away from it all: turn off the cell phone, disconnect from WiFi, say goodbye to people, and get in touch with Mother Nature. The key is choosing an African safari experience that focuses on exclusivity.
What Does an African Safari Cost?
Okay, so what does an African safari cost? It will vary wildly between locations.
- Kenya and Tanzania have many more affordable options ($500 – $700 per person per night), but you will face large crowds and less luxurious accommodations.
- South Africa has some of the most luxurious lodges in all of Africa and some of the most budget safari options. You can get a day pass to drive through Kruger Park in your own vehicle for very cheap. Or you can book a lodge in the exclusive Sabi Sands for more than $1000 – $3000 per night per person.
- Botswana is one of the most exclusive countries for a safari and one of the most expensive. Most of Botswana is ultra-luxury, costing upwards of $1500 per person per night. But there are also many incredible mid-range options, such as Brave Africa Safaris, which costs $600 – $900 per person per night.
- Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Nambia are great options, with a range of African safari costs from $500 to $1000 per person per night.
There is also a difference in the price of an African safari depending on the season.
- Green Season is typically December – March and is also “wet” season. You might experience rain during your safari and the dense greenery might make it more difficult to find animals, but prices will be a few hundred dollars cheaper per person and night.
- Shoulder Season is typically April, May, June, and November. This is a great time to visit because the crowds are fewer and the temperatures are more mild. You will also save on your nightly rate.
- High Season is July – October and is the most popular time to go on safari. This is winter in southern Africa, and animals tend to be easy to find as they gather at the few watering holes and cannot hide in greenery.
At Brave Africa Safaris, our cost is broken up by season. And we offer discounts for the more nights you stay with us and the more people in your group. Below is an image of our 2025 Botswana safari rates.
Why is an African Safari Better Than a Zoo?
Beyond price, many guests’ next question about whether an African safari is worth it is related to the experience. You can see wild animals in a zoo, how is an African safari better? What is the experience like, especially when animals are not guaranteed?
African Wildlife on Safari
A safari guest has a close and personal experience with a wild dog. This guest is a very experienced safari-goer and followed all guide instructions. The Matriarch came to her, curious. There was no aggression.
An African safari is an adventure. It is your chance to see animals in their natural habitat. This makes all the difference. Animals on a safari are engaging. They eat, walk, play, fight, chase, run, and interact in a thousand different ways. This means that you can see the same animal every day, and every time, it is new and exciting. Natural animal behavior makes a huge difference.
And then there’s the variety of wildlife. Yes, a zoo has all types of animals, but an African safari is better because the animals are not divided by fences and in human-created habitats. You can sit in your safari vehicle and watch elephants alongside hippos, impala, zebra, and wildebeest. And in the next second, you can find lions or wild dogs.
You never know what type of wildlife you’ll see on your African safari, but every day, every hour, it will be something new. Just make sure you choose an exceptional location for your African safari where wildlife is plentiful. Not all destinations are created equal.
Botswana has almost double the elephants of ANY other country in Africa—over 130,000—along with 163 other species of mammals, including the usual suspects: lions, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, wildebeest, zebra, rhino, etc. The country is also home to more than 550 species of birds, including many rare and endangered species you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. And if you’re worried about going on a family safari with kids? Don’t be.
Nature Retreat
Beyond the wildlife, what makes an African safari worth it are the pristine and stunning landscapes. You will enjoy Mother Nature’s most impressive theater on a breathtaking scale. Explore vast swaths of wilderness where everything is raw, rugged, and stunning. Africa boasts a vibrant ecosystem with everything from dusty red deserts to lush swamplands, sweeping floodplains, expansive savannas, and vibrant forests. You’ll drive through rivers, explore lagoons, have lunch at elephant watering holes, hike rocky outcrops, and more.
Brave Africa’s vehicles can handle almost any terrain, including water.
The landscapes on an African safari will enchant you as much as the wildlife. And the best part is that you will enjoy these gorgeous landscapes without worrying about crowds—if you go to the right safari locations. Regardless of where you choose to go on your African safari, we can almost guarantee you’ll be talking about the beauty of nature for years to come.
5 Tips to Ensure Your African Safari is Worth It!
If you want an African safari to change your life and be “the best trip you’ve ever taken,” not just any safari will do. You must ask the right questions and choose a safari worth the hype and the cost. We recommend giving yourself the largest budget possible, so you can pay for the experience, accommodations, and location that best fits your dreams.
And do your research! Reach out to travel agents who specialize in African safaris. Read all the blogs you can! Ask questions of friends, family, and acquaintances who have gone on safari. If you will pay for the cost of an African safari, make sure you get everything you want!
Here are five tips to consider to ensure your African safari is worth it!
1. Choose the Right Location (Country and Region)
Forget about the name. You might have heard about Kruger and the Serengeti because they are well-known safari locations, but that does not automatically make them the best location for your safari. Lesser-known parks and locations can offer a far better experience with fewer crowds and more wildlife.
After all, animals don’t like to be around people, so popular is not always better. For example, Botswana’s Okavango Delta might be a lesser-known safari location, but the experience is superior to the crowded national parks in South Africa. In Botswana, you’re…
