Safari Costs

You're definitely looking at the higher end camps if they're charging that much. There are many budget lodges that will be significantly cheaper. If you're looking for something cheaper, go through a budget safari company that should have a variety of packages that will include transport from Nairobi, game drives, meals, and lodges. I also recommend using a local tour operator vs. an international operator as the costs will be cheaper. There are many companies out there, but ones that I've used in the past in Kenya that were budget to mid-range and well managed are Bonfire adventures and African eden.

If you're looking for lodging only (not the transfers from Nairobi, etc.), there are a handful of really lovely camps for much cheaper. Maji Moto (about an hour from the Mara, but in a fantastic area) is a very highly rated camp. Another camp, Simba and Oryx is a relatively new camp in the Mara region and has awesome tents with glass fronts for views of the landscape and is reasonably priced. Even cheaper will be Enchoro and Mara Sidai camps in the Masai Mara area. In the Nakuru area, check out Punda Milias and Kembu cottages for nice and reasonably priced accommodation and near Lake Naivasha, Carnelly's is nice. Finally, some of the less visited parks, like Meru and Samburu, will be more likely to offer deals if you contact the lodges/camps there. Hope some of that helps!

You sound like somebody who would rather self-drive (or rent a vehicle with a driver-guide) and DIY camp or stay in really basic tented camps. Try renting from Concorde Car Hire.

The alternative (which should be doable for under £200 per person per day, but probably not much less, unless you don't mind getting ripped off or get involved in park fee-dodging with cheapo companies) is a group camping safari with set-date departures and half-decent driver-guides piloting minibus trips out of Nairobi.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

thanks richard I will study the posts on here for a while first ..I do not go till december 2015 . It seems sharing with a group once you arrive in Arusha is a good idea ,,,plenty of options thanks again

You don't want to see the Top 5 nor do you have a desire to see the famous game parks, which are justifiably famous.

So.... what are you going to Kenya/Tanzania for?

You might want to contact Gamewatchers Safaris (part of the luxury Porini group). Gamewatchers offers basic camping safaris in Kenya but the locations, including at the big parks, are stellar and the reviews are fantastic. I am going on a Gamewatchers safari in September and I'm paying about 300 USD/head (approximately 200 GBP) but this includes all food, all transportation within Kenya (flights between the parks), small and intimate game drives and extremely knowledgeable guides (much of the success of a safari is the quality of your guides).

It seems like extremely good value to me. I'm getting most of the experience of a truly luxury safari without paying the cost and I'm happy to be basic camping rather than a luxury lodge.

I agree the Gamewatchers basic camping safaris are great value, though they're not quite as cheap as you say - $420 per person per night in fact, and that's based on two people sharing. Totally worth it for the great guiding and consistently high standards. On safari you really do get what you pay for.

If you want a budget safari there are so many tour companies that offer group joining safari for as cheap as $120-$150 per person per day on the Kenyan side but on the Tanzanian side it will cost you .The cost includes the park fees,transport,your accommodation,all meals.On the Tanzania side its between $170-$200 per person per day.

thanks for all your replies . when I say I have no burning desire to see the top 5 ,I mean exactly that ,carmine bee eaters on a wire , butterflies and lizards a mongoose family ,a huge baobab are all I need to be happy .Yes of course I would love to see the great safari parks but I hope all East African wildlife is not confined to just these locations .I accept that I am at the early stages of planning but the big game parks seem quite an exclusive extravagance to me full of western tourists with big budgets and little knowledge of wildlife . After you have spent many years wildlife watching simple pleasures ,like the first swallow of summer are good enough I guess my first mongoose / hyena will be sufficient . please correct me if in my inexperience I misjudge the expensive "Safari Industry "

If you're not after the big 5, maybe check out some lesser known parks. For example, Kakamega forest in Western Kenya has good bird watching and nice hiking trails. Also the Aberdares in Kenya is a large park that doesn't get many tourists but has interesting wildlife. Also the lakes in the central part of Kenya are interesting like Naivasha, Bogoria, Baringo, Elmentaita, etc. I'm not as familiar with Tanzania, though.

In Tanzania Kitulo NP is cheap to visit and full of wildflowers, including orchids, from Dec to April - also good for birding and walking. I have contact details for the official park guide (yes, there's only one!) as I was there last Feb, let me know if you're interested and I can send you via PM.

Mikumi NP - if you take the bus south from Dar towards Iringa, you go through the park and there's a chance of seeing some game for free - albeit going past at 80km. I believe it's cheaper to visit than the northern parks, and you can also arrange day trips from Mikumi village or Morogoro town.