Most booked
Classic Northern Circuit
Four parks in four days: a Meru foothill walk, Tarangire's elephants, the crater floor and the tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara.
From$1,430
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The honest range
Private mid-range safaris run USD 250 to 400 per person per day. Luxury lodges push that to USD 600 to 900. Group departures and low-season travel can land nearer USD 200.
Our own routes start at USD 683 for two days and run to USD 5,451 for a week of luxury.
Park fees are fixed, and they are big
Entry is set by the government, not by us: roughly USD 60 to 83 per adult per 24 hours in the Serengeti, about USD 71 for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area plus a crater service fee of USD 295 per vehicle, and USD 45 to 59 for Tarangire or Manyara. Concession fees apply inside the parks on top of entry.
Vehicle fees and VAT add more. On a short crater trip, park fees alone can be 35 to 45 percent of the total.
Vehicle, guide, fuel
A well-maintained 4x4 Land Cruiser with a professional guide costs around USD 250 to 300 per day to run, including fuel, insurance, maintenance and wages. That is why a private trip for two always costs more per person than a group of six: the vehicle is the same either way.
Lodges are the biggest lever
The difference between a mid-range lodge and a luxury camp is USD 200 to 500 per person per night. Moving one tier down on half your nights usually saves more than switching seasons.
Why two quotes differ by 40 percent
Cheap quotes often show park fees as "extra", use shared game drives, put you outside the park gate (90 minutes of driving before your first animal) or pay crews below the legal minimum. Ask three questions: are all park fees included, is the vehicle private, and where exactly do we sleep?
How to spend less without losing the trip
Travel in late June, September or early March; take one fewer park and one more night in each; use a group departure for Kilimanjaro; and fly out of the Serengeti instead of driving back. Each of those cuts cost without cutting the experience.
Frequently asked
Yes, on every Sia Blooms itinerary. Park entry, concession and crater fees are built into the quoted price - the only extras are visas, tips, insurance and optional activities.
USD 10 to 20 per day for a driver-guide, shared across the group; USD 250 to 350 per climber on Kilimanjaro; a dollar or two for lodge staff.
Twenty percent to confirm, balance before departure, payable by WeChat Pay, Alipay, UnionPay, card or bank transfer.
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