A 7-day safari is the most-booked trip length in Tanzania and the most-asked-about price. It's long enough to cover the classic Northern Circuit properly — Tarangire, the crater, and the Serengeti — and short enough that most travellers can take it without a sabbatical. Here is what it actually costs in 2026, broken down by the day, so you can compare any quote against it line by line.
Headline numbers
Per person, two adults sharing a tent, private 4×4 with senior guide, full board, all park fees included, one internal flight included:
- Budget tier (shared vehicle, basic permanent camps): USD 2,100–2,900 per person
- Mid tier (private vehicle, mid-range camps): USD 4,400–5,400 per person
- Premium tier (private vehicle, premium camps): USD 7,500–9,500 per person
- Ultra-luxury (Singita, &Beyond, Sanctuary flagships): USD 14,000–22,000 per person
For two people on the mid tier, that's a total of roughly USD 8,800–10,800 before international flights, visas, insurance, and tips. The cost calculator on this site reproduces these ranges with your specific party size and tier.
Day-by-day cost map (mid-tier)
A classic 7-day mid-tier itinerary, per person, two adults sharing:
Day 1 — Arrive Kilimanjaro (JRO), transfer to Arusha (USD 280–340): Airport transfer, one night at Arusha Coffee Lodge or Gran Meliá. Welcome dinner. No park fee.
Day 2 — Arusha to Tarangire (USD 580–680): Road transfer to Tarangire, afternoon game drive, one night at Tarangire River Camp, Maramboi, or Sanctuary Swala. Includes park fee (USD 53 + VAT), guide day, vehicle day, lunch.
Day 3 — Tarangire (USD 540–640): Full-day game drive, second night same camp. Park fee, guide, vehicle, full board.
Day 4 — Tarangire to Ngorongoro highlands (USD 720–880): Transfer via Lake Manyara (optional half-day, adds USD 90), one night at Sopa Lodge, Lemala Ngorongoro, or The Highlands. NCA conservation fee USD 60 + VAT applies for this night.
Day 5 — Crater descent and on to Serengeti (USD 980–1,180): Half-day crater descent (NCA crater fee USD 200/vehicle + VAT), then road transfer to central Serengeti. Serengeti park fee USD 70 + VAT begins tonight. One night at Kati Kati, Mbuzi Mawe, or Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge.
Day 6 — Central Serengeti (USD 540–640): Full-day game drives, second Serengeti night same camp. Park fee, guide, vehicle, full board.
Day 7 — Bush flight back to Arusha and onward (USD 410–520): Morning game drive, light-aircraft transfer (USD 280 per person) from Seronera to Arusha, road transfer to JRO. Park fee for departure day applies if you stay past 11am.
That totals roughly USD 4,050–4,880 per person in direct costs. Add operator overhead and margin (12–15%) and you land at USD 4,600–5,600 per person — the mid-tier range above.
Three tiers, side by side
Same 7-day Northern Circuit itinerary, two adults sharing, per person:
| Line | Budget | Mid | Premium | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Park & NCA fees | $1,050 | $1,100 | $1,150 | | Lodging (6 nts) | $720 | $2,400 | $4,800 | | Vehicle + guide | $750 | $1,150 | $1,400 | | Internal flight | $0 (road) | $280 | $280 | | Margin & overhead | $250 | $750 | $1,400 | | Total per pax | ~$2,770 | ~$5,680 | ~$9,030 |
Numbers are illustrative; the calculator reflects current season pricing.
The biggest jump between tiers is lodging. Park fees and vehicle costs barely move (a senior guide costs USD 30/day more than a junior one). When someone asks "where does the extra USD 3,500 go between mid and premium" — it goes to better tents in better locations with better food.
What season does to the price
Park fees and vehicle costs are flat year-round. Lodging is not.
- Peak season (July–September + 20 Dec–5 Jan): lodge rates lift 15–22% above the baseline above. A mid-tier USD 5,200 trip becomes USD 5,900–6,300.
- Shoulder (June, October, November, February): baseline. The ranges above are accurate.
- Green season (mid-March to mid-May): lodge rates drop 15–25%. Same mid-tier trip becomes USD 4,300–4,700. Some remote north-Serengeti camps close entirely (the Mara River crossing window has ended). See when to go for the trade-off.
For a 7-day Northern Circuit specifically, the green-season discount is genuinely a discount — there is no Mara crossing in March-May regardless, so the trip you're missing is not the one you're booking.
Common swaps and what they cost
Swap road transfer for the bush flight on Day 5 (Ngorongoro to Serengeti): Saves USD 0–50 per person but costs you ~6 hours of driving. Most travellers prefer the road.
Add a 4th Serengeti night (extend to 8 days): adds USD 540–680 per person at mid-tier. Often worth it for the migration windows.
Swap to a private camp in the Ngorongoro highlands (The Highlands or Entamanu) from Sopa or Lemala: adds USD 250–450 per person per night.
Drop the bush flight and drive back to Arusha on Day 7: saves USD 280 per person. Costs you a 7-hour drive at the end of the trip.
Add a balloon safari (Serengeti, Day 6 sunrise): USD 595 per person, single charge.
Add a 3-night Zanzibar tail: USD 1,400–3,200 per couple at mid-tier, including the flight.
If your quote is below the range
If a quote sits below USD 2,800 per person for a 7-day Northern Circuit, the operator is doing one of:
- Skipping or short-changing park fees. Easy to verify — ask for the line item.
- Using a shared vehicle (4–6 other guests). May or may not be disclosed; ask directly.
- Booking below-tier camps and calling them what they aren't. Ask for the camp names and look them up.
- Replacing the Land Cruiser with a minivan. Common with mass-market operators. Comfortable enough for the road, useless off-track and in tall grass.
Cheap Tanzania safaris exist, they are usually shared vehicles with basic camping, and the per-person price is genuinely USD 1,800–2,400. Anything that looks like a private mid-tier trip at that price is one of the above.
If your quote is above the range
If a quote sits above USD 6,000 per person at the same nominal tier, ask what's specifically different. Real reasons it might be higher:
- Genuinely premium camps named in the quote (Sanctuary Kichakani, Asilia Namiri, Nomad Lamai). Worth the money if you want them.
- A second bush flight built in instead of road transfer between two parks. Adds USD 280–420 per person.
- A balloon safari, walking safari, or cultural visit bundled in. Real costs.
- Singita or &Beyond pricing even on a "premium" line. These are ultra-luxury and priced accordingly.
The unjustified reasons: brand-name middleman commission stacked on top of an operator margin, or "private guide" branding for a guide who is already what a private safari includes.
When you're ready, run the calculator with your dates and party size, then send us a brief — we come back inside 24 hours with two options at your tier and a firm number. The full cost guide goes deeper on park fees and tipping if you want the longer read.
Want a real itinerary?
A real itinerary and a real price within 24 working hours, written by a guide on our team.