8 ways to experience Tanzania on a budget

16.11.2023 - 23:17 / lonelyplanet.com

Tanzania’s world-class wildlife watching doesn’t come cheap.

By the time you’ve budgeted for getting to wildlife areas, sleeping at remote bush lodges and paying national park fees, the totals can quickly mount up. Add a trek up Mt Kilimanjaro or a week on Zanzibar and prices will climb even higher.

Yet, if you’re flexible with your plans and don’t mind roughing things a bit, travel in Tanzania can be surprisingly reasonable. Transportation and accommodation are two areas where it’s possible to significantly cut costs, by taking trains or buses rather than flying, and staying in hostels or simple guesthouses instead of upmarket lodges. Dining local style is another cost-saver, and even wildlife safaris can be surprisingly affordable if you visit lesser-known national parks, travel in the low season and sleep at campsites rather than lodges.  

Here’s a guide to daily costs in Tanzania, along with some tips and tricks to help you save.

Average daily cost: US$50–300+ 

Many things, including international flights and certain park fees, will be cheaper during the low (rainy) season from March to May. Lodges in some areas close, and hiking routes and getting around away from the tarmac can be muddy and wet. However, landscapes are lush and green countrywide, birding is wonderful and crowds are non-existent. Prices, especially for accommodations, also tend to be lower during the shoulder season months from November to early December, in February and from late May to early June.

You can save significantly on accommodation costs by camping or sleeping in hostels and budget hotels, at least for part of your trip. If you camp as part of a safari or trek, most operators rent out equipment inexpensively so you don’t need to carry your own. Especially on the mainland, hostels and local-style hotels are generally simple, clean and comfortable, and many offer a range of dorm beds and private rooms.

It’s no hardship to dine local style in Tanzania, enjoying the country’s abundant local fruits and vegetables, freshly caught seafood on the coast and filling meals of rice and beans or ugali (cornmeal porridge) and sauce, all for just a few dollars or less. If you eat all your meals local style, it’s easy to keep food costs under US$10 per day. 

Bus travel offers significant savings over domestic flights or vehicle hire (unless you're in a group), and it's a good way to get introduced to local life. To smooth your travels, book several days in advance on popular routes to get a good seat, depart as early in the day as possible and pay a few extra dollars for "luxury" service.

Train travel is also a real bargain, although very slow. One of the country’s two main lines is currently being upgraded, but the other, Tazara, runs