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Private African Safaris & Tours
A private African safari offers the ultimate in freedom, combined with the security of having your own vehicle and guide. Rolling through the African wilds, stopping to sight zebras and impalas, pausing to drink tea in a village cafe, choosing your itinerary as you go. Go where you want, when you want and with whom you want. This is the most enjoyable way to see the wonders of Africa. A private safari tour can be as basic or as plush as you like. If you’re on a budget, hire a jeep and driver through a tour company and work out your holiday details yourself. At the opposite end, a private safari tour can be a fully organized luxury package with everything scheduled down to the last minute.
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day Mid-Range Epic Adventure (Stay on the Crater Rim)
$2,615 to $2,910 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Lion King Adventures
5.0/5 – 1,203 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
8-Day Great Migration Safari
$3,135 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Central Serengeti NP, Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro, Arusha (End)
Safari Soles
5.0/5 – 320 Reviews
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11-Day Mid Luxury - Beach Holiday and Safari in Tanzania
$3,891 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Abeid Amani Karume Airport (End)
Brilliant Adventures and Safaris
5.0/5 – 85 Reviews
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7-Day Wildlife Big 5 Gorillas and Chimpanzees Safari
$2,475 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Equator point Uganda (Highlight), Entebbe (End)
Dav Safaris
5.0/5 – 101 Reviews
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3-Day Affordable Serengeti Wildebeest Calving Season
$1,052 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Karatu District, Southern Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Ndutu Green Explorers
5.0/5 – 15 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
9-Day Tanzania Northern Circuit Mid-Range Safari
$3,410 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Kilimanjaro Airport (End)
Meru Slopes Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 416 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day Journey of the Wildebeest - Luxury
$3,790 to $5,600 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania
4.9/5 – 490 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
6-Day Tanzania Classic Luxury Safari
$2,805 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Meijo Safaris
5.0/5 – 213 Reviews
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9-Day Victoria Falls, Chobe and Okavango Fly-in Safari
$8,504 pp (USD)
Botswana & Zimbabwe: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Victoria Falls (Start), Chobe NP, Okavango Delta, Maun Airport (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.8/5 – 174 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Best Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara Trip
$1,052 to $1,071 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Smile
5.0/5 – 483 Reviews
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6-Day Sopa Lodges Circuits Safari
$1,353 to $2,046 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Greater Masai Mara, Nairobi (End)
Laxatrails Safaris
4.8/5 – 32 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
10-Day Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Zanzibar & Others
$4,230 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (End)
Savannah Explorers
5.0/5 – 589 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Tour, Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro
$2,017 to $2,023 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Full Package Adventures
5.0/5 – 172 Reviews
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11-Day Mid-Range Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach Safari
$3,320 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar Stone Town (Zanzibar), Nungwi (Zanzibar), Zanzibar (End)
Ozon Light Tours
4.9/5 – 143 Reviews
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6-Day Most Favorite -Four Season Safari Lodge
$4,367 to $4,807 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Moshi (Start), Arusha (City), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Moshi (End)
Kojuu Safaris Africa
5.0/5 – 58 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
14-Day Safari Dream Voyage
$4,939 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Arusha NP, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Lake Natron, Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP), Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Paradise & Wilderness
4.8/5 – 216 Reviews
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3-Day Trekking Gorillas from Rwanda to Uganda
$1,425 pp (USD)
Rwanda & Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Kigali (Start), Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Kigali (End)
Moroka Expeditions
4.9/5 – 26 Reviews
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4-Day Rwanda Golden Monkey Trek and Bisoke Hike Trip
$1,596 pp (USD)
Rwanda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Kigali (Start), Volcanoes NP (Gorillas), Mt Bisoke (Virunga Mountains), Kigali (End)
Hermosa Life Tours and Travel
5.0/5 – 150 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Magical Kenya Luxury
$2,354 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Ways Of Africa Travel
5.0/5 – 109 Reviews
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Best Seller
10-Day Best Honeymoon Luxury Safari + Zanzibar Beach
$4,824 to $5,462 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (Tanzania Beaches), Zanzibar Airport (End)
African Big Cats Safaris
5.0/5 – 457 Reviews
6 Questions About Private Safari Tours
Answered by
Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler is a travel writer, photographer and author of many guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Bradt, including guides to Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania. Over the past 25 years he has traveled widely in Africa and spends considerable time there each year on safari.› More about Stuart
6 Questions About Private Safari Tours
Why should I choose a private trip?
“Freedom! A private safari is the way to go if you value flexibility. Traveling in this manner means you can build your own itinerary and focus on your own likes and interests. Want more time than most tour group safaris allow in a park? A private tour will allow you to add in extra days as you please. Within reason, a private safari allows you to change the schedule as you go along, although accommodations bookings can still make this difficult. This type of holiday is ideal for groups of friends or traveling families. If you’re traveling with children, a private safari is the only way to go. A private safari can also be as organized or flexible as you like. It offers all the advantages of independent travel, but with the comfort and security of a private vehicle and guide and driver. In most respects, this is the best way to see Africa. It will, of course, cost more than a group safari.”
1How is a private safari different from a group safari?
“On a shared or group tour, you will join a group of other travelers. You will get a private room or tent but the vehicle and activities will be shared with others. A private tour is organized exclusively for you. However, on some private tours the wildlife-viewing activities are run by the lodges and camps and will be shared with others. On a group safari, you’ll almost certainly be tied to a set itinerary. It can be near impossible to make even very minor changes to an itinerary. You will also be traveling with people you’ve never met before. This can be great if you all get along well. In some cases, you might even find that you make friends for life. But any slight personality clash can make the trip an uncomfortable experience for everyone. A private safari tour does away with these issues and gives you more freedom and independence. You’ll be creating your own group, or even traveling alone. This means that you’ll choose the travel partners you’ll be crammed into a vehicle with for 2 weeks. A private trip like this does cost a lot more than a group safari.”
2What type of vehicles can I expect?
“This depends entirely on your budget. Obviously, the less you pay, the less you get. On a private budget or lower mid-range safari you will get either a minibus (especially in Kenya) with a pop-top roof or a small, unmodified 4x4 vehicle. If your group is small enough to ensure that you all have your own window seat, such a vehicle is fine. If you’ve paid for a more expensive safari then you should get a large 4x4, which might even have modified suspension and open sides. This is the best kind of vehicle for a safari as it gives everyone in the group a superb view of the wildlife. When driving between parks and reserves, the sides can be raised to ensure the safety of the passengers.”
3Can I decide my own program on a private safari tour?
“The answer to this depends on the type of trip you’re on. If you’re on a high-end luxury tour, usually only minor changes can be made once the safari has begun. This is because most accommodations will have been booked in advance, making major schedule changes complicated. When it comes to the day-to-day schedule though, the choice is all yours. If you don’t feel like yet another dawn safari, it’s no problem to give it a miss. Likewise, if you prefer to spend longer than planned out on a drive or throw in an unplanned village visit, it should be simple to do so. On an independent private safari, a safari company does nothing more than supply you with a vehicle and driver. On this type of safari, you can make changes without too many issues. Again, accommodations bookings might be difficult to alter though. No matter what kind of trip you’re on, a private safari tour means you can choose where and when to stop.”
4Is a private trip safe? What about if I am traveling by myself?
“If you’re using a reputable safari company, a private safari is no more or less safe than a group safari. In these circumstances, we’d suggest paying a little more and going with a more upmarket company with better trained guides and drivers. While most safari companies are reliable, problems can arise. For example, issues with inferior or mechanically unreliable vehicles. Or drivers and guides who exert pressure on safari-goers to schedule the day around their priorities rather than those of the safari-goers. These incidents are more likely on private tours than organized group tours. Generally, they are also more likely with budget operators, whereas they would be almost unheard of with a private luxury safari. Do your research and choose your tour operator carefully.”
5What should I consider when choosing a private safari tour?
“There are several points to consider. Check what sort of vehicle you will be provided. Ask if you’ll have a guide and a driver and how experienced they are. In some countries, guides are graded, which helps ensure a general standard. Consider whether you want to book accommodations in advance or play it by ear. The advantage of organizing accommodations as you go along is that it gives you total flexibility over your itinerary. The disadvantage is that at busy times you might not get to stay in the places you’d like. When designing your itinerary, try not to cram in too much in too short a time. It’s far better to see one or two parks and reserves in detail than to race around ticking off all a country has to offer in 2 weeks.”
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