How Much Does a Zimbabwe Safari Cost?

On average, a budget Zimbabwe safari costs $325 (USD), a mid-range safari costs $500 and a top-end safari costs $700, all per person per day. Most people who come here on safari tend to be on top-end safaris, but it is possible to visit on a more reasonable budget.

Average Costs of a Safari in Zimbabwe Safari Costs (USD per person per day)

The costings table here gives an overview of how much the average Zimbabwe safari will cost, depending on your travel style. Using this table allows you to quickly match your daily budget to the kind of Zimbabwe safari you can afford. You may want to avoid the rainy season (November to March) when many camps close.

Comfort Level	Private (USD per day)	Group (USD per day)
Budget Camping	$375	$325
Budget Accommodations	$400	$350
Mid-range Accommodations	$550	$500
Luxury Accommodations	$750	$700
Luxury Plus Accommodations	$1,000+	n/a

Rates are in USD $ unless otherwise indicated.

Rates exclude additional costs, such as international flights, tips and personal items.

All 221 Zimbabwe Safari Tours

Additional Costs Explained

The following table covers a few additional Zimbabwe costs – some obvious, some less so – that you might need to add into your overall budget.

International Flights

There aren’t many direct flights between non-African cities and Zimbabwe, and this can make flights into the country expensive. The main airport is in the capital Harare, but it’s also possible and sometimes cheaper to fly into Victoria Falls (Vic Falls) airport.
Visa Costs

Nationals of most overseas countries can obtain a tourist visa on arrival. A single-entry visa costs US$30 and double entry is US$45. Visitors from the UK and Canada pay considerably more.
Accommodations

There’s a growing range of safari accommodations in all budgets, but most places are still in the top-end category with prices starting from US$300 per person per night. Budget safari camps and lodges cost from US$100 per person per night.
Vaccinations

While your doctor may recommend some vaccinations before traveling to Zimbabwe, the only required vaccination for entry is a yellow-fever vaccination for those arriving from countries where the disease is present. There is no vaccine for malaria, but we strongly recommend antimalarial medication and following medical advice as to their use.
Tips

Drivers and guides will expect to be tipped. Staff at mid-range and top-end safari camps also expect tips, but in budget accommodations tipping is less common. Plan on US$15 per person per day.
Travel Insurance

Standard travel insurance is fine for most safari activities in Zimbabwe. If you’re going to be bungee jumping at Vic Falls then check your policy covers this.

10 Factors Influencing the Cost of a Zimbabwe Safari

The general cost of a Zimbabwe safari varies hugely depending on a number of factors. The most important of which is how remote the area you wish to visit is. As safari visitor numbers to Zimbabwe remain quite low, the differences between high and low season remain fairly limited.

1
Length of stay

Park entry fees are charged on a 24-hour basis and don’t get cheaper the longer you stay in a park. If you’re on a fully organized safari (as most visitors to Zimbabwe are) then there are likely to be some per-day savings the longer you remain on safari, but it’s not a significant difference.
2
Level of comfort of accommodations

Years of political mismanagement meant that safari tourism was reduced to a trickle, and much of the safari infrastructure fell into disrepair. Now that the country has stabilized, safari travelers are starting to return, and new accommodations are opening. For now options remain generally more limited than in most safari countries, with a strong emphasis on remotely located, exclusive camps charging hundreds of US dollars a night. At the other extreme, most major parks have public campgrounds or budget camps either within the park or just outside.
3
Location of the accommodations

Staying within a national park will almost invariably cost more than staying just outside (there might also be extra park fees to stay), but the advantages of being within the parks are more of a wilderness experience and not having to waste valuable safari time in the early morning and evening actually getting to the protected area. If you can afford the extra, then it’s always worth staying within the park boundaries.
4
Group size

Due to the relative lack of visitors, there aren’t many large group safaris. Most organized safaris are aimed at mid-range and luxury small groups, with mid-range safaris costing anything from US$200 per person per day and luxury from about double that. However, there are some budget operators charging from around US$150 per person per day in a medium-sized group. The good news about budget safaris in Zimbabwe is that the operators tend to be fairly reliable and try hard to please. As always, the smaller your group size the more you will likely pay per person and per day.
5
When you want to go

Zimbabwe is something of a year-round safari destination, but peak wildlife viewing is between May and late September, which is the Dry season. From a tourism perspective the high season is July to September (school holidays). Prices rise at this time, especially around Vic Falls. The Wet season runs from November to March and it’s quiet and cheaper at this time, but some camps close. The choice months for a Zimbabwe safari then are May to June and October. Parks at this time are quiet, costs are slightly lower than high season, and the wildlife viewing is very good.
6
How you get around

Zimbabwe is a big country, the road infrastructure isn’t great, and distances between parks can be enormous. This means that if you’re planning on visiting several key parks (Hwange and Mana Pools National Parks, for example) then the best way to go is by air. Internal flights cost at least US$200 per person. If you’re just concentrating on the Hwange area and Vic Falls then you can travel overland, which will save you a lot of money.
7
Where you want to go

Remoter parks normally cost more money to get to, and accommodations might be limited to only top-end options. Sticking to the Hwange and Vic Falls area, where a greater range of accommodations exists and competition means lower rates, makes for a cheaper overall safari. Sticking to this area also saves money on transport costs.
8
Add-ons

Zimbabwe is one of Africa’s best bets for a walking safari, and expert walking guides are available in and around many parks. There’s always an extra fee to be paid for a walking safari so build that into your Zimbabwe safari budget. Vic Falls is Africa’s unsurpassed ‘extreme sports’ center and you’ll likely want to add bungee jumping, white-water rafting, swimming in the Devil’s Pool or paragliding into your budget. All of these cost between US$110 and US$160 per person.
9
Extensions

If you’ve flown in or out of Vic Falls then it’s pretty simple to add in a safari in a neighboring country, such as Zambia, Botswana or Namibia. If you’ve flown to Zimbabwe via South Africa or Kenya, then it’s also easy to break your journey home with a visit to Cape Town or a Kenyan safari or beach holiday. Any of these will add significantly to your budget though.
10
Specialized interests

For an experience that’s almost unique to Zimbabwe, sign up to a multiday canoe safari down the Zambezi River through Mana Pools NP. Most of these are three days long, and as well as canoeing, they are normally combined with walking safaris near the river. These expeditions are a genuine adventure that won’t suit everyone. All are run by respected and experienced safari companies using specialist guides, and none come cheap.