Social Newsdesk reporter Alice recalled the shock she skilled when reserving a vacation to Africa, together with a safari tour, solely to grasp the true worth.
Reporter Alice was stunned by the true worth of happening safari in South Africa (Picture: Alice Sjoberg)
Whereas I like travelling, I’ve at all times thought that happening a safari in Africa can be out of my price range. Not solely is it far-off, which means the value to get there can be quite a bit, however I additionally simply thought it’d be simply as costly as soon as I received there. However think about my shock once I discovered it is quite a bit cheaper than you assume.
With my boyfriend being from South Africa, he usually tells me tales about how wild monkeys would seem in his household’s backyard to trigger havoc, whereas zebras are ‘simply as frequent’ as horses are for us. The extra I heard, the extra I longed to go there to expertise all of it for myself.
So in February 2026, we flew to the opposite aspect of the world for 3 weeks, spending a type of week in Kruger Nationwide Park, which is one in all Africa’s largest recreation reserves.
We spent our days driving to see if we might spot the Huge 5 – lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos, in addition to different animals, earlier than heading again to the place we have been staying to relax by the pool and absorb the solar within the 35 diploma February warmth. And the perfect half? It was quite a bit cheaper than I’d have guessed.
Nicely, the primary value will likely be on your flights. We paid round £800 every for direct return flights with Virgin Atlantic. You would possibly handle to get them cheaper for those who do not thoughts stops alongside the way in which, however I used to be nonetheless pleasantly stunned by this, particularly since we unintentionally booked it to happen over half time period. In fact, this worth can even depend upon the place you select to go, as there are many nations providing safaris.
Then, as you arrive, you’ll discover that issues are quite a bit cheaper within the UK. As we travelled across the nation earlier than heading into the enduring Kruger Park for the safari, a median evening in a B&B set us again round £50-£80 for 2 folks in complete.
Whereas issues are dearer contained in the park, we nonetheless paid round £250 for 4 nights for the 2 of us, making the price per individual round £125. And this have been no fundamental rooms both.
We stayed in a pair totally different safari camps, one was an opulent tent with air-con, the place breakfast and dinner was included within the worth, in addition to an unimaginable pool overlooking the park.
We then moved to Berg en Dal relaxation camp, the place we had our personal lodge, full with a kitchen, rest room, and an outside barbeque, or braii as they name it there.
For those who do not need to cook dinner, there’s an on-site restaurant, the place meals value round £5-15 per individual. As for grocery buying, it usually finally ends up cheaper than what you are used to.
We break up meals prices with the opposite folks we have been travelling with, however our share got here to round £40 for per week – together with numerous snacks and biltong. And these outlets primarily consisted of meats, as braii (barbeques) are an enormous a part of South African cuisines.
There can even be one other price for being within the park, which works on to the conservation work performed. As I used to be a foreigner, this got here to a different £200, which I used to be very happy to pay if it means it goes to the animals.
We went on one guided safari tour and it was value each penny spent (Picture: Alice Sjoberg)
As for the safaris in query, most individuals will drive their very own vehicles all through the parks. We rented a automotive for 2 weeks, which got here to round £100, with a further £80 for insurance coverage. Petrol can also be quite a bit cheaper than the UK, costing round £1 per litre.
We did additionally go on one guided safari journey, which I positively advocate doing, and I do know numerous folks within the parks opted solely to do all these safaris, which value round £20-30 per individual, relying on the place you guide it.
So, in complete, for the week or so we spent on the safari a part of our journey, we spent round £1,500 per individual, only for the week of safari, for those who additionally depend in our airplane tickets to get to South Africa.
And personally, I would a lot somewhat return for an additional safari earlier than reserving one other all inclusive vacation to the Canary Islands, which can also stand up to the identical worth when going throughout college holidays, like we ended up doing.
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