Why planning a safari budget can be tricky
31/07/13 08:58 Filed in: Photographic Safari
Planning a holiday is usually very simple. You go to the internet and search for the places you want to visit and a whole list of hotels, flights and rental cars will roll out. You check the accommodations online and book what you like. The flight is also easily booked and it is all done. You can find plenty of matching options for your budget.
Booking safaris is a bit different. Yes, you can have a budget and find matching safari packages, but not just like having a budget for hotel accommodation in Barcelona. For example you want to visit the Great Migration in the Masai Mara and the budget should be USD 150 per day. This is pretty much impossible. The park fee for the Masai Mara is already USD 80 per person per day, then the accommodation, food and beverages (you cannot just go to a supermarket in the bush) and transportation to the Mara and for the game drives. It is not working.
Do not plan a safari like a city trip or usual camping trip. A safari budget needs to include all expenses up front, before you go there. When you plan a city trip you look at a budget for the flight and hotel. Then you go there and you start spending money. When you go on safari everything is already paid. You have no more expenses while being on safari and there are also not shopping malls. The only thing can be beverages, but that is a choice you also make in advance.
The budget to plan with seems to be higher at first sight, but it is what it actually will cost you. With other trips it is usually not the end of spending when the hotel and flight are booked.
Keep that in mind and don’t get a fright when a budget seems to be high. At the end it might be cheaper than other holidays. The same applies to wildlife photography courses and team building safaris. Realize that it includes already all.
Happy travelling!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com