I wanted to poll the crowd here to see if youve experienced something similar.

I booked a Tanzania itinerary in Feb for a Dec 07 trip. The price etc. was finalized by the operator and I paid the deposit.

Now when I'm about to pay the remainder, I'm informed that the Tanzania govt. has hiked the fee for the parks and lodges. As such I need to pay more - the difference is quite substantive, about 25% of the original safari price.

Has anyone who booked earlier in the year faced any price increase? The operator says that the website lists the fact that they have no control over the price if the govt. increases the fee etc.

I would do a little more research on if I were you. Check out www.tanzaniaparks.com - according to this site the last park increases we in 2006. I think there was an increase for the Ngorongoro Crater this year (June or July) but believe it was just an increase per vehicle not per person. Another thing you could do go to www.tatotz.org and email them. Just ask them if there has been any park increases since Feb. As far as the lodges go, when I was booking my safari, my tour operator had the yearly contract rates available from each lodge. I don't think the lodges can raise their prices after they have already made contracts with the tour operators. I would make sure the company that you have booked through is a licensed company in Tanzania. This info is available on the tatotz website.

If you were actually quoted '07 rates in February for December, and you should have been, then there shouldn't be a lodge/camp increase. Likewise, as mentioned above, there haven't been park increases, but for Ngorogoro (and I'm not exactly certain when) which may been modified. But I can't imagine a 25% overall increase to the price of your entire safari.

I'd inquire of your outfitter, exactly which prices increased. Are they, in fact, using properties other than those earlier confirmed... i.e., a Serena Lodge over a Wildlife Lodge; a camp over a lodge. And then, why are they changing this.

There are statutory increases that outfitters have no control over...one being park fees, which have been known to increase mid-year or fuel surcharges for flights, or for your safari vehicle and should be clearly stated in the documents received from your outfitter. But, even these, shouldn't increase your package by that high a percentage.

I am going in Nov. Booked a year ago. In August I got an email that they double the park fee at one of the parks in Tanzania.

Here is what it said. This is a CC Africa tour. It is a HUGE increase.

"The tour company advised that the Ngorongoro Crater Park has doubled their
fees and there are two of them - a crater fee and a park fee. I think I
originally thought it would be about $100 - $150 per person, but it
actually comes to $230/per person. I'm really sorry about that, but
unfortunately don't have any control over gov't fees."

If CC Africa passed on an increase, then I'd say it is legit. But there's was $230 and not 25% of the safari cost. I once had to pay an extra $125 per gorilla tracking permit when those increased, even though I had paid for the permits in full 18 months earlier.

A 25% increase seems too high and more than what even a hefty tax or park fee increase would add to your cost.

Ngorongoro fee increases and the 6/hr limit has been floating around for about 2/yrs. My guess... only that, is because no one was exactly certain with effective dates being moved around, some outfitters (CCA included) simply didn't include in prices submitted to clients. But, yes, the fees for this park did increase and sizeable, at that - per vehicle, per individual, etc... so $230 isn't really all that much. A park fee increase is "statutory" over which outfitters have no control.

As example, there are Park Fee increases due for Kenya in '08; at most parks from $40/day/pax to $60/day/pax. Other parks will see small increases depending on their current fee. Initially these increases were scheduled to go into effect as January 1; now it seems these will go into effect May 1. And, even so, it maybe earlier or later. What's a outfitter to do? When do they include the increase in the rates proferred?

$230 per person for one entry is interesting. I think we're being quoted an increase of approx $700 per person. I was told that our itinerary requires multiple park entries and that is adding up. I should get the details this week. Here is the itinerary.

Dec 1st, 2007: Leave SFO for JRO (Kilimanjaro International Airport)

Dec 2: Arrival Kilimanjaro
Met on arrival in Kilimanjaro airport, and transfer to hotel in Arusha, Impala Hotel

Dec 3: Arusha / Lake Manyara National Park
We drive to Lake Manyara National Park in the Great Rift Valley. The park is home to tree-climbing lion, colorful birds, elephant and hippo. Game drives, Lake Manyara Hotel, B,L,D.

Dec 4: Lake Manyara / Serengeti
Today we leave Lake Manyara for Serengeti, game drive in Serengeti, in search of large predators and gentle herbivores in which they feed, Ndutu Lodge, B,L,D.

Day 5: Serengeti
More game drives in the Serengeti, Ndutu Lodge, B,L,D.

Dec 6~7: Serengeti National Park
We will spend two full days with morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti exploring the rolling plains of Serengeti National Park in search of the large predators and the gentle herbivores on which they feed. Seronera Wildlife Lodge, B,L,D

Dec 8: Serengeti / Ngorongoro
After breakfast, we will drive to Ngorongoro, with optional ($50/group) visit of Masai Village, and optional ($3/person) visit to Olduvai Gorge. Arrive in Ngorongoro for afternoon game drive in the Crater, Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge B,L,D.

Dec 9: Ngorongoro / Arusha
Another game drive in Ngorongoro crater, then we drive to Arusha, Impala Hotel, B,L.

Dec 10: Transfer to Kilimanjaro airport for a flight to Z’bar, leaving JRO at 10:50am, arriving Z’bar at 12:10pm. Met on arrival and transfer to hotel in East Coast, Breeze Beach Club (standard room), B,D.

Dec 11~12: Breeze Beach Club (standard room), B,D.

Dec 13: Transfer to Z’bar aiport for a flight to DAR, connect your return flight from DAR, B.

Dec 14: Arrival SFO.

You have 7/days being in parks. Ngorongoro will be the most costly including the two visits to the crater floor... costing about $115-$125 for each/person (park fee, person and vehicle). The 5 remaining days each average $90/person for Manyara and Serengeti. That's a lot of money!

The daily Park Fees should have been included in your initial quote from your outfitter. If Park Fees were included, then why are they now assessing a very high daily amount? If these weren't.... ooooops, something you overlooked.

If you are staying at Ndutu Lodge and game driving in the Serengeti from there, you will be paying Park fees for both the Serengeti N.P. and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ndutu Lodge is located just in Ngorogoro CA where it borders Serengeti N.P.

<b>I think we're being quoted an increase of approx $700 per person.</b>

dhruvgupta, I think three things happened ... first, I think the daily entry fees were increased in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), I think from $30/day to $50/day. You are there 3 nights (Ndutu and the Crater) so I'd expect $60/person for this. This fee increase did not show on the Tanzania Parks site because the NCA is a separate entity from the Parks.

Second, the entry fee to descend into Ngorongoro Crater was increased from $50 to $100 per person per day, which would add another $100 for the 2 days you are going in. So up to $160/person.

Third, the fees the lodges have to pay to the parks were increased, I think there was a big stink about this earlier because they made it retroactive, but I really doubt it was enough to account for an extra $540/person for 7 nights.

We have been hit by rising fees after booking as well, for example $150 for a 14 day trip last year, but $700/person sounds really high, so I'd ask the safari operator to break down the exact tally. This sounds too high to me, but you never know ...

Bill

The fees were included in the original quote. I too wouldve expected an increase of say $200 a person at most.. Something's not right and I will get to the bottom of it.. worst case, I will rebook with another operator, but I'm definitely not paying more.

Thanks for all the information.....

<b>The fees were included in the original quote.</b>

You said in your first post &quot;I booked a Tanzania itinerary in Feb for a Dec 07 trip&quot; ... the fee increases I mentioned happened in (I think) July so that's why they weren't included in the original February quote.

Bill

Bill - I meant that the park fee were included in the original quote. The increase's were post the quote.

In anycase, Ive requested the operator to provide a breakdown of increases. I will share the information with everyone.

Just curious if you ever got a satisfactory reply from your tour operator. A $700 per person increase doesn't seem right.

ttt

Ok. Some updates. The operator brough this down to $400 a person.. I'm still not satisfied.

I inquired with Roy Safaris - here is their quote - any comments?

DATE DAY PROGRAM
02/12 1 Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport (arrival details) Meet and transfer to Arusha.
Ovenight at Impala Hotel (Standard room Bed &amp; Breakfast)
03/12 2 After breakfast pick up and drive to Roy Safaris Office for a pre-departure briefing.
With picnic lunches drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Game viewing in the park.
Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Hotel.
04/12 3 After breakfast with picnic lunches drive to Ndutu Area. Game viewing in the area.
Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.
05/12 4 Full day game viewing in Ndutu Area. Lunch, dinner and overngiht at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.
06/12 5 After breakfast with picnic lunches drive to Serengeti National Park. Game viewing in the park enroute to
Seronera Wildlife Lodge for dinner and overnight.
07/12 6 Full day game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge.
08/12 7 After breakfast with picnic lunches drive to Ngorongoro via a visit to Masaai Village + Visiting the Olduvai Gorge Museum.
Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge.
09/12 8 Descend the crater for a morning tour of the crater with picnic lunches. PM drive back to Arusha.
Overnight at Impala Hotel (Standard room Bed &amp; Breakfast)
10/12 9 Pick up from Impala and transfer to Airport in time for a flight to Zanzibar. Met on arrival by our representative,
and transfered to Breezes Beach Club for dinner and overnight (Deluxe room Half Board)
11/12 10 Day at leisure and overnight at Breezes Beach Club. Dinner and overnight (Deluxe room Half Board)
12/12 11 Another day at leisure and overnight at Breezes Beach Club. Dinner and overnight (Deluxe room Half Board)
13/12 12 After breakfast. Pick up and transfer to Zanzibar Airport in time for a flight to Dar. \

End of our Services;
Nett Costs, based on 2 persons, use of one double roo and a private safari using a TOYOTA LAND CRUISER just for the 2 of you.
1) Transfers + 2nights Impala Hotel (Standard room Bed &amp; Breakfast) + Safari as per itternary above: US$3060 per person.

Costs include: park &amp; crater fees, full board accommodation at lodges, transport in 4WD vehicle, english speaking driver/guide, bottled water(1 bottle per person per day), VAT where applicable + (flight JRO - ZNZ (Includes taxes) + Transfers in Zanzibar + 3nights Half Board at Breezes Beach Club + Flight ZNZ-DAR (Excludes taxes).
Costs exclude: Drinks, tips, laundry, personal toiletry requirements, insurance, visas and all items of a personal nature.

Also, I'm not sure what is involved in visiting the Ndutu area and returning to Ngorongoro Sopa lodge in terms of a drive.. Originally, my itinerary had me staying at the Ndutu Lodge while visting that area. Is this going to make things worse or better?

I'm not sure why they have you staying at the Sopa either. It's going to be a long drive back and forth to the Ndutu area. At first I thought it was an issue of availability but Ndutu's website lists those dates as available.

Ndutu is a very good lodge The best, if the migration is in that area.
Sopa is IMHO the best lodge to get into the crater early, and if you want to visit the other craters (Olmoti, Empakai).

But why on earth they make you want to stay at Sopa and do gamedrives around Ndutu, I would not know. FYI; it takes at least two hours to get from the crater viewpoint to Ndutu (it's a long drive on a straight gravel road, and jeeps speed up to 80 km/h so to not feel the bumps but to &quot;slide&quot; over it), and another hour from the viewpoint, around the crater to Sopa.

That's 6 hours back &amp; forth...

Another update - the agent corrected the itinerary. They proposed Ndutu lodge, instead.