I'm planning my first trip to Tanzania, and my first safari, for the summer of 226. Road Scholar has two tours I like, and they will be my default choice. But, over and over, I read that private tours are better and more affordable. And yet I can't find consistent information on what the costs would be for a single traveler. A lot of the info is actually contradictory, or vague. For instance, I'll follow a thread for a private "solo" safari only to learn that the prices are based on double occupancy. Or learn at the end that the prices were for a single person joining a group. Here is where I am stuck:

1. Safari websites will list $500 - $600 per day for solo safaris for one person, mid-range options. I assume that includes room, board, a driver, and game drives. Could I realistically have my own private car and driver for that cost???
2. Would I literally be solo, or would I be joining groups for the game drives out of each camp? Being solo with just a driver sounds incredible.

Basically, I don't want to go down the rabbit hole of planning and looking for quotes if the prices are going to be stratospheric. I can budget for $500-$600 a day (that's what Road Scholars costs) - but it would be hard to go over that.

You might want to read some of the trip reports posted here to get ideas of safari companies people have been happy with. I suggest getting a few quotes and suggestions from a couple of them and compare costs and itineraries to see if a solo or group tour makes more sense. I have read good things about Access2Tanzania, Gamewatchers, and Expert Africa here.

The company we used for our Tanzania trip is no longer in business but we booked a trip to Kenya with The Wild Source which we thoroughly enjoyed and know they book Tanzania trips as well. I can highly recommend them.

I've had an agent in CapeTown plan about 5 or 6 trips that focused on safari.
She also covers Kenya.
It would not hurt to phone the agency (they have an 800 number for free calls from the US) or send them an e-mail.

My agent is Liesl Matthews, but anyone on the (small) staff would be great:

www.southerndestinations.com

In TZ, generally, you'll have one guide/vehicle who will drive you from lodge to lodge and who will be with you for your entire safari. Your agency will book the lodges and book the guide/vehicle. So, if you book a solo tour with the agency, your guide is your guide for the entire trip. He doesn't work for the lodges and you won't be stuck with other people.

If you can afford a private safari, do it. Sharing a vehicle with strangers has definite downsides.

I don't know about current pricing, but I suggest you get quotes from several LOCAL operators in TZ. Eschew Western agencies, who are just middle men and will charge you more to have a local company book it anyway. I used Allen Mnyenye 12 years ago, and here is my review of him -- he was outstanding, and I assume he still is running a quality operation:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...-Tanzania.html

It's been a long time for me, but I recall that safari in Tanzania is expensive. I agree with LAX that getting quotes from local operators is the way to go. One thing to note: if you have no idea what you want to see and for how long, you will likely receive quotes for canned itineraries that may be too quick, involving long drives between the parks and fewer game drives. So you might want to do some trip report and other reading (here, safaritalk.net, the Bradt guide to TZ) and let the operators know which parks you want to visit, when, what type of lodging you prefer, and how many nights you'd like in each location.

Even a canned itinerary of the northern circuit will be wonderful, though. Our first safari to TZ we camped. Not "stayed in tented camps," but camped. We did have a driver/guide and cook who set up and took down everything, though. We couldn't wait to return and started planning our next Tanzanian safari on the plane home.

ETA: Oh, I have only done private safaris. I've gone solo, but in Kenya and Rwanda, not Tanzania. For what it's worth, green season in Kenya used to be on the reasonable end of things, cost wise.

I certainly can see the advantage of going with a local company but you would have to research those very carefully to be certain you are going with a reputable group. I felt more comfortable with using a company with a US presence (that Fodorites had used previously) that I could easily contact. Some of the African companies I contacted wanted money wired to them but I was able to use a credit card with the US companies.

Some truth here, but this sentiment may unfairly scare people away from local companies. Definitely research ANY company -- local or Western, but it's very easy to find well-established local companies with lots of reviews on here, TripAdvisor, SafariTalk, etc. The safari industry is very mature and there are many quality local companies in all the major safari countries that have been around a long time and have good reputations. You don't have to reinvent the wheel to find a good local company.

The idea what a Western company is much easier to contact is a thing of the past. Every reputable local company has a phone number that you can call on WhatsApp for free, and will have someone available to speak during typical hours when Westerners are calling.

Also, the idea that using a local company requires having to irreversibly wire/transfer money to a mysterious African bank account is a thing of the past. Most reputable local companies are now able to take credit card, which gives you the same protection (disputes) against scams. They all know Westerners are weary of African scams and irreversibly transferring funds. They'll provide a secure third-party processing portal where you can input your car data without even sending it to them directly. (Some may charge a processing %, but some may include it; but the same is true of Western companies -- either way, the customer is paying the processing fee whether it's built into the price or extra.)

For our Okavango Delta safari last year, I got quotes from 4-5 local Botswana companies that all had impeccable reputations, all had WhatsApp numbers that I could easily call for free at times that were convenient for me, and all took credit cards securely. We probably would have a good trip with any of them.

That is good to know, LAX_Esq. It was just a few years ago that I was running into the challenges that I mentioned. I know someone who lost a lot of money in a scam so tend to be extra cautious.

So, thanks, but ... I wasn't actually looking for recommendations! Everyone I know who has gone on safari has given me recommendations. I was trying to judge the costs of going solo before I started putting together a private itinerary. Anyway, I signed up for a group (Road Scholar) - they had a route I liked, it's a small group (no more than 12), and because it's an organized group there's a chance that friends could join me down the road.

I will be going solo to Rwanda afterwards, but although it sees fewer tourists than Kenya or Tanzania it seems to have a higher percentage of solo travelers. I have a good grasp of what it will cost me.

Have a great time! We have taken two Road Scholar trips (but not to Africa) and enjoyed them both so much we have signed up for a third. I'd love to read about your trip when you get back.

This is too expensive. You can do a nice safari on your own for much less in the Kruger Park South Africa.
The accommodation cost of about $50/night. You will need to rent a car to drive yourself around.
In every camp, there's a nice grocery store and a restaurant with well priced meal or you can always cook yourself something in your self-catering chalet.

The experience is absolutely amazing!

Regarding OP's trip being "too expensive," there are plenty to reasons one would not want to do a self-drive safari in a crowded national park. You get what you pay for in life.

Agree.