Big Time Field NotesNo. 04Costs & comfort
Budget, midrange or luxury: what really changes on safari
The comfort level changes where you sleep and what you pay. It does not change the parks, the wildlife or, on our road safaris, the 4×4 Land Cruiser. Here is how to compare the options honestly.
In brief
- Big Time’s 100 journeys are graded 51 budget, 34 midrange and 15 luxury. The grade shows most clearly in the accommodation.
- Kenya and Tanzania road safaris at every grade use a 4×4 Land Cruiser.
- Seventeen journeys publish prices, all of them budget. Seasonal and group-size differences are shown exactly as published.
- Midrange and luxury journeys are quoted for your dates. Always check what a quote includes.
Contents
What the three grades mean in our catalogue
Every journey in the Big Time catalogue carries one of three grades. Of our 100 journeys, 51 are budget, 34 are midrange and 15 are luxury. The grade is about comfort, not about which parks you see: the five parks that appear most often in our catalogue are offered at all three levels.
| Grade | Accommodation as the catalogue describes it |
|---|---|
| Budget | Named camps at the main stops: Miti Mingi Eco Camp in the Maasai Mara, Buraha Zenoni at Lake Nakuru, Leisure Apex at Lake Naivasha and Nyati Safari Camp at Amboseli. Other stops are “overnight at the camp/lodge”; mountain treks use huts or camps. |
| Midrange | “Overnight at the lodge.” Ten midrange journeys also name Buraha Zenoni at Lake Nakuru, and one 3-day Maasai Mara journey names Jambo Mara Safari Lodge. |
| Luxury | “Overnight at the lodge” throughout. The catalogue does not name the lodges. |
Miti Mingi Eco Camp and Nyati Safari Camp appear only on budget journeys.
Where the catalogue names a property, we show it on the journey’s page. Where it does not, ask which property your quote includes. We do not describe facilities we have not verified.
One route, three grades
The clearest way to see what a grade changes is to hold the route still. Our catalogue has a 7-day journey through the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli at all three grades. Same parks, same number of days, three different ways to stay.
| Journey | Length | Comfort | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha & Amboseli Budget Safari | 7 days | Budget | Low season: USD 950High season: USD 1,150 |
| 7 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha & Amboseli Lodge Safari | 7 days | Midrange | Price on request |
| 7 Days Luxury Maasai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli Safari | 7 days | Luxury | Price on request |
The budget journey names its camps and publishes seasonal prices. The midrange and luxury journeys stay at lodges and are quoted for your dates.
When you compare options like these, ask for the named properties on each and look at them side by side. That shows you the difference better than any label.
What stays the same
Some things do not change with the grade, and it is worth knowing them before you compare prices:
- The vehicle. Every Big Time road safari in Kenya and Tanzania, budget, midrange or luxury, travels in a 4×4 Land Cruiser.
- The parks. The Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro appear in journeys at every grade.
- The wildlife. No grade can promise a sighting. The animals do not know what you paid.
What to compare between options
Labels like “budget” and “luxury” are used differently by different operators. Rather than comparing labels, compare the details. These are the questions that show what you are paying for:
Location
Is the camp or lodge inside the park or reserve, or outside it? Location changes how much of the day you spend driving to the wildlife.
Room and comfort
Tent, cottage or room? Private bathroom? Ask for the property’s name so you can look at it yourself.
Privacy and group size
Group-joining or private? How many travellers could share the vehicle?
Pace
How many places in how many days? Two journeys of the same length can feel very different if one visits twice as many parks.
Our published prices
Seventeen of our 100 journeys publish a price, and all seventeen are budget journeys. The rest, including every midrange and luxury journey, are quoted for your dates, group size and comfort choices. All published prices are per person in US dollars.
| Journey | Length | Comfort | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Days Maasai Mara Budget Safari | 2 days | Budget | Standard: USD 430Low Budget: USD 350 |
| 3 Days Maasai Mara Budget Safari | 3 days | Budget | Low season: USD 420High season: USD 620 |
| 5 Days Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Lake Naivasha Budget Safari | 5 days | Budget | Per person: USD 840 |
| 8 Days Maasai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, Amboseli & Tsavo East Budget Safari | 8 days | Budget | 6 travellers: USD 1,0904 travellers: USD 1,2002 travellers: USD 1,450 |
| 4 Days Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti & Lake Manyara Safari | 4 days | Budget | Per person: USD 830 |
| 6 Days Maasai Mara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Budget Safari | 6 days | Budget | Low season: USD 1,325–1,505High season: USD 1,525–1,705 |
Prices exactly as published. They are not “from” prices, and journeys without a published price are quoted on request.
The table shows the three ways our prices can vary. Some journeys have a low-season and a high-season rate. Group size can matter too: on one journey, each of six travellers pays less than each of two. One offers a standard and a lower-budget option. Whatever the grade, ask which of these applies to you.
The wider picture in Kenya and Tanzania
Kenya Wildlife Service’s own FAQs say safari prices vary by type, from budget to luxury, and by the length of the itinerary. In our own catalogue, longer journeys usually cost more, but not always in step: the 4-day Tanzania safari in the table above is published at USD 830, the same as the low-season rate of our 6-day Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha budget safari. Our own prices are exactly those shown on each journey.
KWS also describes accommodation in and around its parks ranging from luxury lodges and tented camps to private budget campsites and its own self-catering bandas. Tanzania National Parks says the Serengeti has everything from luxurious lodges to budget campsites, and recommends booking in advance, especially in the peak migration seasons.
What is included, and what to check
Inclusions differ between operators and between journeys. We have not yet published confirmed inclusions for our own journeys, so we do not list them here. Ask for them in writing with your quote. KWS notes that on a package tour, the operator includes park entry fees in the total safari cost. Whoever you book with, check that and everything else in writing.
- Park and conservation fees for every park on the route.
- Meals: which are included each day.
- Drinks, tips and optional activities.
- Airport transfers and any internal flights.
- Whether the vehicle is shared or private.
Common misunderstandings
- “Budget means a worse vehicle.” Not on our road safaris: every grade uses a 4×4 Land Cruiser.
- “Luxury means more wildlife.” Comfort changes your evenings, not the animals’ movements.
- “The cheapest month is the worst month.” A low-season rate reflects the season, and the parks stay open. Our Kenya seasons guide explains what changes.
- “A price is a price.” Seasons, group size and options change it. Always compare prices per person, for the same dates and group.
Sources
- Kenya Wildlife Service: Frequently asked questions (costs, accommodation, tour operators, park fees) (opens in a new tab)
- Tanzania National Parks: Serengeti visitor guide (opens in a new tab)
How this guide was prepared
This guide was researched and drafted with the help of AI tools, working from the official sources listed above and Big Time Safaris’ own catalogue. Its facts were checked against those sources on 15 October 2026, and it was reviewed and approved for publication by the owner of Big Time Safaris on 22 October 2026. It is a planning guide, not a first-hand field report. Seasons, park rules and entry requirements change, so check the latest official information before you travel.
