>LisaG wrote:
>
> If you want to go for a quality experience, I would suggest spending
> the money required to match your expectations. I don't mean dishing
> $600 per day ...
I agree with Lisa ... we are using a well-regarded ground agent in
Arusha, booking directly with them because we know exactly where we
wish to go, and it's costing in the range of $350 - 400 per day for two
people staying at Serena - Sopa class lodges with a private guide and
an over-sized vehicle set up for long-lens photography. We could shave
off some costs with another person in the jeep or getting a smaller
jeep or not spending so many days at the more expensive parks like
Serengeti or Ngorongoro, but with a private driver it's probably hard
to get this below $250/day or so.
Then there are people paying $1,400 per night for a double at the CCA
lodges and finding they have to share a vehicle on their game drive ...
but they are happy because they have a deluxe luxury lodging
experience.
> Sorry there's no good Cheap safari out there that will give you the
> experience you hope to have.
Sad but true, due to the high cost of park fees and need to have a
driver/guide.
> PS: the Crater is one of the most expensive parks with a daily entry
> fee AND a "service fee"... the Serengeti has the daily fee and a
> "transit fee" tagged on.
We didn't break out our costs all the way to the entrance fees, but I
think it's still only $25 per day at Lake Manyara and Tarangire ... you
can actually find cheap lodging outside Manyara in the aptly named Mto
Wa Mbu ("Mosquito River") and do a cheap safari there, but it's a small
park ... but Serengeti is I think $50 per tourist per day plus $6 for
the jeep plus $1.50 for the driver or $107.50 per day for two people
just to get in ... and add another $10 "guide fee" (though you don't
get the guide) if going off the main road to the good stuff like Gol
Kopjes ... Ngorongoro is even worse, I think $30 per day per person
just to be in the Conservation Area and $100 per jeep to descend to the
crater floor, now limited to only 6 hours per day to boot ... so $160
per day for two at Ngorongoro crater ... that's why I was skeptical
about the $100/day or cheaper trips ... I think Kenya fees are lower
than Tanzania fees though (for now).
Bill
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