How Much Does it Cost to Travel to Africa?

Africa is without any doubt one of the most interesting places to spend your vacations at. Before you start planning your vacation you definitelly asking yourself, “how much does it cost to travel to Africa?” The continent is culturally rich and has a lot to offer to the tourists. The vast traditional and social differences make Africa even more intriguing for the outsiders.

The attractive landscapes add more to its beauty. The continent is a host to great countries that have different cultures, sites, and activities to offer.

However, if you are someone who is travelling for the first time to a foreign land, then Africa might raise your eyebrows. Don’t worry. Just stay with us. We have got you covered.

How much does it cost to travel to Africa?

Whenever one plans to go for a travel trip, the first question that pops up in one’s mind is about the budget, the cost, and the expenses he or she has to spend on the trip.

There is indeed no price for the memories and happiness you feel while you go on a vacation but practically speaking, the costing and the budget matter, of course.

So, all the tourists aiming to travel to Africa do give a short to this important information of budgeting to have a vague idea of how much does it cost to travel to Africa?

There is no denying the beauty of Africa’s landscapes, the thrill of experiencing its wildlife, and the interesting culture it has to offer.

Still, you could be a little thrown off by all the travelling through public transports, roads infrastructure, and high priced hotels, etc.

Now coming back to our original question, “how much does it cost to travel to Africa?” The answer is that it depends.

First of all, it matters where you are headed to in Africa.

The costs would depend on how you are planning to do entertainment activities, transportation, and accommodation and the location of these activities.

Let’s dive into the prices now.

In the following section of this article, we will walk you through step by step to give you a fair idea of your expenses while travelling to Africa.

Plan your Expenses

Africa, as we said before, could be surprising for a few visitors due to various reasons. Some of them include:

People think that developing countries would be cheaper in costs.
Countries with a meagre economy would be a benefit.
It would be easy to cut prices with bargains.

However, a trip to Africa can be even more expensive than Western Europe.

Additionally, you can also be overcharged just because of your appearance. This is not just limited to Africa.

You can get overpriced items because you would not be well-aware of the places where the same products would be available at cheaper rates.

This is why it is important to make up your mind about your trip as to what you want to get out of your trip.

Just visiting parks and wildlife would have a different impact on your wallet.

Similarly, if you plan to enjoy a relatively luxurious life and premium activities, you would have to pay more.

Costs of traveling to Africa

Many of Africa’s regions may not have a high cost of living, but when the tourists roam around, they are bound to spend more coins while travel to Africa.

The costs of traveling inside the regions may largely vary.

You will have to choose between public or private transports.

Private transports, in our opinion, are going to save you time and money.

However, in public transports, you may have to wait for their arrivals, and you may not also get a seat probably.

You are not going to Africa to stress you out, right?

The flights to countries within Africa are expensive.

Opting for buses is also a good idea if you want to cut short your expenses.

In short, if you are in a country where roads are fine, and the bus option is easy, i.e. many buses arrive and return, then you should go for local transportation.

You may also have to choose from the limited options of accommodations.

If you are staying in a capital city, you would be lucky enough to find a few western hotels, but they are still going to be pretty expensive.

The mid-range hotels are not as comfortable, and there may not be enough options available all the time.

But still, you can opt for a medium hotel to spend your nights.

How much does an African safari cost?

When we are writting about how much does it cost to travel to Africa, we must mention, that many people visit Africa for the safari experience – an expensive activity.

But does that call for a ‘no’ to Safari?

Not.

There are alternate methods of saving money.

Africa beholds immensely fascinating safaris that call for an exciting yet memorable trip.

Visiting Africa and missing Safaris is not an option.

There is a common misperception that travelling to African safaris drains off your pocket completely.

No! It is not true.

We are going to give you an insight into how much you have to pay while travelling to an African safari.

First of all, the expenditure is based on what you eat, do and where you will live.

The safari’s cost varies from country to country, season to season and also depends upon your comfort.

You can experience great safaris in a few dollars.

On the other hand, even if you have a budget of a hundred thousand dollars, you can run out of money.

So to be clearer, you need to plan where you have to go and what to do to manage the budget.

There are options for you to select according to your pocket.

You can choose from budget-friendly, medium and highly luxurious safari.

Budget

The budget camping ranges from $200-$350 for private, and in a group, it is as low as $150-$250 (rates vary from country to country), and the accommodation is also about $200-$350 for private and $175-$300 for the group.

The cheapest countries in terms of camping and accommodation are Zambia, Kenya, and Namibia. For mid-range accommodation, price ranges from $400-$500 for a private stay.

For a group, it is about $200-$400.

If we talk about luxury safari, then the prices skyrocket to $1000.

Please note that the budgeted Safaris do not include meals and refreshments.

In some packages, it does not even include transportation. Mid-range Safaris may include.

Keep note that budget safari doesn’t include any inclusive meals or drinks, sometimes it doesn’t even provide transportation within the continent.

Mid-range includes meals, transport, safari activities fee, and entry fee for national parks.

Major Cost Spending Areas

Let’s jump right into the major cost spending areas when it comes to travelling to Africa.

We would be specific about the rates that are tentative and will be subject to fluctuations.

Getting Flights

Your international flight is going to be in one of the following cities:

For South Africa, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
For East Africa, Nairobi and Dar es Salam.
For West Africa Dakar and Lagos.
For North Africa, Casablanca, and Cairo.

If you travel from central regions like Europe, Dubai, and London, then it is going to cost you much reasonably around $450 to $500.

The best way to book a cheap flight is to book it earlier. This way, you would be able to find the best rates.

Booking flights is not that much of a hassle but from where and when you are flying to Africa does impact the prices.

Usually boarding within Africa is a bit pricey.

Flights in February are relatively cheaper.

The prices are at peak In June-July mostly.

If you want to get done at the cheapest rates, go a bit early for booking flights.

We suggest you go to a travel agent who is renowned in your town and is trustworthy.

Have a good talk with him to clear all of your confusion.

The agent will not even guide you correctly, but his identity will also work for you somehow as they have good relations with the people abroad due to their business.

Costs of Visas

Planning a trip calls for getting a visa for the place you wish to visit.

Passport is necessary, and the price depends upon your country.

Prices of visa differ from country to country.

A budget of $100-$500 for the visas would be a safe call.

The costs of visas and travel may add up as you increase your list of destination countries in Africa.

Some of the African countries have higher visa rates. For example:

$80 for Zambia
$50 for Mozambique and Tanzania.

However, for South Africa, you don’t have to worry much about the visa fee.

Costs of Vaccines

Before you land in Africa, it is highly recommended to get a booster shot of hepatitis, tetanus, and typhoid.

People should also be vaccinated for Yellow Fever and other recommended vaccines.

This medical test and checkup is part of the visa process that is considered necessary.

The vaccinations will cost up to $200-$500 depending upon which particular disease you have been vaccinated for if you are travelling to Africa.

All of these vaccines are not very cheap and may cost you a lot, especially Yellow Fever.

However, we recommend you to check before you go on with your shots.

Many doctors try and make money from you in the name of health and safety.

Do your research before spending your bucks at a doctor’s clinic.

Know the country you are travelling to and check what time of the year you are going to be there.

This would help you get a fair idea of the required vaccinations.

Don’t get trapped in fear of disease outbreaks in Africa.

For example, people got Malaria medicines for a huge amount of money, but the place they were visiting had no Malaria threats due to the dry season.

Just because you are in Africa doesn’t mean you are going to get a disease.

But yes, the countries do have requirements for the visitors to get necessary vaccinations.

You would have to abide by their rules.

We also recommend checking which vaccines you may get for free and which ones you would need to spend your money on.

Talk to a trusted health professional and also brief them about the weather and other conditions of the cities you are going to visit so that they can assist you properly.

Setting up the Prerequisites for Your Trip:

You would need some of the necessary items before travelling to any place. The same goes with traveling to Africa. We have brought out some of the suggestions for you in this regard.

1. The Wardrobe:

You don’t have to spend a handsome amount on the wardrobe. It’s your choice and depends on what you like.

The essentials are some pants that must be comfortably made from breathable materials and some vest tops.

Try avoiding black for you.

It may attract mosquitoes while you are at Safaris.

The wardrobe should not cost you more than $200-$300. Although all the necessities are available in Africa, it is always better to take your stuff with you instead of buying new ones from a new destination.

2. The Gadgets:

To capture the beautiful sunsets, wondrous mountains, blue beaches, exotic greenery, and the amazing wildlife, you must be having a good camera that captures everything you come across.

A DSLR camera will be a great option if you are travelling with someone.

If you are alone, a good phone camera would also work fine for selfies.

Don’t forget to check on the adapter and plug types in the country you are travelling to.

3. Miscellaneous Items

Don’t forget to keep your favourite joggers, sneakers or shoes as you would be walking for most of the time.

You never know about the terrain you would be in and there will always be a high chance of hiking and trekking opportunities.

Having comfortable footwear is very important because you never know if you will find the best shoes for you in Africa that fit your feet perfectly.

Similarly, you would not want to spend on buying things like sunglasses, shower caps, swimwear, etc. Just make sure to take the basic items with you.

4. Travel Insurance:

This is the key to escaping tons of big problems, and travel insurance is a relief when it comes to Africa.

It starts at $50 and can go on till $100.

It depends upon the package, days, and the other options they provide you.

5. Application Installation:

Get the right apps installed that you think you might be required on your tour to Africa.

GPS, food, transport, and Uber, etc.

You may have to pay for internet facilities in Africa.

Some hotels and restaurants do provide free-Wi-Fi services. Internet facilities may cost you somewhere around $50.

Don’t let go of your free MBs wherever you get them.

Cost of Fun Activities in Africa:

The fun activities cost about $1500, which include the following:

Beaching rides
Tickets to national parks
Safaris
Some sunset cruises
Nightlife shots
Trekking
Hiking
Coffee and Tea at exotic spots
Gaming
Diving
Boating
Cruising
White Water Rafting

The costs are tentative and include all of the fun activities mentioned above. The costs do vary from place to pace, but $1500 is to give you a vague idea of fun activities in Africa for 30 days.

Cost-effective Fun Activities in Africa:

We have gathered a list of guidelines that would help you save money while you still enjoy your tour to Africa at its fullest.

If you want to follow your budget strictly, then try saving money by selecting certain spots. Consider adopting the following guidelines:

For scuba diving, instead of going to Sharm el-Sheikh, go to Dahab.
You can go to Botswana instead of South Africa for a similar experience.
You can also try unique experiences by travelling to Ethiopia.
In Kenya, Nairobi Night fun will cost you $50.
Visiting the national park sums up for $10.
White Water Rafting on the White Nile will cost $100.
Enjoy sights at Victoria Falls for $20.
In Botswana, Chobe Game Drive is about $40.
Stellenbosch Wine Tour In SA costs $20.

These activities are expensive, but you would probably get to do it once. So why not enjoy it to the fullest?

1. To please the stomach:

The local food is lovely and would cost $400-$500 for a single person.

Again, this cost has been stated keeping view of the general food items.

It includes items like water, beer, alcohol, soft drinks, and the necessary chattering chunks.

The different specialities are available if you want to try.

Heavy foods are available at places like fiery partying spots in South Africa, Kenya and Victoria Falls.

2. Shopping:

Shopping is everybody’s first love.

So buying stuff almost demands a big portion of the money in the pocket.

While it is not necessary at all to buy stuff from Africa, there may be some of the unique items that would attract you much.

You need to control your emotions because you can buy things late also. Just ask for their website and Facebook pages for the thing you like most.

You can order the stuff later when you are finished with your tour in Africa.

3. Tips and Guides:

Tips and guides are essential when moving around a place that is unknown to you. People in restaurants and public places help you out after taking a few pennies. So it may cost up to $50 for the whole trip.

4. Hotels & Accommodations

The price ranges for accommodation are quite high, and this is because of their scarcity.

Not many tourists travel to Africa, and so there aren’t many options for those who do.

There is also a lack of facilities to run multiple hotels.

All of this makes the price range go higher.

If you are planning on staying in a basic hotel in a capital city, it is going to cost you around $100 per night, and if you decide to camp, it is going to cost you $20-30 per person.

The prices are justifiable, though.

Maintaining and facilitating lodges and hotels in the middle of nowhere (Africa) is, of course, going to cost them a lot of money.

RELATED: Best Places to Visit in Africa

Popular Activities for Tourists

You can enjoy so many activities when you are in Africa. The most affordable activities have been described below:

5. Safari

One of the most popular activities that interest tourists.

The amazing wildlife engages people well.

The best affordable option is Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park.

However, check the season you are travelling as animals migrate, and you don’t want to miss what you came to save a couple of bucks.

6. Beaches

After you are exhausted with all the adventures in Africa, going to the beach is a great option.

There are many beaches in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Cape Town that would not dig a hole in your wallet.

7. Tribal Culture

Africa offers you to enjoy the tribal experience as it has many cities and areas that have no connections with the outside world. It could be a huge regret if you don’t get to experience these amazing tribal performances like the ones in Himba herders, Namibia.

How Much Does it Cost to Travel to Africa Summary:

Africa is truly a wonderful continent.

The countries are full of life and surprises.

We hope this article helps you decide where to go when to go and what to do there.

Africa is not an ordinary place to visit for any reason.

Apart from the beauty of the landscapes, you will also come across some of the best personalities in Africa.

You will be loved and given respect by the African people.

Don’t get fooled by the false media news that portrays Africa as dangerous and under-rated people.

Just go out and see how beautiful the continent is!

You will have the best time of your life that you will cherish for years.

Visit Africa while the rates are still cheaper and affordable.

You won’t have so much of the facilities in smaller budgets at any other part of the world.

Bon Voyage!