How much do the national park fees in Tanzania and concession fees cost?
When you’re planning a safari in Tanzania, one of the key factors impacting the overall cost is the national park fees and potential concession fees.
To enter Tanzania’s national parks, visitors must pay an entrance fee valid for 24 hours (as long as they remain in the park). Therefore, if you plan to stay in a park for multiple days, you will need to pay the fee for each day.
Before embarking on a safari in Tanzania, it’s crucial to be informed about the fees for the country’s various parks and any additional costs for special activities (some parks offer options like night game drives or walking safaris).
While these fees are typically included in packages offered by tour operators, having a clear understanding of the fee structure will help you grasp why safaris in Tanzania can be relatively expensive, especially when certain parks contribute to higher overall costs.
All national parks in Tanzania, including popular ones like Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Mkomazi National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, require entrance fees. For instance, visitors going on a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater should also budget for the descent car fee ($295 including VAT).
Similarly, if you plan to explore the southern circuit, which includes Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kitulo National Park, and Katavi National Park, be sure to account for the daily entrance fees.
Concession Fees
Those who stay in tented camps within the national parks will be subject to extra fees called Concession Fees. Like the entrance fees, concession fees also vary depending on the park in which one stays. Concession fees are also paid on a daily basis.
| High Season (in US$ excluding VAT) from July to September | Low season (in US$ excluding VAT) from October to June | |
| Serengeti and Nyerere National Parks | $60 (adult) and $10 (children 5/15) | $50 (adult) and $10 (children 5/15) |
| Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha and Kilimanjaro National Parks | $40 (adult) and $10 (children 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
| Mahale Mountains , Ruaha, Katavi, Gombe, Burigi-Chato, Ibanda-Kyerwa, Rumanyika-Karagwe, Rubondo Island and Saanane Island National Parks | $30 (adult) e $10 (minori 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
| Mkomazi , Saadani, Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains, Kitulo and other National Parks | $25 (adult) e $10 (minori 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
Tanzania National Parks Fees
Below are the updated national park entrance fees for 2024/2025. The costs mentioned DO NOT include 18% VAT. The indicated costs may change at any time due to any changes made by the Government. For updated costs, please refer to the official link: https://www.tanzaniaparks.go.tz/publications/11.
| High Season (in US$ excluding VAT) 16 May / 14 March | Low season (in US$ excluding VAT) – 15 March/15May | |
| Serengeti and Nyerere National Parks | $70 (adult) $20 (children 5/15) | $60 (adult) $20 (children 5/15) |
| Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Arusha National Parks | $50 (adult) $15 (children 5/15) | $45 (adult) $15 (children 5/15) |
| Kilimanjaro National Park | $70 (adult) $20 (children 5/15) | Non ci sono tariffe di bassa stagione |
| Katavi, Mikumi, Ruaha, Rubondo Island, Saadani, Kitulo, Mkomazi, Udzungwa Mountains, Burigi-Chato, Ibanda-Kyerwa, Rumanyika-Karagwe Saanane Island National Parks | $30 (adult) $10 (children 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
| Gombe National Park | $100 (adult) $20 (children 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
| Mahale Mountains National Park | $80 (adult) $20 (children 5/15) | There are no low season rates |
Other things to know about the national park fees in Tanzania
There are other fees to consider when planning the safari.
The first is that if you do a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater, you must add the car descent fee to the daily fees, which costs $250 (+ VAT, so approximately $295 per car, so it does not change regardless of the number of people on board). Also, the vehicle must pay a small fee every day, which ranges from $10 to $15 per day, depending on the park.
The last important thing to know is that to enter the Serengeti you need to pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, regardless of whether you do a game drive in the crater or not. Even if it is only a transit for this day, it will be necessary to pay the conservation area fee and then the Serengeti fee, essentially doubling the cost per person.
How to pay the national park fees
If you are traveling with a tour operator, you do not have to worry about paying the park fees because they are always included in the package. But if you have to pay for it yourself, remember that most parks do not accept cash payments, and those that do accept only Tanzanian shillings and US dollars (issued after 2010 and in good condition).
Entrances can be paid with credit cards (debit cards are not accepted). American Express circuits are not accepted. You might have to pay extra credit card payment fees, and these must be borne by the traveler.
