We're not going to put a price on this page. We price every trip individually, so a headline figure here would either mean nothing or mislead you. What's really useful is knowing where the money goes, because that's what lets you compare two quotes properly.
Park and conservation fees
Usually the biggest single line, and the one nobody can discount. These fees are set by TANAPA and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, charged per person per twenty-four hours, and they're higher for the Ngorongoro Crater than anywhere else. They're also why a day in a park costs what it costs, however simply you sleep.
The vehicle and the guide
A private vehicle with its own guide is the difference between a safari that goes where you want and one that goes where the group votes. It's a fixed cost shared across your group, which is why a couple pays more per person than a family of five for exactly the same trip.
Accommodation
This has the widest range, and it's the easiest thing to change. The same route can run through simple, comfortable camps or very expensive ones, and the wildlife doesn't know the difference. If a quote is over budget, this is the first line to adjust.
Internal flights
Flying into the Serengeti instead of driving saves most of a day each way. On a short trip, that's often the best money you'll spend on the whole itinerary. On a long one, it's optional.
Why do two quotes differ?
Nine times out of ten, it's one of these: a shared vehicle instead of a private one, a camp just outside the park instead of inside it (which costs an hour of driving at each end of every day), fewer nights in the pricier places, or park fees quoted for fewer days than the itinerary actually spends inside the gates.
If a quote looks too cheap
Check the park fees line first. It's the one that can't legitimately be reduced, and it's the one that gets quietly shortened.