How To Tip
It is customary to tip your mountain crew upon completion of your trip,. The decision on how much to tip should not be determined based upon whether or not you reached the summit, but by how well the guides, cooks and porters served you while you were on the mountain. The standard tipping amount are:
01: Per Chief Guide: $25-30 Per day
02: Per Assistant Guide: $20-25 Per day
03: Per Cook: $15-20 Per day
04: Per Porter: $10-15 Per day
NOTE: These figures are based on recommendations by the Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society, an independent organization that advocates for the fair treatment of porters and is responsible for most of the improved working conditions of those who work on Mount Kilimanjaro.
NOTE: Do not pay any extra service while you are on the mountain other than for the purpose of refreshments,(regularly available on the Marangu Route). It is also worth bearing in mind that items of clothing and footwear for children or adults, used or new, are also highly valued and may be given as well as thanks.
You are also welcome to invite your guides back to the Hotel for drinks and/ or dinner(on you) as a thank you.
Park Fees & Permits
Tanzania National Park Fees & Permits
Ever found yourself lost in a maze of confusing online information about Tanzania’s national parks? We noticed that there is a lot of old data out there regarding fees, permits and practical information – which might guide you in the wrong direction.
To shed some light on it all, we have collected all the necessary information about the current situation in Tanzania’s most popular parks, such as the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron. Ready to dive in? Enjoy the read and start planning your self-drive in Tanzania!
*Sidenote: This article focuses mainly on Tanzania’s parks’ fees and permits. If you’re looking for more activity-based information, we recommend you read our African Scenery blog.
National Park fees for TANAPA
Most of Tanzania’s protected areas, except for the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron, are managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). The most visited TANAPA parks are Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Serengeti.
When exploring Tanzania during a self-drive road Trip, there is no need to book your TANAPA permits in advance. This only becomes necessary if you choose to rent a car with a local driver-guide. TANAPA doesn’t apply a maximum limit on the number of visitors, so there’s no need to worry about gate denials. Simply pay for permits using a credit card (Visa or Mastercard) at the entrance gate. Note that cash and debit cards are not accepted.
These are the current TANAPA conservation entry fees:
Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Nyerere National Park: US$82.60
Gombe Stream: US$118
Mahale: US$94.40
Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara: US$59
Mikumi, Ruaha, Rubondo Island, Saadani, Mkomazi, Udzungwa Mountains, Katavi: US$35.40
Fees are quoted per person including VAT for your convenience. Tanzania charges VAT separately, so prices may seem different from what you find online. Children up to 5 years are free of charge, while children between 5 and 15 years old pay an entry fee of US$15-20.
A day pass remains valid for 12 hours, while if you choose to stay within the park, the permit extends to 24 hours.
These are the current TANAPA hotel concession fees:
When spending the night at a tented camp or lodge inside the TANAPA national parks, you’ll need to pay an additional fee, called a ”special campsite ” fee or a ”hotel concession fee”. It’s recommended to check with your lodge if the concession fee has been included in their quotation or if you need to pay this yourself on arrival at the park gate.
Serengeti and Nyerere: US$70.80 pp / night
Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Kilimanjaro: US$ 47.80 pp / night
Mahale, Ruaha, Katavi and Gombe: US$35.40 pp /night
Mkomazi, Saadan, Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountains: US$29.50 pp / night
Children up to 5 years are free of charge, while children between 5 and 15 years pay a US$11.80 concession fee.
Vehicle entry fees:
The vehicle entry fee for your locally registered Road Trip Tanzania rental car is 23,600 TSH (US$10) for a Suzuki and 41,300 TSH (US$20) per day for a Landcruiser, valid for multiple entries.
Camping fees:
Public campsites managed by TANAPA cost US$ 35.40 per person/night. Special campsites cost US$59 per person/night. ”Special” means that you are allowed to pitch your tent at a secluded wilderness spot with no other campers, and also no facilities. Consult the camping page at our website for more information. For children between 5-15 years, the camping fee is US$11,80. Children below 5 years are free of charge.
TANAPA fees for optional activities:
Ranger fee: US$23.60
Walking safaris: US$23.60 per person
Night game drives (Katavi, Ruaha, Mikumi, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Nyerere only): US$59 per person
National Park fees for Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Fees for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area:
Visitor fee: US$70.80 per person per 24 hours
Vehicle entry fee: approx. US$10 for a Suzuki vehicle and US$20 for a Landcruiser.
If you want to go down Ngorongoro Crater, you must pay the additional Crater Service Fee of US$295 per vehicle per trip.
Are you passing through the Ngorongoro Crater (for example to visit the Serengeti) but don’t intend to visit? Then you’ll still have to pay the national park fee each way. The only way to avoid paying the NCA fee twice is by exiting/entering the Serengeti via Klein’s gate in the Northeast, on your way to/ from Lake Natron. Do note, that this requires paying the Lake Natron fees instead.
Permits for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area:
You’ll find a lot of disinformation online on how to arrange your Ngorongoro permits, insinuating that visiting Ngorongoro on a self-drive road Trip is not possible. That is incorrect.
You can, indeed, visit Ngorongoro by yourself. The only thing to keep in mind is that an individual is not allowed to arrange and pay for their permits upon arrival. Instead, a Tour Operator will have to arrange and issue your NCA reservation for you.
African Scenery is happy to help you organize your NCA reservation. Please select this option in our booking form when renting your car. We charge a handling fee of €25, – in total. The actual entrance and camping permit can be paid for by credit card at our office in Arusha.
National Park fees for Lake Natron
Fees for Lake Natron:
Lake Natron is part of Tanzania’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA); countrywide conservation areas, established to benefit and help local communities throughout Tanzania.
When entering Lake Natron, you can expect the following community and wildlife management fees:
3 different village fees payable at Engare Sero town: 52.000 Tsh p/p (20 USD) plus 91.000 Tsh p/p (35 USD), plus 52.000 Tsh p/p (20 USD).
Entrance fee (”wildlife activity fee”): US$ 17.80 per person
Vehicle entrance fee: TSH 27.700 per car
Overnight fee (”concession fee”), when you go camping, it’s US$23.60 / per night, when you stay at a lodge, it is US$ 17,70 pp/ night
Fees are quoted per person, including VAT. Children between 5 and 17 years are charged a US$8 entry fee, and a US$15.80 / night camping fee, while children up to 5 years are free of charge.
A permit is valid for 24 hours.
Paying for your Lake Natron entrance permits:
In Engaresero, the entry point to Lake Natron, you’ll find a small office to secure your WMA entrance permits and pay for the village fees. Payment can be made via credit card or cash. Given the weak GPS signal in this area, it’s recommended to have some cash on hand in case their payment terminal experiences connectivity issues.
African scenery can connect you with good community guides in Lake Natron.
Other Wildlife Management Areas in Tanzania
Lake Natron stands out as the most frequented WMA area, yet several lodges in Tanzania are situated in other WMA regions. In such instances, only the bed night levy fee or concession fee of US$18.70 per night is applicable. The lodge will manage this fee, incorporating it into your hotel bill.
National Park fees for Lake Natron
Lake Eyasi Community Fees
If you want to explore Lake Eyasi, expect to pay $60 per car, charged on arrival at the community gate. If you like to participate in community activities (hunting with the Hazabe, visiting the Datoga tribe), you pay $180 per car.
African Scenery can connect you with good community-guides in Lake Eyasi.
Don't forget your exit stamp!
Before you leave this page and start your adventure, here’s a last piece of advice: when entering a National Park, it is mandatory to specify the date of your exit and pay the appropriate fee. It is then your responsibility to ensure that you receive an exit stamp upon leaving the park. This applies to all National Parks in Tanzania.
If you do not see a ranger at the gate, please proceed to the ranger post to obtain the exit stamp. Forgetting to check out can result in the rangers searching for you in the park, and our company is fined for the overstay. Any such fines will be passed on to you. African Scenery cannot be held liable.
Ready for your Tanzania safari?
We hope we have helped you on your way with our information about Tanzania’s national park fees. Any more questions about travelling in Tanzania? Check out our rental car fleet or get in touch with us. Our team at African scenery is happy to help you create the Tanzania trip of a lifetime!
Disclaimer:
We do our best to keep the information on this website accurate and up to date. However, please be advised that no claims or rights can be guaranteed or derived from our website’s content. We encourage you to verify any details independently to ensure accuracy. Please be aware that the information on our website may be subject to change.