When did Tanzania become so expensive and why?

[C.W. Richter]

Game trackers Africa had some great deals on hunting Tanzania. Hunting Zimbabwe is often no more expensive than RSA or Namib in an often lush remote wilderness setting.

 

[Philip Glass]

I mean no disrespect to any of the outfitters operating in Tanzania but the prices are just ridiculous at this point. Hopefully, the prices will eventually drop but there doesn't seem to be any reason for the prices to be as high as they are. I understand that Tanzania is a classic safari destination and of course, it would make sense to charge a little more than other African countries but not to this degree. I understand that all the money goes directly to conservation and what-not, but you can't really expect a significant amount of hunters' dollars to pay for conservation if they can't even afford it. Maybe the Tanzanian government is inept and believes that everyone outside of their country is rich (most of us aren't) or the USFWS feels the need to get involved yet again even though they have zero experience with African wildlife.

In Tanzania you will hunt true wilderness with villages scattered around like other places. It is all government land and they set the prices and quotas. Hunting real wild Africa is expensive. We all look at RSA game farm hunting prices and it can’t be beat. It’s just not apples to apples.
I too wish to hunt Tanzania. I really wish to go for the Massai species. I’ve been looking at it and the prices overall have come down in a sense. Many outfitters will let you hunt 14 days with a 21 day license. They used to not offer this.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

In Tanzania you will hunt true wilderness with villages scattered around like other places. It is all government land and they set the prices and quotas. Hunting real wild Africa is expensive. We all look at RSA game farm hunting prices and it can’t be beat. It’s just not apples to apples.
I too wish to hunt Tanzania. I really wish to go for the Massai species. I’ve been looking at it and the prices overall have come down in a sense. Many outfitters will let you hunt 14 days with a 21 day license. They used to not offer this.

On the areas in TZ:

National Park = No hunting, No population.

Game Reserve = hunting, No population.

Open Area = hunting, population, other permitted activities, varying population and activities.

WMA = hunting, other stuff... village management and regs with consent/approval/partnership with/of TAWA and an outfitter (Tanzania wildlife authority)

 

[Bullet Safaris]

In Tanzania you will hunt true wilderness with villages scattered around like other places. It is all government land and they set the prices and quotas. Hunting real wild Africa is expensive. We all look at RSA game farm hunting prices and it can’t be beat. It’s just not apples to apples.
I too wish to hunt Tanzania. I really wish to go for the Massai species. I’ve been looking at it and the prices overall have come down in a sense. Many outfitters will let you hunt 14 days with a 21 day license. They used to not offer this.

Good point and certain outfitters will work with a client on License level vs. Days vs. Animals. We do it all the time!

 

[Frederik]

Tanzania, might seem expensive but have you seen what the rates are for doing normal tourist stuff its just as high. Crammed in a open cruiser with greenies or having your own cruiser and guide while hunting?

Outfits need to make turnover in a few months and people still have in their minds that Africa is cheap?
Almost everything you enjoy to make such a camp run is imported, booze to fuel.

My theory, if you really want to do Tanzania and you dont own a jet save up save up save up and do it once but go big then do 21 days and fill the tags if you then add everything up it is not as bad than doing multiple safaris to hunt different species.

 

[flatwater bill]

Wilhelm.............you have asked a reasonable question. Thanks for posting.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Corre

Game trackers Africa had some great deals on hunting Tanzania. Hunting Zimbabwe is often no more expensive than RSA or Namib in an often lush remote wilderness setting.

Correct, zimbabwe has some very good deals at the moment. Covid reset a lot of things, and I doubt the old high priced model will come back too quickly. The histogram of spending power will always peak up towards the lower priced side, that is where the volume money is. The South Africans are masters at realising and capitalising upon this, but you can also spend a lot of money on a truly luxurious SA hunt if you wish. I think the problem with the Tanzanian model is that it doesn't have much of a lower cost volume end, and you can't run sustainably on a few high end hunts - it is a cashflow business like everything else.

 

[Muskox]

30 years ago Tanzania was high but something I should have saved and done. Mostly of my interest is in Masailand because of the locally endemic species, though I have known a few people who have hunted the Selous and said it was paradise on earth (if your concession actually has buffalo in it).

Today almost everyway I have priced Tanzania it doesn't make sense to my finances. I have also known some guys that went on "budget" Tanzania hunts and gotten the shaft when their outfitter didn't pass the trophy fees onto the Tanzania government and never got their trophies. It has been a while, but I remember a variety of issues.

Though honestly problems can happen in any country including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with unscrupulous people.

Tanzania is often sold as "the Classic Safari" destination, but it would depend on what era we are talking about. When Kenya shut down it did become that closest and probably better destination, but that happened in the 1970's, not in the 1920's to 1950's (the post WW1-post WW2 era. I guess it depends on your idea of classic.

Northern Mozambique has mostly the same endemic species as the Selous, but also has more people and poaching is a bigger problem.

Many modern hunting writers "Boddington, Wieland, and many others" have written pages praising Tanzania as the "one super expensive month long safari destination of your life". Sounds like a hell of a sales pitch.

For me the problem with the 7-10 day Tanzania buffalo hunts is they end up being $30,000-40,000 very easily if you shoot much over a single buffalo. The charter cost are usually $4000, and hopefully you can split that among other hunters in the group. It just gets very expensive very quickly. I don't know of another way to spin it.

If I am wrong and you know of some bargains please pass them on.

 

[sestoppelman]

In Tanzania you will hunt true wilderness with villages scattered around like other places. It is all government land and they set the prices and quotas. Hunting real wild Africa is expensive. We all look at RSA game farm hunting prices and it can’t be beat. It’s just not apples to apples.
I too wish to hunt Tanzania. I really wish to go for the Massai species. I’ve been looking at it and the prices overall have come down in a sense. Many outfitters will let you hunt 14 days with a 21 day license. They used to not offer this.

Kinda sorta. My first hunt was there in 1985 and it was fantastic and I wouldnt trade it for anything. But I dont consider it to be a true wilderness experience, not where I was anyway which is the famous Mto-Wa-Mbu area frequented by Ruark, Hemingway and others. I know there are other parts of the country that are more remote and wild than the Serengeti areas.
Everyday we encountered cattle herds and their tenders, poachers or someone being where it seemed it should be devoid of people but it wasnt.
On the plus side it was in a true tented camp among the trees and the amount of game is unforgettable. This was a short buffalo, PG hunt with 7 animals included in the hunt fee which today would cost many times what it did back then.

For me the one and only so far, true wilderness safari I had was in the Okavango of Botswana for lion, buffalo and Zambezi sitatunga. We were quite deep into the delta and it was fantastic, and I dont really expect to ever equal it.
Again though, the same hunt today would be beyond my reach and I have lots more money now than I did in 1990!

 

[Bullet Safaris]

30 years ago Tanzania was high but something I should have saved and done. Mostly of my interest is in Masailand because of the locally endemic species, though I have known a few people who have hunted the Selous and said it was paradise on earth (if your concession actually has buffalo in it).

Today almost everyway I have priced Tanzania it doesn't make sense to my finances. I have also known some guys that went on "budget" Tanzania hunts and gotten the shaft when their outfitter didn't pass the trophy fees onto the Tanzania government and never got their trophies. It has been a while, but I remember a variety of issues.

Though honestly problems can happen in any country including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with unscrupulous people.

Tanzania is often sold as "the Classic Safari" destination, but it would depend on what era we are talking about. When Kenya shut down it did become that closest and probably better destination, but that happened in the 1970's, not in the 1920's to 1950's (the post WW1-post WW2 era. I guess it depends on your idea of classic.

Northern Mozambique has mostly the same endemic species as the Selous, but also has more people and poaching is a bigger problem.

Many modern hunting writers "Boddington, Wieland, and many others" have written pages praising Tanzania as the "one super expensive month long safari destination of your life". Sounds like a hell of a sales pitch.

For me the problem with the 7-10 day Tanzania buffalo hunts is they end up being $30,000-40,000 very easily if you shoot much over a single buffalo. The charter cost are usually $4000, and hopefully you can split that among other hunters in the group. It just gets very expensive very quickly. I don't know of another way to spin it.

If I am wrong and you know of some bargains please pass them on.

Hi, I frequently conduct 10 day hunts in Tanzania, in a game reserve, with many buffalo and zero people. The price with 2 buffalo down is under 30k. If you are looking I am happy to run through the details with you in person.