Tanzania National Park Fees 2026
Figures verified as of 13 September 2026 against the TANAPA Tanzania National Parks Tariffs 2023/2024 schedule and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority tariff page. Both remain the current published schedules — see the caveat on tariff age below.
Why do sites quote $83, $70 and $30 for the same Serengeti fee?
Because they are quoting three different things, and usually not saying so.
- US$70 is the correct tariff figure — the net conservation fee for a non-East-African adult in peak season.
- US$82.60 is the same fee with 18% VAT added (70 × 1.18). Often rounded to "$83".
- US$30 is the fee for a different category of park — Ruaha, Katavi, Mikumi and similar. It is not a Serengeti rate.
The published TANAPA tariff states plainly: "All charges are VAT (18%) exclusive." So every TANAPA dollar figure below is a net figure to which 18% is added.
The trap: TANAPA and NCAA publish on opposite VAT bases
TANAPA publishes excluding VAT. NCAA publishes including it. Every NCAA figure divides exactly by 1.18 — $70.80 → $60, $295 → $250, $354 → $300 — and NCAA's vehicle bands net out to precisely TANAPA's $40/$150/$200/$300. Comparing an NCAA number with a TANAPA number directly will mislead you by 18%.
Serengeti National Park entry fees 2026
Serengeti and Nyerere share the top TANAPA fee band. Note the unusual season definition: low season is only the two months 15 March – 15 May; peak season is 16 May – 14 March.
| Visitor category | Peak, net (US$) | Peak, incl. 18% VAT (US$) | Low, net (US$) | Low, incl. VAT (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-EAC adult, 16+ | 70 | 82.60 | 60 | 70.80 |
| Non-EAC child, 5–15 | 20 | 23.60 | 20 | 23.60 |
| Expatriate / TZ resident, 16+ | 35 | 41.30 | 30 | 35.40 |
| EAC citizen, 16+ | TZS 10,000 | TZS 11,800 | TZS 10,000 | TZS 11,800 |
| Children under 5 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
What is the Ngorongoro Crater fee?
Ngorongoro is not run by TANAPA. It is a separate authority with its own tariff, and it charges two distinct things that are constantly conflated.
| Charge | Unit | Non-EAC (US$, VAT-incl.) | EAC / Tanzanian (TZS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry permit, adult 16+ | per person per 24h | 70.80 | 11,800 |
| Entry permit, child 5–15 | per person per 24h | 23.60 | 2,360 |
| Crater service fee | per vehicle per trip | 295 | 11,800 |
| Concession fee (lodges/camps) | per person per night | 59.00 | 35,400 |
| Olduvai Gorge | per person | 35.40 | 5,900 |
| Cultural boma visit | per vehicle | 20.00 | — |
The $295 crater service fee is charged per vehicle, per descent — not per person. Split across six passengers it is about $49 each, not $295 each. It is payable only if you drive down onto the crater floor; staying on the rim and touring the wider conservation area incurs only the entry permit. NCAA lists it under "E: CRATER SERVICE FEE — Rates per vehicle/trip".
A vehicle permit is charged on top, by tare weight: US$47.20 (up to 2,000kg), US$177.00 (2,001–3,000kg), US$236.00 (3,001–7,000kg) or US$354.00 (7,001kg+) for foreign-registered vehicles; TZS 23,600 / 41,300 / 70,800 / 177,000 if locally registered. A typical Land Cruiser safari vehicle sits in the 2,001–3,000kg band.
Northern circuit: Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Arusha
These three share a band one step below Serengeti, with the same peak/low split.
| Category | Peak, net (US$) | Peak, incl. VAT (US$) | Low, net (US$) | Low, incl. VAT (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-EAC adult, 16+ | 50 | 59.00 | 45 | 53.10 |
| Non-EAC child, 5–15 | 15 | 17.70 | 15 | 17.70 |
| Expatriate / TZ resident, 16+ | 25 | 29.50 | 22.50 | 26.55 |
| EAC citizen, 16+ | TZS 10,000 | TZS 11,800 | TZS 10,000 | TZS 11,800 |
Kilimanjaro, and the southern and western parks
These parks have no seasonal variation — one rate runs July to June.
| Park | Non-EAC adult, net (US$) | Incl. 18% VAT (US$) | Expat / resident, net (US$) | EAC citizen (TZS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilimanjaro | 70 | 82.60 | 35 | 10,000 |
| Nyerere (ex-Selous) | 70 / 60 seasonal | 82.60 / 70.80 | 35 / 30 | 10,000 |
| Gombe | 100 | 118.00 | 50 | 10,000 |
| Mahale Mountains | 80 | 94.40 | 40 | 5,000 |
| Ruaha, Katavi, Mikumi, Saadani, Udzungwa, Mkomazi, Kitulo, Rubondo | 30 | 35.40 | 15 | 5,000 |
Kilimanjaro climbers pay several stacked charges: the $70 conservation fee per day, plus hut fees of $60 per night (Mandara, Horombo, Kibo) or camping at $50 per night, plus a one-off rescue fee of $20 per person per trip — all net of VAT.
Concession and camping fees are not entry fees
A concession fee is levied on lodges and permanent camps per guest per night and normally appears inside your quoted accommodation rate, not at the gate. It uses a different season definition from the entry fee: peak is July–September, low is October–June.
| Park group | Concession fee, net (US$ per person per night) |
|---|---|
| Serengeti, Nyerere | 60 peak / 50 low |
| Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha, Kilimanjaro | 40 |
| Mahale, Ruaha, Katavi, Gombe, Rubondo | 30 |
| Mkomazi, Saadani, Mikumi, Udzungwa, Kitulo, others | 25 |
Camping is separate again: public campsites $30 per person per night ($50 in Kilimanjaro), special campsites $50–60, and premium special campsites in Serengeti $300.
Vehicle entry fees for national parks
| Tare weight | Tanzanian / non-commercial EAC (TZS) | Commercial EAC & foreign-registered (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 kg | 20,000 | 40 |
| 2,001–3,000 kg | 35,000 | 150 |
| 3,001–7,000 kg | 60,000 | 200 |
| 7,001–10,000 kg | 150,000 | 300 |
| Above 10 tonnes | 300,000 | 500 |
Open-sided vehicles are charged 50% extra. Most visitors on an organised safari travel in a Tanzanian-registered operator vehicle and so fall in the shilling column.
Are these really the 2026 fees?
Yes, with one honest caveat. The newest tariff TANAPA has published is headed "Tariffs 2023/2024 — From 1st July 2023 to 30th June 2024." Its own website still displays "Financial Year 2023/2024" and "June 2024 Valid Until". No superseding schedule has been issued.
That schedule has continued in force because Tanzania froze park fee increases in March 2025 for twelve months, with authorities promising a minimum of 12 months' notice before any rise. The freeze has now lapsed, so a new tariff could appear at any point — always reconfirm with your operator before paying.
How to budget a day in the Serengeti
For two adults in one operator vehicle, one 24-hour period, peak season, VAT included: entry 2 × $82.60 = $165.20, plus the vehicle fee (TZS 35,000 + VAT ≈ TZS 41,300). Add concession fees if you sleep inside the park. Ngorongoro adds $70.80 per adult, plus $295 per vehicle if you descend into the crater.
Cash is not accepted at gates; payment runs through the Government Electronic Payment Gateway, and in practice your operator settles it.
