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 to read our Tanzania travel blog instead.
National Park fees for TANAPA
Disclaimer
We do our best to keep all information on this website accurate and up to date. However, no rights can be guaranteed or derived from the content. Please make sure to verify any details and prices yourself before relying on them.
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 roadtrip, there is no need to book your TANAPA permits in advance. 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 average TANAPA conservation entry fees:
- Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Nyerere National Park: USD 82.60
- Gombe Stream: USD 118
- Mahale: USD 94.40
- Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara: USD 59
- Mikumi, Ruaha, Rubondo Island, Saadani, Mkomazi, Udzungwa Mountains, Katavi: USD 35.40
Fees are quoted per person, including VAT, for your convenience. Tanzania charges VAT separately, so prices may appear different from those listed online. Children up to 5 years are free of charge, while children between 5 and 15 years old pay an entry fee of USD15-20.
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 average 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: USD 70.80 per person/per night
- Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Kilimanjaro: USD 47.80 per person/per night
- Mahale, Ruaha, Katavi and Gombe: USD 35.40 per person/per night
- Mkomazi, Saadani, Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountains: USD 29.50 per person/per night
Children up to 5 years are free of charge, while children between 5 and 15 years pay a USD 11.80 concession fee.
Vehicle entry fees:
- The vehicle entry fee for your locally registered Roadtrip Tanzania rental car is 23,600 TSH (USD 10) for a Suzuki and 41,300 TSH (USD 20) per day for a Land Cruiser, valid for multiple entries.
Camping fees:
- Public campsites managed by TANAPA cost USD 35.40 per person/night. Special campsites cost USD 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 on our website for more information. For children between 5-15 years, the camping fee is USD 11.80. Children below 5 years are free of charge.
TANAPA fees for optional activities:
- Ranger fee: USD 23.60
- Walking safaris: USD 23.60 per person
- Night game drives ( Katavi, Ruaha, Mikumi, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Nyerere only): USD 59 per person
National Park fees for Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Average fees for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area:
- Visitor fee: USD 70.80 per person per 24 hours
- Vehicle entry fee: approx. USD 10 for a Suzuki vehicle and USD20 for a Land Cruiser.
If you want to go down Ngorongoro Crater, you must pay the additional Crater Service Fee of USD 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 roadtrip 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.
Roadtrip Africa 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
Average 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: 24.000 Tsh p/p (USD 10) plus 37.000 Tsh p/p (USD 15), plus 24.000 Tsh p/p (USD 10).
- Entrance fee (''wildlife activity fee''): USD 11.80 per person
- Vehicle entrance fee: TSH 17.700 per car
- Overnight fee (''concession fee''), when you go camping, it's USD 23.60 per night, when you stay at a lodge, it is USD 17.70 per person/per night
Fees are quoted per person, including VAT. Children between 5 and 17 years are charged a USD 6 entry fee, and a USD 11.80 / 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.
Roadtrip Africa 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 USD 17.70 per night is applicable. The lodge will manage this fee, incorporating it into your hotel bill.
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. Roadtrip Africa cannot be held liable.
Ready for your Tanzania safari roadtrip?
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 Roadtrip Africa is happy to help you create the Tanzania trip of a lifetime!