Kenya & Tanzania pricing
Hello, would appreciate your thoughts. Since 2018 taking the B,Z and SA trip we have gone on a Tauck trip every year and enjoyed every one. We are looking at K&T next year and were very surprised to see a 25% increase in the pricing ($15190-$18990). I received the invoice with the insurance and $40k was staring at me! So I looked at some other vendors including A&K. Of course I have looked at every thread on this board dealing with A&K. We had used them in India with good luck. So their pricing for one less day is $15995 and there is no price increase for 2026. They have a maximum of 18 guests vs 30 for Tauck. For 2026 Tauck is upgrading two of their properties: They are adding the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge. They also include the hot air balloon ride which A&K charges $500. A&K starts and ends in Nairobi. We really like Tauck and have been very loyal, but this is a significant difference in pricing. Thank you for your consideration!
Comments
I just don’t understand why the pricing has gone up. Other tour companies have not put prices up for similar trips. My only suggestion would be to take the Tanzania Zanzibar tour which is much cheaper and you see exactly the same animals and both Ngorongoro crater and the Serengeti are better than Masai Mara. Also you visit the Western Serengeti where there are huge numbers of elephants, we have been to that area twice including last year….we saw loads of lions there last year and it’s much quieter as many tours don’t go to that area. In addition, the weather for the balloon ride is much more favorable in Tanzania than Kenya where they are more likely to be cancelled.
Regarding the hotel lodge upgrades, I know SeaLord loves Mt Kenya Safari club, but when we were there it just did not feel like Africa.
British raised some very valid points i.e.“that you see the same animals”. Do you go to view the animals or are you fond of a hotel specifics?
Thank you both, we primarily go for the safari wildlife experience, but want to be comfortable. For example, I found the Kalahari desert property to be "rustic" although Tauck warned us ahead of time . We don't plan spending much time utilizing the hotel amenities. I will look into the Zanzibar tour!
There are no rustic properties on the Zanzibar tour.
I hope to take the Botswana tour again some day, I hope Camp Kalahari is still there and sleeping on the Saltpan. A life changing experience.
Taxare, I don't understand? Tauck has always stayed at the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club during K&T (unless they stayed somewhere else when the Safari Club was being renovated.) The prices are comparable when you consider the cost is approx $1000 per person, per day.
Yes, I wondered about that comment. Our first time on K and T many years ago, we did not stay at the Mount Kenya, it was a much more Africa feel staying at other camps/ lodges on that tour.
Alan my bad, sorry. this was the note I was provided by Tauck.... Please note the changes for the 2026 Itinerary. This tour will spend nights 2 & 3 at the Melia, Ngorongoro Crater and nights 11 & 12 at the JW Marriott, Yalek River.
I also noticed a significant price increase when I booked a 2026 trip on the Tanzania (non family) journey. Since I go as a single, the single pricing increased at a larger percentage than the double room. Double rates went from 10,290 to 11990, while the single rate went from 11412 to 15252. I know they have changed the hotels but it was a surprise to see such a large jump for a single room.
MS78 I'm also a solo traveler...I started traveling w/family w/Tauck, but now go solo. I've done and am booked on River cruises so the price doesn't change in cat 1 cabins, but the land and small ship prices have a pretty good increase that tend to make me look at other trips. I get it, but still have sticker shock when I change to 1 guest/1 room. I took advice from British and booked the Tanzania/Zanzibar trip for July 2026. Africa is a bucket list trip for me. (I did just change the pricing to 3 guests to see the difference and it only goes down about $400 lol). My next sticker shock will be the air fare....ugh.
That is a new stop at Ngorongoro. It has been many years, but we stayed at the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge at Ngorongoro. It may have gotten a bit long in the tooth or temporarily closed for renovation. From a recent, June 2025 TripAdvisor review and response from the Melia management ("While we carried out a full renovation two years ago, the layout remains faithful to the original design, and with that comes certain spatial limitations."), so the Melia may have problems too- rooms may be a bit small and AC is not universally available in all of them. We needed heaters in the Serena!
Kathy, please do post a review when you return. I would take Tanzania Zanzibar tour again in a heartbeat. I don’t necessarily need to see Zanzibar again, but it was interesting and I believe the hotel there is more like a resort than the one we had on the tour. I’m so lucky to have been on Southern Africa tours that include Victoria Falls, three times there. It’s definitely easier to get to East Africa than take southern ones that include the limited flights to Vic Falls.
I do recommend Qatar air for this tour. If you have budget for just economy, it’s supposed to be one of the best. If business, it’s great. Our first two tours of East Africa were on Economy, Delta, KLM. Not the best for several reasons.
Thanks British...I will look at Qatar, but tend to go w/Delta. I would love to do Business r/t, but right now, the mock flights I've been doing, the price is around $9k and that's way too much. I may be able to do premium over and business home for a price I could justify to myself. We'll see when they open. I'm taking notes of peoples posts on what to bring and do for the trip. I have an Africa shopping list saved on Amazon w/items I've seen people mention worked for them on their trips. :-)
Kathy, you really don’t need much special clothing for safaris. Although the pants I now use are expensive, I take them on almost every trip on my adventure type tours. I used to get long sleeve T shirts from Uniqlo, but that company has gotten very expensive even though the t shirts are good. These days, I buy the Costco long sleeve T-shirts which cost under $10 in neutral colors. Of course you have to get them as soon as you see them…in summer, they come in three quarter sleeve. I get both. These days safari style hats there are perfect and cheap. If you want to get a buff, you can get a generic one, that’s all you need. I’ll see if i can find a pic of me in such gear and pm it you
Thanks! I appreciate it! I'm not a Costco member but have friends who are so I can go in w/them. I don't want to pay a lot as I don't know if I'd ever get back to Africa.
I have this shirt saved - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2J4B7FR/?coliid=I19A8Q09NL4W7K&colid=1CIGTOS3KTE92&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
and this hat - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SGG7WXC/?coliid=IKX1O8JLQXOAD&colid=1CIGTOS3KTE92&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1
I tend to be an over packer, but do NOT plan on doing that for this trip. I've read people say 3 shirts/3 pants and I'm hoping for that. I need to look at pants. Of course these are all colors I never wear!
A lot of clothing will fit in the duffle, If Tauck sends you the big 30” roller duffle for this trip, it’s bottomless pit so use packing cubes.
Kathy when I went on the K & T tour I took 3 pants and 4 shirts, I did have one pair of black pants that I used to travel with which could be worn if there is a night when a dressier outfit is called for and if I remember well it was only one night.
Thanks Gladys! That sounds like a good plan.
Hi Kathy I needed to pull together a quick wardrobe as I wear alot of black and navy. I bought Eddie Bauer pants at Costco and spf shirts. Amazon.com has a brand called Baleaf...reasonable for pants and shirts. Columbia outlet also a good source. Im going by the 3 pant rule and a few short and long sleeve shirts. Enjoy your trip. Im up to the Visa process.
Thanks Kittygirl! I’ll definitely look into that brand. Enjoy your trip, too!
Yes, Costco have some perfect Eddie B travel pants, but like anything else at Costco, you have to get them when you see them and not hesitate or they will be gone the next visit
I bought the Baleaf pants and shirts for K & T.
Kathy. So happy you booked the trip. Africa is magical, it reaches your soul. While it’s getting pricier for us solos who wish to travel, (even domestic airlines are now charging higher fares for solo tickets) it’s worth giving up something to continue to explore the world! Can’t wait to hear about your journey next year!
As to buying (safari) clothes for Africa and specifically K&T, if you continue to travel you will have many more opportunities to wear them. They are great for other Africa tours (Botswana+, Elegant Adventure, Namibia, Morocco, etc.), other places in the Middle East (Israel, Jordan & Egypt), US Southwest (Spirit of the Desert, etc), Peru & Galapagos, etc., etc.
We wore a mix of brands like Columbia SPG, LL Bean, Land's End, etc.even Ebay - basically from whomever sold what we wanted or needed at a good price.
A few of you may remember this photo from 10+ years ago (has it been that long??)!
You can tell it’s a while ago because wide pants are not the thing any more.
They are coming back British at least for women. I have found through the years that what I wore 5 or 10 years ago always makes a come back. It's like an unending circle.
I can't tell, but they may be zip-offs.
Yes they are zip offs😀. One advantage of the slimmer leg pants, they weigh less, take up less room and dry more quickly. Less fabric too, so the manufacturers can make more with less fabric