Choose a private safari if you want control over your schedule, a vehicle and guide to yourselves, and the freedom to stay longer with a sighting. Choose a group safari if lower cost matters more and you are happy to share a vehicle and a set itinerary. Many travellers are surprised that a private safari for a small party costs less per person than they expect, because the fixed costs are shared.
This guide compares the two properly, so you can choose before you book.
What a private safari really means
On a private safari you have your own 4x4 vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip. Nobody else is in the vehicle unless you invite them. You choose the camps, the number of nights in each place and how long you stay with a lion or a river crossing.
The real benefit is not luxury. It is timing. If your party wants to leave at 5:30 am to catch the light, or skip the afternoon drive for a swim, the day bends to you. Photographers in particular find this makes the difference between a good trip and a great one.
What a group safari really means
A group safari follows a fixed itinerary on set dates, with a vehicle shared with other guests. You split the cost of the vehicle and guide with strangers, so the price per person is lower. The trade-off is control: the group sets the pace, and the vehicle moves on when most people have seen enough. If one guest wants to stay at a sighting and another wants lunch, you compromise. Group sizes and arrangements vary by operator, so ask how many seats there are per vehicle and whether a window seat is guaranteed.
Cost: how group size changes the price
A private vehicle and guide cost roughly the same to provide whether two guests are aboard or six. That fixed cost is divided across everyone in the vehicle, so the per-person price falls as the party grows.
This is why a private safari for a family of four can cost far less per person than the same itinerary for a couple, and why solo travellers pay the most on a private trip, as one person carries the whole cost. On our itineraries you can see this directly: choose your group size on any trip page and the per-person price updates.
Wildlife viewing: does it differ?
Not in what you see. Animals do not care how many people are in the vehicle. What changes is how you experience it: in a private vehicle everyone has a window seat and the vehicle stops for as long as you want. In a full shared vehicle, window seats are not always guaranteed and stops are shorter.
Who should choose which
Choose a private safari if you are travelling as a couple, family or small group of friends, if you are a photographer or serious wildlife enthusiast, if you are travelling with children or anyone with limited mobility, or if you want to build your own route, camps and dates.
Choose a group safari if you are travelling alone and want to keep costs down, if you enjoy meeting other travellers, if your dates are flexible enough to fit a fixed departure, and if you do not mind a set itinerary.
A middle option: sharing with friends
The best of both is a private safari with a group you know. Four friends or two couples sharing one vehicle and guide pay a much lower per-person price than a couple travelling alone, and still keep every advantage of a private trip.
Frequently asked questions
Is a private safari worth the extra cost?
For most couples and families, yes. You control the schedule and the vehicle is yours. The premium falls quickly as your party gets bigger.
Can solo travellers go on a private safari?
Yes, but the per-person price is highest. Many solo travellers choose a shared departure to split the cost.
Do prices change by season?
Yes, for both private and group trips. See our guide to what a Kenya safari costs.
Plan your safari: Tell us your dates, group size and budget and we will price a private safari for you, with the per-person cost shown before you commit.
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