Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions team, based in Uganda, comparing a private vs group safari on cost, pace and company.
A private safari gives you your own vehicle, your own guide and a schedule that bends around you. A group safari shares a vehicle and a fixed route with other travellers and costs less per person. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, a honeymoon or a group with mixed interests, private is usually worth the extra cost. For a solo traveller on a tighter budget who enjoys company, a well-run small group is a good option.
What a private safari offers
- Flexibility. Leave at dawn for a leopard sighting, skip a park you are not excited about or stay longer at a river crossing.
- Your own pace. No waiting for others, and no one waiting for you.
- Privacy. Ideal for honeymoons, families, photographers and anyone with specific interests.
- A tailor-made route. Choose your parks, camps and activities.
What a group safari offers
- Lower cost per person. The vehicle and guide are shared, typically among four to seven travellers.
- Company. Good for solo travellers who want to meet people.
- Simplicity. A set itinerary, with dates and routes already decided.
The tradeoff is that you follow someone else's timetable and the route cannot change to suit you.
Private vs group safari: how big is the cost difference?
Private trips often cost noticeably more per person than small-group departures, but the gap narrows for couples and families because the vehicle cost is shared among fewer people either way. A private vehicle for two costs about the same as one for four, so the per-person price falls as your party grows. Read what an East Africa safari costs for the wider picture.
Private vs group safari: which should you choose?
- Honeymoon, milestone or once-in-a-lifetime trip: private.
- Family or multigenerational trip: private, so the pace suits everyone. See multigenerational safaris.
- Photographer or keen birder: private, for time and flexibility.
- Solo traveller on a budget: a small group can work well. See solo travel on safari.
Our approach
Our trips are tailor-made, so you set the route, the pace and the style. If you prefer to share costs, tell us and we will discuss options. Ask about the vehicle in any quote: is it private, or shared with other bookings? Our list of 10 questions to ask a safari operator includes this. To start planning, see the first-time safari planning guide.
Planning more than one country?
Planning a trip across more than one country? These guides answer the questions that come up next.
- every route, visa rule and package in one place: every route, visa rule and package in one place.
- the full four country route: the full four country route.
- how long a multi-country trip needs: how long a multi-country trip needs.
- how to move between the countries: how to move between the countries.
- one visa for three countries: one visa for three countries.
Choose a private vs group safari with us
Official park fees are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Kenya Wildlife Service, TANAPA and the Rwanda Development Board. We confirm the current fees for your dates in every quote.
For a third option, driving yourself, see our self drive safari guide for East Africa.
A private vehicle sets its own pace, which matters for older travellers; see our safari for seniors guide.
For why a honeymoon works best privately, see our Uganda honeymoon safari guide.