Safari and budget are not words often seen in the same sentence. Intimate animal encounters are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and priced accordingly; there’s almost no such thing as a cheap safari. Particularly in Africa, where lodges are luxe and the logistics of accessing and operating in remote areas push prices well beyond the average adventurer.

But if you’re willing to forgo some comforts and embrace DIY logistics, it’s possible to join the fray. South Africa is the cheapest African country to safari thanks to pricing in wallet-friendly rands. Consider also lesser-known destinations such as megadiverse India and the Amazon basin.

1. SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa’s largest national park is also its most popular, and for good reason. Brushes with the Big Five are almost guaranteed at Kruger National Park, a refuge for some 140 mammal species and 500 bird species. And, unlike many safari destinations, Kruger can be relatively cheap. You can drive yourself around the two-million-hectare park – hire cars at airports – and stay at well-priced digs run by South African National Parks. Book way ahead for bungalows from $140 a night, safari tents from $65 and huts from around $45 in low season (January to March). Park-entry tickets, around $50 a day, must also be bought in advance. 

In the May to September peak season, when roads and wildlife sightings can turn into a zoo, you might prefer to outsource planning to operators such as African Budget Safaris, which has three-day Kruger expeditions out of Johannesburg from around $400 a day.

2. BOTSWANA

Botswana’s strategy of charging high prices to keep tourist numbers low and protect its natural heritage tends to rule out frugal travellers. A more affordable idea is to self-drive but have someone else handle logistics. Drive Botswana hires out 4WDs with rooftop tents and camp kit, plans itineraries and books your accommodation en route. For example, it has 18-night itineraries ex-Johannesburg taking in the central Kalahari, Makgadikgadi salt pans, Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls – all the bucket-list attractions, with the world’s largest elephant population and heaps of hippos – from around $6000 per person. Accommodation is a mix of lodges, B&Bs and camping, with many meals, and some guided activities included.

3. NAMIBIA

Self-drive safaris in Namibia are unique in Africa for their ease (you drive on the left and the road rules are similar) and the ever-changing landscapes are always breathtaking. And nothing beats the thrill of spontaneous zebra, giraffe and elephant sightings out the windscreen.

Get a local agency to organise your itinerary as they’ll know the current conditions and considerations for navigating Namibia’s remote roads and extreme terrain. They’ll also book accommodation, organise meals and send you off with safety gear, emergency numbers and insurance. The cost is about the same as for DIY itineraries. Namibia Experience has a 16-day northern circuit from the capital, Windhoek, via Etosha National Park – famous for black rhino – the big cat reserve of Okonjima and Unesco-listed rock art at Twyfelfontein, for around $4000 (about $250 a day). You’ll need to rent a vehicle separately.

4. INDIA

India remains stubbornly under-the-radar as a safari destination despite its spectacular array of endemic animals and competitive pricing. From the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea you’ll find everything from Asian elephants and Bengal tigers to lions, snow leopards, rhinos and all sorts of antelopes.

Choose your own adventure – see the world’s last population of Asiatic lions in western Gujarat state, leopards in Rajasthan or tigers in central Madhya Pradesh. Expect to pay around $80 a head for a three-hour jeep safari at Sasan Gir lion sanctuary, around $70 for a private vehicle in the leopard-rich hills of Rajasthan and $50-$60 for a shared jeep in Bandhavgarh tiger reserve.

5. SRI LANKA

Like India, Sri Lanka is often an afterthought for animal touring despite having healthy populations of elephants, leopards, sloth bears, monkeys and amazing birdlife. Dawn and afternoon jeep safaris are the norm at national parks such as Yala (the most popular, and a bit of a bunfight to be frank), elephant-rich Udawalawe and Wilpattu, Sri Lanka’s largest national park renowned for leopards and picturesque lakes.

Many visitors to Yala base themselves about half an hour outside the park gates at Tissamaharama, which has plenty of cheapish stays and eateries. Accommodation in Wilpattu Village, just outside the park, averages around $100 a night, though you can find cheaper.

At Udawalawe, park entry fees are around $60 (children are half price) and (shared) jeep safaris cost another $60 or so. Expect to pay around the same amount for a guide.

6. COLOMBIA

The Amazon is the most biodiverse tropical rainforest region on Earth, home to myriad monkeys, sloths, jaguars, pink dolphins and much more. Colombia offers the opportunity to live as locals do – in remote communities right on the river or its tributaries.

Fly from Bogotá to Leticia (about two hours, and $300 return), then take a ferry to Puerto Nariño (another two hours, about $15 one way). You’ll find local agencies advertising tours when you arrive so there’s no need to book anything in advance except accommodation.

Maloca Napü, close to the port, has ensuite rooms and a dormitory set in traditional Amazonian longhouses. Doubles with breakfast around $55 a night. Cabañas Dechi gets rave reviews for its spotless cabins set in lush gardens and friendly owners who look after all meals and organise guided river and jungle tours, too.

7.  AUSTRALIA

The Gawler Ranges National Park is a wildlife hotspot that receives fewer than 5000 visitors a year thanks to its remote location on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. This rugged landscape of ancient dunes, red earth and shimmering blue skies harbours mobs of emus and red and grey kangaroos, thorny devils, goannas, wombats, and rowdy flocks of galahs, among many other species. I call it the tea-towel safari because of all the iconic fauna and flora you’ll find there.

Hire a 4WD to explore its 1600 sqkm expanse, from 1.5 billion-year-old ranges to seasonal waterfalls. Base yourself in the town of Wudinna for access to services, or else stay in the park at basic campsites and converted shearers’ cottages at the former Pondanna sheep station. 

For an entry-level SA safari, the new Monarto Safari Resort offers double rooms in a 1500ha enclosure of exotic and endemic animals operated by Zoos SA.

8. UNITED STATES

America’s first national park, Yellowstone, is still its greatest, revered for its epic ecosystem of wolves, bison and bears and landscapes of volcanic plains, mountains, lakes and forests. Come in off-season (late April to early June, and October) for cheaper rates and book well ahead. Rent a car from either Yellowstone Regional Airport or Jackson Hole Airport, both about an hour’s drive to the park.

Top hotels such as Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Old Faithful Inn have cheaper cabin-style lodgings but you’ll find even more affordable stays outside the park in towns like West Yellowstone, Gardiner and Silver Gate in Montana.

Once you’ve got accommodation and wheels sorted, prepare to be wowed by wolves and bears in Lamar Valley (aka “America’s Serengeti”), bison grazing along Tower Fall Road and watching active geysers blow their tops.

TOP 5 SAFARI PACKING TIPS

Wild animals in national parks are often so used to human presence they won’t notice what you wear, so don’t stress about buying specialist safari kit.

1. Light and layered

Pack light, comfortable clothes that cover your arms and legs against insect predators, and layers that you can add or shed as temperatures fluctuate wildly from dawn to dusk.

2. Don’t overpack

If you’re flying on small planes, you’ll be limited to 15kg of soft luggage (many lodges offer a laundry service).

3. Protect yourself

Do pack the strongest, Deet-enhanced insect repellent you can find, as well as antihistamines and lotions to treat bites. Check with a travel medicine professional whether you need protection against malaria or other diseases.

4. Essential items

A head torch is incredibly handy. Other essentials: a broad-brimmed hat and sunscreen, and a power bank to keep your phone camera charged and ready.

5. Rug up

Don’t forget to save space in your luggage for a warm jacket and beanie for chilly pre-dawn game drives. Or, better still, wear them on the plane.

See also: 

Kendall Hill's top 13 rules for safaris

12 stunning new safari lodges in Africa

Which safari destination should you choose?