Which place is cheaper, Kruger National Park or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Kampala or Kruger National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Kruger National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Kampala or Kruger National Park?
Kampala
Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa hugs the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the Crocodile River to the south. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, it hosts a variety of habitats with a thriving population of wildlife and indigenous plant species, making it a safari destination like no other.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in South Africa, and The Best 10-Day Tours in South Africa.
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Kampala Prices
Uganda PricesKruger National Park Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $78Kruger National Park $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $78, while the average daily cost in Kruger National Park is $90. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kampala and Kruger National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $61Kruger National Park $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $122Kruger National Park $94
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Kruger National Park
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Kruger National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Kampala Hotel Prices and Kruger National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.56Kruger National Park $24
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$4.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Private Transfer from Kampala to Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda: $79
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $79
- Guided City Tour with Private Transfers: $135
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- Full Day Kampala Religious Private Tour with Transfers: $150
- Entebbe Kampala Airport Transfer: $55
- Entebbe Airport pickup (Entebbe - Kampala) reliable 24/7 transfer: $48
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Airport Transfer from Entebbe to Kampala: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kruger National Park
Also for Kruger National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer from Greater Kruger to Gauteng: $60
- Transfer - Skukuza Airport to Southern Sabi Sand Reserve: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Kruger National Park?
Prices for flights to both Kruger National Park and Kampala change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayKampala $15Kruger National Park $27
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.
- Like a local cooking Tours: $26
- Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Cooking Class With a Local (Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe - 4 Hours): $56
- Three-Hour Food Tour: $71
- Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
- Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
- Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
- Fishing Village Food Tour & Luwombo Stop: $102
- Amazing Race - Food Tour: $103
- Kampala cooking tour: $133
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- Kampala food tour: $205
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Kruger National Park $21
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Equator Tour (Airpals Safaris tour): $100
- 1 Day Jinja & Source of the Nile River tour (female guided): $230
- 1 Day Jinja and the source of River Nile (Airpals Safaris Tour): $150
- 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $150
- 1 Day Kampala city tour: $162
- 1 Day Lake Mburo National Park safari, Game drive and Cruise: $394
- 1 Day Ngamba Island chimpanzee tour: $290
- 1 Day Shoebill Stork and Birding Experience : $190
- 1 Day Uganda Equator Tour.: $130
- 1 day kampala tour: $205
- 1-Day Uganda Rhino Trekking Tour Experience: $239
- 1/2 Mabamba Swamp Shoebill Tour : $130
Tours and Activities in Kruger National Park
For Kruger National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Citrus farm tours with Primos gin tastings: $22
- 90-minute Elephant Watching Experience in Hoedspruit : $72
- Full-Day Guided Tour in the Kruger National Park: $82
- Full Day Kruger National Park Tour: $95
- Sabie Game Reserve Sunset Safari Tour with Sundowners: $153
- Private Guided Panorama Full Day Tour : $167
- Private Full Day Kruger National Park Safari Tour from Hoedspruit: $177
- Kruger National Park Full Day Safari Tour: $204
- 3-Day Safari Tour and Treehouse Stay: $717
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Kruger National Park $4.04
Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:
- Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
- Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65
- Kampala Bar Crawl, Beer Tasting and Street Food (6 Hours): $71
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Kruger National Park, we can see that Kruger National Park is more expensive. And not only is Kampala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kampala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kampala and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Kruger National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kruger National Park than you might in Kampala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampala Expensive? and Is Kruger National Park Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.