Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Tsavo National Park?
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 Tsavo National Park or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tsavo National Park and Cape Town can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tsavo National Park or Cape Town?
Tsavo National Park
Tsavo National Park is one of the largest and oldest parks in Kenya, located in the central part of the country in what was once known as the Taru Desert. Human activity in the park dates back to the Late Stone Age making the park a major archaeological and historical site. Tsavo is known for having beautiful natural landscapes and excellent game viewing.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Kenya, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Tsavo National Park Prices
Kenya PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTsavo National Park $139Cape Town $179
The average daily cost (per person) in Tsavo National Park is $139, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $179. 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 Tsavo National Park and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTsavo National Park $32Cape Town $83
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTsavo National Park $64Cape Town $166
Compare Hotels in Tsavo National Park and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Tsavo National Park or Cape Town? 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: Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tsavo National Park $59Cape Town $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers To Hermanus: $238
- Airport transfers: $24
- Retun Transfer - Cape Agulhas - Where Two Oceans Meet Cape Town : $144
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $58
- 1-3 Passenger Private Cape Town - Airport Transfer: $30
- Airport Transfer: $59
- Airport Transfers Cape Town: $59
- Airport and day tour transfers to Cape Town International Airport: $33
- Airport transfers in Cape Town: $33
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $270
- Arrival Private Transfer: Cape Town Airport CPT to Cape Town in Van: $79
- Arrival Transfer: CPT Airport to Cape Town in Business Car: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Tsavo National Park or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Tsavo National Park 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 dayTsavo National Park $65Cape Town $77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cape Malay Cooking with a Chef Founder: $30
- From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $73
- Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River: $77
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Sunset At Signal Hill Constantia Wine Tasting and Dinner: $83
- Half Day Cape Town African Dinner Restaurant with Live Music Show: $98
- Cape Town Shore Excursion| South African Cooking & Port Transfers: $106
- Private Street Food Tour of Cape Town with Local Guide: $108
- The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $117
- Cooking and Lunch Experience at SPYCED Restaurant: $136
- Private Tour : The Great Gatsby Food Tour Cape Town: $208
- Full Day Cape Peninsula, Robben Island and Gold 7 Course Dinner: $224
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tsavo National Park $46Cape Town $25
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Peninsula Sightseeing Small Group Tour from Cape Town: $2.68
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.57
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $4.16
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.72
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.72
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $5.05
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
- The Village in the City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.34
- Cape Town's original shoreline: a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Slavery in the Cape: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town's Slave History: $5.40
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Return Ticket : $5.73
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTsavo National Park $23Cape Town $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $12
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $14
- Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $15
- Urban Wine Tasting: $30
- Wine Tour at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl: $46
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $47
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour : $54
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $56
- Full Day shared Stellenbosch and Franschhoek Tram Wine Tasting : $72
- Cape Of Good Hope Seals, Penguins , wine Tasting Small Group : $80
- Cape Town City Tour with World of Birds and Wine Tasting : $81
- Table Mountain and Wine tasting in FranschHoek StellenBosch Paarl: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tsavo National Park and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Tsavo National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tsavo National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tsavo National Park 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town than you might in Tsavo National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tsavo National Park Expensive? and Is Cape Town 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.