Can you travel without an agency in Tanzania or Kenya?

Hi there! 🙂

Once again, I’m back looking for advice

So, here’s the thing: in September, I’m planning a trip to Africa. There’ll be four of us—my husband, my 24-year-old daughter, my 20-year-old son, and me.

I’ve had this idea in my head for a while, but now it’s starting to feel real. The tricky part is that I’m on team "I organize my trip without an agency and handle things on the spot." But here’s the catch—my husband, who’s usually up for anything, doesn’t want to hear about a do-it-yourself trip. From what I’ve gathered, only Namibia allows that if I’m not mistaken. But if it’s possible in Tanzania (or maybe Kenya), I think I could convince him.

Anyway, here’s my first double question—more will probably follow! Can you travel without an agency in Tanzania? If not, which agency would you recommend, given that I live in Belgium?

Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Hi there,

Yes, it’s possible to travel without an agency in Kenya or Tanzania.

But it’s not as easy to organize, and prices are steeper than in other "safari" countries.

A 4x4 is mandatory.

There are travel journals from self-drive travelers on this forum.

For a first trip to Southern Africa, South Africa is the most budget-friendly option—both in terms of planning and costs. It’s no more complicated to organize than any trip in Europe.

Namibia is a bit trickier to plan and less affordable.

Botswana is also doable, but prices skyrocket (a 4x4 is mandatory, and you need to know how to use it). Booking campsites inside the parks isn’t straightforward since the system isn’t very digitalized.

In short, all these countries are possible, but not all are easy to prepare.

Hi Patricia,

Yes, you can do Tanzania as a self-drive trip and even without prior reservations. Our trip was in 2018, so things might have changed since Covid, but if you're interested, you can check out our travel journal here !

Hi Patricia, I’ve done two three-week trips to Tanzania without an agency. To get around, I took buses, which are plentiful and really cheap. Obviously, I went there to meet people, not animals, so I don’t know anything about park entry fees and can’t help you with that. I have two travel journals (2009 and 2014) you can check out—they might give you some ideas or inspire you to see certain things. I’m happy to answer any questions, and on top of that, we’re practically neighbors.

Thanks for your really encouraging replies.

We traveled solo by booking everything from France, including the safari (through a local African agency in Arusha). Everything is very straightforward.

Just be careful—mzungus (us "white" folks) are seen coming with our big boots and pockets full of cash... so everything’s negotiable! I remember in Stone Town, a taxi driver was asking for over 25 € to go from my hotel to the city center (maybe 5 km), while that’s the price of renting a car for the whole day!!!

Just a quick note (a small detail): "Mzungu" does mean "white person," but "white people" is "wazungu."

Yeah, I know, but I wasn’t too worried about that detail—when you're traveling solo, they call you *mzungu* !

Hi there, We spent 15 days in Kenya last month with our 12-year-old daughter. We booked the first two nights and then reserved our accommodations as we went along, depending on our mood. We traveled with our bags and backpacks, using matatus and renting a jeep with drivers through our hotels for our days in the parks. So, a big YES—Kenya can be explored without an agency, and the hospitality of Kenyans is perfectly suited for it. Happy planning!

Hi,

In the end, we left it too late. Since the trip couldn’t happen according to our plans, it’s been postponed to 2026.

hi could I get your itinerary? it’d really help me out thanks I’m leaving soon in May yves2020@hotmail.fr

Hi Yves,

My itinerary isn’t set in stone yet. Since I’ve put 2025 on hold, I’m focusing on my USA trip for September 2025 (which is coming together slowly 😕) before planning Namibia.

I should get to it in the next three or four weeks at the latest. I’m afraid that’ll probably be too late for you, though.

Happy planning! !

Hi there,

I did a "DIY everything on the spot" trip. Check out my travel journal. We spent around fifty days there.

Thanks so much for your reply

thanks!

A small clarification. It's easier to organize things yourself on-site during the low season. Agency owners have vehicles that aren't being used and safari drivers who are out of work.

So, it's easier to rent an expedition jeep and hire a safari driver yourself. Usually, I stay 2-3 days at my arrival point and take the opportunity to make contacts through the hotel staff where I'm staying.

There's always someone who knows someone who can find something!

So, I try to find a friend, an uncle, a cousin, or someone else who knows the area and can help me organize everything.

That way, I was able to hire a driver who had his own car for nearby visits, and he had contacts with agency owners to find a vehicle. Then, we make reservations as we move toward the parks.

A safari driver is even more important because in many regions, Swahili is often the only language spoken.

Hi there, I just read Planning Namibia It’s definitely best to plan **way** in advance. Prices have skyrocketed, especially for cars. And in some areas, things get booked **super** far ahead. This is the second time I’ve been caught out…

Does this have anything to do with the topic?