A Costco Travel African safari can be a good choice if you want an organized safari package with comfortable lodges, transfers, game drives, and fewer separate bookings to manage. Costco currently offers African safari packages covering South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Victoria Falls, and other destinations, with many trips operated by Lion World Travel.
The important part is comparing more than the package price. Look closely at how many nights are actually spent on safari, the number of included game drives, lodge location, transfer time, airfare, park fees, and the specific Costco member benefit.
I checked the current Costco and Lion World Travel safari listings on August 21, 2026. Packages and member offers change regularly, so use the examples below as a guide and confirm the exact itinerary and price before booking.
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Key Points
- Costco currently sells African safari packages to destinations including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and Victoria Falls.
- Many Costco African safaris are operated by Lion World Travel, a company specializing in African safari vacations.
- Current Lion World safari prices start around $2,499 per person for some South Africa itineraries and climb well above $8,000 for higher-end Botswana and luxury South Africa trips. Costco pricing and member benefits may differ.
- Costco offers Kruger safari options. Current listings include an Explore Cape Town & Kruger itinerary as well as private-reserve safaris in the greater Kruger region.
- The best value is not necessarily the cheapest package. Safari nights, game drives, reserve location, transfers, and included airfare matter more than the headline trip length.
- Costco packages are best suited to travelers who value convenience. A custom or independently planned safari usually gives you more control over wildlife areas, lodge choice, photography time, and schedule.
Is a Costco Travel African safari worth it?
For many first-time safari travelers, it can be. Costco takes care of much of the complicated part of safari planning by packaging accommodations, transfers, safari activities, and other logistics into one itinerary.
The current selection is particularly strong for travelers looking for comfortable or luxury trips rather than the cheapest possible safari. Costco member benefits can include additional lodge nights, savings on certain departure dates, airfare on select East Africa packages, or other added value.
I would not choose a package based on the Costco benefit alone. First decide whether you like the safari itself. Then treat the extra night, airfare, discount, or other member benefit as a bonus.
- Best for: first-time safari travelers, couples, families, and travelers who prefer an organized itinerary.
- Less suitable for: serious wildlife photographers, travelers targeting a specific reserve or species, and budget travelers willing to organize their own trip.
Current Costco African safari packages
Costco Travel currently features a large selection of African safari vacations, with many operated by Lion World Travel. The exact offers change throughout the year, but these are representative of the trips currently being promoted.
| Safari | Destinations or focus | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Explore Cape Town & Kruger | Cape Town and Kruger National Park | A straightforward South Africa and Kruger safari |
| Best of South Africa | Cape Town and Kapama Private Game Reserve | First-time South Africa safari travelers |
| Luxury Tented Safari | Cape Town and Shamwari | Luxury lodge and tented-safari experience |
| Platinum South Africa | Cape Town and Sabi Sabi | High-end private-reserve safari |
| Best of Cape Town and Botswana | Cape Town, Okavango Delta and Chobe | Travelers prioritizing wilderness and Botswana |
| Best of Victoria Falls and Botswana | Victoria Falls and Botswana | Safari plus Victoria Falls |
| Luxury Kenya with Air | Kenya including the Maasai Mara | Classic East Africa safari with airfare on select trips |
| Discover East Africa with Air | Kenya and Tanzania | Travelers wanting both major East Africa safari destinations |
| Luxury Tanzania with Air | Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro | Tanzania wildlife and Serengeti-focused trips |
You can see the latest offers on the official Costco Travel African safari page. I would use Costco’s package list to narrow down the country first, then compare the actual safari nights and wildlife areas within each itinerary.
How much does a Costco African safari cost?
There is no single Costco African safari price. Cost depends on the country, season, accommodations, airfare, number of travelers, room type, safari camps, and the specific Costco member offer.
Current public Lion World Travel prices give a useful idea of the range you can expect. These are advertised starting prices per person based on double occupancy and should not be treated as guaranteed Costco prices.
| Safari example | Length | Current advertised starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Simply South Africa | 9 days | From $2,499 per person |
| Explore Cape Town & Kruger | 8 days | From $3,799 per person |
| Best of South Africa | 8 days | From about $4,000 per person |
| Luxury Tented Safari | 8 days | From $5,399 per person |
| Best of Cape Town and Botswana | 10 days | From $5,599 per person |
| Luxury Kenya | 10 days | From $5,999 per person |
| Luxury South Africa | 8 days | From $7,495 per person |
| Best of Victoria Falls and Botswana | 9 days | From $8,300 per person |
| Platinum South Africa | 9 days | From $8,699 per person |
Actual departure prices can be higher than the advertised starting price. For example, seasonal departures, sold-out lower-price dates, international airfare, single supplements, and upgraded accommodations can change the final total substantially.
Also compare what is included. A $5,000 safari with domestic flights, transfers, park fees, meals, and game drives can be better value than a $4,000 trip that leaves several of those expenses to you.
For a broader benchmark outside Costco, I break down independent, midrange, and luxury pricing in my guide to how much an African safari costs.
Costco African safari reviews: what should you look for?
If you are searching for Costco African safari reviews, I would pay more attention to reviews of the specific itinerary, safari operator, and lodges than to a general review saying someone liked or disliked “Costco Travel.”
Costco says member reviews for individual travel products become visible after at least five reviews have been received. That means some safari packages may have little or no review information displayed even when they are actively being sold.
The details that matter most in safari reviews are:
- How much time travelers actually spent on game drives.
- Whether transfers felt reasonable or consumed too much of the trip.
- The number of guests sharing each safari vehicle.
- Whether the lodge was inside the wildlife area or required driving to a park gate.
- The quality of the safari guides and trackers.
- How smoothly domestic flights, airport transfers, and lodge transfers were handled.
- Which meals, drinks, park fees, and activities were actually included.
A beautiful lodge can still be attached to a poorly paced safari. I would give more weight to comments about wildlife time, guides, transport, and itinerary design than comments about the hotel lobby or city portion of the trip.
What does a Costco safari package include?
Most Costco safari packages bundle the major logistics, but inclusions vary by itinerary. Read the day-by-day details rather than assuming everything is covered.
| Often included | Confirm before booking | Often extra |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels and safari lodges | Number and length of game drives | Guide and lodge staff tips |
| Some or most safari meals | Park and conservancy fees | Alcohol and some drinks |
| Airport and lodge transfers | Shared or private safari vehicle | Visas and passports |
| Scheduled game drives | International airfare | Travel insurance |
| Safari guides and trackers | Domestic or regional flights | Optional excursions |
| Costco member benefit | Small-aircraft baggage limits | Laundry and personal expenses |
The number I pay the most attention to is the number of full safari days. A ten-day itinerary that includes Cape Town, Victoria Falls, several flights, and multiple transfer days may actually provide less wildlife viewing than a shorter safari centered around one reserve.
Costco Travel African safari to Kruger: what to know
Yes, Costco offers safari trips involving Kruger National Park and the greater Kruger safari region. Costco’s current South Africa selection includes an Explore Cape Town & Kruger itinerary, along with packages using private game reserves elsewhere around northeastern South Africa.
The wording matters because Kruger National Park and the private reserves around Kruger are not the same safari experience.
A trip inside Kruger National Park follows national-park roads and rules. Private reserves can offer different accommodations, smaller properties, off-road wildlife viewing in certain situations, and game-drive experiences structured around the lodge.
Before booking a Costco Kruger safari, check the exact lodge or camp and locate it on a map. Do not assume that a package marketed around the Kruger region means every game drive takes place inside Kruger National Park.
If Kruger is the main reason for your trip, my Kruger National Park guide can help you compare the park itself with surrounding private reserves.
How the main Costco safari routes differ
South Africa
South Africa is probably the easiest starting point for a first safari. Costco currently has several South Africa options combining Cape Town with Kruger, Shamwari, Kapama, Sabi Sabi, and other safari areas.
It works particularly well if you want a safari plus restaurants, wine country, coastline, or a few city days without adding another country.
Botswana
Botswana is generally the more remote and expensive option. Okavango Delta itineraries often rely on small aircraft and remote safari camps, which increases cost but can provide a much more wilderness-focused trip.
Costco packages commonly combine Botswana with Cape Town or Victoria Falls. Check how many nights are actually in Botswana rather than judging the trip by its total length.
Kenya
Kenya is one of the strongest choices if the classic East African safari is what you have in mind. Current packages include routes through areas such as the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta, and other wildlife destinations.
Some Costco and Lion World Kenya packages include international airfare from New York, so airfare needs to be considered when comparing the price with a land-only South Africa itinerary.
Tanzania
Tanzania packages focus on major northern safari destinations such as Tarangire, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Costco also features combined Kenya and Tanzania itineraries for travelers who want to see both countries on one trip.
I would compare a combined itinerary carefully with spending the same amount of time in one country. Seeing more places sounds appealing, but each border crossing, road transfer, and flight takes time away from wildlife viewing.
How Lion World Travel fits into Costco safaris
Lion World Travel operates many of the African safari packages currently sold through Costco Travel. It specializes in African vacations and offers both small-group and custom safari itineraries.
This is useful to understand when comparing reviews. Costco is the booking channel and provides the member offer, while much of the actual African itinerary may be organized and operated through Lion World Travel and its local partners, guides, lodges, and transportation providers.
If you are researching a specific Costco package, search for reviews of both the exact trip and the safari operator. For a safari, I would also research the individual lodge because the lodge and guiding team can affect the experience more than the company whose name appears on the booking confirmation.
Costco African safari pros and cons
Pros
- Less planning: accommodations, transfers, and safari activities are organized into one itinerary.
- Member value: current offers can include extra lodge nights, savings, airfare, or another Costco-specific benefit.
- Established safari operator: many packages are operated through Lion World Travel rather than assembled through unrelated online bookings.
- Good range of destinations: the current selection includes South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and multi-country itineraries.
- Comfortable accommodations: Costco’s safari selection leans toward established midrange, upper-midrange, and luxury properties.
Cons
- Less flexibility: fixed packages give you less control over reserve choice, lodge choice, and trip pacing.
- Not necessarily the cheapest: Costco focuses heavily on comfortable and luxury safaris rather than bare-bones travel.
- Some itineraries cover a lot of ground: city stops, multiple countries, and transfers can reduce actual safari time.
- Shared game drives: this can be limiting if photography is your priority or you want to spend longer at particular sightings.
- Package names can hide important differences: two eight-day trips can provide very different amounts of wildlife time.
Questions to ask before you book
Before paying a deposit, I would get clear answers to these questions:
- How many nights are spent at safari lodges or camps?
- How many morning and afternoon game drives are included?
- How long is each game drive?
- Is the lodge inside the park or reserve?
- How many guests can be seated in the safari vehicle?
- Is a window seat guaranteed?
- How much time is spent on road transfers or connecting flights?
- Are park and conservancy fees included?
- Which meals and drinks are included?
- Are domestic or regional flights included?
- What are the baggage limits for small aircraft?
- What gratuities should be budgeted separately?
- What happens if an international flight delay causes a missed safari connection?
These answers make it much easier to compare packages that initially look similar. I would generally choose an extra night in a good wildlife area over another hotel upgrade or short sightseeing stop.
Costco vs booking a safari yourself
| Costco safari package | Independent or custom safari |
|---|---|
| Fewer individual reservations | More control over every lodge and reserve |
| Predetermined itinerary | Flexible dates and trip length |
| Member benefit may improve value | Potentially lower price with a simple itinerary |
| Transfers are organized for you | You choose how much time to spend in each area |
| Good for a first safari | Better for highly specific wildlife goals |
| Shared trip structure | Easier to build around photography or private guiding |
Compare like with like. The correct comparison is not simply Costco’s package price versus the price of a lodge booked online. Add accommodations, park fees, game drives, transfers, meals, domestic flights, and other included services before deciding which option costs less.
Costco African safari FAQ
Does Costco Travel use Lion World Travel?
Yes. Many of Costco Travel’s current African safari packages are offered through Lion World Travel. Costco also sells some Africa tours through other guided-vacation companies, so check the operator listed on the exact trip.
Does Costco offer a safari to Kruger?
Yes. Costco currently promotes an Explore Cape Town & Kruger itinerary through Lion World Travel. Other South Africa packages use private reserves in or around the broader Kruger safari region, so verify the exact location before booking.
Does Costco offer Kenya and Tanzania safaris?
Yes. Costco currently promotes Kenya, Tanzania, and combined Kenya-Tanzania safari itineraries. Some East Africa packages also include international airfare from New York.
Does Costco offer Botswana safaris?
Yes. Current offerings include Botswana itineraries featuring areas such as the Okavango Delta and Chobe, along with trips combining Botswana with Cape Town or Victoria Falls.
Does Costco offer an Angama safari?
I could not find an Angama-specific safari among Costco’s current public African safari listings when I checked on August 21, 2026. Older listings or limited offers may still appear in search results, so verify availability directly with Costco before planning a trip around Angama.
Does a Costco African safari include airfare?
Some packages include airfare and others are land-only. Current East Africa examples include packages advertised with international airfare from New York, while many South Africa trips list airfare separately. Check the exact departure gateway when comparing prices.
Do you need a Costco membership to book a Costco Travel safari?
Costco Travel is intended for Costco members. Expect to sign in with membership information when viewing certain details or completing a booking and receiving the applicable member benefit.
Should you book an African safari through Costco?
A Costco African safari makes the most sense if you want someone else to organize the complicated parts of the trip and you are comfortable following a set itinerary. The current selection gives you legitimate safari choices ranging from relatively accessible South Africa trips to more expensive Botswana and East Africa itineraries.
I would start with the wildlife destination rather than Costco itself. Decide whether South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, or Tanzania fits the safari you want. Then compare the lodge location, number of safari nights, game drives, transfers, airfare, and total price.
If the Costco itinerary already fits what you want, the member benefit can make it a very competitive way to book. If you find yourself compromising on the reserve, safari time, or route just to get the Costco deal, I would keep looking.
If you are still comparing destinations and safari styles, start with my African safari planning guides.
