Our job is to make your safari planning process easy and fast. Before starting your planning process, below are some of the most useful travel information. Go through them to get inspiration before booking for your next African safari tour. feel free to contact us for any questions.
Travel Information
Like any other bucket list vacation, a trip to Africa takes a lot of careful planning. Booking your African safari won’t be as easy as simply clicking a button.
There are tons of different safaris and safari companies to choose from. While this helps ensure the perfect safari for every type of traveler is out there, it also makes booking your trip a bit more confusing.
Narrowing down your African Safari plan
Do you need help narrowing down your options? these are some of the useful things you should consider when planning your safari to make sure you get the best experience possible.
- Your Budget
- Your Level of Comfort
- How Long You Want Your Safari to Be
- The Quality of the Company
- The Size of Your Group
- When You’ll Travel
- How You’ll Remember Your Trip Forever
- Destinations you are going to visit
African Safari Accommodation is as varied as the range of animals. With such an impressive diversity available, we take great care in selecting the accommodation that suits your style, taste, and budget. From rustic tented camps to exclusive safari lodges with the character of upmarket hotels. Each type of accommodation offers something unique.
Tented camps
Tented camps suit clients who want to experience a truly authentic safari and immerse themselves in the wilderness. It offers you the change of seeing wildlife close by. The camps are in general smaller and more intimate than lodges. They are set in stunning locations with great game viewing. Don’t let the word ‘tent’ mislead you. Many tented camps are luxurious properties offering the same, or even better, comfort levels as the lodges. You can expect private spacious tents on decking platforms, with comfortable beds, furniture, flush toilets, en-suite bathrooms, and sometimes a pool. Often they are more exclusive than lodges, which is the reason they sometimes cost more than a lodge.
There are two types of tented camps: permanent and mobile. The permanent tented camps allow greater infrastructure and facilities, such as larger tents, more comfortable furnishings, flush toilets, 24-hour lighting, and more staff. The advantage of mobile tented camps is that it allows guests to follow the wildlife and be as close to animals as possible.
Lodges
Lodges are perfect for travelers who like comfort and ease and to sleep behind four solid walls. During the day you can enjoy the game drives out in the bush and in the evenings all the facilities you would find in a hotel, like a swimming pool, bar, restaurant, gift shops and much more. Safari lodges are permanent facilities with solid walls made of brick and stone or other materials. In general, lodges are much bigger than tented camps. Of course, not all lodges are created equal and they have different levels of comfort and pricing. Most lodges consist of a number of buildings scattered across a plot of land.
You can choose to ‘mix and match’ the different styles of accommodation during your safari.
If you are interested in more Tanzania safari articles please visit our travel tips page, or contact us for personal advice.
Passport/Visa
A valid passport is required to enter Tanzania. It should be valid for at least 6 months from your expected entry date
International tourist visa can easily be obtained at airport arrival in Tanzania for 50$ per person for Europeans and 100$ per person for Americans. Visitors from other countries should check with the Tanzanian Embassy or the nearest Visa Service.
Vaccination
Please speak with your doctor and allow plenty of time to obtain the necessary immunizations.
Commonly recommended vaccinations:
Yellow Fever
Polio
Tetanus
Hepatitis A
Typhoid
Malaria
Malaria is a serious tropical disease that affects millions of people each year. Most areas in Tanzania are within a malarial zone, notably the coastal areas and lower elevations; and there are strains of malaria present that can be resistant to certain anti-malaria drugs. It is recommended that you take anti-malarial tablets before, during and after your stay in Tanzania. Please contact your doctor to get the best advice on which anti-malarial to take.
What to pack
No formal clothes are required, so we recommend that you keep your luggage to the basics. Traveling light is best as it takes less time to load your vehicle on travel days. Please use soft-side cases instead of hard suitcase.
Duffel bag or backpack
Khaki, green, beige and neutral colours (dark blue and black clothing should be avoided as it attracts Tsetse flies)
Shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, as protection from the sun, mosquitoes and Tsetse flies)
T shirts
Shorts or skirts
Jeans or safari trousers
A jacket and sweater are recommended for early morning and evening game drives
Lightweight water-proof jacket
Swim and beachwear
Comfortable walking shoes
Sun block, sunglasses, hat, moisturizer and lip-salve are all essentials
Strong but natural insect repellent
Camera equipment
Electricity adapter, Type G in Tanzania, for charging your electronics
Culture difference – have in mind
Tanzania is generally a safe, stable and friendly country but don’t invite temptation. Keep an eye on your belongings.
It is courteous and appreciated to ask permission before photographing local people.
Unsuitable clothing, such as brief shorts or swimwear, is not acceptable in towns and villages away from resorts. Covering of shoulders and legs is particularly for women strongly recommended.
Affection. Public displays of affection are disapproved of. Kissing, holding hands and hugging in the street are unacceptable. Yet friendly affection between members of the same sex is considered perfectly fine, such as holding hands among the same sex. However, homosexuality is not only taboo in Tanzania but is also illegal.
Bargaining. It is common to bargain in the markets and shops but not in supermarkets. Vendors usually raise up the price when they see foreigners coming. Therefore shopping with a local friend who knows the price and the language is a good idea.
Foreigner. If you are Asian, people will probably call you Chinese. No offense. This is understandable since Tanzanians have hardly met or seen any Asian except those of Chinese descent. As for white people, they will call mzungu. Tanzanians are very warm and friendly so they will try to talk to you in whatever occasion to practice their English. Yet, be cautious for they may have different motives.
- When considering a plan, take inventory of the components of your trip. Pre-paid vacation home rentals, car rentals, and event tickets are more unconventional items to insure, yet they can be costly if forfeited due to an unexpected circumstance. If these costs are added into the total pre-paid cost of the trip, a comprehensive travel insurance plan could protect you if your trip should be cancelled or interrupted.
At the camps and Tented lodges, chefs prepare fresh soups, breads, entrees and desserts daily, In most lodges, meals are served buffet-style. The food is often prepared with Western palates in mind (some local dishes are included).