Tanzania travel questions
What people ask us before they book: how long to go for, what drives the cost, what to sort out before you fly and what a safari day is like.
Planning a trip
How long do I need for a Tanzania safari?
Three days is the shortest trip worth taking on the northern circuit, and it buys you Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater. Five to seven days lets you add the Serengeti without spending most of it driving. Two weeks lets you combine the northern parks with Zanzibar, or reach the southern parks, which are quieter and take longer to get to.
When is the best time to visit Tanzania?
June to October is the dry season: animals gather at water, the grass is short and visibility is best. January and February are dry, hot and good for calving season on the southern Serengeti plains. The long rains fall roughly March to May, when some camps close and prices drop. Short rains usually fall in November. There is no month with no wildlife.
Which parks should I combine?
The northern circuit combines easily: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti sit within a day of each other by road. The southern parks, Nyerere, Mikumi and Ruaha, are a different trip from a different airport and are best not mixed into a short northern itinerary. Zanzibar works after either, because a short flight separates the parks from the coast.
Can I travel with children?
Yes. Long drive days are the limiting factor rather than the wildlife, so a family itinerary usually means fewer parks and longer stays in each. Tell us the ages when you enquire and we will plan around them.
Costs and booking
What does a Tanzania safari cost?
There is no single answer, and any operator who gives you one before asking about your trip is guessing. The price is driven by the number of days, which parks you enter and their entry fees, whether the trip is private or shared, the season, the group size and the level of accommodation. Tell us those and we will send a costed itinerary rather than a bracket.
Why do park fees make such a difference?
Tanzanian national park entry fees are set by the government per person per twenty-four hours, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area charges separately again. On a short trip they are often the single largest line in the cost, which is why adding one more park changes the price more than adding one more night.
Is a private safari worth it over a group one?
A private trip means your own vehicle and guide, so you decide when to leave, how long to sit with a sighting and when to stop. A shared trip costs less per person because the vehicle cost is split. For photography, for families and for anyone who dislikes being on someone else's schedule, private is worth the difference. For solo travellers on a budget it usually is not.
How do I book?
Send us your dates, group size and rough interests. We reply with a suggested route and a costed itinerary, and we redraft it until it fits. Nothing is charged while we are planning.
Before you travel
Do I need a visa for Tanzania?
Most nationalities do. Many can apply online in advance through the Tanzanian immigration e-visa service, and many can still obtain one on arrival. Requirements differ by passport and change without much notice, so check the official Tanzanian immigration website for your own nationality rather than relying on any tour operator's page, including this one.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers arriving from, or transiting through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. If you fly in directly from Europe or North America you usually do not. Because it depends on your exact routing, check with a travel clinic well before you fly, and carry the certificate if one applies to you.
What should I pack for a safari?
Neutral colours, layers for cold early mornings and hot afternoons, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, any personal medication, a soft bag rather than a hard case for light aircraft, and binoculars. Plugs are UK-style three pin. Laundry is available at most camps, so pack less than you think.
Is Tanzania safe?
The parks and the tourism areas are generally calm, and normal city precautions apply in Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Stone Town. Wildlife is managed by keeping to the vehicle and following your guide, who is licensed and does this every day. Travel insurance covering medical evacuation is strongly advised for any safari, wherever you book it.
Will I have phone signal and internet?
Mobile coverage is good in the towns and patchy in the parks. Most camps and lodges have wifi in the public areas, and it is usually slower than you are used to. A local SIM is inexpensive and works well along the main routes.
On the trip
What is a typical safari day?
An early start, because the animals are active at dawn and the light is best. A game drive of three or four hours, back for breakfast or a packed one, then rest through the hottest part of the day, then out again in the late afternoon until the parks close at sunset. Full-day drives with a packed lunch are common in the Serengeti, where distances are longer.
Will I see the Big Five?
Often, but no operator can promise it, and one who does is telling you something they cannot control. Lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard are all realistic on a northern circuit trip. Rhino are the difficult one: the Ngorongoro Crater is the most reliable place in Tanzania to see them and it is still not guaranteed.
What language will my guide speak?
English. Tanzanian guides are licensed and English is the working language of the industry here. If you need another language, ask when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether we can arrange it.
Can you cater for dietary requirements?
Yes, with notice. Vegetarian, vegan, halal and allergy requirements are all workable if we know before the trip is booked, because remote camps order supplies days ahead. Tell us when you enquire rather than on arrival.
Question not answered here?
Ask us directly. We reply from Arusha, and we would rather tell you something is not realistic than sell it to you.