How far in advance is it best to book a safari?

This depends on the time of year you want to come. Generally the most popular times are when most people go on vacation, which is June-August and December-March. We often take bookings for these periods two years in advance, so availability starts to get difficult if you reserve less than eighteen months in advance. Of course, if you are flexible with places to stay and activities, we can design a safari around what is available. At other times of year booking a year from six months in advance is best.         

What is the weather like in Tanzania?

The Tanzanian climate is tropical on the coast, on the islands, and in Selous. It is temperate inland and in the other parks. Tanzania has two distinct annual rainfall patterns, which prevail in different areas of the country: in the south, west, south-west and central regions of Tanzania the rainfall is unimodal - there is one rainy season, which occurs between December and April. In the northern and eastern regions of the country the rainfall is bimodal, with two rainy seasons. It can be difficult to predict, but the 'short rains' or usually occur from October to December, and the 'long rains' usually last from about March to May.

 What do you recommend for clothing while on safari?

Once you have confirmed your safari we will mail you the pre departure information package that will include all information’s relevant to your safari or you can quickly have a look on packing list page                                                  

Do you book international flights?

We can book all air charters and scheduled regional flights, but we do not book trans-continental or international travel. Please contact your local travel agent for these arrangements.

What are the accommodations like on Safari? 

Most of the lodges we utilize have teak furniture, tile bathrooms en suite, and in ground pools. In short, it is hard to oversell the luxury of the typical safari lodge located throughout Sub Saharan Africa. The safari lodges located in Africa are truly one of the best kept secrets of the resort world. All of the lodges we frequent have safe drinking water from deep wells, full bathrooms en suite with hot and cold running water, or private chalets with all the amenities of a fine hotel. All have electricity, most from diesel powered generators.

 What is the food like while on safari? 

Most safari camps & lodges offer a full three meal a day menu. You will be provided with fantastic full course meals prepared by excellent chefs. Wine and local beers are served with all meals. All meals include fresh vegetables and meats. A cooler box is usually on each vehicle which allows you to stop for a cold drink while watching a famous African sunset. If you have any special dietary needs or wishes we ask you to make us aware of this at the time of booking and a special menu will be prepared to accommodate your needs.

Does East Africa have the Big Five?

Yes, although it can be hard at times to see rhino, given their scarce status and shy nature.  The best area

so far is Ngorongoro Crater, but there is another Rhino population growing in the southern Serengeti around the Moru area

Will my electrical appliances work in Africa?

Most of eastern & southern Africa's electricity supply is 220 volts. Appliances of a lesser voltage require transformers and adaptors. Adaptor kits can be purchased  prior to your departure. Kits are recommended as the requirements and plugs differ from country to country in Africa.   British type plugs are used in east  african countries.

Do you provide flying doctors insurance?

Yes, we always include the temporary flying doctors insurance as it is very important in case of anything happens.            

Will I be able to recharge my camera equipments?

Yes, in most safari lodges and hotels you can always charge your batteries. Most of lodges in the bush only have electricity running from 6 pm to 11pm, so we advise our clients to bring car charges as this will help. At the mobile camps there will be also generators.

What type of camera gear should I take?

A good quality digital camera is a must.  On average, we see clients taking between five to nine hundred pictures while on a typical safari. We recommend taking sufficient memory sticks to accommodate these numbers. We also recommend an extra battery as well. There is electricity via a generator in every camp or lodge. “We recommend being cautious in regards to recharging electronic equipment’ and suggest that you bring a charger that will work with the safari vehicle”. 

 What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept wire transfer, credit card, check and paypal

Do you accept Credit Cards?

Yes we do accept credit cards but there will be a minor surcharge for processing fees. 

What are the luggage restrictions in Tanzania?

Most domestic carriers have a  per passenger luggage limit of 20kg, however the smaller (size of aircraft not business) carriers have a 15kg limit. For the smaller carriers and for your safari vehicles, the luggage must be in soft bags. If you are on an extended trip, most of the urban hotels will store your excess luggage – sometime for a fee. Some carriers will make allowance for extra photographic equipments, but if you exceed allowance, in most cases there will be an extra fee assessed.          

Can I bring my children on safari in Tanzania?

Yes. Many lodges in Tanzania do accept children and children of virtually any age are welcome on game drives because in East Africa all of the game drives in the national parks are done in closed vehicles with pop-up roofs. We do recommend if you are traveling with children that you travel by air as opposed to by road because distances by road are long, the conditions bumpy and the whole experience is quite trying when traveling with young ones 

Is it safe to drink the water?

No. We recommend that you drink bottled water which is readily available at all of the lodges/camps and hotels. Most always in the safari vehicle there will be bottled water and soft drinks.

 Do I get to meet the local people?

Yes, you will meet with local people in the town and in the parks. When stopping at villages on the way, you may encounter children running up to you and trying to chat with you, as they are just as intrigued with you as you are with them. Just have a good time with them. If you choose to visit local villages and spend more time learning, we arrange special trips for that purpose just let us know at the time of booking your trip.

What is the local currency?

The unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, but we recommend instead of exchanging your money that you rather carry small denominations of US Dollar cash with you. Ensure that any US currency you bring over is post-2000: pre-2000 US Dollars are not accepted due to a large number of counterfeit notes in circulation worldwide.

Major credit cards are accepted at many of the larger lodges and hotels, but should only be used as a back up plan because power failures or credit card machine errors are not uncommon

Is here a dress code?

There is no set dress code on safari in Tanzania. However, it is a conservative culture and at most lodges you will want to at least wear long trousers to dinner. Very revealing clothing is not recommended, especially in Moslems areas like Zanzibar, Lamu and Mombassa.

What kind of activities can one do on safari?

This varies greatly depending on where you are traveling. In the national parks, one goes on game drives during the day in closed vehicles with pop-up/hatches roofs, but no night drives or walking are permitted for safety reasons. In the private conservancies, many lodges offer both day and night drives as well as safari walks. Game drives in the private reserves are also sometimes in open vehicles.

What type of safari vehicle do you use?

We use only 4 x 4 Land Cruisers or Land Rovers as your safari vehicle. “Minivans are sometimes used only for transfers between airport, hotels and some lodges”                                

When is the best time to visit Tanzania?

For game viewing, the best time to visit Tanzania depends on your priorities. Much of Katavi National Park is accessible only during the dry season (June to mid-October), and this is also the best time to visit. In the Serengeti, the wet season is the best time to see the enormous herds of wildebeest, though the migration patterns vary and are difficult to predict. The dry season is best for seeing predators as they gather along the river and water courses.

The best months for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro are from August to October and from January to March. Tanzania is a year-round birding destination boasting over 1000 species, but it is particularly good at the height of the northern hemisphere's winter (December to February), when some 160 species of migratory birds make their way south.

How do we get there?

“The easiest entry for access to your safari is through Kilimanjaro Airport; however, you can also fly to Dar es salaam, Nairobi or Arusha. There are connecting flights from Dar es salaam and Nairobi to Arusha - the starting point of most safaris in Tanzania”

Can I customize my Safari?
Yes. All of our safaris are customized to fit your travel dates. On our website are examples of safaris ( Special Offers Safaris) to give you an ideas of your trip. From that we will work with you to develop an itinerary that meets your requirements

Can you give reference from your past clients?

“On our web site are comments from several of the safari group we have hosted. In addition, we can provide you with e-mail address or telephone numbers should you want to explore their comment in more depth.”