Few things needed to be considered when you want to prepare/plan/arrange for a safari in Tanzania,is you need to book your safari to a specialized and experience tour operator, you need to have your own visa, cash, clothes and other things important to have on safari like camera for photo taking. Well, there are a few more things you may need to prepare before you head to Tanzania, and we have outlined them for you. From important documents and vaccinations, to even a suggested packing list, this article makes it easy to prepare for your safari in Tanzania.
If you’ve booked a safari in Tanzania there is a good chance you have an ‘all inclusive package’, meaning meals and accommodations are already arranged as part of your safari adventure. A best tour operator is identified by different characteristics;
• He or she must be honest
• Ensure security
• Empathy and enthusiastic
• Specialize in the area you want to visit
• Have good communication skill/ should communicate effectively
• Funny
Before getting your ticket flight make sure you arrange a date to go in Tanzania and the duration of safari.Most traveller have long holiday during December and short holiday June and July and other has holidays September this depends on the kind and type of work he/she does. So you need to arrange your specific date to be in Tanzania and length of your safari if you will do three days safari or more days.
Tanzania safari has three main international airports: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO); Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam (DAR); and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar (ZNZ). Getting your ticket earlier assure you to have a visit in Tanzania.
It is usually best to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is only 50 km from Arusha town - the safari hub of Northern Tanzania. This is the departure point for the majority of safaris.
Tanzania is a large country and these airports are very far from one another, so it is important that you book your arrival flight into the most convenient airport for your Tanzania safari, which is probably Kilimanjaro internal airport or JRO. This will save you both time and money; even if flying into Dar Es Salaam appears cheaper immediately, you will require a connection flight to Kilimanjaro or a long bus ride or other transport (long distance drive) if your safari is at one of the Northern parks, not to mention an overnight stay at a hotel, too.
It is essential that you have a valid passport for travel into Tanzania. Also, your passport must be valid for 6 months of travel after your arrival in Tanzania.In Tanzania safari passport must also have 3-4 blank pages for visa and immigration stamps.We also recommend having a photocopy of your passport with you, as a regular travel precaution.
Tanzania currently has two required vaccination for arriving visitors - Yellow Fever and Covid 19. In case of covid 19 Tanzania has established a system to vaccine all traveller who enter in Tanzania for any business. This helps to reduce the chance of spread of the disease. This vaccination is provided at the airport regardless you have vaccinated from your country. For those who will be positive with covid at the airport they will not allowed passing the gate and starting safari.
Yellow fever disease, This is required if you have come from or spent more than 12 hours in a country that is at risk of Yellow Fever prior to landing in Tanzania. You may be asked to present the vaccination certificate as proof, so make sure to keep this card with you when you travel to Tanzania.
Visa is important in any country you want to go. You will need to obtain a visitor’s visa for your safari in Tanzania. It takes 30 days up to 90 days to get a Tanzania Visa. Also visa can be obtained at the airport after arrival but good and recommend to apply for the visa while you are in your country or in advance through Tanzania’s new electronic visa available online through Tanzania Immigration service website. We recommend applying for online visa because otherwise it will be necessary to stand in line with other travellers to get an ordinary one.
Travel insurance in
Tanzania safari is important for those travelers. Your travel insurance cover many things in your safari such as
• Luggage loss
• Trip cancellation
• Flight delay
• Medication/ medical expenses
Holding money in cash is important in case of any emergencies that will happen. However, extra money will be used for going out for drinks,purchasing souvenirs and tipping hospitality staff are some circumstances where you may want to have some cash in local currency or in USD because this are not included in your package. Tips is given if a client satisfied with the service provided.
Note: Before you make Tanzania safari,talk to your bank and let them know you will be out of the country. Set up your debit and/or credit cards for international use. Make sure your PIN number is 4-digits long, to abide by ATMs in Tanzania.
If you want to bring cash to exchange, many banks across Tanzania offer foreign exchange services. ATMs and currency exchange at banks are typically only available in cities and towns in Tanzania. Arusha or Moshi are excellent locations to change money, if you plan on bringing cash with you to the Serengeti or another national park. You may pay in USD nearly everywhere, though you will need Tanzania shillings to make payments in local supermarkets.
Your packing list for a Tanzania safari should include light layers clothes and sensible attire. The weather in Tanzania is warm, but evenings and early mornings in the highlands or northern areas can be chilly. Tanzania is also on the equator, so the afternoon sun is very strong, so a hat and sunscreen are both strongly recommended.
Overall, there is no uniform needed for a Tanzania safari, feel free to pack whatever you like, but be mindful camouflage clothes are reserved exclusively for members of the Tanzania People’s Defense Force. Some of the clothes to pack are listed below.
● sweater
● long-sleeved shirts
● Hat or cap for sun protection
● 2 pairs of comfortable trousers
● Swim suit (many lodges have swimming pools)
● Pair of comfortable shoes for walking
In Tanzanisa Safari need to have a cameras and bino culars for taking wildlife and bird action information so there is a need to bring your own.
Bring a USB cable for your electronics.
Many
Tanzania safari cars offer USB charging ports right inside the vehicle, so you can keep your phone or camera charged throughout the drive in National Parks.
Feel free to bring your own snacks, but you’ll also have a boxed lunch or a hot lunch provided throughout your
Tanzania safari tour. Often, guests find the boxed lunch very filling, but there are some guests who want a little extra before suppertime.
If you have dietary restrictions, you may want to bring your favourite snack items from home. However, if you’d like to sample some of Tanzania’s local snacks, your safari guide should be able to help you get some fresh fruits (like bananas or mangos), peanuts, or local donuts from shops near the national parks.