Tanzania safari FAQ

For July to October and the Christmas period, book six to nine months ahead. The best camps in the northern Serengeti sell out a year in advance. For other months three months is usually enough, and we can often arrange trips at shorter notice.

It depends on the season, which parks you visit, how long you travel and the standard of camp you choose, so we quote every trip individually rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most people. Park fees set by the Tanzanian authorities form a large part of any safari and are identical for every operator. Send us your dates and rough group size and you will have an itemised quote within 12 hours, with no obligation.

June to October is the dry season with the easiest game viewing and the Mara River crossings. January to March is green, quieter, and best for the wildebeest calving and for photography. April and May bring heavy rain and many camps close, though prices drop sharply.

Three days gives you a taste. Five to seven days is the sweet spot and covers the Serengeti properly. Ten days or more lets you slow down, add Lake Eyasi or the southern circuit, and stay with sightings rather than moving on.

Send an enquiry through the booking form. We reply within 12 hours with a detailed itinerary and quote. A 30 percent deposit confirms your camps and permits, with the balance due 45 days before arrival.

Bank transfer in USD or EUR and credit card through a secure payment link. Card payments carry a processing fee of around 3.5 percent, which we show clearly rather than hiding in the price.

More than 60 days before arrival: deposit refunded less an administration fee, stated in your quote. 60 to 30 days: 50 percent of the total. Under 30 days: 100 percent. Some luxury camps set stricter terms and we state those in your quote before you pay.

Your deposit confirms the trip and the balance is due before you travel, on the dates set out in your quote. Nothing is charged until you have read and accepted a written itinerary. If plans change, talk to us early: what we can recover from lodges depends on how much notice they get.

A Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 with a pop-up roof, guaranteed window seat for every guest, charging points, a cooler box and a refrigerator on longer trips. Vehicles are serviced before every departure and carry a radio and satellite phone.

Every guide is a professional wildlife guide who has worked the northern circuit for years, speaks fluent English and knows the parks well enough to read where the animals will be rather than chase radio calls. You are told who your guide is before you travel.

Better than most people expect. Lodges serve buffet or plated international menus, camps cook fresh three-course dinners, and picnic lunches are packed daily. Vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten free and any allergy can be accommodated with notice.

Most lodges and camps have wifi in the main area, though speed varies. Mobile coverage is good in Arusha, Karatu and around Seronera, and patchy elsewhere in the Serengeti. A local Vodacom or Airtel SIM costs a few dollars and works well.

Most nationalities do. Apply online at the official Tanzanian immigration eVisa portal, which takes about ten days, or buy one on arrival at Kilimanjaro International. The fee is set by Tanzanian immigration and differs for United States passport holders. Your passport must be valid six months beyond arrival with two blank pages.

Yellow fever is required only if you arrive from a country with a risk of transmission, which includes Kenya. Hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are commonly recommended. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for the parks. Speak to a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure.

Yes. The safari areas are well policed and tourism is central to the economy. Normal urban precautions apply in Arusha and Dar es Salaam: keep valuables out of sight, use hotel safes and avoid walking alone at night. Your guide stays with you throughout.

Neutral colours, layers for cold mornings and warm days, a fleece, a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a soft-sided bag if you have internal flights, which limit you to 15kg. We send a full packing list when you book.

Tipping is customary in Tanzania and genuinely appreciated, though always at your discretion. Your guide, the camp staff and, on Kilimanjaro, the whole mountain crew are usually tipped separately. We send suggested amounts by role in your pre-departure pack, so you arrive knowing what is normal rather than guessing.