Tanzania Travel Tips
Welcome to tremendous Tanzania, a safari destination on the East coast of Africa . Have you got any questions about how to plan a safari in
Tanzania or your upcoming luxury African safari? Whether they relate to weather, healthcare, or safety, this page should have all the answers…
Vital Statistics
Weather in Tanzania
Safety First
Is it safe to go on safari in Tanzania ?
Tanzania is one of the safest countries in Africa and you shouldn’t encounter any major hassles as you travel around the country with Sassabi Expeditions. Our local safari expert guides take safety very seriously, and will go out of their way to ensure you come to no harm. We work with only the most competent and experienced guides and ensure that proper evacuation plans in wildlife areas are always available so that you will always stay safe during your travels with us
For your part, we recommend that you pay attention to any travel advisories and exercise common sense –we advise against walking around alone at night, for example, or leaving your possessions unattended in public.
Travel Documents
Money Matters
Vaccine Requirements
Malaria Precautions
Tanzania is a tropical African country with a climate that’s favorable to the Anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria. Although this iconic wildlife destination in Africa is safer to visit than many would think, there is a risk of contracting malaria in areas of Tanzania lower than 6,000 ft, especially during the rainy season (April – May & end of November – December).
Most of our beach holidays and luxury safaris are carefully planned with safari seasons and locations in mind, to minimum risk, our Big Five Family safari holidays being a case in point.
Prevention is always better than cure. That’s why our safari pack urges you to bring repellant, wear long clothing (especially in the evenings), and use the mosquito net provided by your Tanzania safari lodge or hotel. We also suggest talking to your doctor about possibly taking malaria medication for the duration of your visit, for further peace of mind during your dream safari holiday.
What airport do you fly into for safaris in Tanzania
Tanzania has two large international airports: Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha services the wildlife safari destinations known as the Northern Circuit, namely the Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks and the other popular safari attractions of the Northern Circuit. Dar es Salaam International Airport is more practical for travelers visiting the hidden safari gems of the Southern Circuit (Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park, Udzungwa Mountain National Park) and the Western circuit (Mahale National Park, Katavi National Park, Gombe Stream National Parks), not to mention the mystical Zanzibar Island and its alluring beaches.
Both Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam receive direct flights from several major airports, including Amsterdam, Doha and Dubai. The KLM/Delta flight that stops in Amsterdam is especially popular and Ethiopia Airlines also has a useful connection to Kilimanjaro International Airport. For more information about getting to and from Tanzania, click here.
Please communicate your airline arrangements and arrival schedule with your safari expert or safari director – and feel free to ask us for suggestions. On arrival, your Sassabi Expeditions guide will meet you at the airport with a KARIBU (welcome) card as you exit the luggage check point.
A Day on Safari
Going on an African safari is a genuine bucket list experience. What to expect on safari in Tanzania is a question for every first-time safari goer, that is why how to choose a good tour operator is very important and we recommend our guests to book us in advance for best safari planning.That’s why, from the moment you arrive in Tanzania to the moment you leave our shores, “We will treat you like family.” As part of our “Your world, your way” promise, you get to decide what activities you do each day and your preferred travel style. If you prefer to spend the whole day game viewing, you are very welcome to do so: our guests are not restricted on mileage, fuel or how they want to utilize our safari services. We pride ourselves on being a flexible safari company, and our staff are all passionate about creating “luxury in the wild” for our safari dreamers.
Some days you might want to start your safari by sunrise, but on other days you may prefer a slower pace, only setting off after breakfast. We recommend sitting with your safari guide at dinner and telling them how you enjoyed the day and if you have any preferences for the following day. All of our guides are experts who have spent years and years in the bush: you can be assured that they will deliver on all of your Tanzania luxury safari wishes. For safety reasons, Tanzania’s National Parks don’t allow you to safari before 6 am or after 6 pm.
We are a luxury safari company offering safari dreamers once-in-a-lifetime experiences. As a tailormade safari company, we always put the same group/family together. In other words, we won’t put you in a vehicle with people you don’t know. Your vehicle will be for the exclusive use of your family/group or if you are on honeymoon, our honeymooner safari package will ensure that your pop-up roof safari Landcruiser will be only for the two of you.
Children on Safari
Sassabi Expeditions welcomes “Young explorers” to Africa. Many of our guests say that a safari is the best experience you can ever give a child as the opportunities for learning, inspiration, growth and wonders are endless. Our experience curating Tanzania luxury safaris over many years has shown that children older than six are old enough to appreciate the safari experience – provided you plan with the children in mind.
Instead of taking long trips on rough roads on your Serengeti family safari, for example, we recommend a good combination of short drives and fly-in safaris. We also know that most lodges will provide additional bed(s) for up to two children under the age of 11 when sharing a room with their parents. Indeed, our experts are well versed in every aspect of planning a safari for families travelling with children: we know which lodges, hotels and safari programs will work for your exact situation.
Click here to select a family Tanzania safari package or drop us an email: our experts will gladly curate a family friendly safari that guarantees you the experience of a lifetime.
Luggage Restrictions
Fly-in safaris are extremely convenient, but – for your own safety – they are subject to some luggage limitations:
- Maximum luggage weight (including hand luggage) of 23kg (50lb).
- Luggage should be packed in soft bags (soft duffel type bags are ideal) rather than rigid suitcases and ideally needs to fit within a 70 x 25cm baggage pod. No hard shell luggage or suitcases are allowed.
- If you plan to take excess luggage or photographic equipment on this journey please request a quote per kg as this needs to be booked well in advance and will depend on availability.
- Excess luggage will be charged at the prevailing freight rate. The carriage of excess baggage will be determined after taking into consideration the number of passengers booked, the aircraft dispatched, airstrip altitude, etc and the fuel requirements determined by the distance to be travelled. Speak with your safari consultant should you have excess luggage requirements
Hotels and Lodges
Tanzania offers a wide choice of accommodation options, ranging from authentic safari tented lodges and luxury camps, through to deluxe luxury lodges and ultra-high-end accommodations. Sassabi Expeditions selects unique lodges and hotels in Tanzania based on excellent reviews and our yearly inspections criteria. We then handpick the best accommodations for you based those criteria to match on your safari budget and preferences.
While you can see some of our preferred Tanzania luxury lodges on our accommodation page, we haven’t listed all the hotels and lodges we work with. We prefer owner-run establishments that will treat our guests in alignment with our Quest Guarantee: “We treat you like family.” All of our hotels have comfortable bathroom facilities and spacious rooms, and are furnished with twin beds (if you require a king-size bed, we advise booking well in advance.) They are well furnished with dressing tables and wardrobes, and safe luggage storage facilities. Our preferred lodges boast balconies with spectacular views over the African savannah, and are equipped to deliver every sort of comfort on safari. Most of the accommodation in Tanzanian national parks operates on solar power and/or generators but you will, at the very least, be able to have hot showers in the morning and evening.
Healthcare Emergencies
We highly recommend that you purchase both travel and medical insurance from a reputable insurance carrier before visiting Tanzania. Your safari travel insurance to Tanzania is mandatory, traveling to Zanzibar Island, will require an addition mandatory travel insurance purchased at US$ 44 per person directly from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, prior to arrival. This may be purchased online from the Zanzibar travel insurance.If you have a medical emergency, Sassabi Expeditions will assist you to book a medevac flight to the nearest private hospital in Tanzania. In the case of a serious emergency, we recommend flying direct to Nairobi, in Kenya, which is home to the best hospitals in East Africa. Medevac facilities are accessible from any of our identified Tanzania airports and airstrips.
Food Matters
At your luxury Tanzania lodge or hotel, you can expect to eat modern Western cuisine – with some delectable African twists. Experienced chefs make use of Tanzania’s abundant fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, and you can expect delicious seafood if you spend any time in Zanzibar or on the coast. If you have any specific dietary requirements or preferences, please speak to your safari expert before you travel. All of our accommodation partners are experienced in catering for specific diets.
We recommend drinking bottled water when traveling in Tanzania. While on safari your lodge will typically provide you with clean drinking water. All hotels and lodges have bottled water, although this may be charged at an extra cost if you are not on an all-inclusive safari package.
We do not recommend eating salads or fruits in local restaurants around town. Our high-end hotels and lodges all clean their local produce in antiseptic solutions, with fruit being peeled and cleaned properly to be on the safe side. If you are in Zanzibar or other coastal areas of Tanzania, fish and seafood is generally fresh. While on safari, we recommend ordering your food well cooked.
Additional Costs
Your safari package will include all accommodation, most meals, 4WD safari vehicle (with pop-up roof and guaranteed window seating) and fuel, park fees, services of drivers and guides. There are no hidden costs on our safari packages. Any additional costs like tips to drivers and staff, laundry services, bar beverages, phone calls, souvenirs and visas will be listed on the quote, making it easy for you to plan your safari well. Additional costs are typically only those of a personal nature.
Safari Costs
How much does a safari in Tanzania cost depends on several factors. A safari to Africa is not cheap but that is not to say that you have to break the bank. A carefully curated mid-range safari typically costs from $550 up to 750pp/day in low season and high season respectively. While a typical luxurious safari costing approximately $700 up to 1,270pp/day during the low and high season respectively, will ensure you an ultra-luxury safari for a private party cost in the region of $1,800 up to 3,150pp/day.
Our experience shows that opting for a well-planned safari with careful attention to details will save you money in the long run and ensure you do not overshoot your budget. Your safari cost is determined by the level of accommodation, length of stay, chosen locations and safari interests and level of privacy and exclusivity, among other factors. We have tried to provide some indications in the Safari Cost chart below to give you an idea for Tanzania Safaris.
Although many factors affect the cost of a safari per day, our experts pride themselves on designing safari packages that are safe, memorable, impactful, and luxurious yet enjoyable. Most importantly, we make sure that you’ll have lots of fun in Tanzania!
| Midrange Comfortable Safari | Luxury Safari | High end Luxury Safari | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | High | Low | High | Low | High |
| $550 | $750 | $700–1,270 | $1,350–1,550 | $1,550 | $1,800–3,150 |
| Midrange Comfortable Safari | |
|---|---|
| Low | High |
| $550 | $750 |
| Luxury Safari | |
|---|---|
| Low | High |
| $700–1,270 | $1,350–1,550 |
| High end Luxury Safari | |
|---|---|
| Low | High |
| $1,550 | $1,800–3,150 |
Drones
Due to security reasons, the use of drones is restricted especially in National Parks.
Further Questions?
Still got questions? Contact the Sassabi Expeditions team and we will gladly answer them…
