Frequently asked questions

Most travellers do. Apply online on the official e-visa site (eservices.immigration.go.tz) or get one on arrival at Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar airport. Your passport must be valid for six months after you leave.

June to October is dry and best for game viewing and the river crossings. January to March is calving season around Ndutu. April and May are the wettest and cheapest months.

Yellow fever is required if you arrive from, or transit through, a yellow fever country. Ask your clinic about hepatitis A, typhoid and malaria tablets.

Kilimanjaro International (JRO) for safaris from Arusha. Fly-in safaris from the coast start at Zanzibar (ZNZ).

Yes. It should cover medical emergencies, evacuation and cancellation.

Joining: you share the Land Cruiser with up to 6–7 travellers on a set date, so it costs less. Private: only your group, on your dates.

Park fees, the vehicle and guide, meals, drinking water and the accommodation listed. Flights, visa, tips and optional activities are extra.

On most private and fly-in safaris, yes. Each safari page lists it under Included; if it’s not there, ask us to add it.

Yes. The Ngorongoro Crater is the most reliable place for black rhino; lions, leopards, elephants and buffalo are seen across the northern parks.

Yes. Many guests fly to Zanzibar after the safari, or start there with a fly-in safari.

Yes, as an optional stop paid locally. Villages beside the main road can feel staged; ask your guide for a quieter one.

Send us your dates and style. We reply with an itinerary and price, hold the lodges, and confirm when your deposit arrives.

20% for camping safaris and 40% for lodge safaris. Luxury and tailor-made trips can need more, because lodges ask for payment in advance.

By card through our Pesapal payment page (a 4% bank surcharge applies), by bank transfer in US dollars, or the balance in cash on arrival.

On a group safari about US$15–20 per guest per day for the guide and US$10–15 for the cook. See the tipping guide for private safaris and Kilimanjaro.

Yellow fever is required if you arrive from or via a yellow fever country. Hepatitis A and typhoid are usually recommended, and malaria prevention for the parks and the coast. Ask your doctor or travel clinic before you go.

Yes. The safari areas, Arusha and Zanzibar are generally safe for visitors. Use the same sense you would anywhere: keep valuables out of sight and take care in crowded places.

Yes. Choose cover for medical emergencies and evacuation, cancellation, and the activities you plan, such as climbing.

The Serengeti for the Great Migration and big cats, the Ngorongoro Crater for black rhino and dense wildlife, Tarangire for elephants and baobabs, and Lake Manyara for forest, birds and tree-climbing lions. Ruaha and Nyerere in the south are wilder and quieter.

About two million wildebeest, zebra and antelope move in a loop through the Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara, following the rain. Calving is around Ndutu from January to March; the river crossings are in the north from about July to October.

Yes: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. The Ngorongoro Crater is your best chance for rhino; the Serengeti for lions and leopards.

Private means the vehicle and guide are yours, with your own pace and plan. A group (joining) safari shares the vehicle with other travellers on set dates, which costs less. We run both.

Luxury lodges, tented camps and public campsites. Each safari lists where you sleep, and our lodges-and-camps pages show each property.

By road in a pop-up-roof Land Cruiser, or by light aircraft between airstrips to save time. We can mix both.

Park fees, game drives in the Land Cruiser, your guide, accommodation and meals as listed, and airport transfers where stated. Each safari page lists exactly what is and isn’t included.

On most safaris, yes, and the page says so. If not, ask and we’ll add them to your quote.

Yes, as an add-on to most safaris. You’ll learn about Maasai traditions and semi-nomadic life, and often join a dance.

Dress modestly away from the beach, greet people with “Jambo” or “Habari”, ask before photographing anyone, and keep a respectful distance from wildlife.

Try ugali (maize porridge), nyama choma (grilled meat), mandazi (sweet fried dough), and Zanzibar’s spiced seafood and biryani.

Yes, and many guests do: fly from Arusha or the Serengeti to Zanzibar after the safari, or start in Zanzibar with a fly-in safari.

Neutral-coloured clothes, comfortable shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, binoculars, a camera and a reusable water bottle. See our full packing lists.