Travel preparation Tanzania

Travel documents

Tourist visa

In order to travel in Tanzania, a tourist visa is required. Apply for this at the consulate or online via their site. We suggest you do this well before your departure date. It will take about 4 working days to process and is valid for three months. Other document requirements when you apply for a visa are: a copy of your flight itinerary or e-ticket. So, reserve your flights before applying for a visa.

Valid Passport

The consulate requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date in Tanzania.

Healthcare

Healthcare in Tanzania is of a reasonable standard, but facilities can vary in different regions. However, if you need specific medication, be very sure you carry sufficient supplies and a medical passport with you. Chemists and medical supplies are few and far between in some areas.

Further requirements and advice:

Obligatory: vaccination against Yellow fever [unless one is over 65 years of age or have a specific medical condition. In both cases, one needs a letter from your GP stating that vaccination is not required due to age or medical contra-indication.
Obligatory: a stamp in your vaccination book or a letter stating that one comes from a cholera-free area/country.
Strongly advised: Hepatitis A and DTP (Diptherea, Tetanus and Polio)
Strongly advised: anti-malaria medication (tablets)
Strongly advised: Preventative measures against malaria. Use Deet 50% or higher (lotion or spray), wear long-sleeved shirts/blouses, long trousers and tuck trouser-legs into your socks.

For up-to-date medical advice, we refer you to your GP, local GGD or travel clinic. Inform yourself 4-6 weeks before departure.

Luggage

For your safari, we advise that you travel with a soft case/bag or backpack with a maximum weight of 20kg. This is due to limited space in the safari vehicle. The luggage which you will not need during your safari [i.e. only for your on-going destination], can be left in Arusha and collected after the safari. Speak to your guide to arrange this.

What to pack

Lightweight cotton clothing in ‘earth’ colours i.e., no bright or dark colours
T-shirts or polo shirts and shorts
Shirts with long sleeves and long trousers (lightweigt)
Fleece or jersey pullover, as the temperature drops significantly after sunset
Sturdy walking shoes and a pair of sandals
Cap or hat against the sun
Sunglasses
Sun protection lotion with high UV factor
Headlamp and/or torch
Power adapter to fit UK style electrical socket
(Solar) power bank and extra batteries for e.g. cameras
Anti-insect (malaria) lotion/spray like Deet 50% or higher
Personal medication, anti-malaria tablets and ORS powders and medication against diarrhoea
Binoculars
Copy of passport, visa, flight documents and Insurance details/card
Credit card
Sufficient cash (USD issued 2004 or later) and Tanzanian Shilling, withdrawing money is not always possible

Tips and fees

While tipping is discretionary, it is common practice to give your guide and/or cook something extra for his services, advice and expertise. An amount of $ 8,00 – $10,00 per day per guest for the guide and cook each, is reasonable.

Electricity and voltage

In Tanzania the grid power / AC power in hotels and other accommodation is 220-240 volt. The adaptors, plugs and electrical sockets are ALL of the British type [3 prong plugs]. The electricity supply can vary greatly so take this into consideration when using electrical equipment like laptops – they can be damaged due to this.

General

A safari to a country like Tanzania is an adventure: the roads are mostly sandy and bumpy, and maintenance is minimal. The driving times for the routes we mention on our website are just an indication. Due to (weather) conditions, the real travel time can be much longer.

Please have a look at our example safaris

Mila Everstova

2022-12-22

Amazing safari It was an unforgettable adventure. Warren fulfilled my dream and we managed to see all the animals up close. He is a very good guide and driver. My trip was wonderful and I felt safe with Warren. Thanks! Recommend👍🏻

Remo S

2022-11-27

Christopher organized the perfect safari One of the most beautiful and impressive trips we have ever made!We spend twelve beautiful days with Christopher and Jaffed from “I dream of Afrika” on a wildlife and cultural safari in Tanzania. The safari was perfectly organized by Christopher, who diligently included all our preferences and wishes in a well-rounded and exciting tour, balancing the excitement of enjoying one of the planet’s wildest and spectacular nature with unique personal encounters with locals and time for relaxation. With his experience of many years as guide and ranger, Christopher knows all the special places, is great at spotting animals and willingly shares his vast knowledge about them. Christopher even organized walking safaris with rangers at two of the parks, which is a treat not many tourists do, offering fascinating insights not observable from the backseat of a car. We also enjoyed hunting with the Hadza bushmen tribe and the spontaneous visit to the stunning Oluvai gorge, which Christopher made possible.During the Safari, we decided to stay on public campsites and enjoyed it a lot. The tent was quadruple the size of our tent back home, with comfy mattresses and great views.Jaffed was a great personal cook and kept us well fed with amazing pancakes and his love for italian food, but also amazing local dishes. We also won't forget our visit to the local food market and the Ugali-cooking lessons.We loved learning bits of Swahili from Christopher and Jaffed and to learn from them about Tanzania's complex cultures and traditions.Overall, we can wholeheartedly recommend Dreams of Africa. The well-organized experience of nature, wildlife and culture in Tanzania surpassed all our expectations. We will never forget the amazing time with Jaffed and Christopher.

Imke D

2022-10-15

Christopher and his team are punctual, knowledgeable and welcoming Our time in Tanzania with Christopher, Japhet and Warren was amazing. The trip was tailored to our wishes. We did a 10-day trip and visited Serengeti North & Central, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Loiborsoit (an off the beaten track Maasai village). Communication beforehand and during the trip was great. The food in the bush was great, Japhet excelled every day. Tanzania is an expensive country for tourists, mostly due to the high costs of the National Parks. The camping experience was great and greatly reduced the price compared to lodging. It was quite adventurous, so read up on what to expect. But in our opinion, it was the purest way to enjoy the beautiful nature. Loiborsoit was very special: we stayed in a guesthouse with good beds and hot water. Outside of the guesthouse, you'll experience the actual way of living of the Maasai. Our local guide, Lengai, left us with lifelong impressions. If you want to spend some days with the Maasai of Loiborsoit to learn about their culture, experience their way of living and enjoy their kindness, please visit and support them! You can find more information on massailand.com

Steffen

2022-09-26

Faszinierende Safari-Reise Wir hatten das große Glück mit Christopher unsere Safari - Rundreise machen zu dürfen. Die guten Bewertungen sind zu 100% gerechtfertigt. Super herzlicher und sympathischer Guide. Von Reiseplanung bis hin zur Reise selbst - alles perfekt. Wir können Christopher, als lokalen, ortsansässigen Safari-Anbieter, wärmstens weiterempfehlen!

Kyra G

2022-07-05

Wonderful The most magical adventure one could wish for 🦁 Christophers knowledge of the wilderness, the animals is incredible. He will help you see more than the big five and you will feel the wonders of true nature.We felt very connected to planet earth,safe and taken care of and we had so so much fun :))) Everything was just perfect 😊This experience will stay unforgettable and we dream of Africa all the time! Thank you Chris our friend🙏You are the best and we love you Jean and Kyra ❣️

Mariam W

2022-06-11

The trip was amaizing I had a good experience and i would like to tell people who would like to go and enjoy themselves, I had a nice time a lot of laughter I advice more people to try this experience

Eveline B

Unforgettable adventure The most memorable safari I had was made possible by I dream of Africa Safaris.The best services offered from the online booking, airport pickup, accommodation and the best of all my safari to the Serengeti plains.Would actually say it was the most memorable adventures with the best tour guide to lead the way.

Nancy N

My experience was astonishing Well… I really enjoyed the trip it was a fun and good experience to me, I had a chance to see different animals and the tour itself was astonishing, I wish more people knew and tried to experience what I did

Zbigniew Wlodarczyk

2021-07-18

Best choice for safari !!!! Perfect safari with Christopher. Excellent safari guide and from now - a friend. If you expect an unforgettable time, go with him without any hesitation !!!I had no previous experience with I DREAM OF AFRICA, just reviews on Tripadvisor and testimonials on their web page. All of them exceptionally positive. I preferred to go with local company instead of large, international operator, mostly to support local business, affected by COVID pandemia. So I did, and it was a perfect choice. From the very first moment, when Chris and his son Warren met us at the Arusha airport, to the last farewell, with tears in our eyes. Christopher, founder and boss of the I DREAM OF AFRICA (small, family run) looked after our group far, far beyond our expectations. His eye for wild animals was fantastic - he spotted the cheetah from 500 meters away ! He, his son Warren, co-guide Ombene, chief Japhet, with his aid, did really perfect job. Food was excellent, tents comfortable and in mint condition. You can relay on Christopher's knowledge of the national parks and places to find the animals. In fact, we saw all Big Five - hundreds of elephants and even witnessed the miracle of the elephant giving birth !!!I would be more than happy to provide any further information and to act as his ambassadeur. Chris and your partners - thank you for all you kindness, profesionalism and efforts. Zbigniew Wlodarczyk, Poland

Lisa L

2020-02-12

Fantastic African Safari - They made OUR African dream come true! We took a 13 day Safari with I Dream of Africa who designed/delivered exactly what we wanted: an authentic experience, a mix of tent lodges and camping, cultural opportunities, exploring 5 national parks(Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti). We spent 2 days @ Kiboko lodge, 8 days nature camping in the parks, and 2 days @ Kati Kati Mara mobile tent lodge. Our knowledable guide, Ombeni, was an experienced driver and skilled animal spotter. We saw everything from elephants to dung beetles! We visited the Watoto Foundation/Child of the Star and Sky projects that rescue street boys, provide a multi-year program to house, educate and prepare them for jobs in carpentry, mechanics, and other vocations. We visited a Maasai tribe. Our cook Alex prepared fresh, delicious meals for us and made camp feel like home. During a night safari we saw bush babies, porcupines and hippos! We spent 6-9 hours on game drives each day. Ombeni was determined to have us witness part of the wildebeest migration, and we did! A spectacular event with lions, crocodiles and vultures all waiting to prey upon the thousands of wildebeests! We watched them gather for hours and then suddenly make their daring crossing of the Mara River right before our eyes! A "fly out" at the end of our journey enabled us to get a breathtaking view of the Tanzanian wilderness! I Dream of Africa exceeded all expectations, provided excellent PERSONALIZED service and made our African Safari dream come true!