FAQ

Our answers to the most FAQ

A safari in Tanzania is not a cheap holiday, but several factors affect the final cost: the period, the choice of parks (discover our guide on parks in Tanzania) the number of participants, the number of days, the presence of extra activities, the type of accommodation chosen.

Parks and fees

One of the main cost items are park fees, in a complex intertwining of transit fees, entry and overnight and fees for access by car. Discover the fees to visit the parks.

Accomodation

The offer of accommodation is very varied: from camping to comfortable stretched fields, from accommodation in simple local facilities to stays in luxury lodges. The treatment is generally full board with lunch box. When possible, we will suggest you to stay in facilities that support and give work to girls followed by the associations to which we give our contribution – (read more about our accommodation)

Our prices

In our Safari emotion section you will find some proposals, always modifiable, of private safari, with the indication of the prices. In the section “build your taylor made safari” you will find everything you need for a safari tailored for you. In the price of our safaris is always included the exclusive use of 4×4 off-road vehicle with roof opening, fully equipped and in accordance with the law – discover equipment and services for you – with driver and professional English speaking guide always at your disposal; AMREF Flying Doctors insurance for urgent transport to hospitals in Kenya is always included; meals, transfers, snacks and hot and cold drinks are also included.Finally, we guarantee adequate remuneration and treatment for our staff and your private guide. Since park taxes and the cost of accommodation are the same for everyone, the biggest saving item, when a safari is too cheap, is represented by the low (or non-existent) remuneration of Tanzanian staff!

Suggestions

To save money, you can choose to travel in low season and organize in groups of multiple people. However, we can help you in every season to choose routes and accommodation that minimize the impact of fees, on which we give you full transparency and on which we do not charge any extra. A good choice to save money, which we very much welcome, is finally to give space to cultural tourism and the visit of the tribes – read our guide to the tribes.

Information on our website

All sections of our site are designed to guide you in your choice and are rich in information. We differ for clarity and transparency of prices because we want you to be able to evaluate each option and be aware of the cost differences between the different possibilities. If you choose a less expensive route, you will have a direct advantage. We are at your side to help you and advise you to make the perfect safari for you. Find out who we are.

Lastly, we remind you that an early booking of your safari, 4-6 months before departure (in normal times and not pandemic emergency), as well as allowing a wider availability of facilities to choose from (especially in the area of the Serengeti Mara-great migration and remote parks where the availability of tourist accommodation is quite limited) will also allow you to save on international flights, whose booking we can not deal with, as a local Tanzanian tour operator.

Of course! In Tanzania, the regulation of tourism favors local tour operators who, in order to protect the natural heritage and the development of the country’s economy, can offer a qualified and assured service of accompaniment in the parks. So, whether you love DIY tourism or prefer the convenience of an organized trip, the best solution is to contact directly a local certified and reliable operator who can offer flexibility, security and expertise at the lowest cost. Find out who we are.

Booking with us is very simple. The first contact in which to report the essential data of your travel hypothesis can happen through email (the forms are found in various pages of the site) or whatsapp. Our answer provides an informative chat to focus on your personal interests and, if you want, we can also organize a video call to introduce ourselves. It will follow in a very short time our written proposal with cost estimate.After any adjustments you get to the final travel contract and (after booking intercontinental flights)…your dream is now real and Tanzania is waiting for you!

The classic period for safari runs from June to October, corresponding to the dry season and with a cooler climate. But every season has its advantages: in addition to significantly lower prices (excluding the Christmas period), the rainy season, from November to April, is the best for birdwatching as there are also migratory species. Moreover, in the Serengeti, the concentration of the animals is at its most, in the spectacle of the savannah in bloom, illuminated by the sun between one rain and another.

Let’s be clear. The great migration, understood as the displacement of hundreds of thousands of mammals in the lands of Tanzania, is an always memorable spectacle, visible in all the periods of the year. But if by great migration we refer to the incredibly exciting moment of the crossing of rivers, and in particular of the Mara (from July to September) and the Grumeti (from May to July), the chances of assisting are good. The great migration, however, remains an unpredictable event, at the mercy of the smell and sensations of animals: we just have to wait for it with patience and rely on a pinch of luck! Learn more about the great migration.

It depends a lot on the season you choose to take your safari.  In the dry season (from June to October and January and February) you will find a cooler climate especially in the early and late hours of the day, but in the middle hours the temperatures will rise: the safaris are always in altitude, but we are still close to the equator.

In the rainy season (from March to May and between November and December) the climate is warmer, but with frequent rainfall.  The climate also varies depending on the places you decide to visit and their altitude. For example in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area it is colder than in the National Park of Tarangire, because of the higher altitude.

Wear comfortable clothes in light and natural colors (kaki or similar). Avoid dark clothes, but also white and camouflage. In addition, we advise you to dress in layers, as temperatures often undergo a strong excursion between the night and the middle hours of the day, especially in the months of June, July and August.

Indispensable: trekking shoes, long trousers and shorts in technical fabric, t-shirt with short sleeves, light shirts with long sleeves, sweatshirt or sweater, waterproof windproof jacket, sun cap, bandanas for dust, swimsuit and beach slippers (essential for showering in tented camps).

Malaria is present, especially in the rainy season. Ask a doctor to decide whether to make an antimalarial prophylaxis and to evaluate any vaccinations. No vaccine is mandatory, but those against diphtheria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis, yellow fever are recommended.

In some areas is present the tsetse fly, now practically harmless, against which it is sufficient to protect frequently with tropical repellent sprays. Since it is still an annoying insect, we recommend that you bring a net to cover your face.

It is also recommended to avoid casual sexual intercourse with the local population: HIV, syphilis and sexually transmitted diseases are unfortunately very widespread.

Fortunately, Tanzania has not been hit hard by the pandemic, but it has nevertheless adopted adequate security measures for tourism, which we scrupulously adhere to, in the interest of our tourists and guides.

The vaccination campaign is launched and provides for priority for tourism professionals, as well as for medical and school staff. Our staff is already vaccinated.

The organization of our safaris is bound to the rules of entry into the country, to which we adhere scrupulously.

If you are interested in a safari you can contact us to be ready to leave as soon as the regulations allow. In addition to what is defined by the rules of each country, we ask our tourists to have been vaccinated or to be cured by the COVID, for their safety and for that of local communities and our guides.

Tanzania has updated the rules of entry to the country, introducing the obligation to submit the negative result of a RT-PCR buffer executed no more than 96 hours before departure to the country and the obligation to perform a rapid swab on arrival, at a cost of 10 USD per person if you enter the country from the mainland. Those who enter Tanzania from Zanzibar and are vaccinated, do not have the obligation to perform a quick swab on arrival (who is not able to prove to be vaccinated will have to run at a cost of 25 USD per person). To enter Tanzania it is mandatory to fill in the form of health surveillance of the traveller to be filled in at this link that can only be sent within 24 hours before the day of arrival.

The indications given on other pages, even official ones, such as those for obtaining the online visa, may not be updated to the latest provisions.

The health situation in the country is very far from Western standards, but safaris include AMREF insurance for urgent transport to Kenyan hospitals, of excellent standard. For small ailments it is advisable to bring with you a wide assortment of medicines. In the COVID emergency there are adequate security measures for you and our staff. It is always recommended a good medical insurance for international travel, to be taken out at your care before departure. A list with the main ones in the travel tips section.

Yes, let us know at the booking and we will take action to take the necessary measures. For any request and for special diets we will find a way to satisfy you!

In Tanzania there is good internet access in almost all lodges and hotels in public areas (not always in rooms/tents), except in the most remote areas and Lake Natron where the signal is always really weak and electricity is scarce. If you need to use a lot of internet, we recommend that you buy a sim data  on site or in the city at affordable prices: it works almost everywhere.

We do not recommend families with children to participate in safari with long trips, such as those by car in the Serengeti, with many hours of travel in the sun and with lots of dust: the roads are unpaved and in some cases you have to stay under the sun more hours to see the animals.

For children we offer an example of a family safari – discover our Safari emotion – less challenging, tailored for them, always full of sightings of animals and exciting experiences. In the parks page – discover the parks of Tanzania – we have indicated the most suitable for families.

Participating in a safari is not at all dangerous, but you must observe the rules of conduct and the regulations of the areas of visit, with respect for animals and nature. Predators, even the most ferocious, do not consider either safari cars or the men who stay close. Always listen to your guide.

When staying in the parks it is absolutely forbidden to venture alone in the bush. Even movements within the lodges and tented camps, especially at night, must always be accompanied by security guards.

The water is not drinkable! Drink water only from sealed bottles and use this water also to brush your teeth (you will always find more sealed bottles in each room). Never drink beverages with ice. Avoid peeled fruit and raw vegetables, eat cooked food and do not buy food from street vendors.

Tanzania is a peaceful and very hospitable country, but it is not to be run independently. The state of the roads, sometimes dirt, is precarious.  Police checks on tourists’ cars can be very long and frequent, and only local guides know how to deal with agents.

Common sense and some simple tricks are more than enough:

• don’t bring any valuables with you and keep just a few cash at hand
• always use our means for transfers to and from airports (costs always included)
• be kind to all and greet friendly; even verbal violence is never welcome by an ever peaceful population
• pay attention to the words you say because many people understand your language (including curses)
• homosexuality is considered a crime, punishable up to 30 years in prison. We recommend the utmost attention and a very confidential behavior.

Tanzanian cuisine is very simple and is based on some very tasty basic dishes. International but also local dishes are served at the hotel. If you stay in Zanzibar or on other islands you can take advantage of the “themed” dinners that each hotel organizes for its guests, you will taste the ugali, a dish cooked with corn flour accompanied usually with meat treats and the famous cooked bananas (matoke).

Alcohol is not prohibited. Local beer is very popular with tourists. Cocktails, usually made with ice, are not recommended. Of course alcoholic drinks are considered extra and their payment must be made before leaving the lodge where you stayed.

Tipping is not mandatory and when travelling with us, you are certain that the guide that accompanies you is paid. But in addition to the usual motto “tip is always welcome”, it is also appropriate that you take into account two factors: the first is that, if traditional life in Tanzania costs almost nothing, life as we understand it, with running water, a varied diet, the possibility of access to adequate education and medical care, has equal or sometimes higher costs than ours; the second factor is that behind every guide and every worker there is not only a family but a village and a plot of friends and relatives who rely on his or her (and on your) generosity.

Our ethics

Taking part in a safari with us is already starting to do something for the local populations: Tanzania Emotion Safaris is a majority Tanzanian company that allocates its profits to the development of local tourism. All Tanzanian people who work for you and for us are adequately paid. In this way we support their families, which in Africa are large and extended to the village of origin, and especially their children, which are the future of a country however very young.

Our contribution

Part of the proceeds of our safaris is intended for the activities of associations that help young people living in the tribes to escape the inhumane practice of genital mutilation – hope for girls and women – We will also allow,  to suggest you some accommodations that are in line with our ideals. If you want to contribute directly with donations we can tell you how; if you want to do something simpler, we invite you to bring from your country school supplies for school-age children. We will find a way to distribute it to the public schools that welcome the most needy students.

Instead, we consider it a bad practice to distribute money to children who meet on the street or in the villages. Begging is not the right way to grow serious and responsible people.

It is not necessary to book in advance excursions and activities in Zanzibar or on the islands: all the facilities offer a rich weekly program and will certainly give you access with some small discounts. If you intend to make several excursions you should expect half board.