A little knowledge will help to make your dream safari in Tanzania an unforgettable one for all the right reasons!
From securing your visa and understanding essential vaccinations, to knowing exactly what to pack and how much money to take, this guide covers everything you need to know before your safari in Tanzania. If you are concerned about how safe Tanzania is or overwhelmed by the thought of choosing a safari company from the multitude available, like we were …. then read on!
1. Securing your Visa
To travel to Tanzania, you first have to check that you are from a country that allows Tanzanian eVisas, or alternatively, check you can get a tourism visa on arrival. We tried to apply for the online eVisa, but it is quite the process!
Once you have filled in the application on the Tanzanian eVisa website, make note of the application ID number – I actually took a screenshot of the computer screen. You will then be directed to make your payment of $50USD. A screen will pop-up to say that your payment has been approved and you will be given an authorization ID number. Make sure you screenshot this screen before you leave the page!
We received an email saying that our application was being processed.
What followed was a period of radio silence. Months passed and no further communication was received. We applied in February for a June trip. I emailed several times to follow up but no response was forthcoming. We started to panic as our departure date was fast approaching.
Be Prepared to Prove You’ve Paid
Our wonderful Safari company, Makasa Tanzanian Safaris, reassured us that it wouldn’t be a problem and to just print out as much evidence as we could to prove we had applied and paid for our visa. This is where the previously mentioned screenshots come in handy.
This is exactly what we did, and when we landed in Tanzania (after a temperature check – a health measure in place to prevent the spread of Ebola), we were directed to the Visa counter. We explained everything and presented our evidence of payment, they checked the system and we didn’t have to pay for the Visa again.
eVisa System Update
Upon arriving home, I have since learnt that our experience applying for the eVisa was an anomaly due to a system crash. After a few months getting things fixed, the eVisa application process is back on track, and should now just take between 2-4 weeks. Chances are you won’t have any problems at all, and if not, you’ll know what to do!
Zanzibar Insurance/travel tax
Even though Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, you will need to apply and pay for Zanzibar travel Insurance if you plan on a little beach relaxation after your safari, like we did. Regardless of whether you have your own travel insurance or not, you will need to pay it ($44 USD) … just call it a travel tax. This is a small fee and able to be done online before you leave. Here is the link.
Phew! That was a big item to tick off your checklist…. now here comes another!
2. Get Vaccinated
You will need to check with your travel GP about which vaccinations you will need depending on which country you are from and which countries you are transiting through. I am from Australia and we were transiting through Singapore and Ethiopia. It was recommended for us to have the Yellow Fever, Typhoid and Rabies vaccines as well as Malaria medication.
I have traveled to Africa before…it was quite a few years ago that I visited Zimbabwe and South Africa, but the Yellow Fever vaccination I had back then, still covered me for this trip.
I just had to get the typhoid and Rabies (not essential, but as soon as you say ‘What are the chances?’ …. the actual chances of getting bitten by a rabid dog increase dramatically!) The Rabies vaccine is a series of shots each one a week and then 2 weeks after the previous one. You will need to factor this time frame into your planning.
You will also need to start taking your Malaria medication several days before you enter a risk zone.
3. Your Comfort While on Safari in Tanzania
This next section has lots of information in it to ensure your comfort for the duration of your safari. My friend told me that the thought of being bounced around in the back of a 4WD was the thing holding her back from going on safari. If you have similar reservations, then read on!
The 4WD Experience
I can only go by the experience that we had which was really quite comfortable. Important factors include extra cushioning on the seats, which our safari company, Makasa Tanzanian Safaris, had in our car. We were also the only 2 guests in our car, so we had lots of room to stretch and move around if we wanted to. I observed some safari cars that had up to 8 people in them…. I think that could get a little squashy and uncomfortable. There were even safari buses – I can’t see the point of going on safari in a bus.
Having a good driver is also very important. We had a head driver/guide and a junior driver for the duration of our trip, and both were very good. A good driver will know the right speed to optimize comfort while driving on corrugated roads. Speaking of corrugated roads, we were so lucky that the main road in the Serengeti National Park, that is notoriously corrugated, had just been graded the day before we drove on it. The Tanzanians have a saying about their corrugated roads, they call it ‘the Tanzanian massage’ 😁. During our visit, the ‘massage’ wasn’t deep tissue, it was just a little muscle relaxing and loosening!
The typical safari vehicle has a pop-up roof to allow guests to stand up and have uninterrupted views of the wildlife. Your safari company may even give you the opportunity to have an open safari vehicle, like we did, removing the need to have to stand up for great viewing. Both vehicles have pros and cons that I will outline here to help you decide which one is for you.
The Pop-Up Roof 4WD Vs the Open 4WD for your Safari in Tanzania
We were in Tanzania at the end of June/early July, the end of the ‘long rain’ season; the weather was dry, the days were warm without being too hot and the mornings were cool. So, the first consideration here is the weather. The pop-top vehicle can be closed up and the air-con turned on, but the open vehicle cannot.
The Weather
Personally, I loved the cool morning air and getting rugged up for a pre-dawn game drive. A thoughtful driver/guide like ours, will have some blankets in the vehicle for you to use if you needed. I also packed a fleece and a beanie for just these occasions. More on my packing tips later.
Road Dust
You need to consider your love of make-up too…. Tanzanian make-up that is! That’s what the Tanzanians call the film of dust you will end up wearing after a day of game driving. Whenever another car overtakes or passes yours, or if you are sitting behind another vehicle, the road dust is stirred up, and you will find yourself opening and closing the car windows to minimise your ‘make-over’. In an open vehicle, obviously you can’t close the windows. Sunglasses help to protect your eyes from the dust, and I also found the eye drops I packed for my dry eyes helped a lot.
Tse Tse Flies
The final thing to think about is the Tse Tse flies. I talk more about these little buggers next, but in the open vehicles you are at their mercy. Having said that, the pop-up top also lets them into the car….and you don’t want to go on safari with the top down so my advice is to learn how to deal with them…. read on to find out my top tips on preparing for Tse Tse flies.
The Verdict
The verdict for us was definitely take the opportunity to experience an open safari vehicle if it is presented to you. Can you imagine the feeling of regret if a pride of lions passes beside your car and you had the chance to be practically beside them, but you passed on the open car and could only view them from above? To my mind, being on safari is about immersing yourself in your surroundings. Can you really say you’ve been on safari if you just sat inside an airconditioned car the whole time?
Forget about air-conditioning, dress appropriately, and be on a safari!
Tse Tse flies in Tanzania
Everything you have heard about the Tse Tse flies is true! They bite….and they bite through your hair, they bite through fabric and our guide said they even bite through denim! They love the long grass of the Serengeti Plains, so if you are driving through a section of the National Park that hasn’t been burnt off, the numbers of the Tse Tse flies are significant. The bite is annoying but not very painful, although some people can have a reaction to them as with any insect bite.
So, what can you do to protect yourself from these little pests? Here are some helpful tips:
- Don’t wear anything black or blue (any shade of blue) it will attract the Tse Tse flies.
- Spray exposed skin with a good insect repellent.
- Spray your clothes with repellent that lasts through several washes before you go. We used odourless Permethrin on our clothes and although not 100% effective it dramatically reduced the number of flies landing on us compared to our poor driver!
- Wear a hat, and any other protective clothing like a neck gaiter or a snood (also good for those cold morning game drives).
Spray your Clothing with Repellent
A few people have asked me what the insect repellent is that we sprayed on our clothes before we went. We bought it in bulk from Amazon and a few days before we left, we simply followed the instructions and sprayed a selection of our clothes that we would be wearing on safari, including our socks! Allow a few days for your clothes to fully dry before packing. The odourless Permethrin is indeed odourless, and it didn’t leave any water marks on our clothes. A simple step that can make your game drives in the Serengeti a lot more comfortable!
The good news is the Tse Tse flies are not active in the early mornings or late afternoons, so you do get a little respite from them. Your safari camp will be on a cleared piece of land so no long grass will keep them away from camp as well….mostly! 😁
Drinking Water, Electricity and Wi-Fi in Tanzania
Water
The tap water in Tanzania is not safe to drink or brush your teeth with. Don’t worry though, you will be supplied with plenty of bottled water on your safari. I don’t think we bought our own water once during our trip, there was always plenty of bottles floating around.
Electricity
All accommodation we had on our safari had hot and cold running water and electricity. The tented camps had solar power, and we were never without power while we were in camp. The power points in Tanzania need a type D or G power plug, but type G is most popular and that is the type we took.
It is not uncommon for power outages in Zanzibar though, particularly in Stone Town. It usually comes back on again after a short while and the restaurants are very used to cooking with gas under torch light!
Wi-Fi
You will get Wi-Fi in most lodges, but obviously no data while you are out on game drives. I say, make the most of your time on safari and use it as an opportunity to switch off and be present.
4. How much Money to Take on Your Safari in Tanzania
This is always a question I struggle with when traveling, especially if there are 2 different acceptable currencies in your destination country. The official currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) and the exchange rate with the Australian dollar is about 1AUD = 1800TZS. You can use TZS to pay for small items, such as souvenirs, Bajaji rides (Tuk Tuks) and supermarket items, in the towns and cities from local vendors, but mostly everyone we dealt with also accepted $USD.
$USD is widely used in Tanzania for larger expenses such as tours and restaurants. The locals are happy with any currency and usually come out on top when tourists are confused about the different exchange rates and what you actually end up paying for the item in your own currency.
We used cards where we could and most restaurants and resorts accepted card. In the cities, such as Moshi, we were able to use an ATM to withdraw some local currency.
To Haggle or Not to Haggle?
A lesson I learned in Tanzania is all marked prices are just suggestions! Haggling is expected. I bought a lovely pair of Tanzanite earrings but probably paid double what I needed to for them. Our guide (after the fact) told me that even though the earrings were in a store with a price tag clearly visible on them…. that’s not what you should pay. Hmmm that advice would have been most helpful before I entered the shop! Note, the price was in USD. This is what I was saying, a lot of more expensive items are priced in USD.
What expenses are Included in a Safari Package?
Once you are on safari, most of your expenses are covered. We paid for a few meals in town before and after our safari but understandably, when you are actually on safari, meals are all included.
Drinks, however, are not included! You will need to factor that into your budget.
We spent 4 days in Zanzibar at the end of our safari, (I’ll be writing a post all about that soon) all booked through our safari company. Unless your accommodation includes breakfast like ours did, you will need to cover the cost of all meals, drinks, tours and transport etc yourself while you are in Zanzibar.
Tipping is another cost you will need to factor into your budget.
Tipping in Tanzania
Tanzania is a tipping country, and you are expected to tip for EVERYTHING! The locals are very helpful but will wait for the tip at the end of whatever service they have provided. Even if they carry your bag from the car 5 steps to the lobby/ tent, you will need to tip them. If they see you carrying your own bag, they will rush to relieve you of it, for a small tip. At the airport, someone will magically appear with a baggage trolley to whisk your bags away, for a small tip. You get the idea. In the end, we politely insisted on carrying our own bags as we were running out of $1USD notes.
This is my next point, make sure you bring lots of small denominations of USD or TZS for tipping the locals.
While on safari, the tip for your guide and or driver will be more significant. Our driver was our guide, so we got a 2 for 1 deal! We worked on the $25USD per car, per day recommendation for tipping. We threw in a little extra because our driver and guide was so good, he deserved it.
5. What to Add to Your Packing List
Your safari company will provide you with a suggested packing list, so I won’t be going into a full packing list here. Apart from the travel items you usually pack, here are some important things to consider and include in your Safari luggage.
Pack Lightly
Firstly, take into consideration any internal flights you may have and any weight restrictions on those flights. We flew from the Serengeti to Zanzibar via Arusha and had a weight limit of 15-20kg total, depending on which airline you are flying with. Your safari company may tell you that the airlines won’t weigh your bag, but ours were weighed. Better to be safe than sorry, so just pack light!
We were also told to use a soft duffle type bag instead of a hard-shell suitcase as it is easier to pack into the back of the safari vehicles when moving from one camp to another. We did see some safari vehicles packed to the rafters with hardshell cases though, so not totally unacceptable.
Fortunately, there was only the 2 of us and our luggage, in our safari vehicle. I can imagine luggage space would be a little more of a problem with 6 people and all their bags in one car.
Consider including an outfit or two in your carry-on luggage, just in case your checked luggage doesn’t make it with you, if you have a transfer or layover. Our connecting flight was delayed so the layover time ended up being quite short. We were worried our bags wouldn’t make the connecting flight. Luckily, they did, but we were comforted in the knowledge we had a few changes of clothes with us in case they didn’t.
The key to packing lightly, is to pack the essentials and minimise things you don’t really need. Here is a list of items we found to be essential in your packing list.
Clothing Essentials
- Lightweight layers – the mornings are cool, but the days are warm, so think long sleeve lightweight shirts and breathable t-shirts.
- a fleece – not blue or black!
- Lightweight long pants – a couple of pairs that you can wash out and dry between wears (not jeans).
- a hat – broad brim to protect your neck. I found an awesome one on Amazon which accommodated my ponytail. Here is the link!
- a beanie for early morning game drives.
- 2 pairs of shoes – one pair of comfy walking shoes (you will not need heavy duty hiking boots) and one pair of slides or similar for around camp.
- Insect repellent-sprayed clothes (see earlier paragraph about the Tse Tse flies) I would also pack extra insect repellent for your exposed skin.
- 1 set of comfortable lounging clothes for around camp. You will be in bed pretty early as the days are long, and you will be tired. You’ll just need some comfy warm track pants and a jumper to have dinner in before you hit the sheets.
- Local Tanzanians are quite conservative, so make sure to pack modest clothing when mixing with the locals…. except on the beach in Zanzibar….at the beach, anything goes!
Here is a picture of me in my new safari hat, pretty cheap and I think I look the part!
Pack a small backpack or day bag to take with you in the safari jeep each day, to put your daily essentials in like sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, phone, water etc.
What Colour Clothing is Best to Take on Safari?
It is quite common knowledge that you don’t wear black or dark coloured clothing on safari as it attracts the Tse Tse flies. But here are some other helpful hints I didn’t know about, so you may not either.
Do not wear blue on safari. I thought that meant just navy blue (the dark colours mentioned above), but it actually includes all shades of blue, even light sky blue. This just happened to be the colour of the only fleece I packed – hence every photo you see of me, I am wearing the same olive-green jumper!
Do not wear camouflage print on safari – this is for the sole reason that park rangers wear camo print and if you aren’t a ranger, you shouldn’t be wearing it.
Do not wear animal print on safari. What?? I specifically bought 2 leopard print tops thinking if you can’t wear animal print on safari, then when can you?? As it turns out, around camp is when you can, but not out on game drives as it can confuse the animals. I think small animal print accents or accessories are ok but anything on a large scale is not recommended. You wouldn’t want to be mistaken as a possible mate by a frisky cat, would you?
In summary, neutrals are the best colours to wear on safari. Colours that help you blend in with the surroundings are best. Think beige, khaki, browns and greens, but don’t stress too much about it. The beauty of a restricted colour palette is that you can easily mix and match tops and bottoms and they will all go together.
Essentials to Capture the Unforgettable Images
A safari is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experience for many. I have been very fortunate to have gone on safari twice, but the exhilarating feeling of sighting animals in their natural habitat is the same no matter how many times you experience it. Capturing them and their behaviour on camera and on film is very important to me. I want to relive every moment when I get back home, and of course to be able to share it with my readers.
I never travel anywhere without my camera, that goes without saying, but for a safari, there are also a couple of other pieces of tech I highly recommend you add to your packing list.
Camera
There are bigger and better cameras on the market than my camera, for sure. However, I am not a professional photographer, and all of that technology would be wasted on me. I just wanted a compact, easy-to-carry camera, with the ability to change lenses, and most importantly, that takes a great photo.
The Olympus OM 5, Mark II is the second camera I have bought in the range. I loved my first one so much, that when it came time to buy a new camera, I just upgraded to a later model. It is a mirrorless camera, not an SLR, therefore, it weighs a lot less. It is easy to navigate the functions and features of the camera. So easy in fact, that I have managed to take it off the auto setting and actually preset the aperture and the shutter speed for different situations as needed.
There are several very good YouTube video tutorials on how to get the most out of your Olympus camera. Even tutorials on presetting your camera for going on a safari – for when the animals are resting and still, or when they are in motion.
What Lens to Use?
I did see some spectacular lenses on some cameras, and I’m sure they produced some amazing photos. I just can’t afford that sort of thing; a good lens can be very expensive. Also, I don’t want the weight, they are huge! I used a compact 75-300mm lens that had a strong enough zoom to do the job. I know some people will be thinking, ‘my phone has a good zoom, I can just use that’. Let me show you the difference between the zoom on a camera and that of a phone.
On our last day in the Serengeti, as we were heading to the airport, we were lucky enough to spot a cheetah. She was walking up a gentle slope to a shady tree in the distance to scope the plains for lunch.
These next shots are taken with the maximum zoom on my iPhone 17 plus and then cropped in editing.
The final shots are with the maximum zoom on my Olympus with the 75-300mm lens, also cropped in editing. While not particularly sharp at that distance, unlike the iPhone image, it is still very recognizable as a cheetah.
The beauty of a good camera is that you can zoom in on an image while editing and the image is still sharp. An iPhone image becomes grainy. I’m by no means an expert, but I think taking a camera on a safari is essential. A phone just doesn’t do justice to what you will see.
Don’t Forget Extra SD Cards and Batteries
Make sure to bring an SD card with lots of storage or even a spare one in case something happens to the first. Don’t forget to pack a spare camera battery, the last thing you want is to run out of battery just as you finally see that elusive leopard!
Binoculars
The zoom on my camera doubled as my binoculars, but my husband took a great pair of binoculars with him to use. He did his research and again, they are not the most powerful binoculars on the market, but if you are after a really good pair of compact binoculars, not too heavy and not too bulky for travel, then the Tasco 10×42 binoculars are perfect. The Tasco Essential 10x 42 binoculars were voted by Escape as the best budget binoculars for travel in 2025.
On safari, you will spend a lot of time looking up into trees, searching for well-camouflaged leopards. Your guide will be using binoculars to try and find them, but two sets of eyes are better than one! Sometimes the animals are just a long way away and to observe them, binoculars are definitely needed.
We were lucky enough to see the endangered black Rhinos in the Ngorongoro Crater, but they were far away in the distance, if not for the binoculars and a decent camera, we wouldn’t have been able to see much more than a grey blob.
Night Vision Goggles
Ok, this one is not an essential, but we loved using them so much on our pre-dawn and after sunset game drives, that I thought I would tell you about these very cool night vision goggles. A lot of the animal action happens when the sun goes down or very early in the morning when it is very low light. It’s too dark at that time for your phone or camera to capture any action.
The other thing I really like about both the goggles and my camera is that you can download images and footage from both without the need for cords. Both can use Wi-Fi and an App to do the job rather than worrying about taking cords with you on holidays.
I made this little video explaining how the Akaso Seemor 200 Night Vision Goggles work. Take a look and let me know what you think.
What Medication to Take on Safari
I’ve added this section in purely to put your mind at ease. After my last big adventure in the 5 Stans, where Imodium was my best friend, I came fully prepared for my Safari. I didn’t want to be in the middle of the Serengeti Plains and desperately have to use the bush washroom! So, I packed plenty of Imodium. I am happy to report, that not 1 tablet was needed!
Of course, having said that, I would still take some, just in case. You will also need your malaria tablets as well as any regular medication you take.
6. How to Choose the Perfect Safari Company
We were overwhelmed at the amount of different Tanzanian Safari companies to choose from….. soooo many! You just have to look at the number of safari vehicles lined up at National Park entrances and see all the different company names on their tyre covers, to realize you are spoilt for choice.
I can’t comment on the others but will be singing the praises of the company we chose. Right from our first enquiry up until we boarded our flight home, Makasa Tanzanian Safaris were always easy to contact and wonderful to deal with.
They are a family run local Safari Company, which I love. They offer a mid-range priced safari, and we loved every lodge, Inn and resort that they organized for us to stay in.
Here are my top reasons why I highly recommend Makasa Tanzanian Safaris:
- They will tailor your safari itinerary to suit you. They listen to your needs and wants and alter your itinerary to suit you better.
- Leading up to our departure, they were in constant communication and eased our concerns regarding the threat of Ebola in the area. Every email was answered promptly.
- The guides and drivers were excellent…. very knowledgeable, skilled and friendly.
- Quality of accommodation was wonderful.
- It was just my husband and I in our Safari vehicle for the whole trip – no squashing into a car with 4 other people we didn’t know.
- Great value for money… some companies we looked into were so expensive.
- We were looked after very well from the moment we landed until we were dropped at the airport to fly home. We really didn’t need to worry about a thing.
- When you contact them and are allocated a team member, they are your designated contact for your whole trip. So you talk to the same person every time. Our contact was Zara (an expat Aussie as it turns out) and she was wonderful!
7. How Safe is Tanzania?
This subject was of concern for us because of the recent Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. We were watching the news in earnest for any reports of its spread into Tanzania. Our safari company were great and were very understanding with regards to our concerns. They kept us updated on the health situation and reassured us that Tanzania was very safe.
It was reassuring to see temperature checks being done on arrival at Kilimanjaro airport. Indeed, we did not see or hear of any health concerns while we were in Tanzania.
With regards to crime in Tanzania, we did not ever feel unsafe during our trip. I was wary in Stone Town, Zanzibar… thinking if it was going to be anywhere, it would be there. I was wrong, we felt perfectly safe for the entire trip. Maybe it was my previous experience in South Africa that made me wary, but Tanzania felt nothing like Johannesburg, thankfully.
What To Expect on Your Safari in Tanzania
I am going to save this information for a whole other post, coming soon! Let me just say that having been on a safari before, this experience was amazing! If you are thinking about going on safari, then Tanzania is an absolutely unforgettable place to do it in.
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming posts on our Safari experience in Tanzania and our time relaxing in beautiful Zanzibar.
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
