Tanzania is the perfect destination for safari holidays and its perfect for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience nature at its finest, unparalleled in scope and grandeur. If it is your first time to plan for a Tanzania tour, below are some of the things you should know in order for you to prepare for an adventure of a lifetime;
Take the recommended health and safety precautions. Tanzania is a safe place for tourists and its people are hospitable and welcoming. So, it is advisable for you to exercise personal responsibility and take appropriate health and safety measures to protect yourself.
Make sure you are properly vaccinated and medically cleared to go on safari. Pack an adequate first aid kit and keep copies of your passport, vaccine documentation, health and travel insurance. Prepare clothing suitable for daytime heat and chilly evenings and if you are allergic to dust, masks are a must have throughout your safari.
Know your Budget. Save as much money as possible because there will be a lot of activities you might want to participate in. Do thorough research on how much everything costs, like entry fees, plane tickets, food, transport, and other activities. Your research and preparations will help you plan your budget and anticipate all expenses.
You should know the popular national parks and reserves that are worth visiting. Some of them include the Serengeti National Game Park (famously known for the Great Migration typically between June and September), Ngorongoro Crater (a UNESCO World Heritage site with diverse wildlife), Tarangire National Game Park (known for its elephants and baobab trees), Lake Manyara National Game Park (a home to tree-climbing lions and diverse bird species) and many more.
You should know the safari types offered on Tanzania safaris and choose the ones you are willing to engage in. Tanzania offers a wide range of safaris such as; game drives which give tourists a chance to see wildlife from a vehicle, Walking Safaris (offers a closer look at nature and tracks animals on foot), Hot Air Balloon Safaris (unique perspective often followed by a champagne breakfast), boat cruise, cultural safaris, beach safaris and more other activities.
Know the best time to visit Tanzania. The optimal time to plan your trip to Tanzania would be during the dry season in the months from June to October. However, you can visit the country and enjoy the animal safari any time of the year. While deciding when to visit the country, consider your budget, the weather conditions and the activities you want to partake in.
Review the safari tour operator you are planning to travel with. Do your research about that particular company and check their website to see the services they provide. Review the comments and evaluate what previous clients have said about the tour. Ensure the safari operator has 24-hour customer service, so they can help you even while on your vacation. If possible, you can contact the operator to inquire for the prices and whether they meet with your budget.
Consider hiring a professional guide. Depending on the hotel you are staying at, you may have access to a professional guide throughout your stay. If not, it is worth going to an information center to secure one. With a professional guide, you will be able to find the hot spots for rare wildlife and will have access to the more secure areas.
Without a professional guide, you may miss out on the details and it is hard-to-find animals on the safaris.
You should get to know about the accommodation options available. Here you to choose the accommodation option that suites your budget. The accommodation options include luxury lodges (high-end options with quality amenities and guided tours), tented camps (more immersive experience often located within or near parks) and budget campsites (affordable options for those with low budget plan)
Distances and driving times are very long and its unavoidable. Distances in Tanzania are very large and every day there will be many hours spent driving that are unavoidable. Four hours of driving to cover some distances can be the norm and there are not always opportunities to break up the drive because there may be no lodging facilities between destinations.
So, prepare for long days/hours in the car. On some days driving hours can even reach 08 for example when returning directly from the Serengeti to Arusha. If you want to avoid long hours of driving, carefully plan your itinerary and consider adding more days or excluding some parks that are too far away.
You should know that there are challenges and get ready to ready to face some of them. Hiking can be challenging most especially during the wet season when the routes are muddy. Since there are some animals that are sighted very early morning, it may be a challenge to some individuals to wake up during those hours though it is worth it.
You have to carry a credit card for parks and ATM and enough cash. Credit cards such as visa or Master card are required for paying national park fees and can be used in major tourist establishments. Elsewhere, you will need cash. Change is rarely available, so carrying some smaller denominations will come in handy.
You should know that wildlife viewing is a sure deal. Though logistics can get trickier if you are hoping to experience a specific event such as the peak of the wildebeest migration. Camps along the migration route generally get booked up well in advance and the wildebeest move to nature’s rhythms and their own internal clocks. To catch the excitement, start planning early. Check with the camps for recommendations as their guides will be tracking the rains and the movement of the animals.
Conservation Awareness. You have to know that supporting local communities is a must by choosing the eco-friendly lodges and tour operators that support conservation efforts.
You should learn some Swahili. This will ease your communication with the guides and also the local people in case you a plan of visiting their villages/communities. You should at least learn some simple words such as Karibu (“welcome”), pole pole (“slowly”) and asante (“thank you”). Knowing Swahili will help you have smooth memorable Tanzania safari.
Planning a safari in Tanzania can be a rewarding adventure with proper preparation. Enjoy the stunning landscapes and incredible wildlife.
