A little planning goes a long way in Tanzania. Here are the questions we get asked most, answered straight.
1. When should I go?
The dry seasons (late JuneโOctober and JanuaryโMarch) give the most reliable wildlife viewing and clearest trekking weather. The short rains (November) and long rains (AprilโMay) bring lower prices and lush scenery, at the cost of some access and visibility.
2. Do I need a visa?
Most nationalities can get a Tanzania visa on arrival or apply online in advance โ check the current requirement for your passport before you fly, since policy does change.
3. What’s the currency situation?
Tanzanian shillings for local spending; US dollars (2009 or newer notes, in good condition) are widely accepted for park fees, tips and lodges. Card payment is patchy outside cities.
4. Do I need vaccinations or malaria tablets?
Speak to a travel health clinic well before you fly โ Tanzania is a malaria area, and yellow fever vaccination may be required depending on your routing. This isn’t something to leave until the week before departure.
5. What should I pack?
Neutral colours, layers for cold early mornings and hot afternoons, a warm layer for the crater rim or any evening at altitude, and a soft-sided duffel bag rather than a hard suitcase โ small aircraft and safari vehicles both have limited space.
6. Mobile camping or lodge safari?
Mobile camping puts you inside the landscape, often moving with the migration itself. Lodges trade some of that immersion for permanent infrastructure and more comfort. Neither is “better” โ it’s a question of what kind of trip you want.
7. Can I combine a safari with Zanzibar?
Very easily, and we’d encourage it โ a few days on the coast is the natural decompression after a safari, and domestic flights between the northern circuit and Zanzibar are short and frequent.
8. Private safari or joining a group?
A private vehicle means you set the pace and stop when something’s worth stopping for. Joining a group brings the cost down. Both are genuinely good options depending on budget and travel style.
9. What about photography?
A zoom lens (200mm+) makes the biggest difference of any single piece of gear. Bring more memory cards and batteries than you think you’ll need, and a dust-proof bag โ northern Tanzania’s roads are dry and dusty for most of the year.
10. Can I safari and trek in the same trip?
Yes, and many of our guests do โ just sequence it sensibly. Climbing before your safari means you’re already acclimatised and can properly relax afterwards; climbing after means you’re fresher for summit night.
11. What does responsible tourism look like here?
Choose licensed operators, ask how community and cultural visits are set up (staged “photo stop” visits are worth avoiding), and follow your guide’s lead on distance from wildlife.
12. How far ahead should I book?
For peak season (JulyโSeptember, and around Christmas/New Year), six months ahead isn’t too early โ the best camps and lodges sell out first. Shoulder season allows more flexibility.