It is always advisable to pack lightly for your safari. You will be spending most of your time in the safari vehicles. It is generally hot and dusty during the day so light clothing is recommended. It can get quite cold during the early mornings and evenings so it is advised to bring some warm clothing like a sweater or jacket. At Raha Tours we recommend khaki, olive or brown colored clothing as they blend with the surrounding nature well and offer the added benefit of concealing dirt, moreover, light colors help when the sun is hot

A typical day in a Safari starts early in the morning with breakfast, full day game drive and dinner.

Early morning.
Early start with breakfast in which Tea, biscuits and fruits which is served at 6.30 am followed by morning game drives. This generally the best sport to see animals return from a night of hunting. You will continue with 3 to 4 hours of the game while animals are still active. A typical day in Safari, Safari Serengeti typical day, Serengeti Manyara.

Midday Lunch
Lunch can be a lunch box on picnic sites or on lodges/ tented camps eats drinks and rest. Lunch, rest and continues with evening game drive around 3 pm.

Evening.
The evening is the best time to see animals. Predatory animals begin to stir, they prey become more active. You will return to the lodge around 6.30 pm for a shower and dinner.

Dinner.
Usually saved in the evening at the camp or on lodges dining area with large fire under the star

Yes, of course. Just because you’re on safari doesn’t mean you can’t eat how you want or need to! We want to make sure all our guests are well fed and watered. We can cater for most dietary requirements, whether they’re medical (Coeliac, food allergies), ethical (vegetarian, vegan) or religious (kosher). We do need advance notice so that we can prepare everything for you, so make sure you tell us beforehand

Roads between towns and the national parks of the Northern Safari Circuit are generally well-maintained and a comfortable ride (except for the road to the Serengeti). Inside the national parks all roads are pretty rough and not maintained so well. They become muddy during the rainy season and dusty during the dry season. But you didn’t come here for the fast roads

Most lodges have outlets so you will be able to recharge batteries. However, because the lodges are run on generators and solar power, the electrical current is not as strong as traditional electrical currents, and some lodges turn off their generators at midnight. Keep in mind Tanzania uses 220v electricity and you’ll need to bring the right converters and adaptors (Type D & Type G). Some of the campsites offer outlets in the dining area. Campsite etiquette dictates the first-come-first-served principle. Our safari trucks also have to charge ports that you can use when you’re on the move.

Gratuities in the Tanzanian tourism industry generally follow the US system. Tips are not included in your tour price but we’ve put together helpful guidelines for tipping your safari crew:

DRIVER GUIDE:

$20-40 per day per vehicle
(shared among the guests)

LODGE STAFF:

$15-30 per guest per night

                                                                        COOK:          

$20 per day per truck
(only relevant for camping safaris)

While on safari you will have a driver-guide with you throughout. Our driver-guides are well educated and trained in the field of Wildlife & Tour Guiding. With a wealth of experience in conducting safaris in various parks in Tanzania our knowledgeable and charming guides are sure to provide you with the ideal safari experience you deserve. We operate a well-maintained fleet of open-roof Toyota 4X4 Land Cruisers customized for safaris. All our vehicles are equipped with ICOM radios. These radios are commonly used for communication between driver-guides for up to date locations of animals and wildlife reports in the area. Given the rough nature of the park roads while on safari, flat tires are fairly common while on game drives. Tire changes are handled fairly quickly by our driver-guides with little inconvenience. Vehicle break-downs are extremely rare as our vehicles are rigorously maintained. However, in the unusual event of a vehicle breakdown, a replacement vehicle would be immediately sent over to your location so that you can proceed with your safari as planned

The best time to see the migration in Tanzania is often January-March and June-August. In the Kenya, it is often best September-October. These are also the most popular times to go, so you will need to book well in advance. You will see an abundance of wildlife all year round

We recommend you stay overnight where the Great Migration is likely to be found at the time of year you are traveling. See below for the approximate location of the migration throughout the year.

Dec-Mar => South

April–May => Central

June – July => West

July – Oct => North

Oct-Dec => Moving South through the East                                      

It is safe to walk around the main area of town during the day with valuables well hidden, but it not advised to be walk around at night for your own safety

You will need a passport that is valid for at least six more months. You will also need a flight card which you will receive on the plane. Finally you need a Tanzanian visa

Nothing is required but many are recommended. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into Tanzania when arriving from countries where yellow fever is present.                                                                                  

The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to East Africa. Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to determine which vaccines you will need.

• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
• Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11-12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
• Malaria: your risk of malaria may be high in all countries in East Africa, including cities. See your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug.
• Meningococcal (meningitis) if you plan to visit countries in this region that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through June.
• Rabies, pre-exposure vaccination, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.
• Typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors

Yellow fever, a viral disease that occurs primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus is also present in Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to endemic areas and may be required to cross certain international borders (For country specific requirements, see Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country.). Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk. · As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults

No, we must make preparations for your safari before your trip begins. All safaris must be pre-booked

Tanzania is a great destination for families. Many of the lodges cater for children as young as 7 years of age, additional bed for a child sharing a room with parents at a reduced cost may be provided by many, with activities specifically designed to keep them engaged such as swimming pools which is always a popular attraction for children, however please note that the pools are not fenced and adult supervision is required at all times.
For safety reasons, we do not recommend bringing children less than 7 years of age on safari. Most of the lodges and permanent campsites inside the national parks have a minimum age of 7 years and some up to 12 years of age, depending on their location.

We prefer not to take children less than 7 years of age on game drives as the terrain can be rough and a little challenging at times for youngsters. All children and teens must be accompanied by an adult or guardian

Safari packing list

It is important to keep luggage to the barest minimum on Safari or Climb as possible.

Baggage should be of round squashy type rather than suit cases that are difficult to fit into jeeps, try to use something that is lockable and waterproof as luggage often end up loaded onto the roof of your Safari vehicle.

For budget camping, all camping gear will be provided except only for a 4 season sleeping bag (available for hire).

Please Note: On your inbound flight it is common that your checked in luggage arrives later after you have arrived, for some reasons. Therefore don’t check in items that you absolutely need on arrival. (e.g. Medicine).

Clothes

• Sun hat
• Shirts (golf or t-shirts)
• Long-sleeved cotton shirts
• Light cotton shorts
• Long trousers (at least 2)
• Sports bra for women as the roads are bumpy
• Sandals or flip-flops
• Swimming costume (If accommodating in Lodges)
• Warm scarf as it can get cold in the evenings
• Safari jacket
• Sleepwear
• Safari hiking and walking shoes

Note: Bright or white colors are not recommended for safaris. Try avoiding blue as it attracts Tsetse flies. Camouflage clothing is strictly illegal in Tanzania try avoiding them so as not to get arrested.

Safari equipment & supplies

• 2 duffle bags (dust & waterproof; 1 for the majority of your things and the second one for small and delicate things which you will be carrying on your own and should be as light as possible.
• Camera and video equipment
• If you wear contact lenses it would be safer to bring extra pair of glasses
• A good torch and spare batteries
• Padlocks for your luggage
• Multi-plugs for charging
• A travel towel is light and takes very little space (If Camping)
• Deodorant
• Body soap/shower gel (if Camping)
• Sunglasses
• Wet wipes, hand sanitizer
• Swiss pocket Knife
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss .
• Shampoo& conditioner (if camping)
• Lip balm
• Q-tips & cotton balls
• Razor & shaving cream
• Small mirror (if camping)
• Plastic bags
• Reading books
• Memory cards, extra batteries, camera chargers
• Visa card is most common
• Fanny packs

Medical supplies

Medicine: We advise you to pack any basic medication that you may need as advised by your doctor.

• Insect & Mosquito repellent
• Sun block and after sun lotion
• Antiseptic cream
• Malaria tablets (very important)
• Painkillers
• Motion sickness tablets
• Anti-diarrhea medicine
• Cold/flu tablets
• Anti- histamine tablets
• Prescribed medicine (must be packed in your back pack)

Documents: Securely bind all your travel documents together, make extra copies of your passports, travel insurance, tickets, id card and leave some copies at home and take some with you, it is also a good idea to scan all of these documents and e mail them to your personal account, so you can access them anywhere in case of an emergency.

• Visas, tickets, passports, money and any other important document
• Journals to write your experiences etc
• Guide books of the areas you are visiting
• Your safari itinerary
• Vaccination certificates
• Passport and any other important document copies
• Emergency phone numbers
• Insurance policies
• Addresses and mobile numbers
• ID card