What should you expect on a Tanzania Safari?

The Experience of a Lifetime

Tanzania – home to herds of thousands of the largest land mammals left in the world. Here you’ll find elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, hippos, and an incredible diversity of bird life, from tiny bedazzling sunbirds to outrageous ostriches.

Tanzania is also home to over 140 different tribal cultures, a melting pot of people in the land where many believe mankind began. This is a land where animals, people, and the landscape are inextricably interwoven into the fabric that is Africa. It’s like visiting the pages of National Geographic in person, seeing and hearing, tasting and smelling all that makes East Africa so diverse and so fascinating.

Tourism is encouraged and necessary for the country’s economy, and you can rest assured that a portion of your trip costs is going to support local people and conservation efforts in a variety of ways that you will see on the journey.

Safari is for Everyone

A photographic/viewing safari includes game drives in a customized Land Rover to allow everyone a window seat with excellent opportunities for quality photographs and viewing through open roof hatches. It is not strenuous – if you can comfortably sit in a vehicle, you will be able to fully enjoy this trip. If you have physical limitations or other concerns, please let us know how we might be able to accommodate them.

On most days, you’ll have the opportunity for an early morning and/or a late afternoon game drive with rest time in between, when most animals are also resting. Each game drive is different and you never know what surprises may await you. While some animal sightings are fairly predictable, nothing can be promised because the animal are in their own habitats, behaving in the ways they must to survive. You will see these magnificent creatures, large and small, doing what they do naturally, not constrained by enclosures or trained behaviors. Absolutely nothing compares to seeing the variety of wildlife species interacting with each other as they were meant to do. Clients who practice quiet, observant behavior while in the presence of wild animals have the best chance to get quality photographs.

Your itinerary may include stops at a variety of cultural experiences. If that is the case, you will have the opportunity to engage with and learn more about the people you have been invited to visit, but you will want to be respectful and ask before taking photographs.

Safari Logistics

Your safari will be accompanied by professional driver guides. These men are graduates of an extensive and ongoing training program that includes courses in natural history, tourism and African culture and history. They are carefully selected for their knowledge, temperament and ability to communicate. In addition, they have had several years of “on the job” training and have advanced to their current position because they have successfully led numerous wildlife safaris and demonstrated their ability as charismatic and resourceful leaders. You can trust our driver guides to give you the advice you need to stay safe, especially around the wild animals you will encounter during your visit.

Lodging options will depend on the specific itinerary you design. We regularly contract with high-end and mid-range hotels, tented lodges, and bush camps for a variety of experiences in a range of prices. In addition to enhancing the “feel” of the traditional East Africa safari, the tented camp provides all of the comforts of the lodges but offers far less crowded conditions and more personalized services. We expect you to savor your trip for the rest of your life and believe the private tented camp offers the most intimate safari experience. Whether you prefer luxury wildlife lodges or bush camps, you may be surprised to find that you will have all the comforts of home, including en suite flushable toilet, comfortable bed, hot shower, electricity, delicious meal service, and a fully stocked bar. Spa services, laundry and swimming pools may also be available at some locations.

Unless otherwise specified, your safari experience includes all accommodations, meals, land and air transportation in country, guide services, entrance fees to parks and other sites visited during the safari, bottled water in the vehicles, airport transfers, hotel taxes, and membership in the Flying Doctors air ambulance program. Menus for included meals usually feature a variety of choices, whether plated or served buffet style. Special diets can almost always be accommodated if disclosed in advance. Optional activities may be priced separately as designated in your proposed itinerary. Tips for driver guides and lodging staff, laundry services, and alcoholic beverages are not included. Other inclusions and exclusions may apply depending on the itinerary you select.