FAQ

Tanzania has been in the travel business for a long time. With a wide range of accommodation to suit every taste and budget, from camping to luxury lodges, there are plenty of options to choose from. From small eco-friendly lodges to more known operations like the Four Seasons, we are confident that we can find what you are looking for.

Water is generally safe in urban areas and established hotels/resorts, but for first-time African travelers this may cause abdominal upsets. To ensure a good experience, it is best to drink bottled water. Due to the environmental impact of plastic bottles we try hard to limit its uses. Refilling water bottles and buying the larger bottles is highly recommended. Many lodges will have filtered water in the lodges that you can refill water bottles with. At this time there are few recycling options so being aware of your plastic consumption is important. Lodges and camps make ice cubes, so they are safe. Bottled or filtered water should also be used for brushing your teeth. Water will be provided during game drives.

Almost all Safaris in Tanzania are full board, which means breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided by the lodge. Most mid-range to high-end lodges will provide a buffet style breakfast and dinner, with some of the more budget lodges providing a small menu with a few different options or a pre-made dinner menu. Most lunches will be a picnic lunch that you can enjoy in the wild during your game drive. Due to the remoteness of some parks on Safari you shouldn’t expect a Safari to be a culinary tour. The cooking is usually international (such as pastas, vegetable medley, beans, rice, soups, salads), Indian influences and barbeques are also common. You may also find some local dishes, for example Ugali, a stiff porridge made from maize or cassava usually served with a fish, meat, or vegetable sauce. If you have specific food needs or allergies please make sure to tell us ahead of time so we can accommodate your diet.

The meals served in the lodges and camps are of a high standard and can range from local to western food. The chefs are fully trained and know the importance of preparing delicious cuisine after a long day on Safari.

The menu below is a sample menu to give you a better idea of what to expect.

Breakfast

• Fruits
• Bread – toast with butter, jam, marmalade, and honey
• Eggs
• Sausages
• Beans
• Porridge
• Tea / Coffee
• Pancakes
• Mineral water and juice

Picnic lunch

• Sandwich
• Juice box
• Boiled egg
• Roasted chicken
• Chocolate
• Cheese
• Fruits
• Mineral water

Dinner

• Appetizer
• Popcorn, chips or peanuts
• Soup
• Soup of the season, e.g. Tomato soup
• Western Main Dishes
• Rice and curry with vegetables
• Chicken with vegetables
• Potato salad with beef curry
• Rice with chicken curry
• Roasted chicken fries and lentils
• Roasted potato and salad
• Roasted potatoes with fish and vegetables
• African Main dishes
• Roasted chicken salad with ugali
• Beef barbeque with Potato salad
• Matoke with beef fillet and salad
• Roasted potato beef barbeque and salad
• Fruits
• Tea / Coffee and mineral water

Both Western and local dishes are often served at the same time.

Evening tea

• Tea / Coffee
• Roasted peanuts / popcorn / biscuits

We can cater for vegetarians at the lodges as well as on our camping Safaris.

Alcohol
A selection of beer, wine and spirits are offered at most lodges.

Travel Food Safety Tips

While you won’t have to worry about food safety if you’re staying in a lodge, you will want to keep the following tips in mind if you plan to go to the local markets and restaurants.

• Avoid eating raw food, especially meat, fish, eggs, and milk. You should only eat raw fruit and vegetables that can be peeled or hulled. The NHS provides a list of foods to steer clear of when travelling abroad.
• Always wash your hands after handling, peeling, or hulling raw fruit or vegetables.
• Only eat food that is well cooked. Avoid eating foods that appear undercooked or that have been sitting out for an unknown amount of time.
• Exercise caution when buying food from street vendors. You’ll want to avoid food that has sat out for too long. Look for popular vendors that are serving piping hot food, and avoid food that’s sitting out, getting cold.

All visitors require a valid passport with a minimum 6-months remaining before expiration, sufficient blank pages for Visas and entry/departure stamps, and a return air ticket.

Visas: Visas are required for many passport holders. For USA passport holder you may acquire a visa on arrival, but this could always change. Please check with the respective embassies, well in advance, as processing can take from a few days to a few weeks. Remember that it is your responsibility to obtain necessary Visas in advance of travel. Visas are usually valid from three months to six months, depending on the country. For US passport holders, the current price for a Tanzanian Visa is USD$100.

Contact the embassy at:

Embassy of United Republic of Tanzania
2139 R Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 939-6125
Fax: (202) 797-7408
Embassy Website

Tanzania’s unit of currency is the Tanzania Shilling. The country has a cash-based economy. U.S. dollars are widely accepted. Major credit cards are accepted on a very limited basis, mainly only in the largest shops, hotels, and lodges. ATMs are available in larger city centers like Arusha and Dar es Salaam, but less frequent in remote areas.

Safari can be a great experience for all ages. The opportunity to show your children animals in their natural habitat, to watch a herd of elephants walk past your vehicle, spotting a cheetah with its cubs, or listen to a pride of lions roaring at night, is a magical experience that they will never forget. I custom design the trip of a lifetime for just for you and your family and can be very flexible on the needs and wants of your children.

Road conditions are often poor, bumpy, and dusty and distances can be great between points of interest. I like to think that this is part of a real Adventure. The driving in-between parks is a great way to observe local culture and see some of the amazing topography that Tanzania has to offer. If you are worried about drive times, please let us know. There are options to fly in-between some of the parks. Most often, we create an itinerary that combines both flying and driving, but the decision is always yours.

With the exception of bumpy and dusty road conditions, we believe your overall comfort will be more than satisfactory as far as the accommodations and meals on your itinerary. Of course, this depends on what kind of budget you are looking for, as high-end lodges will be more geared to the finer things in life. In lower budget options, such as the mobile-tented and adventure Safaris, the bathrooms may be outside your tent and may be shared with others, and showers will be rustic.

In Tanzania there are 120 different tribes with as many languages, both Kiswahili and English are the official languages. An English speaker should not encounter any problems in being able to communicate in local markets or on the streets. Your guide (who will be fluent in English) will be with you most of the time if you need something communicated.

Some people need to be in contact with jobs or kids at home, while others don’t even want to hear about the word internet for the entire trip. Most midrange – high end lodges do have internet these days. However, the quality of internet vary greatly. Don’t expect to be doing much downloading.

See packing list at the bottom of this page.

Since you don’t have to pack much in the way of formal clothing, the ideal piece of luggage is a duffle bag. These are easy to pack and easy to transport in Safari vehicles, and a “must” if you are taking any internal flights. On internal flights you will be limited 33-lbs of luggage, including photographic equipment. Because many roads will kick up lots of dust, it is recommended that you secure your cameras in zip-lock plastic bags.

Gratuities/tipping should always be at your discretion, based on the level of service received from your guide/driver, however it is a very important part of a guide’s salary. The common expectation for tipping is $30 per day/per car for a base line tip and more or less depending on how you feel about the service you received. There is also often a tip box at most lodges that you are most welcome to use.

There are minimal expenses outside of the trip cost while in Tanzania. Almost all costs will be paid for prior to your departure. At some lodges/camps there will be a charge for soft drinks, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. Of course, any items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc. are your responsibility. Tanzania is full of local art and you will most likely be tempted to bring some sort of souvenir home with you.

Note that you will need a Tanzanian visa on arrival and the current fee for this visa is $100.00 as per 2/27-2019.

It is strongly recommended that you purchase Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance. You have made an investment in your trip to Africa and should do what is necessary to protect it if something unforeseen happens.

Adventure Calls requires proof of medical travel insurance that includes medical evacuation. Should the need arise, they will fly to wherever you are and fly you to the closest, best medical facility – usually in Nairobi.

Tanzania supply electricity at 220-240 volts / 50 hertz. Be sure to pack a universal travel adapter.

In your safari vehicle there are outlets available for charging of electronics as well.

East Africa has a tropical climate. It is hot and humid in coastal and in low lying areas, temperate inland, and very dry in the north and northeast areas.
On Safari you can expect a great deal of sunshine and daytime temperatures are generally warm year-round.

However, it can get quite cool at night and early in the morning. Tanzania has two rainy seasons – long and short. The long rainy season is from approximately March/April to May/June. The short rainy season occurs from October to December.

Local flights within the destination are included in the tour cost as specified, but we do not include airfare to get to the destination. Due to the many different starting points of travel, it is very difficult to include international airfare.

Yes, it is generally very safe in Tanzania, as long as you use common sense. Use the safes where available in your accommodations to secure your valuables, especially passports, medications, jewelry, money, and electronics. If you must carry valuables, keep them on your person at all times. Be mindful of your surroundings and take extra caution in crowds. I highly recommend that you leave your expensive jewelry at home to avoid any unwanted attention. Photocopy the personal information pages of your passport; leave one copy with a family member or friend and pack another separately from the passport itself.

On flights within Tanzania, each passenger is limited to a maximum baggage weight of 33 pounds (15 kilograms). This includes the weight of purses and camera equipment. Since Tanzania uses smaller hopper planes they are very strict and passengers should pack their bags accordingly. Soft-sided luggage or duffels are preferable to hard luggage for storage on Safari vehicles and also on aircrafts.

Unless you are looking for a cold winter experience, the summer season is the best option. From May to September is the main season, with June to August being the peak. Weather can change rapidly in Mongolia, so being prepared with proper clothing is a must. Please see packing list below. Mid July is the Naadam festival, which is quite amazing, but also brings in the crowds. If you are looking for some fall weather, September and the start of October are wonderful for the changing leaves and the cooler temperatures. Even as early as September there can be snowy days.

As of January 2019, United States passport holders are visa exempted, but this could change at any moment. It is your responsibility to be up to date on visa regulations.

Please visit the Mongolian Embassy website for more information here.

Overall, Mongolia is considered an incredibly safe place to visit, with some of the most welcoming people in the world. However, you do need to keep you wits about you in the capital, where pickpocketing is not uncommon, especially in areas with large crowds, such as market places and malls. Avoided walking around late at night.

Be prepared for hot scorching sun and chilly windy nights. Layers are key. Weather changes so rapidly here you need to be prepared for anything. Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat and good warm hiking books are a must, as well as waterproof rain gear. Please see packing list below.

If you are staying in Ulaanbaatar, you will have a wide range of accommodation options, to fit any budget and need. Many American Hotel chains are represented and often come with spas and excellent restaurants. Outside of UB this all changes, due to the remoteness and lack of infrastructure. Mongolia has yet to upgrade the lodging situation in many areas. The more remote you get, the less likely it is that you will find high-end lodges. Most of the time we will be staying in Ger camps set up for tourists or we will be wild camping. With wild camping, your tents will be set up for you with air mattress, a mess area for cooking and eating. If you are wild camping, a good warm sleeping bag is a must.

Ger camping are Mongolian style houses set up for tourists needs. They will have beds set up inside, with either a heater or a fire area. They often sleep 2-4 people. The bathrooms and showers are usually shared, due to the one room set up of Gers.

Mongolia is not exactly a prime destination for foodies. That being said, UB is a very modern city were you can find most foods you are craving. There are a variety of fantastic restaurants spread around the capital. Once we are on the road, we will have a cook with us for lunches and wild camping. If you are vegetarian or have any dietary restriction, please let us know ahead of time.

Mongolia is a HUGE country and the distances are vast. In places where driving is not a option, we try to put internal flights to cut down on driving times. Flights within Mongolia are not always cheap, so if you are more on a budget, expect to be driving a bit more. We use 4WD vehicles, either Russian vans or land cruisers, depending on the trip.

Mongolia is a massive untouched country and many of the roads are unpaved. Your journey will often have a real wild feeling, where driving through mountains, deserts, rivers and snow is not uncommon. It’s part of the Adventure!

No vaccinations are required to visit Mongolia, but it is always a good idea to see your travel doctor before embarking on an international experience.

Proof of medical and evacuation insurance is required by Adventure Calls. We will often be in extremely remote areas where the only option for medical treatment is a helicopter ride to the capital. We also highly recommend travel cancellation insurance.

Once you have booked your trip, most things will be included. You might want to buy some extra snacks or soft drinks along the way, but food will be included on most of the trip, depending on itinerary. There is lots of good shopping in UB, from local art to incredible cashmere clothing, which is said to be some of the best in the world.

Tipping is of course at your discretion, but a good baseline for local guides is $10 per day.

Many Ger camps will have electricity these days. But outside UB it can be hard to find. We will supply chargers in the car. We suggest bringing plenty of batteries and powerbanks on your trip. On international flights, you can not have a power bank more than 27,000 mAh, according to current airline regulations.

In the capital there is very good access to internet and mobile service, but once in the countryside, it’s time to unplug.

You can take a riding tour even if you have never ridden before. We have experienced guides and horses that can help you. Obviously, getting into the saddle for a few days trip can make even the most seasoned person sore. So having a good attitude is half the battle. We always have a support truck following if you are getting tired and want to drive instead.

We will always have a way of getting you to our support car. If you are getting tired, you can let your guides know and they can arrange a meet up with the car.

Traveling through Mongolia is more appealing to the adventurous type, someone interested in exploring remote locations and seeing tribes and landscapes yet to hit the tourist market. Traveling in Mongolia can be tough at times, with many hours in the car, hiking and riding horses. However, if you are still interested in Mongolia, we can customize a trip that will be more suitable for your needs.

Mongolians, both men and women, are a relatively modest people, and most people outside of the capital do not wear very revealing clothing, although they are now used to seeing foreigners in shorts at many of the more visited places in the countryside. However, you will want to wear pants or a skirt covering at least your knees to avoid being stared at in some rural areas, particularly in Western Mongolia, and also to enter monasteries. That said, shorts are perfectly acceptable while hiking or trekking and you should bring a bathing suit for swimming in the summer. Mongolia has a limited range of feminine hygiene products, particularly in the countryside, so it is best to bring your own. Mongolia is a very egalitarian society and women are treated with respect, courtesy, and friendliness.