Travel Information: Camping Safari
It is important to be well prepared for your African holiday, in order to be so; we have compiled the most important travel information for you mentioned below. If you have further or more specialised questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
A camping safari is a journey with a well-planned route bringing together the most impressive landscapes, the culture of the region and the exciting wildlife. Next to the large national parks, a few safaris also visit places off the beaten track where the infrastructure is not as developed as to what we are used to in Europe. The nights are spend at camping sites inside and outside of the national parks.
An overnight stay in a safari tent is naturally not comparable to a luxury hotel and you will need to waiver your comfort. What you have given up in the way of pure and fine linen is made up for by a more natural and up close African experience. By staying in a safari tent, you will experience Africa in a way that one does not experience by staying in a safari lodge. Your crew will do everything possible to make your trip as comfortable as possible. It should also be remembered that the region has a less sophisticated infrastructure and therefore, there are more barriers to overcome. Flexibility and a good sense of humour can sometimes be helpful. You also need to know that the "clock" runs slower in Africa and that the bureaucracy is sometimes overwhelming. Again, flexibility and patience as well as frankness are the key to a relaxing holiday.
Your driver is also your guide. The guides are born in Africa, many are coming from this region, and they know the region the best. During the game drives, the experience of your driver will become apparent as will their ability to spot animals that untrained eyes would never see. The language spoken on the tours is English.
On every camping safari, a cook will accompany you. Not only will he conjure up fantastic dishes in his bush kitchen, he will also take care of putting up and down the camp.
On all the tours, jeeps or 4 x 4 mini busses are mostly used. These vehicles are also adapted for our needs as large windows allow for excellent wildlife and nature watching as well as a roomy interior with comfortable seats. All our safari vehicles have convertible tops or sunshine roofs and are therefore good viewing platforms.
You will stay at designated camping sites inside and outside of the national parks. The comforts, fittings and facilities vary form one site to another site. For example, the state campsites in the national parks may have only basic sanitation and sometimes no running water (Serengeti) while some private campsites have swimming pools and well-stocked bars. Overnight accommodation will be in 2 man tents in which sleeping mats are provided. Single travellers may be asked to share a tent with a member of the same gender.
Meals are on a full board basis. All meals are freshly prepared onsite by the cook. If you are doing a day activity, the cook will provide you with lunch boxes for a picnic on the way. People with special diets and/or allergies can be catered for. Please inform us about your special dietary needs when booking and the correct arrangements will be made.
In the vehicles, you will be supplied with mineral water (1.5 - 3 litres per person per day). In the mornings and evenings, hot drinks such as tea, coffee and chocolate are also available. You can also buy alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at some campsites as well as from shops en route.
It is recommended that you bring some cash money on your safari. On some tours, there is the chance to visit other places of interest, i.e. museums or other cultural projects, and it is wise to budget for these visits. Euro and US Dollars can be changed to the local currency in the numerous Bureau de change without problems (please use only US dollar notes printed after 2004!).
There are cash points for example in Moshi and Arusha where you can withdraw local currency with your Visa Card. At the Barclay’s Bank in Arusha, you can use an EC-Card; Traveller’s cheques are generally no longer accepted, as the fees are too dear.
It is also recommended that you bring a credit card in case of an emergency.
We recommend that your clothes are made of cotton or microfibers. Camouflage or other military clothes are not advisable as it may cause problems with the local government. A few areas such as the Ngorongoro Crater lie 2000 metres above sea level and at night, it can be relatively cool with temperatures around 12°C. For the colder evenings, a light jacket and a jumper is recommended as well as trousers and long sleeve shirts for protection against mosquitoes.
Upon booking, we will give you a list of equipment that you need to bring. Please remember that there is limited space available in the vehicle and that you should restrict yourself to one large luggage or rucksack with no more than 15 kg in weight and one small hand luggage.
If possible NO SUITCASES PLEASE! Please also take note of the luggage regulations of the different airlines. If you pass through Arusha before and after the safari, you can safely store luggage in Arusha free of charge.
Tanzania possesses a full-developed mobile telephone network. Reception is generally first class except in certain regions such as Lake Natron. For further information, please contact your service provider. Calling codes from East Africa are: to America 0001, to Australia 00061, to Austria 0043, to Germany 0049, to New Zealand 00064, to Switzerland 0041 and to the UK 0044.
At camping sites outside the national parks, power points are available and you can charge your cameras, mobiles and other batteries. The campsites inside the national parks mostly have no power supply. The power supply is rated at 230 volt and 50 Hz. In Tanzania, the British 3 prong plug (type G) is used. The common two pin (C & F) type that can be found in Germany and widely in Europe are not compatible and you will need an adapter. Adapters can be bought in all good electrical stores. The electricity supply in East Africa is also susceptible to power surges and power cuts, please be aware that this may damage sensitive equipment such as Notebooks.
Generally, we have a no smoking policy in our vehicles. On all tours are plenty of stops for cigarette breaks.
For your safety (and also for the animals), please follow the advices and instructions given by your guide. Please also do not feed the animals or pick the flowers and plants. On game drives, be sure to keep noise to a minimum as the animals react immediately to noise and you might miss your perfect picture. Please stay in the vehicle at all times unless instructed by your guide - we want you to return and leave the park in safety. On night drives and dawn tours, it is advisable to have something warm to wear as the night breeze on the vehicle can be chilly. During the day, sunscreen is an essential as well as drinking water regularly. Other objects such as a hat, binoculars and you camera are items that you should not forget.
Tips make up a large proportion of the guides income and are therefore readily accepted. Generally, the norm is 10 to 20 US dollars per guide per day from the group while the safari cook receives roughly half of this. Items of clothing, equipment and shoes that are not needed anymore are also gladly received.
For entry into Tanzania, you need a passport that is valid for at least six months after your intended leaving date. A visa can be obtained from the relevant embassy or authority in your country of residence or upon arrival at the international airport or border control, (correct as of 01.01.07). For entry from a neighbouring country (Kenya, Uganda) you need to show proof of vaccination against yellow fever and you must have the appropriate papers/documents. If you are travelling directly from Europe, this proof is not necessary and further vaccinations are not required. However, we do advise that you have the vaccinations recommended by your country of residence. You must also have a valid return ticket in your possession that allows you to leave the country once your safari, tour or holiday is finished. If you do not have this valid ticket, you must show that you have the ability to pay for a ticket out of the country, such as a credit card. To avoid disappointment, please contact us within reasonable time before travel as the regulations for the visa may change. This is especially important if you are a non-European citizen.
ET Investments cannot be held responsible for any cost incurred by any parties whether on safari or otherwise. All cost incurred will be beard by the parties themselves.
Many airports in East Africa have a departure tax; this tax is usually paid in cash and in US dollars. Please have additional 40 US dollars extra for this purpose.
Please make sure that you are covered by your health insurance when you are away from home and travelling. If this is not the case, we cannot stress enough the importance of having the appropriate travel insurance. Please make sure that you are covered for all medical expenses including the possibility of return transport costs to your country of residence. Other insurance such as for luggage theft or loss should also be taken into consideration as well as an insurance for travel cancellation.
In general, East Africa poses no significant health risks than other distant destinations. Please contact your general practitioner in regards to the appropriate vaccinations before your holiday. Please note that for your own safety you should inform us about any intolerances or allergies against any medications that you may have and also of any medical conditions, for example high blood pressure, epilepsy, asthma, heart conditions, etc.
Malaria can be found in all countries of Eastern Africa. Malaria is caused by a one-cell parasite and is transmitted by Anopheles Mosquitoes. There are prophylactic medicines that can be taken, some of them must start to be taken before you start travelling. You should contact your GP or an infectious tropical disease institute to get medical advice. Our experience suggests that older preparations can lead to severe side effects and therefore may compromise your holiday. Prevention is better than a cure; the best prevention is not to be bitten. By wearing long trousers, closed shoes and long-sleeved tops during the evening hours as well as using anti-mosquito sprays and crèmes can help to reduce your chances of being bitten.
Bilharzia occurs in some waters in East Africa, for example in Lake Victoria. Your tour guide will know where you should not go for a swim - please ask before you take a refreshing dip.
For tourists, it is common to experience diarrhea at some stage. This is often just your body reacting to different food or bacteria that your body has had no previous contact with and to which it has not developed an immune response. In most cases, it is not severe. You can help prevent this experience by following these simple guidelines:
- do not drink tap water
- do not order ice in drinks at places that do not look hygienic
- eat no raw meat, fish that has not been kept chilled or food from establishments that appear unkempt
- do not eat unwashed fruit and vegetables, better peel before eating.
If you have any problems on the tour - usually there are none and we are certain that it will remain so - these can only be solved if your guide knows about them. Please be so kind to tell the guide about your problems. A problem aired is a problem solved and is much better than a letter of complaint after the holiday is over. If you experience no immediate results to your problem, please contact our office in Arusha directly. We will do everything to solve it immediately.
We hope that the detailed explanation and information given above answers your questions. If not, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We wish you a fantastic and exhilarating trip, many unusual experiences and pleasant memories. We can only say...See you soon in Africa.