Tanzania safari questions, answered.

Planning & booking

Before you book

The questions you should answer first when starting to plan a Tanzania safari.

• How far in advance should I book a Tanzania safari?

  For peak-season trips (July to October, December to February) plan to book 6 to 12 months ahead. The best lodges in Northern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater fill up early, especially during the Mara River crossings. For green-season travel (April, May, November) you can usually book 2 to 4 months out. If you have specific lodge preferences or are travelling as a group of more than four, lean toward the longer end of those windows.

• What is the best time of year to visit Tanzania for a safari?

  It depends on what you want to see. June to October is peak dry season with the Mara River crossings of the Great Migration in the Northern Serengeti. January to March is calving season in the Southern Serengeti, when the herds drop their young on the short-grass plains and predator activity is at its most intense. April and May are the long rains — fewer visitors, lower lodge rates, lush landscapes, but some camps close. November and early December bring short rains, with herds moving south through Central Serengeti. Year-round, the Ngorongoro Crater is consistently good and Tarangire's elephant herds peak in dry season.

• How many days do I need for a Tanzania safari?

  Five to seven nights is a sensible minimum for the classic Northern Circuit (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti). Less than that and you spend a disproportionate amount of time on the road relative to time in the bush. Eight to ten nights gives you room to add a second Serengeti zone or a slower pace at one camp. Adding Zanzibar adds three to five nights. Twelve to fourteen nights is the sweet spot for a comprehensive safari plus beach trip.

• Can I combine a safari with Zanzibar?

  Yes. The classic combination is the Northern Circuit safari (typically 6 to 8 nights) followed by 4 to 5 nights on Zanzibar. The flight from Arusha or the Serengeti airstrips to Zanzibar takes roughly an hour and a half. We sequence the beach last so the slower pace closes the trip rather than bookending the bush.

• Do I need a visa for Tanzania?

  Most international visitors do. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, and many other passport holders can apply for an e-visa online before travel through the Tanzania Immigration Services portal. Visa-on-arrival is sometimes available at JRO airport but policies have shifted in recent years and queues can be long, so the e-visa is the safer route. Costs typically run $50 to $100 depending on nationality. Always confirm the current rules with your nearest Tanzanian high commission or embassy before travel; we'll also flag the latest guidance with you during planning.

• What vaccines or medications do I need for Tanzania?

  Yellow fever is required if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, and recommended otherwise. Routine vaccinations should be up to date. Tanzania is a malaria-active country, including most safari areas, so antimalarial prophylaxis is generally recommended. Speak with a travel medicine specialist 6 to 8 weeks before departure to confirm what's right for you. We're not medical professionals and this isn't medical advice.

Pricing & fees

How safari pricing works

Why Tanzania safaris cost what they do, and how Savannah & Sands prices transparently.

• How much does a Tanzania safari cost per person per day?

  Mid-range lodges run roughly $500 to $800 per person per night all-inclusive. Premium camps run $800 to $1,400. Ultra-luxury (think Singita, Asilia private camps, &Beyond flagship properties) starts around $1,500 and goes well beyond. On top of accommodation you'll pay government park fees, which vary by park: $70.80 per adult per day (peak $82.60) at Serengeti zones; $53.10 per adult per day (peak $59.00) at Tarangire and Lake Manyara; and $70.80 per adult per day at Ngorongoro Conservation Area plus a $295 Crater Service Fee per vehicle per visit. Vehicle and concession fees apply on top of entry. Transport adds $400 to $700 per day for a private 4x4 with driver. We line-itemise every component on every quote.

• What park fees will I pay and are they included in lodge rates?

  Park fees are usually NOT included in lodge rates and are paid separately to the government. TANAPA Tier 1 parks (all Serengeti zones — Seronera/Central, Kogatende and Lamai/Northern, Grumeti/Western) charge $70.80 per adult per day low season, $82.60 peak. TANAPA Tier 2 parks (Tarangire and Lake Manyara) charge $53.10 per adult per day low season, $59.00 peak. NCAA (Ngorongoro Crater and Ndutu) charges $70.80 per adult per day. Ngorongoro Crater also has a $295 Crater Service Fee per vehicle per visit. Overnight concession fees apply at most parks ($59 per person per night in Serengeti, $47.20 at Tarangire). All TANAPA parks have a $17.70 per vehicle per day fee; NCAA is $20.00 per day. Plus the Tourism Development Levy at 1% of net room rate. Our quotes always itemise every line.

• What is the Tourism Development Levy (TDL)?

  TDL is a 1% pass-through levy on net (pre-VAT) room rates, applied to all licensed accommodation in Tanzania. Lodges collect it and remit it to the Tanzania Revenue Authority. It's small in absolute terms but important for transparency: a $600 per-night room adds about $6 of TDL. We always itemise it on every quote.

• Why do some lodges quote VAT-inclusive and others VAT-exclusive?

  VAT conventions vary across Tanzanian authorities and lodges. Some operators quote rates net of all taxes, others quote gross. Different government bodies apply VAT differently to fees. The result is that quotes from different sources can look very different even when the bottom-line cost is the same. We always normalise this in our pricing so the number you see is the number you pay.

• Are children's rates different?

  Yes, almost always, but the specifics vary widely by property. Many lodges charge child rates somewhere between roughly 50% and 75% of the adult rate, with age cutoffs that differ by camp (common brackets are 0 to 5 free, 6 to 11 child rate, 12+ adult, though some camps use 4 to 11 or 0 to 11 as their child bracket). Park fees follow Tanzanian government brackets: children typically pay a reduced rate at TANAPA parks, with under-5s often free. Each lodge has its own age policy and we confirm the exact rates with the property on every family quote.

The safari experience

What it's actually like

• What is the Great Migration and when does it happen?

  The Great Migration is the year-round movement of roughly 1.5 million wildebeest, plus zebra and gazelle, in a continuous 1,800-mile loop through the Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystems. The herds follow the rains. Calving season is January to March on the southern Serengeti plains. Western Corridor crossings of the Grumeti River happen typically in June and July. The famous Mara River crossings happen July to October in Northern Serengeti. Late October and November the herds move back south through Central Serengeti. The migration is driven by rainfall and varies year to year, so book your camp location based on the expected window.

• What are the Big Five?

  Lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, and black rhino. The term comes from colonial-era big-game hunting and refers to the species hunters considered most dangerous to pursue on foot. Today it's a checklist for safari guests. The Ngorongoro Crater is the single best place in Tanzania to see all five in one day, particularly because it holds one of the country's last viable populations of black rhino.

• What is the difference between a national park and a conservation area?

  A national park (Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ruaha, etc.) is fully protected wilderness with no human settlement and strict rules: no off-roading, no walking outside designated camps, no overnight outside accredited lodges. A conservation area (Ngorongoro is the famous example) is a multiple-use zone where wildlife coexists with traditional Maasai pastoralism. You'll see Maasai cattle and bomas inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, alongside the wildlife.

• What is a walking safari like?

  Walking safaris are guided three to four-hour walks led by an armed ranger and a knowledgeable guide. You're not stalking dangerous game on foot. The walks focus on tracks, smaller wildlife, plant lore, and the texture of the bush you'd otherwise drive past. Walking is permitted in specific zones: Arusha National Park, parts of Tarangire, Ruaha, Selous/Nyerere, and some private conservancies. The Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and most of the Northern Circuit core are vehicle-only.

• Is Tanzania safe for a safari with young children?

  Yes, with the right structure. Most lodges have minimum age requirements (typically 6 or 8 years old), shorter game-drive options for families, child-safe pools, and family rooms or interconnecting suites. We tailor family safaris around predictable wake-up times, midday rest, and parks with shorter drives between game-viewing zones. The honest caveat: a 4-hour game drive is long for a 6-year-old. We design family trips to respect that.

• What should I pack for a safari?

  Layers in earth tones (avoid bright colours, especially blue which attracts tsetse flies; avoid pure white which shows dust). A warm fleece for early-morning drives — the Crater rim and Ngorongoro highlands are cold at dawn. A waterproof shell. Lightweight long-sleeved shirts and trousers for sun protection. Closed-toe walking shoes. A wide-brim hat. Reading glasses if you wear them, plus binoculars (8x42 is the standard recommendation). Most lodges do same-day laundry, so you can pack lighter than you think.

Lodges & accommodation

Where you'll sleep

• What's the difference between a lodge and a tented camp?

  A lodge is a permanent building with proper walls and plumbing. A tented camp is canvas walls on a permanent platform with en-suite bathrooms (plumbed hot water, flush loo). Tented camps in Tanzania are not what you'd think of as camping. They have full beds, electricity, hot showers, and three-meal-a-day cooking. The canvas just lets you hear the bush at night, and that's the appeal. Mobile camps are the most authentic, set up on rotating sites that follow the migration.

• What does 'full board' mean at a safari lodge?

  Full board means breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included in the room rate. Most safari lodges go further: 'all-inclusive' typically includes shared game drives, soft drinks, sometimes laundry, and house wines or beers (we don't include alcoholic beverages in our pricing). Game drives in your private 4x4 are usually billed separately on top of the lodge rate. We always itemise what's included on every quote.

• Can I swap lodges after I've started planning?

  Yes, on the customise step of our trip planner you can swap any lodge for another in the same park and see the price update in real time. After you submit your inquiry, swaps are still possible up until you've paid your deposit and the lodge has confirmed your room. After deposit, swaps depend on the lodge's cancellation policy.

• Do safari lodges have Wi-Fi and phone charging?

  Most have Wi-Fi in common areas (the mess tent, library, or pool deck) and not in tents. Speed varies from 'fine for messaging' to 'fine for video calls', usually toward the lower end. Charging is reliable everywhere — most camps have generators, a few have full solar. Some remote camps have a few hours of midday power-down to conserve fuel. If always-on connectivity matters, we steer you toward camps with strong starlink or fibre.

Transport & logistics

Getting between parks

• Should I fly or drive between safari parks?

  Drive for 5- to 7-night Northern Circuit trips: the road from Arusha to Tarangire to Ngorongoro to Central Serengeti is itself a slow game drive, and you save the cost of bush flights. Fly for trips with Northern Serengeti (Kogatende), where the drive from Central Serengeti is 4 to 6 hours and the flight is 45 minutes. Fly when you're tight on days, when you're going to remote camps with airstrip access, or when guests prefer the time saved. Our customise step shows the cost trade-off on every leg.

• What is a safari vehicle like?

  The Northern Circuit standard is a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser configured for safari: pop-up roof, three rows of seats facing forward (not bench-style), big windows on each side, charging ports, a fridge or coolbox, and binoculars. Capacity is six guests plus driver, but our model defaults to private use, so it's just your group. We never put strangers in the same vehicle unless specifically requested.

• How long are the drives between parks?

  Arusha to Tarangire is roughly 2 to 3 hours. Tarangire to Ngorongoro is 3 to 4 hours. Ngorongoro to Central Serengeti is 3 to 4 hours including the Crater rim descent. Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti (Kogatende) is 4 to 6 hours and is where most guests choose to fly. Anywhere to Zanzibar is a flight, never a drive: Tanzania's Indian Ocean ports don't take vehicle ferries to the island.