Safari Packing List & FAQs

Safari packing list

It is important to keep luggage to the barest minimum on safari 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 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

The migration basically depends on the weather. Triggered by the rain, the annual pilgrimage must search for water and grass to survive. From about December to May with some seasonal variations in time scale the migrating herds are on the short grass plains from lake Ndutu past Naabi hill.
There they give birth and regain their strength. In May as the water becomes the limiting factor on the short grass plains hundreds of thousands of animals stretching over many kilometers heard Northwest, Simba and Moru become the favorite places to watch them. The migration swings Northeast heading into the neighboring Masaai Mara Game reserve in Kenya during September. Around October the march begins again heading southwards back to Tanzania crossing the Mara and Kirawira rivers in pursuit of the of the nutritious grass in the southern plains where they began their journey 12 months earlier. This phenomenon is sometimes called the Circular Migration.

Clothing on Safari should be as comfortable as they can be, recommended on safari are khaki, olive or brown colored clothing as they blend with the surrounding nature well and offers the added benefit of concealing dirt, moreover light colors help when the sun is hot.

Lodges on Safari offer continental cuisine, in addition to local specialties to appeal to a wide range of palates.

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.

Malaria is endemic in Africa, please consult your doctor for assistance on the most suitable Prophylactic to be used.

At present the only vaccination that is required for entry into Tanzania is the yellow fever and it must be presented on arrival at the airport in Tanzania. However, it is always advisable to consult your physician to discuss on the precautions you need to take before travelling to ensure that you have an enjoyable and safe holiday. Mega Adventures advices you to speak to your physician or travel doctor to ensure that you have the correct protection for your trip to Africa

Visas are required by most visitors to Tanzania. In order to get a visa applicable for Tanzania you have following two options;

1. You can either apply for a visa at the counter in the airport upon arrival to Tanzania. There is a possibility that this procedure can take some time, as you have to go through several queues. Payment for visas on entry into Tanzania is in US dollars only.
2. The option that we highly recommend is that you apply for your visa online. It is a simple way of applying for a visa and you skip the longest queues at the airport upon arrival. You fill out your information on the website and choose the Tanzanian embassy nearest you to handle your application. After application you will have your visa in about 3-4 weeks (often takes shorter time than this). Link to website for applying for visa: https://eservices.immigration.go.tz.visa/

Tanzania is a truly year round destination, weather is variable and so it is quite possible to go for days without rain during the peak of the rainy season, or have showers in the middle of the dry season. Generally the peak rainy season begins mid-March – mid May, while short rains are normally expected in the months of November.

The drier seasons are generally considered preferable for game viewing. Dry weather offers more reliable road conditions than in the winter months, Dry spells force game to congregate around the limited water sources, and sparser foliage makes the animals easier to find and see. While these are prime game viewing conditions, bear in mind that the dry season is the peak season (June – October), Other Peak travel seasons are December – February.

In February / March one of the Wildlife`s most amazing spectacles occurs, for 3-4 weeks 90% of the female wildebeest give birth, flooding the Southern Plains with thousands of new calves each day.

It is essential to book your trip well in advance during peak seasons.

Mega Adventures offers some safaris with greatly reduced rates in the months of April and May, greater discounts are also offered to larger groups willing to travel at this time, yes it is low season and it is very green at this time for those who prefer the sweet, fresh powerfully evocative smell of cool air from fresh rain that has touched the rich nutritious soil, a very strong and sweet odor that is hard to ignore.