October 18th – 28th, 2023
A tourist e-visa is required to visit Tanzania. Please follow the below process to obtain your visa:
*You will be able to apply for your e-visa 1 month prior to the tour. The process takes around 15 minutes and costs $100 USD.
*You will need to enter your departure flight ticket during the application.
*When the application asks for your host, please select the “self” option.
*When entering your date of arrival, it’s best to enter a date that is a few days before your actual arrival date just in case your flight changes.
*When the application asks for the hotel where you will stay, enter: Mount Meru Hotel (Arusha-Taveta Road Sekei Area Arusha TZ, 2673, Tanzania)
Please follow the below instructions upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport:
If you are unable to find your driver, you can call your tour leader, Scott, at +66 90 091 1438
Please note: When arriving into Tanzania, you are sometimes required to fill out a landing card or tell the immigration officer where you will be staying in Arusha. Here are the details:
Mount Meru Hotel (Arusha-Taveta Road Sekei Area Arusha TZ, 2673, Tanzania)
Please note that, for this tour, you may fly to/from either the Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or the Arusha Airport (ARK) as they are both conveniently located near Arusha.
We will set up a WhatsApp chat 2 weeks prior to the start of the tour that will include all of the participants as well as your tour leader. This will allow everyone to get to know each other in advance, ask questions and communicate with your tour leader both before and during the tour. It will be very useful for you to have WhatsApp available to you during the tour as this will be the main method of communication.
Your dedicated tour leader, Scott, will be there to support you every step of the way. With his extensive expertise as a small group tour leader, you are in incredibly capable hands. From answering your questions to offering assistance whenever needed, Scott is committed to ensuring a seamless and enjoyable adventure for everyone. He will personally introduce himself and share important details with you through our group WhatsApp chat, which will be created approximately 2 weeks before the tour.
**Our tour leader will be there to ensure the trip runs smoothly and our local guides are there to share the wonders of their country!
The local currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 2,405 TZS.
While Tanzanian Shillings are the official currency, USD are widely accepted throughout the country as well.
Tipping in Tanzania is not as common as in the West but in some cases it is expected. Here’s a general guideline:
➜ Restaurants – 5% – 10% if a service charge is not already added to the bill
➜ Hotel staff – 2,500 – 5,000 TZS if someone helps you with luggage or anything else
➜ Our drivers – At the end of the trip, we recommend that everyone gives a $110 USD tip for our drivers. We will collect this on the last day and give it to our drivers before we say goodbye
➜ Tour leader – If you wish to tip your tour leader, they will always be greatly appreciative
*Tips for local guides and waitstaff at included meals are already included.
As Tanzania is a developing country, strong internet is not quite widespread. While almost all of the accommodations have Wi-Fi, the connection can be poor at times, so be prepared to be offline more than you’re probably used to back home. In general, the internet access will work and you’ll be able to do whatever you need to do online, but it might take longer than normal with the potentially spotty connection.
The easiest way to stay connected during the tour will be to purchase an E–SIM before the trip, as this will allow you to stay connected from the moment you land at the airport.
We can also set up local SIM cards upon arrival for those who wish. Just make sure you have a GSM-enabled unlocked phone in order to use a foreign SIM card.
Another option is to activate your home network’s ‘international plan’ which will allow you to continue using your phone as you would at home, with access to a data connection, for a fee that usually ranges from $5 – $10 per day.
Packing lightly will make it easier to load up the vans when needed and also easier for the internal flights that we’ll be taking. There may be times when you’ll need to walk with your luggage for a short amount of time.
*Important: For the internal flight, the total maximum weight limit for all of your items combined is 20kg (44lbs). This includes your main luggage, carry-on baggage, cameras, and any filming equipment you might have. The maximum dimensions for any piece of luggage should not exceed 78cm x 48cm x 29cm (30” x 19” x 11”). However, it’s important to note that you can leave anything at the hotel in Arusha while the tour continues to other parts of the country as we’ll come back to the same hotel 6 days later.
All of the accommodations on this trip are comfortable as we use a variety of 3* and 4* properties throughout the country. Please note that air conditioning is not a common feature in safari properties. Due to sustainability efforts in the protected nature reserves, hotels and lodges closely monitor their electricity usage. However, there’s no reason to worry – the savannah is usually chilly towards the evening hours, and it’s generally not hot inside the rooms/tents as a result. While in the towns of Arusha and Moshi, both hotels will have AC.
October 18th: Arusha / Arrival day
October 19th: Arusha / Tarangire National Park
October 20th: Tarangire National Park ➜ Koanda Paintings ➜ Lake Manyara
October 21st: Lake Manyara National Park
October 22nd: Lake Manyara ➜ Ngorongoro Crater ➜ Olvduvai Gorge ➜ Serengeti
October 23rd: Serengeti National Park
October 24th: Serengeti ➜ Arusha
October 25th: Arusha
October 26th: Arusha ➜ Materuni Waterfall ➜ Moshi
October 27th: Moshi
October 28th: Moshi / Departure day
➜ Expert tour leader
➜ Small group (maximum 12 participants)
➜ Accommodation (9 nights – 3*/4* hotels and lodges)
➜ Transportation in Tanzania (4×4 jeep for safaris, Toyota Coaster and internal flight)
➜ Local guides in each destination
➜ All mentioned activities and entrance fees
➜ Breakfast every day, 7 lunches and 9 dinners
➜ Water throughout the trip
➜ Gratuities at hotels/included meals
➜ All airport transfers
➜ Flights to/from Tanzania
➜ Passport/visa fees
➜ Meals and activities not mentioned
➜ Travel insurance (mandatory)
➜ Other gratuities
Please note that in the event of any interruption to your tour experience as a result of your testing positive for Covid-19, our staff will be on hand to assist with making any arrangements that need to be made. This could include accommodation booking, transportation, scheduling additional Covid-19 tests, etc. However, it is important to understand that you would be fully responsible for all expenses incurred related to interruptions to the trip and/or medical treatment needed as a result of a positive Covid-19 test before, during or after the trip. We highly recommend having a travel/health insurance policy that covers Covid-19 related situations. By participating in the tour, you are confirming your understanding of the above.
That’s all for now! If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to send us an email at team@wanderingearl.com.
