Travel Tribe Tanzania – Final Details

Tanzania

Safari, Culture, and Crafts!

August 15th – 25th, 2024

Important Details

Tourist Visas

A tourist e-visa is required to visit Tanzania. Please follow the below process to obtain your visa:

  • Visit this government website: https://visa.immigration.go.tz/
  • *DO NOT USE ANY OTHER WEBSITE TO OBTAIN YOUR E-VISA
  • Click on the green button that says “apply for a new visa”.
  • Follow the instructions.
  • You will be able to pay for the visa with a credit card.
  • In most cases, you will receive confirmation within 48 hours.
  • Once you have confirmation that your visa has been approved, please send us an email and let us know.

*The e-visa application process takes around 15 minutes and costs $100 USD.
1. You will need: a color photo of you with a white background (size: 2×2 inches / 51mmx51mm)
2. You will need to attach your departure flight ticket in PDF format
If you don’t know how to do this, email to us at liz@wanderingearl.com

*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 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)

Airport Arrival

Please follow the below instructions upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport:

  • After exiting the plane, walk through the terminal building to the immigration inspection
  • Once through immigration, walk straight ahead into the luggage area. Collect your luggage from the correct carousel and then pass through the customs inspection
  • After you exit the baggage/customs area, you’ll enter the small Arrivals Hall. Please go outside through the exit door, where your driver will be waiting with a sign that says “The Women’s Travel Tribe

If you are unable to find your driver, you can call your tour leader, Sakai, at +1 (510) 806-5488, or our local contact, Alina, at +255 789-007-749.

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)

Arrival / Departure Airport

Please note that, for this tour, you may fly to either the Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or the Arusha Airport (ARK), as they are both conveniently located near Arusha. While you can depart from either of these two airports, we recommend departing from the Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) since that’s closer to our final destination, Moshi. If you choose to depart from the Arusha Airport (ARK), we can offer a transfer at an additional charge, keeping in mind the journey takes about 2 hours.

WhatsApp Group

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.

Tour Leader

Your tour leader for this adventure is Sakai Naismith. Backed by over 20 years of travel experience and a decade as a tour leader, Sakai has an in-depth understanding and passion for exploration. Sakai will introduce himself and share more details about himself and the trip when we create the WhatsApp group chat approximately 2 weeks prior to 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!

Local currency

The local currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 2,615 TZS.

  • While Tanzanian Shillings are the official currency, USD are widely accepted throughout the country as well.
  • We recommend brining a good amount of USD with you. You can either use the USD to pay for purchases or you can exchange the USD into local currency.
  • Any USD bills you bring you should be printed after 2009. They should also be clean, crisp and not have any marks, tears or writing on them. (Bills printed before 2009 are often not accepted.)
  • ATMs can be found in the bigger towns/cities and allow you to withdraw local currency. However, ATMs may not always be reliable so it is a good idea to have USD bills with you.
  • Credit cards are not widely accepted. They can be used at some restaurants, cafes and shops in larger towns and cities but they often charge an extra fee. In more rural areas, cash is the main payment option.
  • In terms of spending money, you should estimate an average of $30 – $40 USD per day for all of your needs. This would be for meals that are not included in the tour, basic purchases (laundry service, snacks, etc) as well as any activities you choose to do on your own.

Tipping

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 staff2,500 – 5,000 TZS if someone helps you with luggage or anything else
Our drivers and guides – We recommend that everyone gives a tip of $110 USD per person, which we will collect during the trip. This amount will be distributed among all of the drivers and guides, including the three driver-guides who will be with us during our safari experience. Please note that while we recommend this tip amount, it is completely optional.
Tour leaderIf you wish to tip your tour leader, they will always be greatly appreciative

*Tips for waitstaff at included meals are already included.

Staying Connected

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 ESIM 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 / Luggage Restrictions

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.

Itinerary

August 15th: Arusha / Arrival day

  • Meet our representative upon arrival at the airport
  • Transfer to the hotel
  • Group orientation to discuss the upcoming itinerary
  • Welcome dinner

Accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel
Included meals: Dinner

August 16th: Arusha / Tarangire National Park

  • 4-hour drive to the Tarangire National Park, known for its baobab-dotted landscape and large elephant herds
  • Safari game drive, giving us the first chance to spot the diverse wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, and lions
  • Enjoy a lunch box at a picturesque spot within the park
  • Check-in to our safari lodge
  • Free evening relaxing at the lodge, perhaps lounging by the pool or enjoying a cocktail while taking in the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape
  • Group dinner at our lodge

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

August 17th: Tarangire National Park

  • Morning drive to a nearby Maasai village, enjoying the changing landscapes along the way
  • Explore the Maasai village with a guided excursion that includes plenty of local interactions, offering insights into the daily lives and traditions of the Maasai people
  • Visit the Mto wa Mbu village for a comprehensive tour that includes a youth art project and a session with a local wood craftsman who will share his skills and expertise with the group
  • Return to the hotel for a group lunch
  • Enjoy some free time in the afternoon to rest or explore the hotel’s amenities at leisure
  • Conclude the day with a group dinner at the hotel

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

August 18th: Tarangire National Park Lake Manyara National Park

  • Early morning safari game drive around Lake Manyara, known for its diverse ecosystems and birdlife, including flamingos and a chance to see tree-climbing lions
  • Packed lunch in a designated area within Lake Manyara National Park, surrounded by the natural beauty of the park
  • Experience a treetop walk, where you can stroll along suspended bridges and platforms high above the forest floor, offering a unique perspective of the park’s flora and fauna
  • Check into our lodge after the day’s adventures, giving you time to relax and settle into your surroundings
  • Enjoy a free evening to take advantage of the lodge’s facilities
  • Group dinner

➜ Accommodation: TWC Farm House Valley
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

August 19th: Lake Manyara ➜ Ngorongoro Crater ➜ Olvduvai Gorge Serengeti

  • 1.5-hour drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, a stunning 100-square-mile former volcanic caldera that is now a diverse wildlife sanctuary
  • Safari game drive through the national park, where you can spot large herds of zebras, wildebeest, and elephants, along with carnivores like lions and hyenas thriving in their natural habitat
  • Packed lunch at a scenic spot overlooking the hippo pool
  • Continue with a 1.5-hour drive to Olduvai Gorge, known as the “Cradle of Mankind.” Here, you will tour the archaeological site and its museum, learning about some of the oldest human remains ever discovered
  • Finish the day with a 2.5-hour drive to the Serengeti
  • Spend the night at a luxury camp in the middle of the Serengeti, offering a unique experience to be in close proximity to the vibrant wildlife

Accommodation: Sound of Silence
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

August 20th: Serengeti National Park

  • Spend the morning on a safari through one of Tanzania’s largest parks, where you’ll have the opportunity to see a wide array of wildlife in their natural habitats
  • Return to the lodge for a hot lunch
  • Second safari game drive in the afternoon, specifically focused on spotting the “Big 5”: lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and Cape buffalo
  • Group dinner

Accommodation: Sound of Silence
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

August 21st: Serengeti ➜ Arusha

  • Optional early-morning hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti, offering a breathtaking aerial view of the sprawling, wildlife-rich plains
  • Early morning safari game drive to explore more of the Serengeti’s diverse habitats and observe the animals in their most active period
  • 3-hour flight back to Arusha
  • Group dinner at our hotel

Accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Sunrise hot air balloon ride: $575 USD

August 22nd: Arusha

  • Free day in Arusha with optional activities, such as having a tour of a local coffee plantation to learn about coffee production, shopping at the Maasai Market for authentic crafts, taking a cultural tour of a Maasai village, or simply relaxing in one of the city’s beautiful gardens
  • Group dinner at the hotel

Accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

August 23rd: Arusha ➜ Materuni Waterfall ➜ Moshi

  • 1.5 hour-drive to the village of Materuni, followed by a guided light trek through the forest to a local waterfall
  • Visit a nearby village for a coffee plantation tour, learning about coffee production and savoring a freshly-made cup
  • Enjoy a traditional lunch with the Chagga Tribe, experiencing their culture and cuisine
  • Travel for 20 minutes to Moshi, where you’ll have free time to explore the town’s markets and local sights
  • Group dinner

Accommodation: Brubru Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

August 24th: Moshi

  • Visit a local cooperative for a batik-making workshop and a bead jewelry-making workshop, learning directly from the artisans
  • Free afternoon to explore the endless markets and streets of Moshi
  • Farewell dinner

Accommodation: Brubru Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

August 25th: Moshi / Departure day

  • Private transfers to the airport for your departure flight

Included meals: Breakfast

What’s Included?

Small group (maximum 12 participants)
Professional tour leader throughout
Accommodation (10 nights – 3*.5/4* hotels and lodges)
Breakfast every day, 6 lunches and 9 dinners
Transportation in Tanzania (4×4 jeep for safaris, Toyota Coaster and internal flight)
Local English-speaking guides throughout the trip
All mentioned activities and entrance fees
All airport transfers

What’s Not Included?

Flights to/from Tanzania
Passport/visa fees
Meals and activities not mentioned
Travel insurance (mandatory)
Gratuities


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.

Join Waitlist We will inform you when the product arrives in stock. Please leave your valid email address below.