Safari areas are very safe, we’ve never had a security incident. For malaria: northern parks (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire) are low-risk, especially June-October. Southern parks have higher risk. We provide guidance based on your itinerary. All safaris include flying doctor medical evacuation coverage.
Depends on what you prioritize. There’s no universal “best time”—there’s the best time for YOUR priorities.
June-October (Dry Season):
December-March (Short Dry/Green Season):
April-May (Long Rains):
Our honest take: July-September is “best” for most people, but we personally love January-February for the calving season drama and fewer crowds.
If you’re coming from a country with yellow fever, you’ll need a vaccination certificate. It’s also recommended to get the vaccination before you leave, as it’s effective for 10 years.
This liver disease can be contracted from contaminated food or water, so it’s often recommended to get vaccinated or a booster before traveling to Tanzania.
The risk of getting the flu is present all year round in tropical climates, so it’s recommended to get vaccinated.
Other recommended vaccinations include polio, rabies, hepatitis B, and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis).
Malaria is also a risk in Tanzania, but there’s no vaccination for it. You may need to take antimalarial tablets, so you can consult a travel clinic to discuss your options. You can also take steps to prevent bug bites by cleaning the area, avoiding scratching, and using over-the-counter remedies like hydrocortisone or antihistamines.
Fair question. Here’s why being smaller and newer is actually an advantage:
What established companies have:
What they’ve lost:
What we have:
Our credibility markers:
What we DON’T have:
If those things matter to you, book with the established operators. If having the actual person who designs your safari also guide it matters more, book with us.
Every safari includes AMREF Flying Doctors coverage (you’ll see this on your insurance docs). This is air ambulance service across East Africa. If there’s a serious medical issue, they fly you to Nairobi or Arusha within 2-4 hours, regardless of where you are.
For non-emergency situations: All our guides carry comprehensive first aid kits and have wilderness first responder training. Most lodges have nurses on staff. Satellite phones work everywhere, even where cell service doesn’t.
We’ve had three medical situations in five years:
The visitors who struggle aren’t the ones with medical emergencies. They’re the ones who didn’t disclose health issues and then can’t do the activities they paid for.
Kilimanjaro requires zero technical climbing skills. It’s a long, high-altitude hike. The challenge is purely physical fitness + altitude adaptation. Our honest assessment: If you can hike 6-8 hours carrying a daypack at home elevation, and you choose the right route with proper acclimatization, you have a 75-85% chance. Your guide will monitor you daily and make honest calls about continuing vs turning back.
Start 3-4 months before. Focus on: (1) Cardiovascular endurance, aim for 1+ hour of cardio 4-5x/week (hiking with weighted pack is best), (2) Leg strength, stairs, squats, lunges, (3) Hiking with your actual boots and pack to prevent blisters. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable hiking 6+ hours. The fitter you are, the more you’ll enjoy it vs just surviving it.
Almost everyone feels something above 4,000m, headache, nausea, fatigue, poor sleep. This is normal. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) becomes dangerous when you ignore symptoms and keep ascending. Our guides check vitals twice daily and won’t let you continue if your oxygen saturation drops too low. The biggest predictor of success isn’t fitness, it’s acclimatization time. This is why we push 7-8 day routes over 5-6 day versions.
It is. You start around midnight, hike 6-7 hours in the dark, freezing cold (-10 to -20°C), sleep-deprived, with thin air. Many people question every life choice at this point. But: the sunrise at Stella Point (5,739m) is transcendent. The final hour to Uhuru Peak is on adrenaline and stubbornness. Then you descend 3,000+ vertical meters in one day. You’ll be exhausted. You’ll also be exhilarated. It’s hard, but it’s supposed to be.
We refund the summit day park fees ($200-300) but not the climb costs, because at this point we’ve already paid porters, guides, and camps. This is standard across all operators. However: choosing the right route and listening to your guide dramatically improves success. We’ve had 87% of our climbers summit, which is above industry average.
Accommodation:
Food:
Water: Treated water provided by crew, but bring purification tablets as backup. Stay hydrated (3-4 liters per day) but balance with electrolyte intake.
The food is generally hearty and sufficient, though appetite may decrease with altitude. Quality varies significantly between operators.
Absolutely. Most common: 7-8 day climb + 4-7 day safari. Emmanuel (our guide who does both) will summit with you, then lead your safari. Same person, both experiences. We typically do Kilimanjaro first (harder to safari with sore legs), then recover on safari (sitting in a vehicle watching wildlife is excellent post-climb therapy).
Technically, yes. Physically, it depends. Meru is more technically demanding, the summit ridge involves genuine scrambling with exposure on both sides. If you’re uncomfortable with heights or using your hands while climbing, Meru’s final approach will challenge you more than any section of Kilimanjaro’s tourist routes.
However, Meru is 900 meters lower (4,566m vs 5,895m), which means significantly less altitude stress on your body. You’re working with roughly 15% more oxygen at Meru’s summit compared to Uhuru Peak. This translates to fewer headaches, less nausea, better sleep, and clearer decision-making.The success rate tells the story: 90-92% summit success on Meru versus 65% average on Kilimanjaro.
People fail Kilimanjaro because of altitude sickness. People turn back on Meru because of exposure fear or weather—both manageable with proper preparation.Bottom line: If you can handle exposure and have decent scrambling skills, Meru is actually the easier summit to reach because altitude won’t destroy you the same way.
No. But your Kilimanjaro success rate jumps 20-30% if you do. Meru functions as a 4-day acclimatization trek where you also happen to summit a serious mountain. Your body gets pre-adapted to sleeping at 3,500m+ and functioning at 4,500m+. More importantly, you discover how your body responds to altitude before you’ve committed $2,500-3,000 to Kilimanjaro.
Mount Meru’s lower slopes (1,500m-2,800m) sit inside Arusha National Park, which hosts free-roaming buffalo, elephant, leopard, and occasionally lion. Cape buffalo are unpredictable, aggressive when surprised, and weigh 700kg. Thus, you’re required by Tanzania National Parks Authority to climb with an armed ranger from Momella Gate to Saddle Hut and back
Best months: June-October and December-February, or June-October (Dry season – Peak climbing season): Ideal for first-time altitude climbers who want predictable conditions.
Pros: Minimal rain, clearest skies, stable weather patterns, best Kilimanjaro views
Cons: Slightly more crowded (though still only 10-20 climbers on mountain at once), cooler nighttime temperatures (-5°C to -10°C at Saddle Hut)
December-February (Short dry season): Best overall experience if you want solitude and comfortable temperatures
Pros: Warmest temperatures, exceptionally clear views, fewer climbers than June-October, perfect for combining with Serengeti migration viewing
Cons: Occasional afternoon clouds on summit day (usually clear by dawn), slightly higher prices during holiday periods
If you’re climbing Meru before Kilimanjaro, you need 2-3 rest days between mountains (minimum). This means your total itinerary requires 8-10 days just for mountains. Most people underestimate this when planning.
We refund the summit day park fees ($200-300) but not the climb costs, because at this point we’ve already paid porters, guides, and camps. This is standard across all operators. However: choosing the right route and listening to your guide dramatically improves success. We’ve had 87% of our climbers summit, which is above industry average.
Mountain huts only. No camping. Unlike Kilimanjaro where most routes use tents, Mount Meru exclusively uses permanent mountain huts operated by Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). There are two main huts on the standard route:
Miriakamba Hut (2,514m):
Saddle Hut (3,570m):
Not automatically. Private rooms require advance arrangement and aren’t guaranteed. Huts operate on a first-come, first-served bed allocation system. If your group arrives early (before 2pm) and the hut isn’t crowded, your guide can sometimes negotiate for your group to occupy one bunk room exclusively. This is more feasible midweek in low season (November, January-February).
It depends on what part of the migration you want to see, as the animals move in a cycle year-round.
January – March (Calving Season):** Go to the Southern Serengeti (Ndutu). This is when thousands of wildebeest are born daily, attracting lots of predators.
April – May (Green Season): The rains are heavy, and herds move central/west. It is cheaper, but harder to navigate roads.
June – July (The Trek North): The herds move toward the Western Corridor and Grumeti River.
August – October (River Crossings): This is peak season in the Northern Serengeti (Mara River). This is where you see the dramatic crocodile-filled river crossings.
The color of your clothes actually matters in Tanzania.
Avoid: Dark Blue and Black. These colors attract Tsetse flies, which have a painful bite (common in Tarangire and parts of the Serengeti). Also avoid Camouflage, as it is reserved for the military.
Wear: Neutral earth tones like khaki, beige, light brown, and green. These blend in with the environment and keep you cooler in the sun.
Game drives can last 4 to 8 hours. While there are designated picnic sites with public toilets in the national parks, they can be far apart.
The “Bush Toilet”: If you have to go between stops, tell your guide. They will check the immediate area to ensure there are no lions or buffalo nearby, and direct you to go behind the vehicle or a bush. It is a standard part of the safari experience, don’t be embarrassed to ask!
Cash is king in the bush.
US Dollars: This is the preferred currency for tipping and buying souvenirs.
Crucial: Ensure your dollar bills were printed **after 2009**. Older bills are often rejected by banks and lodges due to fraud concerns.
Credit Cards: Most mid-range and luxury lodges take Visa/Mastercard for drinks and extras, but they often charge a 3% to 5% surcharge. ATMs are non-existent inside the parks, so withdraw cash in Arusha or Dar es Salaam before you leave.
Yes, but you must follow the rules.
Tented camps are often unfenced, meaning animals can (and do) walk through the camp at night. However, you are guarded by Maasai warriors (Askaris). You are never allowed to walk alone at night; you must radio or signal for an escort to walk you from the dining tent to your sleeping tent. As long as you keep your tent zipped and don’t keep food inside your room, it is very safe.
Electricity: Almost all lodges and camps have power (solar or generator) to charge cameras and phones. However, many shut off the generator late at night, and you may not be able to use high-voltage items like hair dryers.
Wi-Fi: Most camps have Wi-Fi, but it is usually restricted to the main lounge/dining area and is often very slow (enough for WhatsApp, but not for streaming Netflix or Zoom calls).
Embrace the digital detox.
Yes.
(Disclaimer: Consult a travel doctor). Tanzania is a malaria zone. While the risk is lower in the high-altitude areas like Ngorongoro Crater, it is present in the Serengeti and Arusha.
Most travelers take prophylaxis (like Malarone or Doxycycline).
You may also be asked for a Yellow Fever certificate at the airport if you are traveling from a country with risk of Yellow Fever (this includes transit through Kenya or Ethiopia for more than 12 hours).
Yes! The migration remains in Southern Serengeti and Ndutu, where wildebeest calving attracts large predators, offering thrilling safari experiences.
Luxury lodges and tented camps operate as usual, often at reduced rates. Fewer guests mean a more intimate and personalized safari experience.
Yes! Many lodges and camps offer lower rates during this season, making it a great time to experience luxury at a better value.
Game drives will continue unless conditions become unsafe. Your guide will adjust routes accordingly to ensure a seamless experience.
