Tanzania Safari Packing List

Tanzania Safari is a trip of a lifetime. But Planning a Safari in Tanzania can take some work. And deciding the best Safari Packing List can be the most challenging. Let us help you on what to pack for your Safari in Tanzania
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Packing List for Your Safari Vacation to Tanzania 

What to pack for Tanzania safari?

When packing for a safari, the most important thing is moderation. While there is no need to go minimalist, you also don’t want to carry an abundance of unnecessary luggage across Africa with you. Remember, travelers on safari will move with their luggage in the safari vehicle throughout the tour. For the days spent in the same hotel or lodge, of course, you will leave your bags back in your room. Hence, if you bring too much luggage it could be an inconvenience or even a hindrance to wildlife viewing.

We have created a packing list, based on years of leading excellent safaris, to help you pack just the right items (but not too much!) for your incredible African safari in Tanzania:

Don’t stress, Toto Africa Adventures brings you the most reliable and practical Tanzania Safari Packing List to ensure you have the best possible Tanzania Safari experience.

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TRAVEL WITH TOTO AFRICA ADVENTURES

Embark on an unparalleled safari adventure with us, where the majesty of Tanzania’s wildlife meets unbeatable value. At our company, we take pride in offering the best safari packages at reasonable prices, ensuring that your journey into the heart of Africa’s most iconic landscapes is not only extraordinary but also affordable.

The Complete Tanzania Safari Packing List

Remember that you will spend a great deal of time in the safari car, viewing wildlife. However, you may participate in walking safaris or cultural tours throughout your safari, so you should have practical, comfortable, and sturdy walking shoes. Please leave high heels, fashion sneakers, and platforms for other occasions. Weather in Tanzania can vary depending on the altitude and time of day. It is wise to bring layers for added warmth, especially in the early mornings and late nights.

Travel Documents

  • Valid passport
  • Yellow fever vaccination records/ certificate.
  • Tanzania visa, available at airport upon arrival, USD $100 payable in cash only for US citizens or USD $50 for residents of UK/European Union and most other countries.
  • Copy of flight itinerary.
  • Copy of travel and/or medical evacuation insurance.
  • Personal medical/dental insurance cards.
  • Credit card (Visa and MasterCard are most widely accepted).
  • Cash in U.S. Dollars (bills MUST have been issued in 2006 or later)

Clothing

Remember, it’s not a fashion show out there, so be a bit more practical when choosing your safari wardrobe. Try to stay away from bright colours – khaki and other neutral colours tend to work well. It is probably best if you dress in layers since it can get cold, but also very hot.

  • Sweater or fleece pullover to keep warm
  • Sturdy boots or sandals 
  • Sun hat
  • Sun glasses
  • T-shirts or polo shirts (2-5 depending on how often you want to change)
  •  Long sleeve shirts (light weight)
  •  Shorts
  •  Long trousers
  •  Underwear
  •  Socks
  •  Sleepwear
  •  Travel towel
  •  Thermal underwear, gloves and warm hat (during May – Sept)
  •  Rain coat and rain trousers (During rainy season Mar – May and Oct – Dec)

Footwear

  • Sturdy, comfortable shoes, preferably waterproof. They will get dirty.
  • Tennis shoes or sandals for lounging in the evening
  • Comfortable, breathable socks

Sleeping, for camping safaris

  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping pad and repair kit
  • Tents are supplied by Toto Africa Adventures.
  • Foam sleeping pads are provided by Toto Africa Adventures.

Others tips

  • Bring soft luggage such as a duffel bag, hiking pack or sports bag. These are ideal for packing into a safari vehicle. Hard suitcases can often be difficult to fit into the vehicles.
  • Bring a backpack to carry all of your important items including travel documents, money, camera, medication etc. You should keep this backpack with you at all times.
  • Keep luxury items such as hair dryers/ straighteners, expensive jewellery, make up and bulky toiletries to an absolute minimum. If in doubt, leave them out.
  • If you plan to bring cash, divide it into different areas of your carry-on luggage, wallet and money belt just in case something happens to one of those carry items.
  • Leave some space in your luggage for the all-important souvenirs that you will probably buy. There are places where you can send packages home via DHL etc, however this can sometimes be an expensive option.

OUR SAMPLE TANZANIA SAFARI HOLIDAY TOURS

Regarding safaris in Africa, Toto Africa Adventures is Tanzania’s top local tour operator, having a stellar reputation for offering a variety of safari tours and trips to fit your interests and budget. Please look through our pre-made adventures or get in touch with us to create a personalized itinerary.

TAILOR-MADE IS OUR BUSINESS.

Our Tanzania Itineraries are very unique and each one is different. We’ll love to tailor-make your trip to suit your individual needs rather than simply asking you to choose

Don't take our word for it— let their testimonials be your guide

We have been receiving reviews from our served clients and Toto Africa Adventures is rated 5/5 by customers. This honor is given to us by customers because we always remain committed to all our customers to do whatever is needed by them to make their safari fully satisfied.

Eric Salley
Eric Salley
2024-04-15
Verified
The Ultimate Luxury Family Travel Experience: Secure, Adaptable, Flexible, Affordable, with Helpful Staff and Beautiful Accommod We recently returned from a 10-day Luxury family safari with Toto Africa Adventures, and we had an amazing time. While organizing our vacation, we looked at several safari operators; in the end, when we contacted Toto Africa in our first correspondence with Chris Japheth, we were impressed by his promptness and adaptability in creating a personalized safari itinerary we decided on Toto Africa Adventures because they provided the best itinerary accommodations for our Family requirements and were the most professional and attentive. Our safari was made extremely enjoyable, safe, and enlightening by our driver guide, Benard. He made an effort to find out what we were most interested in seeing at the start of the trip, and we were able to see a lot more than that. He has an extensive understanding of Tanzania's ecosystems as well as its animal and wildlife populations. He provided comprehensive answers to all of our inquiries and offered insightful commentary on Tanzanian culture and daily life. He made us laugh every day, drove very safely and skillfully, and was always polite. We visited Tarangire Park which is a beautiful park filled with Baobabs and Acacias with a large variety of game such as zebras, buffalo, giraffes, and waterbuck. Of note during this time are the massed elephants along the Tarangire River a tremendous sight and the healthy pride of lions. From there, we head to the Ngorongoro. This is the largest intact crater in the world abundant with wild game including elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, lions, leopards, and hyenas. we also visit the Serengeti, Tanzania’s most famous and largest national park and one of the most spectacular parks in the world. And we spend 4 days in Zanzibar with Toto Africa Adventures. Our chef Alli always prepares super tasty, fresh, and delicious meals every day. They brought various kinds of meals including meat, vegetables, fish, and fruits. We also had special dietary requirements that were met without a problem. We thank the Toto Africa Adventures team for the wonderful 10-day Luxury family safari. Without a doubt, we will tell our friends about Toto Africa Adventures in the future.
Dan S
Dan S
2024-04-13
Verified
Amazing family safari in Tanzania. Miss Neema and Guide Mr. Ben of Toto Africa Adventures truly exceeded our expectations! Their personalized service and expertise made our journey through Tanzania unforgettable. Miss Neema's attention to detail ensured every aspect of our trip was seamless, while Guide Mr. Ben's extensive knowledge of the region's wildlife and culture enriched our experience beyond measure. Together, they created an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality that made us feel like family. We can't thank them enough for their dedication and professionalism, and we highly recommend Toto Africa Adventures to anyone looking for an authentic and rewarding African safari experience.
Spencer M
Spencer M
2024-04-11
Verified
Really great trip With the most amiable, knowledgeable, and compassionate local guide, Livingstone, my spouse and I enjoyed the most amazing nine-day customized vacation around Tanzania. Every activity, including game drives, boat safaris, trekking with gorillas and chimpanzees, really cozy hotels, and delectable cuisine, was well planned to let us to make the most of our time in the nation! I heartily suggest taking Toto Africa Adventures tour.
Sienna H
Sienna H
2024-04-09
Verified
Excellent Adventure It was an amazing five days on safari with Toto. Director Japheth ensured a smooth planning process by creating a custom schedule that included exhilarating game drives and luxurious lodge accommodations. Because of guide Livingstone's knowledge and enthusiasm for animals, amazing encounters and fascinating tales resulted. Everything about the experience—from breathtaking animal sightings to opulent lodgings—surpassed expectations. A trip that will never be forgotten is ensured by Toto's commitment to providing individualized excursions in conjunction with professionals like Japheth and Livingstone. Toto is a great choice for anybody looking for a customized safari experience full of unique experiences.
Ruth M
Ruth M
2023-09-15
Verified
All amazing ! Our safari experience was all that we could have wished . It was relaxed with fabulous close up respectful views of the animals . We were a family of five on a camping safari.. Ben our guide , was a magician in finding the animals and was very easy company .Japheth punctually made our arrangements and Brighton cooked delicious local and European food helped by Inno who taught us Swahili
Anna B
Anna B
2023-09-15
Verified
A trip of a lifetime! Toto Africa gave us a family holiday we will never forget! Our 6 day itinerary was the perfect combination of safari and culture that really showcased Tanzania. I can not recommend them highly enough for organising your perfect African adventure!
Gareth
Gareth
2023-09-07
Verified
Family Tanzania experience We heard about Toto Africa Adventures from a good friend who had travelled with them recently. As a family of 5, mum dad and three daughters in their 20s, we were not disappointed, and the trip represented good value for money. A great combination of safari camping, cultural experiences and hot spring swimming was wonderfully put together by Japheth, who answered our many questions quickly prior to arrival. Special mention to our safari guide Ben, and also to the wonderful food cooked beautifully. Thank you Japheth, we will be back to conquer kili with you! Do remember to ‘ go with the flow’ as this is an adventure, Toto Africa adventures is thoroughly recommended.
Pippa Watts
Pippa Watts
2023-08-18
Verified
Affordable tailored holiday in Tanzania We had such an amazing two week holiday thanks to Chris Japheth and Toto Africa. He put together an itinerary that was exactly what we wanted and ensured we had some truly unforgettable experiences - seeing the Wildebeest crossing the Mara river in the Northern Serengeti, a wonderful picknick in the Serenget near the Kenyan border. A hot air balloon safari, stunning hiking in the Usambara Miuntains and a relaxing end to the holiday on the coast. The guides were wonderful. All in all a great experience. Would definitely recommend booking with Toto Africa.
Tour41822323453
Tour41822323453
2023-08-11
Verified
A superb experience! My spouse and I just finished an incredible 9-day journey through Tanzania to see the Great Migration and it was all thanks to Toto Africa and its owner, Chris Japeth. We shopped nearly half a dozen tour operators and this was the best value for our itinerary. We booked a 5-day safari and beach holiday opting for the mid range package (Note: We booked the all-inclusive resort in Zanzibar separately as that saved us a couple hundred dollars). During our initial emails with Chris, we were captured by not only his responsiveness but also his flexibility in crafting a custom Safari schedule to fit our unique travel needs - 9 days is super short for this type of trip. Whenever we had a request the answer was always “yes”. Chris put up with dozens of our emails/WhatsApp messages and responded quickly and made us feel at ease. He even took the time to message us early in the mornings to make sure we didn’t miss our flights. What a guy! Toto arranged everything from our tasty meals on the safari, beautiful accommodations, and last but not least, airport pickups and drop offs. Special shout-out to our Safari guide Ben with over 20 YEARS of experience who went above and beyond to make sure we saw the as many incredible animals as possible while patiently answering our endless questions about nature and the culture in this incredible country. When we were tired and wanted to give up, Ben kept pushing us to keep looking and it paid off. We saw a Leopard, Cheetah, nearly a dozen lions, and all the grazing animals as well. Most importantly, we were one of only 15-20 vehicles to see the largest wildebeest crossing the entire day in Northern Serengeti and this was all because of Ben. Ben was also very respectful of the animals and would keep appropriate distance while other younger and more inexperience drivers would get too close to the animals. It was evident the other Safari guides respect him a great deal. All in all everything was great and if we could do the trip again, we would make only a couple of changes. For example, we would break up our drive from Northern Serengeti to Arusha/Moshi into 2 days because it’s a very long 11 hour drive otherwise. I would spend extra time in the central Serengeti and skip Tarangire National Park since while beautiful, it has similar animals as the Serengeti and is almost 3 hours away from the Southern entrance to Serengeti National Park. Also, bring a mask and saline nasal spray since there’s lots of dust on the drive and you want to be able to keep the windows of the land cruiser open to keep cool. Mosquitos were surprisingly not a big issue on the Safari but at the resort in Zanzibar they came out in swarms. I wish someone had told us this stuff. Have a great journey with Toto Africa and tell them hi for us!
Selma Turki
Selma Turki
2023-01-08
Verified
Perfect experience I did 7 days Kilimanjaro climb, 3 days safari and 4 days Zanzibar with Toto Africa Adventures. Japheth is the manager of the company. He was always available to respond to my questions and to reassure me about the process. I trusted him because of his availability months before coming. And I was totally right. He has a great team for Kilimanjaro and safari ( I did Tarangire Ngorongoro and lake manara) he also has good advice and he’s always present to help in case of a problem or a change of plans. He took care of every detail and every need that I felt. It’s the best trip that I never had thanks to his commitment and work !