General FAQ

General FAQ

General questions

Can special dietary requirements be accommodated?

Special dietary requirements such as vegetarian or diabetic meals can easily be arranged with advanced notice. If you are vegetarian or vegan you may wish to bring along some alternative protein sources. If you have multiple food allergies, you’ll definitely want to bring along supplemental snacks. It is important we know of any possible dietary restrictions as soon as possible.

Is it OK to drink the water?

We provide bottled water on wildlife viewing drives and in any of our Safaris, and you can purchase good quality bottled water at all the lodges.

What additional costs can I expect when I travel with Exposed Africa?

Our safari land packages include all accommodations, meals, airport transfers, park fees and services of Bujo Tours guides and drivers. It is customary to tip your guide and driver, as well as the Bujo Tours staff (we suggest typical amounts in the pre-departure information we send you after you book on one of our safaris). You must remember, however, that tips are not required and are completely subjective. You will also need to pay for your own bar beverages (we provide water at meals and on game drives) and personal items like laundry service and phone calls. Before you go, you are responsible for any passport and visa fees. We also highly recommend you purchase travel insurance. And finally, if you know yourself to be a big souvenir shopper, you’ll need to budget accordingly.

Can I use a credit card to pay for my safari?

We accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express for your safari deposit.

How far in advance should I book my safari?

It is better to book as far in advance as possible to ensure availability at the time you wish to travel, especially during the peak seasons (June through August and Christmas time). This is especially important for those wishing to travel on private custom safaris and those adding extensions to the scheduled trips.

Are there a lot of bugs in Tanzania?

There are more bugs in many places in the USA than you will encounter on safari. Again, remember that most of the areas you’ll be visiting are arid (especially from July – November). The bugs you will see are fascinating, but certainly not anything to be concerned about.

What’s the weather like in Tanzania?

Located at an altitude of 5,000 to 7,600 feet, northern Tanzania’s dry, sunny climate is nothing like the steamy African jungle of Tarzan movies. The weather is spring-like year round, with daytime temperatures in the 70s and 80s, evenings in the 60s. From June until August, temperatures are slightly cooler, ranging from the upper 50s to the mid-70s during the day. The coastal and lowland areas tend to be more tropical in temperature.

Why is Tanzania the best safari destination?

Safari in Kiswahili, the language of East Africa, simply means “journey.” Today, the word is synonymous with a wildlife viewing adventure in the African Bush. If your primary reason for traveling to Africa is to experience an abundance of African wildlife in unspoiled wilderness, then Tanzania should be your destination of choice. Tanzania protects over 30% of its land through national parks and reserves, more than any other country on the continent. You simply cannot beat the wildlife concentrations found in Tanzania. The parks and wildlife reserves of Tanzania are inhabited by vast herds of wildebeest spread out across the Serengeti savanna, huge populations of elephant and buffalo, as well as plains game and their predators. All these animals interact and roam freely, the same as they have for thousands of years. Here you’ll witness an incredible diversity of ecology and will find the vegetation and bird life as fascinating as the big game. Tanzania is home to 90% of the film series produced on African animals. Tanzania also boasts a remarkable number of World Heritage Sites including, Serengeti National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Selous Game Reserve (this reserve alone is the size of Denmark), Kilwa Kisiwani and the Songo Mnara Ruins.

What about medical supplies and emergencies during my stay in Tanzania?

If you have a particular medical problem, please consult with your doctor before you come to Tanzania as to the medication that you should bring on your trip. This also applies to your own personal aid kit. Again we can provide you with a suggested list of your personal first aid kit. All trips will have a basic first aid kit but it will not contain any prescription drugs. There are limited medical supplies in Tanzania and they are mostly found in the capital Dar es salaam only. You will not be able to purchase them in the countryside when on the trip.

There are western Doctors who provide medical services to travelers. These professionals can be contacted in the case of an emergency or for a general inquiry. Make sure that you have a travel health care insurance, it should at least cover costs for doctors, hospital and medicines, emergence medical transportation and it can also include features such as;

-Trip cancellation and interruption (due to sickness/death of you, family member, or travel companion).
-Trip and baggage delay.
-Lost or stolen baggage
-Travel accident insurance.

What is included in the price?

For the climbing;
(1)All park entrance fees (2)All camping or hut fees (3)Rescue fees(4)Crew entrance fees(5)Food 3 meals  for vegetarian/non vegetarian (6) Cook (7) All cooking and eating Utensils (8) Guide and Porters (9) Park gate transfer from Moshi into the entrance gate(10)Driver and Fuel ( (12)10% profit margin.

What is not included in the above rate:-
(1) Sleeping bags (2) Tipping (3) First Aid Kit such as diamox,hybrop rofin, parecetamol, bandages, and worm pads etc.

For safari;
Budget Camping Safari?
(1) All park entrance fees (2) All camping fees (3) Cook (4) 4WD safari vehicle with open roof (5) Fuels (6) Driver Guide (7) Food 3 meals a day catered for vegetarian and non-vegetarian (8) All cooking and eating utensils (9) Drinking water (10) Tents and mattresses.
Standard Lodge Safari?

• All park entrance fees (2) Lodge fees full board (3) 4WD safari vehicle with open roof (4) Fuels (5) Driver Guide (6) Food 3 meals a day catered for vegetarian and non-vegetarian (7) Drinking water (8)  profit margin

What currency should I carry with me?

The official currency of Tanzania is the shilling. Money can be exchanged at the Bureau de change which can be found at any larger town and in the airports. Make sure that they change your money at the rate which is written in front of the bureau Travelers from the US are advised bring US$  currency, make sure that the bills you bring are dated 2003 or later, as currency dated early may be rejected by exchange by exchange places. Also we at Bujo Tours won`t accept US$ bills which have been issued before 2003. You will get a better exchange rate for 50 and 100 dollars bills than for smaller bills. There several banks where you can use ATMs, visa card is the most widely accepted credit card. Travelers from Europe are advised to bring Euros (or British Pounds, or Swiss Francs). They can be changed to shillings at all Bureau de change and you save the costs for changing twice –first from Euro to Dollar at your country of origin, and then from Dollar to Shilling in Tanzania. You can use International credit cards, preferably VISA card at the ATMs of most banks. At Barclays bank (Moshi, Arusha, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam) it is even possible to use your EC debit card. Only hotels, restaurants and tourist shops of higher category accept international credit cards, when paying small amounts in US$ and rather than shilling in most cases you get a worse exchange rate. Local shops accept Shillings only.

Where can I get a visa for Tanzania?

Generally, everyone entering Tanzania territory must have a tourist visa. The best idea is to obtain the visa from the Tanzanian Embassy at your country of origin. Please take a look at our section about visa.

Can I send emails/make phone calls/send postcards from Tanzania?

Internet cafes are everywhere in Tanzania and especially in the central area of the cities. There are post offices where you can buy stamps, envelopes and postcards. The post is reasonably reliable although it may take some time to reach its destination, however courier services such as DHL are available. Telecommunications in Tanzania is generally good. You can even use your standard GSM mobile phone in Tanzania. If you plan to use it a lot, you might consider purchasing a local SIM card.

Should I give a tip?

Tipping is not a local custom in Tanzania, it is common only among tourists and expatriates who live in the country. Giving monetary gifts to friends or relatives is common, however both in the city and in the countryside. As tourism is growing in the country locals who work in the tourism industry are getting used to the notion of tipping and sometimes even expect a tip from clients. This will vary depending on the length and complexity of the trip, the number of staff on the trip and the number of clients on the trip. Generally groups like to meet together before the end of the trek to discuss how much they would like to tip each staff member based on their individual trek experience.

I’m a travel agent/journalist. Can you help me?

Of course we can! You can get an idea of Bujo Tours on this corporate website, our blog and on adventure travel media source. Then, please contact us and we are happy to assist you!

What souvenirs can I buy in Tanzania?

Interesting art and gifts can be bought at the Art and Craft shops. There many smaller curio shops and local markets in the towns. When buying souvenirs, you should always bargain with people.

Can I go out to a good restaurant in Tanzania?

The number and variety of restaurants is improving. In cities and towns with some tourism traffic (Moshi, Dar es salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar town) you can find good Swahili, African, Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants. Many older restaurants serve typical English food but the variety is widening and many other influences are appearing in menus.

Will I be able to speak to people in English in Tanzania?

The official and spoken languages of the country are Swahili and English. Many people have English as their second language as they were taught this in school. All Tanzanian working in the tourism field can communicate in English. In the countryside or when communicating with children, local women or individual of lower school education, it might however be difficult to speak in English. It is appreciated by locals if travelers can speak some words in Swahili. A few words are surprisingly easy to master. It is a good idea to spend few dollars to purchase a Swahili phrase book.