Zebras in the Serengeti National Park
7-day adventure

7-day Safari Extension

Tanzania
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Code: TZPS7EXT

7 days
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Tanzania was Kandoo's first ever destination and we have helped more than 12,000 people reach the summit of Africa's highest peak. Expertly managed by Emanuel Nguma, our mountain guides, safari guides, drivers and cooks are some of the best in the country. A quick glance at our TrustPilot reviews and it is clear just what an outstanding service our team deliver. Whether you are looking for a safari, a Kilimanjaro climb or a beach break on...
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Kandoo's view

The ultimate trip visiting the best of Tanzania’s northern safari parks. You get 3 full days in the Serengeti to give you plenty of time to explore this amazing landscape. You will also visit Tanzania’s most popular national parks: Ngorongoro, your best chance of seeing the ‘Big Five’ and also opportunity to visit the Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. Tarangire, fantastic for bird lovers and also for its high density of elephants. Lake Manyara, home to a large number of baboons and also the famous tree climbing lions, unique to this park. A private Kandoo Adventures 4x4 safari vehicle and an expert guide will accompany you throughout your trip.

Trip highlights

  • Discover the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater
  • Spend 3 days exploring the vast plains of the Serengeti
  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle
  • Lodge accommodation in spectacular locations

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Itinerary

  • Day 1

    ARUSHA – LAKE MANYARA

    You will be met by your private guide and vehicle and driven to Lake Manyara, arriving with plenty of time for an afternoon game-drive. Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its large alkaline soda lake which is home to the pink flamingo, yellow-billed stork and heron. If you are lucky you may get chance to see the tree climbing lions, which are unique to this national park. Watch out for some fun antics from the local baboon population; Lake Manyara is believed to have the largest number of these primates in the World!

    • Transport: 4wd Safari Vehicle
    • Accomodation: Safari Lodge
    • Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
  • Day 2

    OLDUVAI GORGE

    After breakfast, you will take a picnic lunch with you as you continue to the Serengeti, a drive of around 4 ½ hours through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Your journey will take you to the Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakeys discovered the hominoid remains of a 1.8 million year old skeleton of Australopithecus boisei, one of the distinct links of the human evolutionary chain. In a small canyon just north of the Ngorongoro Crater, the Leakeys and their team of international archaeologists unearthed the ruins of at least three distinct hominoid species, and also came upon a complete series of hominoid footprints estimated to be over 3.7 million years old. Evacuated fossils show that the area is one of the oldest sites of hominoid habitation in the world. You will then continue into the Serengeti, with game viewing en-route.

    • Transport: 4wd Safari Vehicle
    • Accomodation: Safari Style Tents
    • Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
  • Day 3

    SERENGETI

    After breakfast you will set out with a picnic lunch for a full day game drive. Serengeti National Park is one of world’s greatest game parks. Meaning “endless plains” in the Maasai language, it is Tanzania’s oldest game reserve and is world-famous for the role it plays in the annual Great Migration, when an estimated two million herbivores - mostly wildebeest and zebra - migrate from the Serengeti to Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

    • Transport: 4wd Safari Vehicle
    • Accomodation: Safari Style Tents
    • Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Details

Trip information

Difficulty

Although going on safari is not physically strenuous, it can be very tiring. You will be spending large amounts of time inside your safari vehicle, the weather will be hot and to have the best chance of seeing the big game you need to get up very early in the morning.  You do not need a high level of fitness but you should be prepared for some long, hot days of travelling.  

Food & drink

All safari lodges are booked on a full board basis. Any additional drinks required are for your account, which must be settled when you check out of the lodge. If you are out driving during the day, your driver will take a packed lunch for you. Any dietary requirements noted on your climb Participation Agreement will be passed to the safari team, but please let your safari guide know if you have any further requirements.

Your hotel in Arusha is booked on a B&B basis. You can get a meal or snacks from the hotel upon arrival which is payable in Tanzanian Shillings or US Dollars.

Water

Waste systems are very basic in the middle of the African savannah so to try and reduce the amount of plastic waste on our trips we ask that you bring a Nalgene, or equivalent, water bottle with you on safari. We provide a large tank of mineral water so you can refill your water bottle throughout the day as needed to avoid excessive consumption of single use plastic bottles. 

Accommodation

Accommodation is in either twin or double rooms at carefully selected safari lodges. The lodges we use are all set in spectacular locations and provide delicious meals and comfortable airy bedrooms.  

Please be aware that Tanzania is still a third world country and cut offs in both water and electricity supply still happen regularly, and we cannot guarantee that all the hotels and lodges will have hot showers at all times. The hotel will help as far as they can, but these outages are outside their control.

Transport

You will be travelling in one of our comfortable Kandoo Adventures safari vehicles. Each 4x4 vehicle has a "pop top" roof to provide excellent views of the incredible wildlife.

 

The different National Parks – Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro – may look close on a map, but there is a considerable amount of driving between each location. Approximate driving times are listed below. While this gives you the opportunity to see more of the Tanzania countryside – look out for Maasai villages beside the road, children tending their herds of goats and cattle, and road-side markets – you will not see any game during these transit times.

 

  • Moshi to Lake Manyara - 4 hours
  • Arusha to Tarangire - 2.5 hours
  • Tarangire to Ngorongoro - 3 hours
  • Ngorongoro to Serengeti - 4 hours
  • Lake Manyara to Serengeti - 5 hours

Luggage

Your luggage can be carried with you in your safari vehicle and stored at your accommodation. 

Please keep all money, passport and valuables on your person at all times. 

On arrival

If you are going on safari prior to your climb, you will be met by our Kandoo team at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to your hotel. As you come through the arrivals doors, look out for your name board being held by one of our safari guides.

If you are going on safari after your climb, your safari guide and vehicle will meet you at the hotel on the morning of your safari. Timings for collection from the hotel will be confirmed at your post-climb briefing.

Budget & change

The Tanzanian Shilling is a closed currency so you will not be able to buy this before you arrive. It is advisable to travel with US Dollars, as these are widely accepted. It is very important that US bills be new (no more than 10 years old), crisp and untorn. If you want some local currency to purchase snacks or drinks either at your hotel or on the way to the climb then we can take you to an ATM or bank. There is also a currency exchange as you go through to the Baggage Collection area of the airport.

If you are relying on a credit or debit card for emergency funds, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be using it abroad, or you may find that it won't work when you really need it.


Please Note that not all hotels can accept card payments so you may need to use an ATM to access funds.

Tips

We realize that tipping may not be a common practice in all countries but in Tanzania it is a standard practise. For your safari guide we recommend a tip of US$15-30 per day (this is per group, not per person.) Many of the safari lodges operate a shared tip system, and there will be a box in the reception area where you can leave a tip for all staff. Check the information packs in your room as some lodges will specifically ask you not to tip individual staff members. Tips are always discretionary and if you are not happy with the service you have received you do not have to pay tips.

Formalities & health

Passport

All travellers will need a passport which will remain valid for at least 6 months longer than your expected visit. You will also need to present proof that you have a return ticket, and proof that you have sufficient money to support yourself during your stay in Tanzania.

Each traveller is responsible for sorting out their own passport and visa requirements, and we cannot offer much assistance in this matter. If you do not yet have a passport, apply for one early, as they can take some time to arrive. If you already have a passport, double check when it expires.

Visa

While Tanzania is a Commonwealth country, UK citizens definitely do need a tourist visa to enter. This is also true for citizens of Australia, New Zealand, India, United States, Canada and most EU countries. Citizens of countries not mentioned should contact their nearest embassy or high commission to check visa requirements. Visas usually cost in the neighbourhood of USD50 (around GBP40), but some visas from the US can cost USD100. Tanzanian visas expire three months after they are issued, so be careful not to apply too soon.

Visas can be purchased upon arrival at Kilimanjaro international Airport (IATA code: JRO), but the immigration authority has recently changed the procedure and you can expect long queues, and for the process to take two hours or more. The Tanzanian High Commission has stressed that they have the right to deny visas applied for on arrival. We have never had a report of this happening, but it is a danger best avoided.

For these reasons, we highly recommend that travellers get their visa in advance if at all possible.

It is also now possible to apply for your Tanzania visa online. Please read the Visa Application Guidelines carefully before beginning your application to ensure you apply for the correct type of visa, and that you are planning on entering Tanzania through one of the approved entry points.

Where to obtain a Tanzanian visa


- Any Tanzanian Embassy or High Commission
- The Tanzania Immigration Services website
- Entry points to Tanzania: Any gazetted entry point, including international airports.
- In Dar Es Salaam: The Office of the Director of Immigration Services
- In Zanzibar: The Office of the Principal Immigration Officer

Please be advised that, whilst we make every effort to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information, travel requirements can change quickly and sometimes without notice. We urge you to double check the visa and passport requirements for your trip, consult with an embassy or consulate, or use a reputable visa agency, such as www.thevisacompany.com.

Vaccinations

Below we have set out what is the general guidance for travel to Tanzania. We strongly advise you to consult with your own GP or travel clinic near you before travelling. They will have the most up to date and medically accurate information relevant to you, and should be relied upon over these recommendations.

Strongly Advised Vaccinations

- Hepatitis A: This can be spread via contaminated food and water.
- Tetanus: Tetanus is often present in the soil, and can contaminate open wounds easily. Tetanus vaccine should be used every ten years if travelling.
- Typhoid: Typhoid can also be spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
- Diphtheria: This potentially fatal disease is spread mainly via spit, but occasionally through contact with cuts on the skin.
- Yellow Fever: This can be contracted by being bitten by a contaminated mosquito. This vaccination is not essential if you are arriving directly in Tanzania. You do need it though if you plan to arrive through any country that is subject to yellow fever. Simply stopping over at an airport in an affected country should not require vaccination, but leaving the airport even briefly would make it necessary

Sometimes Advised Vaccinations

- Hepatitis B: This illness is spread via contact with blood or bodily fluids. It is many, many times more virulent than HIV/AIDS. Some 8% of the population of Tanzania are believed to carry the virus.
- Rabies: Rabies is spread via contact between the saliva of any infected animal and an open wound (including bites, but also licking existing wounds). Rabies is fatal unless treated, and treatment of an unvaccinated rabies patient can be very difficult in many parts of Tanzania.
- Tuberculosis: TB is generally contracted through inhaling airborne sputum.
- Cholera: Cholera is spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
- Measles: This disease is spread through inhaling sputum.

Insurance

Climbing a mountain as high as Kilimanjaro does have dangers. You should ensure that you have good insurance to cover these risks. It is a condition of booking to climb Kilimanjaro that you have medical and accident insurance.

Your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation if it becomes necessary. It should also cover the costs of getting home should you miss your scheduled flight due to accident, injury, illness or simple bad luck.

Your insurance must specifically include cover you to climb up to 6000m.

Your insurance should also protect against the standard travel dangers, including: baggage delay, loss of personal items etc.
We recommend the global supplier of travel insurance, World Nomads. Make sure to add 'hiking up to 6,000m' on check out and be sure to read the small print carefully for any policy you are considering. Different policies provide different levels of cover, so make sure you understand what is and is not included in your policy.

Sorry but we are not insurance experts so we do not review policies.

Health

Malaria and Mosquitoes

The entire Kilimanjaro region is the home of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and you are at risk of contracting malaria at least until you climb above 3000 metres. Above that, mosquitoes can not survive. A bout of malaria can ruin your entire trip and end your climb early, so it is best to protect yourself.

Your doctor can prescribe anti-malarial medications, but we also recommend wearing long sleeves and trousers, as well as using a good mosquito repellent that contains DEET the entire time you are below 3000 metres.

Avoiding diarrhoea

Make sure that your hygiene is as good as possible to avoid picking up a stomach upset. Needless to say, a bout of diarrhoea can make a week-long strenuous ascent unpleasant or even impossible.

On the climb itself, we make sure that your food is pure and uncontaminated, and that all of your water is treated with WaterGuard purification tablets. Before your trek, though, you will have to protect yourself.

Make sure you follow these simple rules at all times:

If you are not absolutely certain water is pure, do not drink it.
Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, and before eating or handling food of any kind.
Do not eat raw vegetables or salads. Cooked, preferably boiled veggies only.
Avoid any cold drinks, and ice of any kind.
Water from sealed bottles is generally fine, as are fizzy drinks, wine and beer. Hot tea and coffee are good, as they have just been boiled.

If you do get diarrhoea, the most important thing you can do is to stay hydrated. The best thing to drink is a rehydration solution like Dioralyte. Read more about dehydration below.

Over the counter medicines like Immodium (or anything containing loperamide) are only for short term, mild diarrhoea. Some doctors recommend taking a single, 500mg dose of Ciprofxin, or any ciprofloxacin antibiotic in an emergency situation. This is a prescription medicine, and you should discuss it with your doctor before your trip.

Preventing dehydration

Even if you avoid diarrhoea, you can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating.

The upshot is, as you might expect, that you will have to drink more water. You need to drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while climbing. Even when you don't feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum - preferably more. This is particularly important on the final day when you attempt the summit and could mean the difference between success or failure.

On summit night you should drink at least half a litre (preferably a whole litre) before you set off. We will also supply you with 2 litres of water to fill your own water bottles or hydration bladder. Make sure it does not freeze! Wrapping the bottles in thick socks or otherwise insulating them is usually enough.

Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow climbers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic. If you think you may be dehydrated, there are two ways to tell:

The colour of your urine. Clear or light straw-coloured urine means you are probably not dehydrated. Yellow or orange wee means you have not been drinking enough, and you need to up your fluid intake quickly.
Pinch or press firmly on an area of exposed skin. If it does not spring back instantly, or stays pale and bloodless for more than a second or two, you are probably dehydrated.

Remember to keep drinking on the way down the mountain, as well.

Sunburn and UV Protection

While a high climb is hardly a day at the seaside, you will be vulnerable to sunburn if not properly protected. The thin atmosphere at high altitudes blocks much less UV radiation, even on cloudy days.

The three most important things you can do to avoid sunburn are:

Apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen to your face, nose and ears at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply regularly. High SPF lip balm is also a must.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, nose and ears.
Wear UV-protective sunglasses, category 2-4.
At higher altitudes the sun's rays are intensified and even on a cloudy day they can penetrate through and still burn you. And do not forget that the sun is at its strongest between 10:00-14:00 hours each day.

Eating well

Many climbers experience loss of appetite at high altitudes. This is a real problem, as you will be burning an extra 2000 or more calories a day, and not replacing them can cause real problems, especially when you attempt the summit.

Just like staying hydrated, you have to eat heartily even if you are not hungry. Meals heavy in carbohydrates are best, because they are easier to digest at high altitudes and provide long-term energy.

The summit ascent is different. You will not have a big, heavy meal which might slow you down on the most intensive part of the climb, but rather a light snack and a hot drink. It is important to keep plenty of small snacks with you on this leg, as you will have to keep your energy levels high. Also, make sure they do not freeze – so keep them in pockets underneath your jacket, or in an insulated bag like your daypack.

Summit snacks should be chosen carefully. Take a favourite treat to make it easier to eat when you do not feel hungry, but avoid anything with honey or syrup, or anything chewy as they are likely to freeze tooth-crackingly solid above 5000 metres. Chocolate, nuts and seeds, biscuits, savoury snacks and boiled sweets are generally better choices.

Body temperature

Every mountain has its own climate, and Kilimanjaro has several different weather zones at different heights and on different faces of the mountain. Conditions change quickly, and you will be moving between zones as well. A hot and dry day can be followed immediately by snow or rain. Wearing a layered outfit is generally the wisest way to make sure you stay healthy and reasonably comfortable in all conditions.

Above all, make sure to wear warm, wind-and water-proof, breathable clothing on your climb. Get high quality gear too, as this is definitely the real thing. Storms, high winds and freezing temperatures must be expected, and poor quality equipment will fail.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness, also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), hypobaropathy and soroche, is an illness caused by exposure to the low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many climbers experience at high altitudes.

AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Kilimanjaro is nearly 6000m above sea level. At this height, the air pressure (and the amount of oxygen it contains) is less than half that at sea level, and has been said to be comparable to working with only one lung.

AMS can be serious, especially as it can be debilitating, and it generally occurs far from places where medical treatment can be easily administered.

Not everyone suffers from AMS, of course, and it is very difficult to predict who is or is not vulnerable to it. Generally speaking, a fit person is less vulnerable than an unfit person, because their cardiovascular system can operate at low pressures longer without as much strain. Even so, anyone can be vulnerable at altitudes above 3500 metres, no matter their fitness level, if they have not spent some time getting used to the low atmospheric pressures first.

Avoiding Altitude Sickness

1. Walk high, sleep low. It is best to gradually climb higher each day, then descend lower to sleep. This lets you gradually become accustomed to lower pressures, and then recover somewhat overnight.

2. Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. Overworking your heart and lungs substantially increases your chance of becoming ill.

3. Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day. As dehydration presents many of the same symptoms as altitude sickness, your chances of being allowed to continue are best if you stay hydrated.

4. Diamox. The general consensus of the research is that Diamox is helpful in avoiding AMS. We use it when climbing Kilimanjaro. We recommend you google Diamox and its effects yourself. It is a prescription drug, and you should consult with your doctor before taking it.

Medication

You will need a good insect repellent, preferably containing DEET, while you are safari. Depending on the individual product, you may need to carry it with you to re-apply during the day. While mosquitos may be most active at dawn and dusk, tsetse flies will be present throughout the day. All of the safari lodges we use are equipped with mosquito nets where necessary. Mosquitos are not found on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater due to its elevation, so the lodges here do not have mosquito nets.It is always a good idea to carry a small first aid kit with pain killers, antihistamine, plasters, elasticated bandages and antiseptic cream.

Emergency contact

Put the telephone number for our office in Moshi into your phone +255 (0)6275 38215 or +255 (0) 6233 95369. These numbers can also be used to contact our team via WhatsApp If you have any queries regarding your safari arrangements while you are in Tanzania, give our office a call and they will liaise with your safari guide.

Equipment & clothing

Clothing to bring

Wear something cool and comfortable, as you will be in the vehicle for several hours each day and it will be very warm in the parks, and on the drive between the parks. The vehicles are not air conditioned, although the pop-top will be open when you are in the parks. Avoid wearing dark blue or black, as these colours attract tsetse flies. And if you are staying in a lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, include some warm clothing. The crater rim rises to an elevation of around 2200m, so it will be significantly cooler at your lodge in the evening and early morning.

Equipment to bring

The only equipment we ask you to bring is:

  • Reusable water bottle / hydration pack - to reduce the excessive use of single use plastic bottles

These are some other items you may find useful:

  • Binoculars
  • Camera (with spare battery and memory card)
  • Reference books for wildlife identification
  • Small first aid kit
  • Insect repellant 
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Price

Prices from £2399/$3125 per person (based on 2 sharing)

Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!

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Price includes

  • Full board accommodation at safari lodges as per itinerary
  • Exclusive use of 4WD safari vehicle and English speaking driver guide
  • All Park fees and Crater fees
  • Game drives as indicated in the itinerary
  • Bottled mineral water while on game drives
  • Prices are based on 2 people sharing a room at the safari lodges

Price does not include

  • Drinks of choice at safari lodges
  • Extra excursions / services available at safari lodges
  • Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, phone calls & snacks
  • Deviation from the safari itinerary provided
  • Tips and gratuities for guide and lodge staff
  • Hotel accommodation in Arusha; can be booked on request

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