Flights, Insurance, Visas and Health

MTT travelers are responsible for arranging their own travel to Tanzania. Flights are heavily booked during peak tourist seasons of July/ August and December/January. It is imperative to book far in advance.

MTT travelers are responsible for purchasing travel insurance which covers medical expenses, air evacuation, theft or loss of luggage and tickets and travel cancellation and delay. Hikers, please check that the policy which you purchase doesn’t exclude trekking.

Emergency evacuation insurance can be purchased through either www.internationalsos.com or The Flying Doctor Service www.amref.org. Flying Doctors operates out of Nairobi, Kenya, where the best medical care in East Africa is found and the primary destination for the region’s emergency evacuations. A two-month tourist membership with Flying Doctors is a reasonable $50.00 US for a 1,000 km radius from Nairobi ’s Wilson Airport. Your short term membership may not only save your life, it will help others since the Flying Doctor Service is a registered charity. Both the Ngorongoro Highlands and the Serengeti National Park of the northern circuit are within the 1000 km limit.

MTT travelers are responsible for obtaining the recommended immunizations for travel to East Africa. Some immunization procedures must begin well in advance of travel. Hepatitis A and B require more than one injection, spaced six months apart. A useful website on travel health preparation is http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/africa/tanzania.html.

MTT travelers must travel with their international health certificates which record their immunizations. Proof of vaccination against yellow fever is no longer required for entry to Tanzania, but travel clinics may suggest it anyway.

Anti-malaria prophylaxes is strongly advised for Tanzanian travel. At one pill a week, mefloquine (Lariam) is the easiest to take, but it can affect sleep, resulting in either dramatic dreams or sleeplessness. The latest preventative medication on the market is Malarone, taken once a day. Please discuss options with your travel clinic.

MTT travelers are responsible for obtaining a Tanzanian visa from a Tanzanian embassy prior to travel. If arriving from a country without an accessible Tanzanian embassy, then a visa is granted upon arrival at either Dar es Salaam or Kilimanjaro International Airports . Possessing a valid passport with an expiry date of not less than six months and at least one unused page is also required along with a visa for entry into Tanzania. Please allow sufficient time for the completion of the visa process by mail, which may take more than a month.

Useful web sites regarding entry are www.goabroad.com and www.tanzania-online.gov.uk/visa/visa.html.

Visitors to Kenya must obtain a Kenyan visa.

Deposits and Cancellations

A deposit of half the cost of your safari is due when the booking of rooms and campsites are confirmed. The balance is due four to 12 weeks before departure, as set out in the policies of the safari operator used. It is sincerely hoped that you will never have to cancel your trip to Tanzania , but it is also understood that sometimes cancellations are unavoidable. It is important that you purchase private cancellation insurance. Also see Booking Conditions.