Different countries have different visa requirements; so its better you make sure to check with your travel coordinator prior to travel. In general, visa information can be found by enquiring at the local consulates of the countries you are traveling to and can be obtained at any point of entry at the Airport or Border.

Tanzania

A visa is required for citizens of the US, UK, Australia and Canada. Tourists can obtain a visa valid for up to three months at a cost of about US$50 per person at the point of entry. For US citizens it costs US$100. East African and South African Citizens do not require a visa.

Please note that the process of acquiring a visa on arrival in Tanzania has been changed with immediate effect. It is now necessary for all guests requiring visas to queue for the following upon arrival:

1. A Government Control Number
2. Visa payment
3. Immigration, to confirm and issue the visa

Because of this new process, Inter Tribes Safaris strongly advises guests to purchase visas online prior to arrival, to avoid lengthy delays. Visa applications can be completed online, no later than 3 weeks before travelling to Tanzania, via https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/ - this will result in a more efficient process for guests.

Kenya

All visitors to Kenya except East African Citizens require a visa. Residents of the EU, US, Switzerland, Australia, India and other countries can obtain a three months visitor visa upon arrival. The cost of a tourist visa is about 50 US$ per person.

Rwanda

All visitors to Rwanda except nationals of USA, Germany, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, Great Britain, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong and Burundi, require a visa. The cost of a tourist visa is about US$60 per person and can be obtained upon arrival.

Uganda

All visitors to Uganda except East African Citizen and Irish Nationals require a visa. The cost of a tourist visa is about US$ 50 per person and can be obtained upon arrival.

Many countries have specific requirements for travel to East Africa. Check with your government requirements and be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date: influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT). Check the links below to see which vaccinations are recommended by your local government.

Recommendations

US: www.cdc.gov/travel
UK: www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice
CAN: www.travelhealth.gc.ca
AUS: www.dfat.gov.au/travel

We highly encourage you to purchase travel insurance for your trip and international travel health insurance for your trip. While Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) does not provide travel insurance itself or endorse any particular insurance provider, we recommend you arrange this from your country.

Additional Notes

More adventurous activities such as mountaineering and hiking, gorilla and chimp tracking, white-water rafting, canoeing and kayaking may pose additional risks and should be undertaken with care and caution. Clients must be fit and healthy. Gorilla and Chimp trekking is not permitted to those individuals who have signs of a communicable disease such as colds, flu and other airborne diseases.  Chimps and gorillas are highly susceptible to human diseases and it is therefore essential that clients declare all illnesses. Please seek our advice if you are unsure. National Park Authorities reserve the right to deny access to individuals.

For travel to Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania & Uganda, anti-malarial prophylactics are strongly recommended, a valid yellow fever certificate of vaccination is also required on entry.

We also recommend hepatitis and typhoid vaccinations for travel within the region. We encourage you to speak to your local health practitioner for further information.

What to pack for a trip to East Africa largely depends on the time of year you decide to travel and the activities you wish to pursue. For those embarking on safaris, pack comfortable shoes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and accessories such as binoculars and flashlights. Evenings and early mornings can be chilly so bring warm sweaters and long sleeved t-shirts. For treks that include mountain climbing, you are also advised to pack a waterproof jackets or ponchos, strong waterproof walking boots, gloves and warmer fleece or heavy sweaters will be required in the evening.

In areas where there are significant Muslim populations, a culturally sensitive, more conservative dress code is recommended. Your travel consultant at Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) will be able to further guide you on what to pack on your trip to East Africa.

Security

Occasional security issues may arise as in any other developing country.  Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) maintains up-to-date information on all parts of the country and will advise clients accordingly at the time of booking if any risks appear to be present. Basic precautions should be taken, as in all countries, and common sense should be used.  It is not advised to display expensive jewelry, leave bags unattended or money lying around.  Most hotels and lodges have safe deposit boxes available. We recommend that you leave original travel documents and passports with us in our safe (if you wish) and travel with photocopies. East African residents will need to show copy Passports and Work Permits to obtain resident discounts.  If in doubt please ask us and we will advise you.

Photography

No photographs of, or near, military buildings or soldiers are allowed. It is only polite to ask people before taking photographs. Film is available in East Africa. Fast film (400-1600 ASA) is recommended for gorilla tracking and forest walking. For digital photography, we recommended you bring extra batteries and a car / solar charger.

Tanzania

Christian and Islam are the predominant religions. Swahili and English are the official languages spoken, with several other native languages used by locals.

Kenya

Christian followed by Muslim and Hindu. Swahili and English are the official languages, with several other native languages used by locals.

Rwanda

Christian and Muslim. French is the official language, although Swahili, and in recent years English, is understood, with other native languages used by locals.

Uganda

A Christian country with a significant Muslim minority. The official language is English, but local language like Luganda and Swahili are also spoken.

Remember that seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are in reverse when compared to the Northern Hemisphere:

Summer: December to March
Autumn/Fall: March to June
Winter: June to September
Spring: September to December

Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda has two distinct annual rainfall patterns: long rains occur from April to May and short rains from Mid October to December.

Rwanda has a pleasant tropical highland climate with two rainy seasons from February to April and from November to January.
Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) can provide you with more detailed weather information and the best times to travel depending on the specific destinations you choose to visit.

Even though US dollars are generally widely accepted in all tourist establishments, you should always carry local currency, preferably in smaller denominations. Great Britain Pounds and Euros will be accepted for exchange.

Kenya: Kenyan Shilling
Rwanda: Rwandan franc
Tanzania: Tanzanian Shilling
Uganda: Ugandan shilling

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda & Rwanda: International credit cards are accepted at major hotels. There is a surcharge of 10%.

From major towns, always carry cash as backup. Always check in advance whether your card can access banking networks and ask for details of charges.

Always keep the emergency lost-and-stolen numbers for your credit/debit cards in a safe place, separate from your cards, and report any loss or theft immediately.

Cash

In general, since currency and financial liberalisation, Bureaux de Change have become the usual means of changing money in all major towns, tourism areas and at points of entry/exit. Most open during normal shopping hours. The US Dollar is the easiest currency to exchange.

Traveler’s Checks

Purchase Traveler’s checks for use in the case of an emergency and not for general purchases since they are not widely accepted in the region and commissions are quite high. To make replacement quicker in case of theft, keep a record of check numbers and the original bill of sale in a safe place. Even with proper records, replacement may not always be as quick as the companies tend to promise.

Plug Sockets

It is a good idea to carry a handy multiple adapter while traveling, as you will find several types of sockets used everywhere. The standardized voltage used in the different countries is as follows:

Kenya: G with 240V and 50Hz
Rwanda: C & H with 230V and 50Hz
Tanzania: D & G with 240V and 50Hz
Uganda: G with 240V and 50Hz

Mobile phones

Mobile telephone coverage is available in all major cities throughout the region. However, outside these areas and especially in remote locations, the signal may be poor. Perhaps the best option for calling abroad while in East Africa is to purchase a pre-paid phone card to be used with a local landline phone (e.g. in hotels). These can be purchased at local convenience stores or you can ask your Trip Coordinator to assist you.

Most city hotels offer internet (usually subject to a charge) while airports, restaurants, cafés and shopping centers offer Wi-Fi to their guests.

Alcohol

Several brands of local and international beer are available in East Africa, including leading local beers: Bell, Club, and Nile Special. Most spirits and wines are imported and are readily available. Drinking and driving is prohibited and purchase of alcohol under the age of 18 years is also illegal. Each country in East Africa has a favourite local drink.

Donations

East African Countries are not financially wealthy. In towns and cities, clients may come across people genuinely asking for money or other items. We do not recommend clients give money to beggars or street children as this only lends to the culture of begging and dependency. Donations can be made to established international and local charities that work with the homeless, street children or orphans. We can arrange visits to local projects or institutions on request. If personal donations are preferred, we would suggest exercise books, pens or pencils are useful gifts.

Departure Taxes

Note that a tax is levied on all passengers taking flights within (and leaving) East Africa. The cost of this for internal flights leaving within East African Regions, if part of an Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) itineraries, is US$10 per person per flight and is already built into the cost of the safari. The departure tax for internal flights leaving from Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia Islands is US$10 per person and must be paid in person by the client upon departure.  Most airlines flying to/from East African Countries include departure tax as part of the ticket cost but it is recommended that this be checked before leaving for Africa.

Driver / Guide

US$ 20 per day as a total for the whole group on safari, not per person.

Porters

If someone carries your bag to/from your vehicle at a lodge, then a reasonable guideline is US$ 1 to 2.

In Lodges

Service charges are almost always included in lodges/Permanent Tented camps in East Africa.  If clients wish to leave a tip, then there is usually a tip box provided at reception or you can give direct.  Gratuities placed in the tip box are generally divided amongst the entire staff on a monthly basis. A guideline of US$5 per day is reasonable.

Camping

Cook US$10 per day as a total for the whole group on safari, not per person.
Guide US$10 per day as a total for the whole group on safari, not per person.

Kilimanjaro Climbs

Our Kilimanjaro crews are normally large. The easiest way to deal with tips is through the HEAD GUIDE. We ask that you write down any tips that you give and if there are people that you particularly want to give a special extra then let the guide know and it will be done. You are welcome to tip everyone individually if you so wish. Guideline amounts for 2 people are $250 per person, for a larger group around $150 is about right.

Trekking

The following is a recommendation for the total gratuity per day of a trek. These recommended amounts are a total sum for the whole group and not per person. Please note that all tips should be given on completion of services rendered and not on a daily basis. Wherever possible, all gratuities should be given directly to the intended recipient.

Armed Ranger US$10 per day
Guide US$10 per day
Cook US$10 per day
Maasai (“donkey driver”) US$5 per day

Main roads are generally good and recent road works have much improved the road network in East. In the Parks and Reserves, dirt and gravel roads can be very rough and corrugated where usage is frequent in some areas although occasional grading (the use of a mechanical blade to scrape the surface of a gravel road) does help. 4x4 travel is the norm. Dust and bumps should be expected, to a greater or lesser degree, as a normal part of a journey; We call it the 'African Massage'!

Air Travel

Due to the geographical size of Tanzania and limitations of time, it is often convenient - and quite normal - to shorten travelling time by flying, normally in small 5 - 16 seat aircraft suitable for bush landing strips. Scheduled and charter services are used, utilising single and twin engined aircraft, piston and turbine. Inter Tribes Safaris staff will always meet air connections.

The following is a brief list of what to bring on safari - normally “less is best”! Note that luggage restrictions on internal flights in Tanzania are often as little as 10/15kg per person:

This information is provided in good faith for the use of tourist and business travelers visiting East Africa.  It is deemed to be accurate at the time of presentation, but conditions are subject to change.  This is after all, Africa, a fantastic continent still growing and developing in many areas.

If you have questions or comments regarding the above, or any aspect of your trip or safari, please feel free to contact us at Inter Tribes Safaris (ITS) for our advice and support.

We stand ready, willing and able to be of assistance.