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Covid 19 policies

An Update from us on COVID-19 and its SOPs

Understandably you might need a break from Covid-19 and off course there are risks, but when you decide to visit us, we welcome you to the natural beauty, the openness of the country and the friendliness of the people.

In the light of the world opening up slowly amidst the current pandemic, we have been preparing to welcome tourists back to Tanzania and East Africa at large by making changes to the way we provide our services. New SOPs are in place for every touch point and guest experience that characterizes your stay with us as your esteemed hosts. Our SOPs will be updated in line with the Government of Tanzania’s instructions to the tourism and hospitality industry. Our priority is to ensure that we provide the safest possible environment for our guests while providing off the beaten tracks safari experience.

Not limiting these procedures to ourselves, we work with other third-party suppliers who ensures and adhere to the set international standards of travel as defined by the ministry of Tourism and WHO.

 

Covid-19 does not seem to hit Tanzania too hard, there are no lockdowns or restrictions. However the government has put immense amounts of precautions for people here and visitors in place to keep everybody safe and healthy.

 

  • All inbound visitors are required to fill in an online Traveler’s Surveillance form available at https: afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz within 24 hours before arriving to Tanzania.
  • All visitors are required to handover a negative Covid-19 test Certificate upon arrival at a point of entry. This test should be based on the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT – PCR) and may not be older than 72 hours upon arrival.
  • All travelers entering or leaving Tanzania will be subjected to enhanced screening for Covid-19 infection including a Rapid Test, which costs $10 per person.
  • While in the country, all travelers should adhere to Infection Prevention and Control Measures such as hand hygiene, mask wearing and physical distancing.

 

We at Tanzania Voyages, are always placing our guests first by making sure your trip is as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Safety has always been a priority of our guests, but we have also implemented additional measures during these times of an unprecedented pandemic.

Depending on your travel itinerary, you will generally be with the same guide and vehicle that will follow strict guidelines in terms of hygiene, cleanliness and sanitization. We ask you to come with your own masks that make you feel comfortable wearing them, or alternatively we can provide disposable masks that comply with government regulations. We also ask you to observe a social distance of at least (1) meter, your guide and our staff will similarly wear mask and maintaining social distance. If you and the guide or out staff are comfortable to loosen these measures, you are welcome. We leave it up to you as our guests to tell us what level of prevention measures you feel comfortable with. In the safari vehicle, there will be hand sanitizer that meets CDC and WHO recommendations and bringing your own binoculars is requested so you do not have to share it with the guide.

The Tanzanian ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has implemented several procedures designed to protect both tourists and local staff. These include temperature checks at the lodges and camps you stay, Souvenir shops and National Park entry gates, observing social distancing, and providing places and means for hand washing. Our guide will be there to assist you in showing what is required.

Your safari vehicle will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before your safari, everything from seat covers and cushions to all other contact surfaces. During your trip, your guide will clean and disinfect all major contact surfaces at least once a day.

During your trip, you will stay in a lodge or tented camp or perhaps a hotel. We will only book camps and lodges that adhere to the best practices for prevention and control for Covid-19, as advised by the relevant authorities.

 

The primary contact person when on safari will be your Tanzania Voyages Guide, he is there for any question or concern you might have. We at Tanzania Voyages hope you and your family are safe and healthy during these times and you will have a chance to plan your dream holiday with us. If you have any question/concern or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

COVID – 19 FAQ’s

We are working day and night to be able to provide prospective visitors a possibility to go on their safaris and travel with us. Our offices and vehicles are implementing measures issued by the WHO and the Tanzanian Health Ministry, while simultaneously awaiting other guidelines to be issued by the travel industry here in Tanzania.

This has resulted in more and more people starting to book new trips to Tanzania and East Africa in general, in the safest and most comfortable way possible, including applying flexible down payment, cancellation and residual payment booking terms and conditions.

Yes it is safe to travel to Tanzania. The world Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has recently declared Tanzania to be a safe destination for tourists. Additionally, all travelers entering or exiting the country have to undergo extensive testing and screening, usually done by the airlines.

 

  • All travelers entering or exiting the country have to undergo extensive testing and screening, usually done by the airlines, but you might see some screening being done by government officials as well.
  • Everybody is advised to observe preventive measures such as hand washing, wearing masks and keeping a safe physical distance.
  • The Tanzania government has instituted a standard operating procedure on how to receive and handle visitors from abroad with top priority being to prevent visitors from getting infected. These SOP’s are constantly updated as more information becomes available or the situation changes.
  • Airport staff and officials working at the various airports are required to wear gloves and masks, sanitize their hands regularly and keep social distance at all times to ensure they do not risk becoming infected.
  • Lodge and camps staff as well as anybody working on the tourism industry will be regularly monitored and are required to follow the same procedures as above.
  • All transport vehicles used (such as airport transfer vehicles and safari vehicles) must be cleaned and sanitized before and after use.
  • All visitors are advised to dispose of their masks at designated areas after use and upon arrival.

 

The best option would be postponing your trip. Our clients can postpone their trip within 12 months (following their safari booking dates) or as early as possible without any penalties. Please be sure to inform us in writing via an email as soon as possible. If in case our clients will not be able to travel in a year’s time and request for an extension, we will be happy to assist them the best way possible with this. However, our response will be subjected to the accommodation’s credit note policy and how flexible they are willing to do the extension as well as (unforeseen) government policies and regulations yet to be implemented.

 

Regrettably, this is not possible as stated in our booking terms and conditions. Please know your deposits are paid to the accommodations to secure your booking and go towards daily operational expenses. At the moment, no accommodation accepts cancellation and only postponements or amendments are accepted. We truly hope you don’t cancel your trip but we also understand postponement might not be an option. Having said that we sincerely hope you have travel insurance that may recover your losses. Please know, we will be happy to provide any information that may be required by your insurance.

The Tanzanian Government has opened its airspace from June 2020 and has also removed the 14-day mandatory quarantine so visitors arriving in Tanzania can immediately continue on to their safari. However, all visitors will need to have a medically certified certificate stating  they are Covid-19 free, 72 hours valid before departure and the Ministry of Health and tour operators are in close contact with each other to ensure rapid and quick response if the need arises.

Before committing to resuming your trip plans, please consult with us first to know if your safari can be re-booked at dates convenient to you. We will do our best to replicate your safari itinerary and lodgings/camps but please know there is a chance some are already full booked or are not re-opened following the pandemic. If this becomes the case, we will advise alternative dates to stay in the same lodgings and camps or book different accommodations but of similar standard. As your experience is our first priority, we will make sure you are involved in each step of any new reservation.

As with arriving in Tanzania, please consult the local government authorities, the country you are returning to and the airline you are flying with.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Health has set up testing facilities in Dar Es salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha, Karatu and Serengeti within 72 hours before the results are available. There is a fee associated with undergoing testing of $50 to $80 per person. If the airline requires testing, please ask and we will be able to advise you as best we can.

As we need to secure your booking, we will require a deposit. During this Covid -19 situation we require 30% deposit of the total quoted package price upon confirmation. The final payment needs to be paid 30 days prior to starting your trip. Alternatively you can pay 50% upon confirmation and the remaining balance in cash on arrival.

In case your travel plans have to be postponed/cancelled due to Covid-19, your deposit will be converted to credit and you can utilize this credit/deposit when you are ready to resume your travel plans. Please note there are no refunds.

Please know that we are very flexible and accommodates last minute changes.                                              

 

Month-by-month guide for travelling in Tanzania

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Due to Tanzania’s close proximity to the equator, we generally only have two seasons; a rainy season and dry season. Short rainy season is from November to January and long rainy season is March through May. Dry season usually starts from July to October.  

Majority of people will suggest that the best time to visit Tanzania is between July to October. This is the dry season, means that animals wandering searching for water, which makes them relatively easy to spot. You will probably see them in large concentrations as the watering points and rivers are getting limited. Most of the water’s sources dry up or get smaller during the dry season. However because most people believe that July to October is the best time to come, it is also the busiest time in the national parks. This means that majority of people miss the hidden treasures that can be found at other times of the year.

Here is a short overview of what the year looks like in our National Parks.

Ideas and travel guides for exploring Tanzania