Is it safe to safari in Tanzania?
Tanzania is regarded a safe country to visit overall. The safaris that we put together for our clients are meticulously organised and planned and to make clients feel the utmost assured and looked after.
If you have never been to Africa before, then arriving into a busy African airport and city may feel a little overwhelming. Rest assured though, after the tedious process of visa control and immigration, you will be met by your driver/guide with a friendly smile and your name on a board outside of the airport. From that moment on, you will always be met on arrival and transferred to each destination.
When you are on safari, it is not the people and city life that is on your mind when you ask, ‘is it safe to safari in Tanzania’? Instead, it is the wild animals that are on the front of your mind. Is my tent sturdy enough? What if I hear animal noises at night? Am I safe in the safari vehicle?
All of these questions are completely normal and we get asked them by most of our clients who have never been on safari before. Most of the camps and lodges that we recommend in Tanzania for safari are not fenced which means, in short, that animals can wander through camp whenever they like.
To watch elephants walk through the camp, to spot warthogs grazing near your tent, or to hear lions roar from your room at night are all exhilarating feelings but at the same time, can make you question how safe you are. Do not fear! Your safety is the safari camps’ top priority. In the evening, you are always walked to and from your safari tent to the main area where dinner is served, and guides stay up throughout the night on look out.
It is very common for you to hear sounds from your tent at night, such as rustling of vegetation, grunts of hippos or roars of lion prides. It is worth noting that, as there is no sound pollution out in the bush, these noises always seem much closer than they actually are. There is, of course, a possibility that there are lions outside your tent but the likelihood is that they are much further away, with the feeling they are close by.
Whether it is your first or hundredth safari, the guides will always keep your safety as a top priority. Before each safari activity, they will address the rules and ask if anyone has any questions. Similarly, when you arrive in a new camp, the manager of the camp will sit down and run through all of the important points and rules of the camp. They will show you to your room and go through all of the safety features (such as the torch, the safe, the radio and the emergency horn).
In summary, the cities of Tanzania are pretty safe but it is likely you will not spend any time here unless it is a night to start or end your safari before your international flight. In the safari parks, the danger will be the wild animals but all of the staff and guides at your camp will be extremely safe, vigilant and careful with any safari activity they lead. Your safety is their priority and they have had extensive training for all possible situations.