Safari Vehicle

Most safari vehicles are closed 4WD's. 4WD is required for safaris in remote areas and during rainy seasons, and in areas that have poor roads or black cotton soil, which gets very slippery when wet. 4WD is also required to descend into the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, due to the steep and poor descent and ascent roads. For our fly-in safaris you will be flown directly to the lodge and will use their game drive vehicles. Rugged and tough, these vehicles will get you to some of the more remote game viewing areas.

All our vehicles have been specially adapted for safaris. The seats have been moved back to give more legroom and large hatches have been fitted in the roof for optimum game viewing. Since quite a bit of time is spent in the cars, other adoptions have been made to ensure traveling comfort such as canvas seat covers and cushions as well as pockets for water bottles, cameras and guides books.

All our vehicles are fitted with the necessary safari equipment, safari fridge, powered by the car battery, for keeping your drinks cold and refreshing. 220 Volt electric sockets for battery chargers ensure that you won’t miss capturing any of the special moments you will experience on your safari, as well as a basic first-aid kit.

Our safari driver/guides are well trained for handling vehicles under extreme 4×4 and safari conditions and put the safety of our clients first at all times. Transport arrangements are ensured and facilitated to the very last detail on behalf of the client, e.g. when it is necessary to take a domestic flight, if we cannot collect you personally, transport will be arranged to and from your accommodation.

We only use four-wheel-drive vehicles (4×4) – custom built safari Land Cruisers 4×4 – exclusively on all our Tanzania safari programs.

These vehicles, in general, can carry four to six (extended version) passengers, all forward-facing. Check the seating configuration with your tour operator before booking. While the extended vehicles can carry more people, they tend to be slightly more difficult to handle on the road. Most of the Land Cruisers are 4X4s, allowing travel over the rough terrain that Africa is known for… Have a look at images of the road into the Ngorongoro Crater if you want an idea!

While self-hire options are available, tour operators all have experienced drivers who, more-often-than-not have extensive knowledge not only of handling the rough terrain, but of the areas through which we travel.

Safety First!

Most Land Cruisers are equipped with all possible safety features – fire extinguishers, First Aid kits, seat belts and many have air bags. They have specially-designed fuel tanks to allow economical use of diesel during long journeys and snorkels for travel through rivers.

Luggage space & how to pack (light)

In general, luggage is taken either in a trailer, or packed on the roof, to keep the vehicle as uncluttered as possible inside, for your comfort. Remember to pack lightly!

For wildlife viewing you stand and pop your head and shoulders through the hatch. If you don’t wish to stand you can open a window although on Land Cruisers and Land Rovers the sliding windows can be quite small. Also note that most safari vehicles in eastern Africa are fitted with internal framing which can get in the way of moving around within the vehicle and viewing game. Closed vehicles can also become very hot as they often do not have AC. One bonus with the closed vehicles used for long road based safaris – they often have a small fridge (although the noise can be distracting when watching animals). Open safari vehicles typically have a cooler filled with ice and drinks.

Trekking and Camping Equipment

On our Adventure Camping Safaris, you will stay in public campsites, located inside the park or on private campsites on the outskirts. The campsites in the parks are not fenced and it is not unlikely that you may find elephants wandering between the tents or bump into antelopes on your way to the shower.

When climbing Mt Kilimanjaro on the Marangu route and during the Mt Meru trekking, you will stay in mountain huts which are similar in style to Scandinavian wooden huts. Mattresses and electric lights are available. All other routes are camping routes and overnight accommodation will be in 2-man-tents equipped with sleeping mats. All meals will be served in a larger mess tent and camping tables and chairs are supplied by us.

Tanzania Fly-In Safaris

Flights to Zanzibar, Mafia, the Selous, Ruaha, Mikumi, Mahale, Katavi, Lake Manyara and the Serengeti

A Tanzania fly-in safari makes the perfect accompaniment to a stay on one of Zanzibar’s sublime beaches or to experience a multitude of Tanzania’s beautiful lodges and array of game parks. Soar between game reserves for a bird's eye view of the parks and to allow you to enjoy spending as much time at the lodges as possible.

Spotting amazing wildlife is experienced from 4x4s with expert guides or a tracker, and you can either book one of our Fly-In Safaris with a thrilling set itinerary or tailor make a safari yourself.

Fly-in safaris in Tanzania use small planes ranging in size from Cessna 206's to Cessna Grand Caravans.