Frequently Asked Questions

Aside from our many years of experience in the safari industry, allow us to take you behind the scenes and explain what sets us apart. Our bespoke trip planning brings together many different elements, and here are just a few of them:

•  For utterly unique experiences, we prefer to send our clients to some of the smaller, more intimate camps in the most prolific wildlife areas. These camps have been designed to blend sympathetically into their surroundings, yet often include spas, pools and plenty of quiet corners for romantic, private dining.

• Part of the ambience of an African safari is to eat delicious healthy food and the finest wines (fresh juice or a cold beer!). With every itinerary, we craft, your appetite and taste buds are some of our top priorities. We will match you with a selection of camps or lodges that will surely reward your belly! We handpick properties that will offer you some of the finest gourmet safari dining made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients (ensuring that all of your dietary requirements are met). Speaking of food, you may be surprised at how hungry you feel after a game drive or guided walking safari – all that fresh air, perhaps, or the certainty that you’re about to be served another superb meal (maybe even out in the bush!).

• With Wito, the quality of your game drives is matchless. How can we be sure? We carefully plan your itinerary to take you into the prime areas for wildlife viewing and at the right time of the season (unlike “off the shelf” offerings). We then communicate with our local partners and guides to ensure that you are only taken to areas where few other travelers have ventured and that you enjoy excellent guiding. Exclusive concessions and sole traversing rights mean that the only other two-legged creatures you’ll see will be monkeys, apes, bats and birds.

• Of course, not everyone has an unlimited budget for their dream safari trip to Africa. We are always conscious of the overall cost of your travel and will work with you to explore ways to achieve your adventure of a lifetime while keeping costs down. For example, we sometimes organize half-shared, half-private safaris. This way, some activities may be shared with a small group of fellow safari goers whilst allowing you to get lots of quality family or couple time in the sanctuary of your beautifully designed luxury tent or room. Enjoy a view to thrill from your private deck (some with plunge pools), or let the moonlight wash over you in your outdoor shower.

• Every touchpoint – from toiletries to towels – will be just so. The knock on the door in the morning signifies your butler bringing your preferred morning pick-me-up. Bush aircraft flights link the lodges on your customized itinerary, while optional private activities take your experience to cloud nine.

Everyone’s hopes, expectations and budget are different, so we offer a range of accommodation options to suit an individual’s personalized trip. Every one of our guests must enjoy a 5-star level of service that goes beyond their expectations. Therefore, regardless of your choice of accommodation, we will provide you with an outstanding, English-speaking private guide and a fully equipped safari vehicle for game viewing from start to finish. We will also take you to the most remarkable areas of these stunning national parks for priceless wildlife viewing experiences.

We want you to have a relaxing and stress-free experience without any unforeseen surprises, so we have established price points to help you plan your once-in-a-lifetime African adventure, and we try to ensure that all of your costs are included in one payment.

We offer three levels of the Wito Experience, as follows:

Wito Comfort Experience

A 3-star comfortable accommodation, with prices ranging from about $499–599 USD per person per day, depending on seasonality and travel arrangements. At the more basic end of the scale, these are usually small group tours with set departure dates, traveling by vehicle and starting and ending in the same place. At the higher end, you have more flexibility, allowing for personalized trips by road, air, or a combination of the two. Classic safaris include comfortable lodging in great locations, including gems like the rim of Ngorongoro Crater or the banks of the Mara River. You will generally stay in larger lodges or authentic camps and share communal meals and exhilarating safari activities. While they don’t come with all the bells and whistles of a luxury safari, they offer a fantastic safari experience at a more affordable rate.

Wito Comfort Plus Experience

Typically, a 4-star luxury property ranges from about $699–899 USD per person per day, depending on seasonality. The properties are all-inclusive, offering intimate settings, gourmet safari dining, safari activities, scheduled light aircraft flights, and more. You will only need to open your wallet for optional extras like shopping or spa treatments (if at all). Private guides will be provided for most trips, while some experiences may be on a half-shared, half-private basis (like game drives). Everything else about your trip is fully customized to your exact specifications.

Wito Elite Experience

High-end, 5-star property prices can range from about $999 – 1,799+ per person per day, depending on seasonality. These are fully inclusive of luxury accommodation options, where nothing is overlooked. Think highly personalized service, unforgettable safari activities (often with private guides), world-class food in secluded settings, premium drinks, bush aircraft flights, and more. There’s almost no limit to an elite safari experience, which can extend to luxury private villas with dedicated staff and personal guides for transfers and exploring. The safari experiences themselves can be as exclusive as you could hope for, be it private dining on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, a hot air balloon safari for two over the Serengeti, or anything your heart desires.

The classic time to visit Tanzania is during the primary dry season, from June to October, when good weather conditions can be expected across the country, and wildlife viewing should be spectacular.

Another major highlight is during the wildebeest’s calving season in Serengeti (December – March), which coincides with good trekking conditions on Kilimanjaro and fair weather down on the coast. Read more about when and where to go here.

Most safari destinations range from malaria-free to low-risk, depending on where you go and the month of travel. While malaria-free areas have no history of malaria, low risk means that only a handful – or even no – malaria cases have been reported over several years.

For Tanzania, travelers are usually advised that anti-malarial pills are strongly recommended. Malaria is easily preventable through medication. You only need to be prepared ahead of your trip. Start taking the pills before your trip departure and sometimes after the trip (follow the instructions for your specific anti-malarial drugs).

You’re never too young for your first safari! If you’re planning an adventure for the whole family to remember, Africa has plenty to offer any age group. You can, of course, take advantage of babysitting services and fun kids’ activities for a bit of adults-only time once in a while. But if you’re traveling as a family, you’ll probably want to enjoy the adventure together as much as possible.

The thrill of searching out their favorite animals, glimpsing movement in the bush, or spotting a herd of elephants on the horizon is something that your children will never forget, and there’s nothing quite like the look on their faces when they see an elephant, giraffe or zebra up close for the first time. But there is also a wide selection of activities and experiences, specifically for under 12s, to help them discover, explore and embrace the sheer magic of the African wilderness.

Between the ages of 6 and 12, the kids will usually be welcomed on game drives and activities with other guests, provided they don’t negatively impact the bliss of other group members. Meanwhile, teenagers are only bound by the typical minimum age for walking safaris which is 16 years. In some cases, a height restriction may apply for hot air ballooning.

Apart from the crossing of the migratory wildlife, the areas of the northern Serengeti offer action-packed game drives with some of the best wildlife sightings and diversity of any other parks in Africa. You will observe tons of resident wildlife, including pride of lions, leopards, buffaloes, and herds of elephants, and – if you’re lucky – you’ll get more up close and personal with rhinos here than anywhere else in Tanzania. Whether you catch a crossing or not, you will never be disappointed!

When it comes to the Serengeti, there is no such thing! Every day promises its special, unique delights. Your guide will be in constant communication with other guides in the area to find out what the herds are up to, and you will have a chat each evening to make a plan for the following day.

Sometimes, the herds will be just around the camp or within a half-hour’s drive, and at other times you may need to pack a picnic breakfast and-or lunch to travel further afield. These days out, exploring all that the Serengeti has to offer is never predictable but always an adventure. We recommend that you set aside a minimum of four nights to spend in the Serengeti so that you can make the most of this remarkable part of the world.

Exclusive for you, we have hunted out the best lodges, villas, camps and even treehouses in Africa to suit every budget, itinerary and personal preference. Trust us – you’re going to be spoilt for choice! An awe-inspiring setting is just the beginning…

Every one of our recommended accommodation options will blow you away with personal service, attention to detail and various levels of luxury.

Look through our Wito Africa Blog for the latest news, special offers, wildlife stories and safari inspiration.