How do I book a trip with Urth Expedition?

When you book your safari with Urth Expedition, we will send you an electronic message with extensive details and important information. In the meantime, here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

Select your trip itinerary and then book your trip online with Urth Expedition. Once we’ve received your payment and information we’ll contact our guides in Tanzania to confirm your travel dates and trip details, then we’ll contact you to arrange the remaining aspects of your trip. 
One person should make the booking on behalf of everyone who is going on the trip. That person must be at least 18 years of age when they book the trip. He or she will be the first name on the booking form and must fill in and sign our booking form. This person must have the agreement of everyone who is going on the tour to make the booking with us and will be responsible for making sure all payments due for your holiday are paid in full and at the right time.
The names of everyone traveling on the holiday must be included on the booking to complete with your 20% deposit or full trip payment. Providing we can do so, we will then confirm your chosen holiday.

When is the best time to go on Safari in Tanzania?

Tanzania offers the best and most consistent wildlife viewing opportunities year-round. The dry season (Juni to October) is generally considered the best time overall for game viewing. However, even the shoulder season in Tanzania (November to March) has an amazing amount to offer regarding wildlife viewing. April and May are the least optimal months since many camps close during the long rains. However, there are still enough places for us to create a magnificent itinerary for you if those months are your only option. And, since it is the low season, you will enjoy the benefits of a less crowded and expensive journey!

How will my trip be confirmed?

Your trip will be confirmed when we issue a booking confirmation. As soon as we do so, there will be a binding legal agreement between us. The booking confirmation will be sent to the person who makes the booking. Please check your booking confirmation and all other documents thoroughly as soon as you receive them, as the responsibility is yours to advise Urth Expedition without delay about any details that appear to be incorrect - it may not be possible to make amendments at a later date. Please remember your booking cannot be confirmed without your 20% deposit payment. 

WHAT TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS ARE THERE FOR A SAFARI IN TANZANIA?

Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months on the day you depart from your home country. In addition, your passport must contain at least four blank visa pages, that is two sets of two opposing blank visa pages.

Visa
It is possible to obtain a tourist visa upon arrival at the airports of Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, but you also have the opportunity to apply for a an eVisa prior to your trip. It is important to know that you have to pay for the visa in USD dollars and that they only take cash payments upon arrival.

ARE THERE ANY MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER TANZANIA?

It is very important to set an appointment with a travel doctor in your home country before you come to Tanzania.

The following vaccinations are recommended for travelers going to Tanzania: Hepatitis A and a combined tetanus, diphtheria and inactivated polio vaccine (Td/IPV). Proof of Yellow Fever vaccination is only required if you are traveling to Tanzania from countries that have Yellow Fever Endemic or if you transit in Yellow Fever Endemic Areas for more than 12 hours.

Check the CDC’s website for updated health information for travelers to Tanzania. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/tanzania

If you use prescription medication or if you suffer from a medical condition that requires special consideration, it is best to consult your physician and inform the aircraft company before flying. You may require a medication passport to show authorities abroad and flight attendants that you need certain medication. In the event that you lose your medication or require additional supplies abroad, the medication passport will allow you to refill your prescription. In addition, you will usually need a doctor’s certificate in the form of a medical certificate written or translated into English. The same may apply to traveling with medical equipment. Enquiring about these things may take weeks, so it is best to start well in advance.

DO I NEED MALARIA MEDICATION FOR A SAFARI IN TANZANIA?

There is no vaccine available against malaria. We recommend the use of anti-malarial medication, but again, it is best to take this up with a travel medical specialist. Malaria is an infectious disease that is caused by a parasite. You get it from the bite of a mosquito that carries the parasite. These parasites multiply first in the liver cells and then in the red cells of the blood. The symptoms include shaking chills, followed by fever, usually preceded by a flu-like illness. To protect yourself against mosquito bites, spray yourself with insect repellent containing DEET, and cover your body properly if you are outside after sunset.

How do I pay?

We accept credit card payments, Paypal (although Paypal charges a 3.5 % fee for their service)., Venmo, Zelle, Apple Pay, direct bank deposits, or International/Domestic wires. 

What is your cancellation policy?

We have a 30% non-refundable deposit. With 3 months previous notification we will refund up to 80% of your trip total. If you have to cancel your trip for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly. 

In the event of clients cancelling their reservations, Urth Expedition has the right either to claim the total amount of any deposit paid by such passenger or to claim any damages suffered by the company. The maximum cancellation fees, which may be imposed, are as follows:

Recommended travel insurance

Alliance Travel Insurance https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com

World Nomad https://www.worldnomads.com

Wunderwell https://gowanderwell.com

Travel Insurance FAQ’s

TRAVEL INSURANCE - DON'T TRAVEL WITHOUT IT!

Travel insurance is often viewed by clients as an extra cost that can be avoided. At Urth Expedition LTD however we insist that all travelers are fully insured for their trip.

Organizing travel insurance is vital for any trip to Africa. In fact, it’s part of Urth Expedition ’s Terms & Conditions that all our clients have it in place before they depart. We’re often asked why, as travel insurance can be viewed as an avoidable extra cost.

We’d like to stress that we do not sell travel insurance, nor do we profit from our advice – we just want to see our clients covered as well as we believe they ought to be.
Although we cannot recommend any specific policy or provider, on this page we aim to help you identify what to look out for and what to avoid with potential policies. We’ve also suggested a few websites where you can research policies, and we’ve also provided the names of a few companies that we’ve come across over the years. However, please research all the options thoroughly for yourself, as only you know your personal circumstances and what policy will suit you best.
This information is given in good faith, but without liability. Every traveller is different, and your needs may vary – again, please make sure you research the options thoroughly and purchase the policy that’s right for you.

When to take out travel insurance

It’s best to take out a policy as soon as you have booked your trip. This means that you’re immediately covered for cancellation, although we only insist on the policy being in place before you travel. Please be aware that some policies state you must purchase insurance within a certain period of booking, so it’s always worth checking your specific policy to avoid invalidating your cover.

Medical cover and repatriation

Without doubt, the most important element of travel insurance is medical cover and repatriation. Of course, the majority of our clients have a trouble-free trip, but it is far better to be safe than sorry. Our trips take you to remote parts of Africa and it’s vital that, if there is an accident, you have adequate cover to evacuate you to the nearest major hospital for your care, and for medical repatriation to your home country too.

We advise a per person minimum of $100,000 to cover medical treatment and a minimum of $250,000 to cover repatriation due to accident or illness. Though in reality, almost all policies offer cover far in excess of these figures. We strongly recommend that you ask your insurer to ensure that you are covered sufficiently for both. Of course, full coverage for medical treatment once you have returned to your home country is absolutely essential too, but it won’t usually be covered privately by travel insurance.

COVID-19 cover

It is vital that your travel insurance also covers you for COVID-19. This should include medical cover in case you become unwell with COVID-19 while traveling. But also cover for possible travel disruption/cancellation caused by reasons such as, but not limited to:
Anyone in your party becoming infected prior to departure.
Failing a pre-departure COVID PCR test.
Government travel advisories or bans.
Quarantine requirements either at home or at your destination.
Lockdowns either at home or at your destination.

What to think about when taking out insurance
Extreme sports, walking safaris, remote areas, water-sports, etc. If you’re planning to take part in sports or other adventurous activities during your trip, we recommend that your policy covers you for any injuries sustained as a result of these activities.

Loss of valuables, personal liability, legal expenses ..Your policy should include cover for loss of any valuable items, as well as personal liability, legal expenses, and cancellations abroad, and any delays at your point of departure, whether you are outward or homeward bound.

Pre-existing illnesses.. Please seek advice from an insurance broker if necessary to ensure that your policy covers any pre-existing illnesses.

Cancellation...Most travel insurance will cover this thoroughly, but we advise you to check and most importantly to look out for the value of the trip covered as standard. Many policies will cover a trip costing up to $5,000–6,500 per person. If your safari and international flights cost more than that, you might need to purchase additional cover in order to insure the full value of your safari.

How much does travel insurance cost, and where can I compare

policies?

The cost of travel insurance varies, based on your personal circumstances and if you have any

pre-existing health conditions. We cannot legally advise clients on which policies are best, nor can we recommend any specific travel insurance companies or policies. However, to get an idea of where to begin your research, please take a look at the following companies that we’ve come across:
Please note that we cannot take any responsibility for information provided on a third-party website.

It used to be the case that all travelers had to be insured by a company based in their home country. But today there’s a handful of insurance companies that cover travelers no matter where in the world they live. For some clients, these companies offer much better value policies than those available in their home country. Insurers we have come across include:

World Nomads

Alliance Travel Insurance

Cigna Travel

Wanderwell Travel Insurance

Some frequently asked questions
My policy states that I have to pay any medical costs myself and reclaim the costs once I’ve returned home. Is that okay?
There are a few issues with this ‘pay and claim’ approach. The most obvious is that, if you were to have a serious accident, medical evacuation and hospital bills could run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Repatriation would cost hundreds of thousands, which would be very difficult to self-fund. And if an accident is incapacitating, even actioning payment would be very challenging for you. So we suggest opting for a policy in which the insurance company pays direct for any costs on your behalf.

Does my health insurance cover my safari? (This question is often most relevant to travelers from the USA.)
US health insurance premiums sometimes cover clients for their trips overseas, but this is rare. We cannot comment on these policies, but we advise clients to contact their existing insurers for health cover and to consider additional insurance to protect against the risk of loss or cancellation. Please note, if you do not have a policy to cover any of the events mentioned above, you are at risk of incurring considerable costs. Repatriation home, for example, can cost a huge amount of money. We cannot be held responsible for any of these costs.

My credit card includes travel insurance – is that enough?

Not usually! It is essential to check that you’re satisfied with the amount of coverage included. Please contact your credit card company to verify what is and what isn’t covered. Remember, a good insurance policy involves getting you home in an emergency and also provides a minimum of $100,000 medical cover while you are in Africa. A lot of credit card insurance does not provide adequate cover and falls short of the figures mentioned above (see MEDICAL COVER AND REPATRIATION).

Is medical coverage provided by national social insurance programs or national healthcare systems in my country of residence valid in Africa?
National social insurance programs, such as Medicare, and national healthcare systems, like the NHS, are unlikely to provide you with medical coverage when overseas. Please contact the relevant authority for further information.

I have private health insurance – is that enough?

It is unlikely that your private health insurance policy will provide you with adequate coverage while in Africa. Please speak to your health insurance company about what is and isn’t covered.

Can I buy travel insurance from Urth Expedition?

No, Urth Expedition does not sell insurance.

Why is Urth Expedition asking for my travel insurance details?

In the event of an emergency, Urth Expedition and our suppliers will need to have access to the name of your travel insurer, policy number, and 24-hour emergency/claims number. We can then provide this information to emergency services so that you can receive the necessary treatment without delay.

What if I don’t want insurance?

Arranging insurance is a condition of booking travel with Urth Expedition and if you do not take out a travel insurance policy we reserve the right to cancel your holiday as per our Terms & Conditions.

And lastly!
As is always the case, make sure you read the fine print of any policy! Unfortunately, we have known cases where clients had thought they were fully covered but had bought a policy that was not as good as it should be.

What is AMREF Flying Doctor’s insurance?

All our guests are automatically enrolled in this program. AMREF Flying Doctors provides air evacuation services in medical emergencies. This covers for emergency transport from your safari to a full-service hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. All our guests are automatically enrolled in program at no extra cost. However, this does not replace the traditional travel insurance.


 

Preparing for your trip

What Gear Do I Bring?

This is our suggested gear list. All community gear such as tents, food, utensils, etc. is provided by Urth Expedition. You are responsible to bring the following required, recommended and optional personal gear and equipment listed below. The most common mistake climbers make is over packing. Be selective in what you take with you. Our porters are limited to carrying 33 lbs. (15 kgs) of your personal belongings.

 

CLOTHING

  • 1 Insulated Jacket*

  • 1 Fleece Jacket

  • 1 Rain Jacket

  • 1-2 Short Sleeve Shirt, moisture wicking fabric F 2 Long Sleeve Shirts, moisture-wicking fabric

  • 1 Hiking Shorts**

  • 2 Hiking/Convertible Pants

  • 1 Fleece Pants

  • 1 Rain Pants, side zip recommended

  • 3 Underwear, moisture-wicking fabric

  • 1-2 Long Underwear, moisture-wicking fabric F 2 Sports Bra (women)

HEADWEAR

  • 1 Wide Brimmed Hat or Cap F 1 Warm Hat or Beanie

  • 1 Balaclava or Buff

  • 1 Bandana**

  • HAND WEAR

  • 1 Gloves, thin**

  • 1 Gloves/Mittens, warm, waterproof

FOOTWEAR

  • 1 Hiking Boots, waterproof

  • 1 Shoelaces, extra

  • 4 Hiking Socks

  • 3 Sock Liners, prevents blisters **

  • 1 Gym Shoes, to wear at camp**

  • 1 Gaiters, waterproof**

EQUIPMENT

  • 1 Sleeping Bag, 0°F or warmer*

  • 1 Sleeping Bag Liner**

  • 1 Duffel Bag, 90L, waterproof, for porters to carry

  • 1 Day pack, 30-35L, for you to carry

  • 1 Backpack Cover, waterproof**

  • 1 Trekking Poles, collapsible* /**

  • 1 Head lamp, with extra batteries

  • Camera, with spare batteries/SD cards**

 

ACCESSORIES

  • 1 Sunglasses, full coverage

  • 2 Water Bottle, 1 liter - Nalgene/Hydroflask

  • 1 Water Bladder, 2-3 liters

  • 1 Camp Towel, quick drying**

  • 1 Pee Bottle, to avoid leaving tent at night**

  • 1 She-Wee (women)**

  • Dry Bags or Plastic Bags, to keep gear dry and separate

OTHER

  • 1 Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher

  • 1 Lip Balm, SPF 30 of higher

  • 1 Insect Repellent, containing DEET

  • 1 First Aid Kit, basic

  • 1 Blister Kit**

  • 1 Ear Plugs**

  • 1 Toilet Paper, full roll

  • 1 Hand Sanitizer

  • 1 Wet Wipes**

TOILETRIES

  • Medications: Diamox, Ciprofloxacin, Ibuprofen, anti-malaria, anti-diarrhea**

  • Snacks, Trailmix, energy bars, beans and/or shots **

  • Energy Drink Mix, powder or tablets, 2 servings per day**

PAPERWORK

  • Passport, valid for 6+ months after travel F Visa, available at JRO

  • Medical Insurance

  • Travel Insurance

  • Trip Receipt

  • Cash for tips, visa and incidentals, $700+ USD

*Items available for rent, reservations required
**Optional, but recommended items