Frequently Asked Questions

You can choose to either fly in light aircraft between camps or travel by road. Flying between camps is generally conducted in Cessna Grand Caravans that carry up to 12 passengers. Arriving at your bush airstrip you’ll be met by your guide who is based at your camp and knows the area intimately.

Drives between camps are undertaken in specially designed safari vehicles accompanied by a guide who will stay with you for the duration of your safari. Whilst driving may mean taking more time between your camps it also means that you will gain a deeper understanding of the realities of African life – irreplaceable experiences if you are keen to learn more about Africa modern culture.

As a general rule, comfortable, practical and robust clothing that you can wash and wear works best on safari. We conduct our game drives in the early morning and mid-afternoon when it can be relatively cold. The temperature increases swiftly as the sun rises so layers that can be removed easily are a good idea. Fortunately, these items also work well on your international flights.

Our recommended packing list;

• Clothes in neutral colours like khaki, green and tan work well as they clean well and are cooler in the heat of the day, they also have the added benefit of blending with the environment to allow you to get closer to wildlife without disturbing them.
• Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days
• Shorts or a light skirt
• A lightweight waterproof jacket and fleece for those early morning and night drives and just in case you get caught in a rain shower
• Long-sleeved shirts offer protection from the sun especially if they are SPR rated
• Cotton T-shirts are the ideal base layer
• Swimsuit if staying a camp with a refreshing pool
• Comfortable walking shoes and a pair of flip flops, thongs or slops
• Binoculars and camera equipment
• All Lemala Camps and Lodges have charging stations, at Hamerkop and the Lodges these are located in your room, whilst in the tented camps, they are communally located in the mess or lounge.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, insect repellent, moisturiser and lip salve

If you are flying between your chosen safari camps and lodges in light aircraft the luggage allowance limits you to a maximum of 15 kg (33 lbs), unlike an international flight this includes your hand luggage, so please pack carefully. All Lemala camps and lodges provide same-day laundry service free of charge in order to help you manage this limitation – but please note for cultural reasons in our tented camps we are happy to provide soap powder for ladies “smalls.”

The main difference between a tented camp and a lodge is that the lodge has concrete structures, walls made of wood or stone while a tented camp consists of safari tents.

Our tented camps are authentic canvas tents reminiscent of a bygone era of exploration – perfect for a guest who wants to thrill at the sound of a zebra baying across the valley or a lion summoning the pride to a kill. We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver this level of exciting experience without compromising comfort levels.

Each of our accommodation tents is large enough for two king-size beds, a desk and a wardrobe, whilst the en suite bathroom has a single basin, a towel rack and a luggage rack for your toilet bag. Our flushing toilets are a distinct improvement on the old explorer’s safari ‘choo’ as they were called. Lemala safari, bucket showers are an effective yet environmentally friendly way to shower where water is at a premium. They provide plenty of hot water to wash comfortably. Your room attendant will fill a large waterproof bag with approximately 15 litres (5 US gallons) of water heated to your order, raising it by pully to provide pressure for you inside your bathroom. Our staff will gladly prepare your shower whenever you choose – but please give them a few minutes notice so they can get it ready. Lemala staff and guests alike affectionately refer to these as Talking Showers.

Meals at our tented camps are communal events often served at a Captains table that facilitates easy exchange of stories between guests. As we serve from a small kitchen we ask guests to choose their required dish from the a la carte menu ahead of time. (And of course to inform us of any dietary restrictions before arriving).

Wifi is available in all our tented camps – like our charging stations it is available in a central location, either in the lounge or mess/dining tent.

Our lodges on the other hand enjoy far more infrastructure. Built of a mixture of canvas, glass and solid timber decking, our Lodge accommodations are larger and undeniably more luxurious than any tented camp. Because they are permanent facilities, our lodges are fully self-contained and massive investment in electrical power and water filtration means guests enjoy plumbed water to baths and showers, whether inside the en suite or outside open to the stars, minibars and enough electricity to run a hairdryer – things that are usually massive challenges in remote locations without resorting to noisy and environmentally damaging diesel generators.

At Lemala Camps and Lodges we provide complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body lotion in all our rooms. Inaya Zanzibar draws inspiration from Africa’s rich nature and diverse cultures when creating our natural bath & body care products. In line with Lemala’s own position on the environment and the need to do good, all products are ecofriendly and biodegradable. Free of parabens, SLS, mineral oil, phthalates, artificial colours and cruelty-free. They are produced (and sold) by an all-women team working in what we think is an inspiring and fulfilling work environment.

Lemala provides free wifi in all our properties. Wifi comes to us via satellite and whilst perfectly adequate for catching up with friends and family on email or social media it may vary in speed depending on usage. Generally, it is not suitable for live streaming or heavy usage applications.

Cell phone coverage in Tanzania, even in the remote areas where we have our camps and lodges may pleasantly surprise you. However, we recommend that you switch off your roaming service while in East Africa to avoid the high costs that can accumulate running background updates.

There is coverage in and around all our properties but it may not be available in your room or tent – as we build our guest rooms to nestle into the natural lie of the land. Whilst on game drives we recommend that you switch your phone to aeroplane mode to preserve your battery life. “Searching” for signal as you move between areas of coverage drains phones quicker than you think.

Of course, all of our vehicles are equipped with 240-volt power supplied via international sockets and in many cases USP points. We recommend that guests travel with an international power converter just in case you need to top up your power in a location that may not have international sockets.

The national roads that you will use in northern Tanzania are generally of a high standard and paved. Away from the main areas and in the bush roads are gravel or earth. Sometimes especially after rain, they can be muddy and during drought can be bumpy. Maintenance is carried out sporadically by the conservation and park authorities to ensure they are passable.

Lemala customized 4×4 Land cruisers have been specifically designed for Lemala in order to give you easy access to the African bush. Our fully enclosed and semi-open safari vehicles are used where guests are transferred by road, in the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire parks. Our open vehicles have lofty canvas awnings to provide shade from the sun and are based permanently at our Lodges and Camps for guests who travel to us by air.