How to select a reliable Tanzanian tour operator?

Selecting the best tour operator is the first step toward a successful trip to Tanzania. There are hundreds if not thousands of travel companies around the world. Most of these companies offer Tanzania as the destination.

When it comes to the African travel market two groups of operators emerge. These groups include International travel agencies and Local tour operators (DMC)

These two groups design and collect money from clients. Most of these companies operate within and outside of the country.

The common practice by international travel agencies is working with third parties. They don’t operate directly within the country but rather they use other companies.

Local operators are companies registered within a specific country. They operate under the regulations of that country and follow operational procedures. Including licensing and permits.

There are some key factors to consider when choosing a tour company to travel with abroad.  This is the highlight of what to take care of :

Compliance

This is the very key point to consider while traveling abroad. The Internet is full of amazing websites and travel forums. But once it comes to which site or business to trust is a big challenge for many clients.

Do your research before making the final decision. For Tanzania, companies ask for a TALA license from the company. But also do not transfer money to a personal bank account.

Any registered company will offer you the same name for bank accounts.  The law of the country instructs that as good business conduct.

Reasonable price

It’s the culture for unregulated companies to offer a very low budget price. Remember this is your lifetime vacation, avoid too cheap price. You won’t bear the cost of the poor service and experience.

Reliable operators offer a reasonable price. Most of the time they offer you customized trips based on your budget. And is the best option idea to collaborate to create a trip of your own.

Value for money is the foundation of tour operators who are looking for organic growth. Best-served clients recommend to family and friends to companies and become ambassadors.

Customer Care

Serving clients with respect and precision is the core value of the travel industry. Before deciding to confirm your booking with any company consider that in mind.

Consider response time, Will the company staff be able to answer your questions on time?  What other tools are available for communication apart from emails?

Does the company offer direct call numbers?  Messenger apps or chatbots?  Customer care goes beyond communication

Professionalism

A reliable tour operator always offers a team of professionals for safari or climbing.  You will also experience the level of expertise in how they handle requests and bookings.

Try to observe the booking process, and what is the consideration for a confirmed booking.  Observe the quality of supporting material and other expertise they offer to you.

Terms and Conditions

Very few visitors consider the idea of requesting or understanding the terms of the tour. Bear in mind that terms and conditions are binding agreements between you and the company.

Terms and conditions can protect you in case of violation of service agreements for both. Spend time understanding the terms of the tour.

Understand the pros and cons of breaching the terms. Which booking duration seems late bookings, what is the refund policy if you cancel a trip or change?

Each company in Tanzania operates differently on its terms. So before making any final decision you better be aware of the terms and conditions of the company.

Flexibility

Planning a trip is one thing, and being on the trip is the other thing. Sometimes things happen on your trip, you might fall sick or miss the flight from your home country.

In this case, you might need a company that will offer you alternatives. Instead of canceling your trips others will offer you alternatives or skip the date.

Sometimes you may need to change a trip for instance you wish to visit Lake Manyara and change to Serengeti.  A reliable operator will be flexible to switch according to the needs of the clients.

Is our advice to discuss with the company this option before. Effective planning always leads to the desired results for your Africa safari.

Travel Tips & Give Aways

Creating awareness and giving tips for destinations is one of the key factors to consider. Providing constructive ideas on how to for African safaris is the best practice.

Reliable operators strive to educate their potential clients in different aspects. For instance for clients who are seeking to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. They will be looking at the best time to climb or what to pack for Kilimanjaro climbing.

The same goes for visitors who are seeking wildebeest migration in Serengeti. Their intent is when is the best time for migration. The list of questions and inquiries goes on and on.

Is the primary goal of reliable tour operators to clear ambiguity for visitors. By offering tips and best practices before and during the trips. Example do’s and don’ts in Zanzibar or Serengeti.

Memberships

There are different organizations and government agencies which are dealing with operators. In Tanzania, legal companies operate under the Ministry of  Natural Resource and Tourism.  You can search for the company you wish to travel with.

Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB) displays the list of licensed tour operators. And for the company, you wish to travel with make sure it appears on the list.

The above-mentioned agency has the legal authority to intervene in case of fraud. If the company is not on the list you better take precautions before making any payments.

You can search Blessing Safaris on the Tanzania Tourism Board. Or through the Ministry of Tourism website for reference.

Partnerships

The best experience is the combination of different aspects. Best tour companies affiliate with the best service providers for quality control.

Whether a client is looking for the best camping safari or Zanzibar beach holiday. Is the role of the company to fulfill that need.

As the company, we work with the best service providers including Ang’ata Camps, and Tulia Hotel. Mount Meru, Gran Melia, Maasai Land Safari , Serena Hotels, Fumba Lodge in Zanzibar, Sopa. Whisper Camps, Kilima Valley Camps, Migombani Camps, Farm of Dream Lodge, Rhino Lodge. Elewana Collections, Enyati Lodge. Serengeti Baloon Safari, Miracle Experience Baloon, and many others.

Partnership with the best brands is for quality assurance of the service we offer. We value our customer’s needs and we are prepared to offer a lifetime experience.

Payments Options

Payments for the tour give access to own your trip. The reliability of the company can be measured by offering safe options for clients to pay.

Legal companies will offer bank transfers or Online gateways for deposits. In some cases, visitors pay on arrival in cash.

You should have legal receipts for your payments. Before the payments, you should receive invoices for both paid and unpaid.

Because of technology, many tour companies now accept cards. VISA/MASTERCARD, UNION PAY, or AMERICAN EXPRESS. But also goes beyond accepting Cryptocurrencies including Bitcoins, Ethereum, and other coins.

Take note of the bank account offered by the company. Make sure is not personal accounts and sometimes consider the brand name.

Reviews

Direct feedback from clients can tell about the nature of the company. Having many positive reviews online does not guarantee the best service. You should use your cognitive skills to determine what is true and not.

Competitors can use reviews to damage other companies’ image. You should take note of that. But others can put fake reviews as clients to be seen as valid companies.

You should use the review to create the mirror effects rather than the final decision. The Internet is full of smart people take care!

Best review sites include Trip Advisor, Trust Pilot, Your Africa Safari, and Safari Bookings. Google, Tanzania Tour Operators (TTO)

All reliable companies offer options for reviews on their sites for collecting insights.

Offers

The reliability of the operators can also be measured from a service perspective.  Does the tour operators offer very low or high price?

Offering very low prices for a trip is a clear sign of service compromise. Many clients prefer to shop around and fall under low-budget tours.  It should be known that cheap trips always come with expensive experiences.

Very expensive tours. Other operator’s overpriced tours, do not offer the best services. Rather save more profits and take advantage of clients who are less informed about the trips.

You should consider operators with reasonable prices. A company should offer you room for discussion and customization of your trips to fit your budget.

Avoid too cheap safari operators and very expensive ones. Luxury safari comes from the best service delivery and not the price.

Conclusion 

As we wrap up this topic, a quick reminder of the key factors to consider for choosing a reliable Tanzania tour operator is. Includes compliance, reasonable price, customer care, partnerships, memberships, reviews, payment options, flexibility, and offerings.

A good thing about Tanzania, many tour operators offer you a chance to customize the trip.  We collaborate with our clients to design their own experiences.   Do you need more information or want to go ahead and book your Tanzania safari? Get in touch with us today. Contact us

If you’re ready to book your dream safari in Tanzania, then book any of these packages

8 Days Wildebeest Migration Serengeti (River- Crossing)

9 Days Tanzania Camping Safari

10 Days Tanzania Family Safari 

5 Days Luxury Camping Safari 

6 Days Serengeti Budget Safari