ELECTRONICS, BATTERIES & COMMUNICATION
WHERE CAN I CHARGE MY DEVICES?
Lounge Tent: A solar-powered charging station is available in each lounge tent.
Vehicle: Each vehicle has power inverters and U.S.-style wall outlets, so you won’t need any special equipment for your small electronic devices, such as cameras, batteries and phones. All charging must be done while the vehicle is in use.
Note: Vehicles and lounge tents are not equipped to handle larger items such as laptops.
PRO TIP: Label your charging cords to easily find yours at charging stations.
Buying a Universal Adapter: At hotels, lodges and some permanent tented camps, you will likely find 220- volts AC, 50-cycle current. Most modern electronic appliances can operate on this current – check your devices for the voltage requirements printed on them. If you would like to charge batteries at lodges, you will need outlet adapters, and we recommend a universal travel adapter that will cover you for all outlets you run into (and, you can use it for your future travels!).
Travelers extending their trip to Zanzibar, Ruaha, the Selous, Mahale, Rwanda or other destinations may need to charge batteries at lodges which have varying outlets – European or U.K.-style adapters.
Pack Extra Batteries and Memory Cards: Bring at least two battery packs — three if you are an avid photographer. Extra memory cards are also a good idea. Extra lithium batteries must be packed in your carry-on bag for international flights.
Please note, we do not recommend bringing a laptop computer, as it is heavy (considering your limited luggage weight), cumbersome, and must always be kept on your persona and protected on bumpy and dusty drives.
Evaluate Communication/phone Needs
Option 1: Take some time to disconnect and answer messages every few days.
Do you have a smartphone? If so, there is Wi-Fi available at your lodges, but remember that you will not have connection to Wi-Fi at the Nyumba camps.
Option 2: I would like to send a few texts or make a few calls to my family.
Text messages are a relatively inexpensive way of communicating with work, and can often be transmitted when the signal is too weak to support a voice call.
If you have a smartphone you may also need to adjust the settings to ensure you don’t incur hefty charges. A limited number of U.S. cell phone carriers offer coverage in Tanzania, and only a limited number of U.S. phones work with East Africa’s satellite system. Contact your cell phone provider for more details and rates.
Option 3: I need to be in contact with work or home 24/7 throughout my safari.
The most reliable form of communication in Tanzania is renting a satellite phone. We recommend All Road Communication. There are many kinds of satellite phones; depending on what features you select, they can be expensive. You will need to rent in the US before you depart.