Covid FAQS | Easy Travel

COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for our Guest and Staff: Read Easy Travel Standard Operating Procedures | Read Easy Travel Coronavirus FAQ

1. How do I find out more information about COVID-19, or coronavirus?
2. How many cases of COVID-19 are there in Tanzania?
3. Can I visit Tanzania during the COVID-19 pandemic?
4. What precautions is the Tanzanian tourism industry taking during the pandemic?
5. What measures are being taken by the Government of Tanzania to limit the spread of Covid -19?
6. How can I be safe travelling in Tanzania during COVID-19? And what is Easy Travel doing to keep its guests safe from the virus?

COVID-19 (‘coronavirus’) in Tanzania

We would advise anyone wishing to find out more about the COVID-19 ‘coronavirus’ to look at the information provided by the World Health Organisation (‘WHO’)

The most recently published figures showed that there had been 509 confirmed cases and 21 deaths in Tanzania.

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli declared on May 17, 2020, that the country was open for tourism. As a result, there are no longer travel restrictions imposed on visitors arriving from other countries. No compulsory quarantines are in place for foreign visitors, but the Government and the tourist industry are taking full precautions to keep visitors, as well as staff engaged in tourism, as safe as possible against the COVID-19 virus.

As well as the temperature checks on all visitors on arrival, the Tanzanian Government have issued Standard Operating Procedures, after consultation with many operators in the tourism sector. Responsible operators such as Easy Travel are fully committed to adhere to these.

Disinfecting of all equipment and vehicles before use
Provision of appropriate PPE to all staff
Use of masks and hand sanitizer by staff and guests wherever necessary. (Note that guests should bring both these items with them.)
Reduction in staff-to-guest, staff-to-staff and guest-to-guest contact wherever possible

The Government of Tanzania has issued comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures which are designed to cover every aspect of tourism in the country and which apply to every tourism entity operating in the country. These have been based on the directives and advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The areas covered include arrival in the country (whether by land, sea or air), transport, accommodation, National Parks, climbing Kilimanjaro (and other mountains), PPE, handwashing and sanitizing and emergency procedures. Easy Travel’s own Standard Operating Procedures meet or in many cases exceed the requirements of the Tanzanian Government.

The best way to stay safe while travelling in Tanzania is to follow the relevant guidance given by your tour operator. In particular, pay attention to guidance given with regards to physical distancing, hand-washing, sanitizing and PPE. All four of these areas are within your control. Booking with a responsible operator which has adopted the government guidance and developed its own Standard Operating Procedures will give you comfort that you can stay safe while you are in Tanzania.
Easy Travel has established a strong relationship over many years as a responsible operator which puts the health and safety of its guests and staff first. As such, the company is fully committed to adhering to the preventative and protective measures set out in the Standard Operating Procedures of the Tanzanian Government. In addition, the company has developed its own Standard Operating Procedures to apply to the specific day-to-day operations of Easy Travel.

1. Are airports open in Tanzania during the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. Which international flights are flying to Tanzania during the pandemic?
3. Will I have to be tested for COVID-19 before I arrive in Tanzania
4. Will I be in quarantine when I arrive in Tanzania
5. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, how many hours before departure do I have to arrive at the airport?
6. Will my temperature be checked on arrival?
7. What will happen if my temperature is over 37.5 C?
8. Will Easy Travel still be offering their ‘meet and greet’ services at the airport?

Flights and Arrivals in Tanzania during COVID-19

Yes. After a short period in which there were no international flights into the country, Since 1st June Tanzania has opened its airports once again and both domestic and international flights are taking place. As part of the precautions to protect Tanzanians and visitors, thermal screening will be done at all airport arrival points. Airlines have resumed flights to and from Tanzania, in and out of Kilimanjaro International Airport and other international and domestic airports in the country.

Following a short, temporary ban on international flights into the country, Tanzania lifted the restrictions and several airlines are now flying again into Dar es Salaam. The situation is changing, but at present KLM, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenyan Airways are amongst those operating international flights in and out of Tanzania.

Visitors do not need to have undergone a COVID-19 test before their arrival in Tanzania. But all visitors to Tanzania will undergo a temperature check when they reach their arrival airport in the country. The Tanzanian Government also require visitors to have temperature checks on arrival at all accommodations and National Park gates. Any visitor exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 on his/her arrival in Tanzania will be directed to a medical team for appropriate consultation, followed by isolation and treatment where necessary.

No, there are no quarantine requirements for those arriving in Tanzania. However, all visitors are temperature-tested on arrival, and anyone with a temperature of 37.5 C or above will be referred to a doctor for further consultation. (The previous requirement for visitors to be placed in quarantine for 14 days after arrival has been lifted and no longer applies).

As the need for social distancing may slow down certain airport operations, we would advise all visitors to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure for international flights, and 2 hours before for domestic flights.

Yes, the temperature of all people arriving in Tanzania will be tested on arrival in the country

If your temperature is over 37.5 C, you will be directed to a medical consultant on arrival. You may be tested for COVID-19 and isolated/quarantined. Further details of how we will handle this situation can be found in our Standard Operating Procedures, section number 10.2

Yes, Easy Travel will still provide meet and greet services, but with appropriate protective and preventative measures in place to keep both guests and staff safe.

1. What will happen if I get COVID-19 in Tanzania?
2. Does Tanzania have any facilities for isolation?
3. Does my insurance cover me for COVID -19 if I am travelling for a safari in Tanzania?
4. What information is required before guests arrive in Tanzania?
5. Are Easy Travel employees trained to adhere to COVID-19 preventive and control measures?
6. Are masks and sanitizers available in Tanzania?
7. Are there medical facilities in Tanzania in case of emergency?
8. How can I be safe travelling in Tanzania during COVID-19? And what is Easy Travel doing to keep its guests safe from the virus?
9. Will your staff carry out regular temperature checks?
10. Does Easy Travel have Standard Operating Procedures for COVID-19?
11. What are the procedures if guests are displaying COVID-19 symptoms?

Guest Safety in Tanzania during COVID-19

There has been a very low incidence of COVID-19 in Tanzania compared to many other countries. But if the worst should happen, Easy Travel has set out in its Standard Operating Procedures the steps to be taken to take care of you should you contract the virus. Easy Travel staff are trained in how to deal with such an eventuality, and you can read about how we handle such an eventuality in our Standard Operating Procedures

Tanzanian medical centres in Arusha and Dar Es Salaam have isolation units, but in the event that there is not one available, any guest showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be isolated in a single-occupancy hotel room designated for the purpose at their own cost.

All visitors to Tanzania must check their insurance cover before booking a trip to Tanzania. The cover offered by insurance companies varies and is being constantly updated, so we are unable to give comprehensive advice to those intending to book.

Any flight which arrives in Tanzania from abroad must be Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)-compliant, as this allows the Tanzanian Airport Authorities to identify the arrival of any possible high-risk passengers or crew members. Check with your chosen airline as to what information you need to provide. Any non-APIS compliant flights or airlines should be notified that their passengers and crews will either be subjected to pre-screening, or even be denied entry to Tanzania. Any person arriving who shows signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will be directed to a medical team for consultation.
All guests will be required by Easy Travel to complete a compulsory Medical Declaration Form. A form must be completed for each individual guest and this will be sent to each guest by our Health and Safety Department, one month prior to the guest’s arrival in Tanzania.

In line with the Standard Operating Procedures of the Tanzanian Government and Easy Travel’s own Standard Operating Procedures, all company staff will undergo training with respect to COVID-19, its effects and the measures necessary to detect it, prevent its spread and deal with it whenever it arises. Where staff operate in very specific roles, specific training will be delivered; where needs arise as the pandemic develops, training will be updated and retraining given if required.

Guests are advised to bring their own masks and a bottle of hand-sanitizer with them to Tanzania. Easy Travel will carry a stock of masks, to provide to guests if they do not have their own. Each guest will be given three approved cloth masks per trip, and additional masks can be purchased by guests, if required. Sanitizer will be available in all vehicles operated by the company and guests will be encouraged to make frequent and regular use of it.

Although Tanzanian medical facilities might not match those in Europe or the United States, for example, there are hospitals and health centres in the major towns throughout the country. Details of the available medical facilities will be displayed on notices in all locations and vehicles operated by East Travel.

Guests will have their temperatures checked on their arrival in Tanzania and thereafter on a daily basis for the duration of their stay, using a non-contact thermometer. Any staff member who is starting or finishing a shift will be given a temperature check with a non-contact thermometer. We have procedures to deal with any situation where a guest or staff member displays COVID-19 symptoms. This will involve testing for the virus, and immediate isolation and treatment where necessary.

In accordance with the requirements of the Tanzanian Government, Easy Travel has drafted comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures for the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Procedures are set out in Easy Travel’s Standard Operating Procedures to deal quickly and effectively with any guest or staff member displaying symptoms of COVID-19. These involve testing, isolation and consultation with medical professionals where necessary. We have appointed a COVID-19 Liaison Officer to coordinate all required actions and our staff are all trained in the procedures to maximise the prevention of the virus and the protection against it spreading.

1. Do guests have to provide a doctor’s note or other medical clearance before travelling?
2. Is it safe to go on safari during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
3. Do I have to wear a mask on safari in Tanzania?
4. How safe are the hotels and lodges on safari in Tanzania during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
5. Are hotels and lodges operating during COVID-19?
6. How safe is eating in hotels and lodges during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
7. Are National Parks operating during COVID-19?
8. Are the Tanzania National parks safe to enter during the COVID-19?
9. Will members of the Easy Travel staff have to wear a mask and gloves?
10. What measures will be in place on the tours, and when visiting sites and places of interest?
11. How do we keep social distancing during safari in Tanzania?
12. Is it safe to visit local villages during our safari in Tanzania?
13. How often can I do my laundry on my Tanzania tour during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
14. How will you handle lunch breaks on safari during COVID-19 pandemic period?
15. How will you handle visiting the viewpoints during safari in Tanzania?
16. What is Easy Travel doing to ensure that its partners who provide accommodation will be taking appropriate health and safety precautions?
17. How will you handle game drives and space concerns in the safari vehicle?
18. How often will the safari vehicles be sanitized during safari in Tanzania?
19. What part of the vehicles will be sanitized?
20. How often will our luggage be sanitized during our Tanzania tour
21. How many people will be in the safari vehicle during our tour in Tanzania
22. How will the driver guide communicate with their guest during game drive?
23. Will the driver guide wear mask and gloves?

Tanzania Safari and other Activities during COVID-19

There is currently no requirement for guests to provide a doctor’s note before travelling to Tanzania.

Easy Travel are a responsible tour operator and take very seriously the measures required to keep guests and staff safe. Our Standard Operating Procedures set out all the requirements to provide a safe environment from the time of your arrival to your departure; our staff are all trained and our vehicles are regularly cleaned. In addition, we choose partners for accommodation who apply the same stringent standards as ourselves.

Yes, we require that all guests wear a mask, except when they are eating and drinking or when they are inside the private area of their own accommodation (i.e hotel room, lodge room, or tent)

The preventative and protective measures of the Tanzanian Government apply to all ‘tourism entities’ which includes all hotels, lodges and tented camps in the country. So, the requirements in respect of hand-washing, sanitizing, physical distancing, PPE and all other aspects are applicable to your chosen accommodation.

At the time of writing, most hotels, lodges and tented camps in Tanzania have re-opened and the requirements in respect of hand-washing, sanitizing, physical distancing, PPE and all other aspects are applicable to them.

All hotels and lodges, as well as tented camps, are subject to the Standard Operating Procedures of the Tanzanian Government. A number of measures are in place to ensure that kitchen equipment is properly and regularly sanitized and that physical distancing is in place between staff members, between staff and guests, and between guests.

Yes, the Protected Areas of the country, which include the National Parks, are all open and operating during the COVID-19 pandemic period. As designated ‘tourism entities’ they are all subject to the Tanzanian Government Standard Operating Procedures and preventative and protective measures all apply.

The Tanzanian Government has issued specific procedures to be followed by the Tanzanian Protected Areas, including National Parks. The measures include temperature screening of everyone on entry to these areas, the wearing of PPE by staff, frequent and regular disinfecting of areas such as toilets, provision of Rapid Response Teams/ambulances in these areas and thorough staff training.

Easy Travel staff are provided with masks by the company and will wear them at all times. Wherever it is required, they will also wear gloves.

Our safari vehicles are sanitized before each new group of guests and hand-sanitizer is provided for guests’ use. Our driver-guides will wear masks at all times and they are trained in our Standard Operating Procedures, developed to comply with the rules set out by the Government of Tanzania.
At popular sites and places of touristic interest, our driver-guides will be aware of the requirements for social distancing and to ensure that there is no pressure on the capacity limit at these places. If there are too many other visitors already present, it may be necessary for guests to wait, or very occasionally to abandon the proposed visit. Safety will always be the number one priority.

The Tanzanian Government has advised that the required distance for social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic period is one metre, but Easy Travel strives to keep the distance at 1.5 metres. Every guest must play their part in ensuring this is adhered to, but Easy Travel staff will be monitoring every situation to ensure that this distance is observed wherever possible.

There is no reason why these villages should be less safe than any other place. Guests must wear their masks and observe the social distancing ‘one-metre rule,’ being especially aware of situations where a crowd might gather (e.g, a marketplace.)

This will depend on where you are staying overnight, and for how long at each accommodation. When you are staying for more than one night, laundry facilities will usually be available and special protective measures will be in place to maintain your safety against the virus.

Our driver-guides are fully trained to maintain appropriate hygiene standards and will adhere to the government and company rules to maintain safety standards. Where a picnic lunch is provided, these may be taken at one of the designated picnic sites, but the driver-guide will assess whether this is appropriate according to the capacity of the specific site and the number of other people using it. If social distancing cannot be maintained at the site, then the picnic will be taken inside the vehicle. If a hamper lunch is being provided, the driver-guide will choose a spot away from other vehicles to set up lunch.

At popular viewpoints, our driver-guides will be aware of the requirements for social distancing and to ensure that there is no pressure on the capacity limit of the viewpoint. If there are too many other visitors already at the viewpoint, it may be necessary for guests to wait, or very occasionally to abandon the proposed visit to the viewpoint. Safety will always be the number one priority.

As a company, Easy Travel will only partner with accommodation providers who meet the same stringent standards at their lodges and tented camps as we do ourselves.

As well as the driver-guide, the number of passengers will be limited to a maximum of 6, whether the tour is a private tour or a small group tour. Temperatures of all visitors will be taken daily.

Easy Travel safari vehicles will be thoroughly deep-cleaned and sanitized before being used by each new group of guests. All in-vehicle equipment such as binoculars, guidebooks etc will also be sanitized. While on safari, vehicles will be sanitized daily. Particular attention will be paid to high-contact areas.

Easy Travel safari vehicles will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before being used by each new group of guests and daily while on safari. High-contact areas such as handles, switches, seat belt, windows, pop-up roof, fridge, buttons etc will be given particular attention and will be sanitized regularly and frequently. Any non-essential items such as books, magazines etc will be removed from vehicles and available only on request; if requested, they will be sanitized before and after use.

Luggage will be sanitized when guests arrive in Tanzania and every time the guest arrives at each new accommodation. In addition, any staff (whether Easy Travel or accommodation staff) will sanitize their hands both before and after handling guests’ luggage.

As well as the driver-guide, the number of passengers will be limited to a maximum of 6, whether the tour is a private tour or a small group tour. Temperatures of all visitors will be taken daily.

The driver-guide obviously faces forward and this helps minimize the risk of guest being infected while he communicates with his passengers.

The driver-guide will wear a mask at all times. Gloves will be worn where required.

1. Are staff trained to handle guests during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
2. What PPE is available to staff?
3. Who will check staff temperatures during safari?
4. What will happen if a staff member has a temperature over 37.5 C?
5. What are the procedures if staff are displaying COVID-19 symptoms?

Staff Safety during COVID-19

All Easy Travel staff are trained on COVID-19 and the preventative and protective measures required to keep guests and themselves safe.

Easy Travel staff are trained on how to wear PPE. The company provides each staff member with adequate PPE, including cloth masks, which are regularly cleaned.

A non-contact thermometer will be used to check the temperature of the driver-guide each day during the safari. This temperature check will be carried out by the driver-guide himself and his temperature will be checked by the staff at each accommodation, on arrival.

Any staff member with a temperature in excess of 37.5 C will be required to seek medical advice immediately. Further details of how we will handle this situation can be found in our Standard Operating Procedures, section number 10.3.

1. Is it safe to climb Kilimanjaro during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
2. How safe is eating on a Kilimanjaro trek during the COVID-19 pandemic period?
3. Will the climbing equipment be sanitized?
4. Will Easy Travel’s Kilimanjaro crew be required to wear a mask and gloves?
5. How can I maintain social distancing when climbing Kilimanjaro?
6. Do you recommend using the long-drop public toilets on Mount Kilimanjaro?
7. Will the vehicle transferring us to the Kilimanjaro starting-point be sanitized?

Climbing Kilimanjaro during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Tanzanian Government Standard Operating Procedures cover mountain operators as well as safari operators, creating a safe environment for those who wish to visit Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro or other mountains in the country. The procedures focus on ensuring that all mountain equipment is properly sanitized before and after use, the health of the mountain crews, and ensuring hygienic conditions for all food and food packaging.

A responsible mountain operator, such as Easy Travel, will ensure that approved disinfectants are used to clean all equipment and food packing materials and that all fresh food is cleaned and packed under hygienic conditions.

Yes, all climbing equipment will be sanitized before and after each use.

Easy Travel staff are required to wear masks at all locations where there are people gathered together, such as at registration, where the equipment and luggage are being weighed, and at the camps when there is a crowd of people gathered together. During the climb, social distancing measures will be observed and there will be no need for staff members to wear masks.

If you are taking part in a private trek with family members or friends, you will share tents as before. On our Small Group Tours, whereas before single climbers would be asked to share tents with other single climbers of the same gender, now all climbers will have their own tent. As for the hiking itself, maintaining the correct social distance from others should not be a problem: there is plenty of room on Kilimanjaro and the mountain crew will be trained to enforce social distancing at mealtimes etc.

Unless you choose to hire your own mobile private toilet, at extra cost, then you will have to use the long-drop toilets on Kilimanjaro. We now encourage our trekkers to hire a mobile toilet. Our crew are instructed and trained to keep these mobile toilets as clean as possible on the mountain. The cleaning of the public toilets on the mountain is the responsibility of the Kilimanjaro National Park staff.

All Easy Travel vehicles used to transfer passengers to Kilimanjaro are cleaned and sanitized before each use.