Responsible Travel

Choosing to travel with Tanzania Specialist means choosing to travel responsibly, sustainably and safely in Tanzania. As a company, we care deeply about contributing to Tanzania’s social and economic development and we participate in several initiatives to do just that.

As a trusted travel company in Tanzania providing exceptional wildlife and nature experiences, we understand that the great wilds of Tanzania need protecting and preserving. That’s why we’re dedicated to sustainable business practices and actively contributing to environmental projects throughout the country.

Prioritising carbon-neutral activities

• We choose our luxury lodges and Tanzania accommodation partners based on a list of exacting environmental criteria. One of the most essential points on that list is sustainable business practices. From waste reduction to green energy consumption. 75% of Tanzania Specialist accommodation options use solar panels.
• Our custom-made Tanzania vacations prioritise eco-friendly experiences. From hiking and biking to canoeing and camping, many of our guests’ favourite activities leave only real footprints.

Tree planting

In addition to promoting sustainable travel within our guests’ trips, we also try to reduce our carbon footprint by planting trees in our Manyara Tree Planting Project. We proudly launched this project in 2020 on a 30-acre piece of land in the Manyara region. Since then, we added 18 acres close to Arusha National Park, which allowed us to plant thousands of indigenous trees up to now.

Training vulnerable street kids

With many children and young adults not able to attend school and receive an education, youth unemployment is a challenging issue in Tanzania. Also, many kids end up on the streets of Tanzania’s major cities. This is a cause we deeply care about at Tanzania Specialist and we are determined to help tackle this problem. In 2022, we set up the Hakuna Matata Academy, aiming to give vulnerable youth a change and at the same time improve the quality of hospitality in the country. It started successfully with six trainers and several courses, and right now:

• We train 200 street children every year in strengthening their life skills, aiming to eventually offer them a training to work in the hospitality industry.
• We organise hospitality training for staff of hotels we have on offer, to help develop the quality of Tanzania’s tourism industry.
• We train guides about wildlife and the importance of offering professional service to clients.

“Sustainably doing business means everything to us. Planting trees, training vulnerable youth and creating awareness with our suppliers to also be sustainable are things we always dreamed of doing. Making an impact makes sense because it is beneficial to all. With a big thank you to all clients of Tanzania Specialist because you made and are still making this possible!”
– Robbin Meulemans, Founder Tanzania Specialist

Supporting our employees

Our dedicated employees are our most important capital. From the head office in Arusha to the expert safari guides out in the bush, each Tanzania Specialist employee undergoes an exhaustive selection process. With a team filled with the best of the best, we are proud to pay our team substantially higher than the average. We believe in investing in our staff and providing everyone with the opportunity to thrive.

Certified Sustainable Travel Africa

The Certified Sustainable Travel Africa initiative was created by the founders of Tanzania Specialist. As leaders in the Tanzania tourism market, we’ve always operated with sustainability and environmental protection at the heart of what we do. From our hospitality training and education programs to our local recycling initiatives and the exceedingly high standards you’ll find in all Tanzania Specialist-associated partners, we’re leading the wave of change for environmentalism in Tanzania. This certificate recognises all businesses in the Tanzanian tourism sector that adhere to sustainable business practices and operate with the environment as their number one priority and is part of our long-term commitment to creating a sustainable Tanzania for all.

Certified for Sustainability and Fair Practices on Kilimanjaro

At Tanzania Specialist, responsible travel is at the heart of everything we do. We’re thrilled to share that we are now officially certified by the Kilimanjaro Responsible Trekking Organization (KRTO). This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to ethical climbing practices, ensuring our porters, guides, and entire crew are treated with respect and fairly compensated.

Our partnership with KRTO also means that we adhere to the highest standards of environmental responsibility, following Leave No Trace principles to minimize the impact of trekking on Kilimanjaro’s delicate ecosystem.

Choosing Tanzania Specialist means choosing a trekking company that values both the people and the environment that make Kilimanjaro extraordinary. Together with organizations like KPAP and IMEC, we’re setting a new standard for responsible and sustainable tourism.