Tanzania

The largest country in East Africa, Tanzania is renowned for its magnificent wildlife, lakes, mountains and scenery. Nearly a quarter of the country is made up of protected national parks, hunting reserves and controlled zones. Here too, are some of Africa's most famous sites - Mount Kilimanjaro, the crater of Ngorongoro, the Serengeti National Park, the island of Zanzibar and the great lakes - Victoria, Tanganyika and Malawi - which form the country's boundaries. The country is situated just south of the Equator bordering the Indian Ocean and is 930,704 sq. km. in area. Of this, inland waters cover 53,000-sq. km. and 247,537-sq. km. is devoted to the protection of wildlife. The island of Zanzibar is 2,760 sq. km. in area.

POPULATION
Tanzania has a cosmopolitan population of 30 million people.

CLIMATE
Tanzania is a land without winter. Temperatures in northern Tanzania range between 60F-70F during the day and 40F-50F at night, from May to October. From November to March the daytime temperature varies from 70F-90F and from 60F-75F at night. The long rains are between April and June while the short rains are in November.

DRESS FOR A LODGE SAFARI
In wildlife lodges and country hotels the emphasis is on comfort and informality. For ladies light, easy to wash, blouses, shorts, skirts, dresses, light khaki trousers and bush jackets go well. For evenings, light *dresses or trouser-suits are suitable. For men casual shirts, shorts and bush jackets are ideal. Evening attire in towns can consist of light suits or long sleeved shirt and tie. Bright colours should be avoided for wildlife viewing. Visitors to *Ngorongoro are advised to carry a pullover as it can be chilly after sunset. A bush hat or a scarf for protection against the sun and dust is a must. You will find it very useful to carry with you on safari a pair of sunglasses, insect repellent, sun tan lotion and a flashlight. We suggest a lightweight rain jacket - just in case.

Camps in the Southern Circuit (Ruaha & Selous) are also quite casual, bush gear (shorts etc in the day) and something a little smarter for dinner (long sleeve pants, clean shirt) - but meals are generally quite casual.

DRESS ON A CAMPING SAFARI
As above, your nights spent in lodges/hotels before and after your camping trip are fairly casual. When on a camping safari, please note that the emphasis is on comfort and durability of gear. Bush colours, i.e. khaki, green etc are the most suitable - shorts, t-shirts, good hat, walking shoes and 'slops/sandals', kikoi is handy, towel and toiletries must be taken as none of these will be supplied. On some safaris we do supply bedding or sleeping bags, please enquire. A small first aid kit is handy, including such items as headache pills, plasters for small cuts, betadine or similar, and perhaps an antihistamine in case of insect bites. Mosquito repellent eg Tabard or Peaceful sleep is highly recommended. ALWAYS make sure you have something warm for nighttime* and early morning game drives, plus a lightweight rain jacket, just in case! (*Ngorongoro is VERY cold at night)

PLACES TO VISIT

ARUSHA TOWN
Arusha, the gateway to the world famous game sanctuaries of Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara, is one of the oldest towns in Tanzania. From a tiny German garrison in 1900, Arusha has grown to become the tourist capital of Tanzania with a population of about 400 000.

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
With an area of 137sq km, Arusha National Park is one of the smaller and most beautiful National Parks in Tanzania. Situated only 37km from Arusha town, the park is very popular for day trips.
The most common animals found in this park are the abyssinian black and white colobus monkeys, the Vervet monkeys, the red forest duiker, hippos, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, bushbucks and sometimes the leopard. Mount Meru can be scaled within 2 nights and three days, with overnight accommodation in alpine huts on your way up and down.

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Tarangire National Park lies 120km south of Arusha, along The Great North Road highway. Tarangire offers a wide variety of wildlife in its area of 2600sq km. As in all eco-systems, the vegetation and the types of animals you find are closely correlated. The principal features of the park are the flood plains and the grassland with thinly scattered acacia and baobabs. When the Maasai Steppes dry up with the end of the long rains in June, migratory animals return to the Tarangire River, making Tarangire second only to Ngorongoro in the concentration of wildlife. This period stretches between June and November and it is the best season for game viewing in Tarangire.

LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
The Park, 138sq km in size, is the base of the Great Rift Valley. Comprising forest, woodland, grassland and swamp, two-thirds of the Park is covered by Lake Manyara, an alkaline lake covering a shallow depression. Over 380 bird species can be spotted here and the area is also famous for the endemic prides of tree-climbing lions who spend the day high up in the branches of acacia trees. Activities include bird watching, photography and walking safaris.

NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
A UNESCO protected "World Heritage Site", the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is situated some 190km west of Arusha, between Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Park. Covering approx.
8 288sq km, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area consists of the Ngorongoro Crater itself, the Olduvai Gorge, the Empakai crater and the Oldonyo Lengai Mountain. The Ngorongoro Conversation Area is a pioneering experiment in multi-purpose land use where the diverse interests of wild animals, plants and people are being integrated. The Ngorongoro Crater, which is the central attraction in the area, is the largest Caldera in the world that has its walls intact. The sight of the crater is simply stunning. The crater floor is covered with plains animals, including wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, elands, rhino, and a large predator population of lions, hyena and jackal which can all be viewed at close quarters.

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
This large reserve (14 763sq km of rolling plains reaching up to the Kenyan border, almost to Lake Victoria) contains up to 1 million large animals. Depending on the rain, the spectacular migration varies each year. As the seaons change, usually between April and June, vast columns of wildebeest and zebra start to make their way to the Masai Mara in the north in search of water and forage. The herds noramlly return to Serengeti in November/December.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Mount Kilimanjaro is located at the north-eastern tip of Tanzania. For the adventurous, a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro is a must, taking you through the mists of equatorial jungle to reach the breath-taking views from the summit. The upward track ends through forests that vary all the time due to changes in the altitude. Finally the track opens out into open moorland below snow-covered Kibo Plateau. Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of the year.

PASSPORT & VISAS
All visitors to Tanzania must have a passport valid for travel to Tanzania. Except for exempted countries all visitors require a visa to enter Tanzania. For South Africans, visas may be obtained from the Tanzanian High Commission, Pretoria. Please contact your closest Tanzania consulate for more information.

HEALTH
Visitors should have an International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever. Anti-malaria tablets are recommended and are to be taken a few days prior to arrival, during your stay, and for a short period after returning. Precautions against other tropical diseases should be taken - consult a specialist. You can also have a look at the following website for more information. www.travelclinics.co.za

CURRENCY
There is no restriction on the importation of foreign currency. The import or the export of Tanzanian shillings is prohibited. Visitors can change their foreign currency at any of the Bureaux de Change which give a better rate than the banks, and at certain hotels. This money can be used for personal expenses like shopping, meals and drinks in town restaurants or safari lodges. Note that USD notes printed PRIOR to 1990 are often not accepted. We recommend a combination of cash and travellers cheques, preferably in small denomination notes - otherwise you will end up carrying large wages of Shillings around!

CREDIT CARDS
Some of the major lodges and hotels are now accepting credit cards on mainland Tanzania - we do suggest that you take sufficient cash/travellers cheques and use a credit card as a back-up only. In some cases a surcharge will be added to credit card payments.

INSURANCE
You are strongly advised to have your own insurance cover to cover baggage, personal accident and medical attention. South Africans - minimum R300 000 medical and related expenses cover.

TIPPING
Tipping is at the discretion of the visitor and the following should only be used as a guideline. For outstanding personal service, you may decide to give a higher tip.
Mountain Guides & Porters US$70-80 + per person
(The head guide will then divide the total between them)
Porterage US$ 1.00 per bag
Dining room staff: US$ 1.00 per person
Crater tour driver: US$ 15.00 per Land Rover for Crater Tour.
Your driver guide: US$ 15.00 per vehicle per day.
Your camp driver: US$ 15.00 per day
Camp cook: US$ 15.00 per day
Camp helper: US$ 10.00 per day

The amount per guest on a camping trip, for the crew, based on say four persons in the vehicle works back to around USD5-10 per guest, which gets split amongst the crew.

We suggest you tip at the END of your safari.

AIRPORT TAX
There is an airport departure tax of US$ 30 per person, normally included in the tariff of your airticket (Kilimanjaro & Dar departures, for Zanzibar - payable in cash at the airport). If applicable, a domestic departure tax of US$ 7.00 is payable in cash at the airports.

FLIGHTS
It is imperative that you reconfirm your flights from within Tanzania a minimum of 72 hours prior to departure. Failure to do so will result in your seat being cancelled.
Also note that it is a free seating system on the return flight - even if you have a seat number, that does not confirm your actual seat!! It's first come first served! When baggage is checked onto the flight, you are often required to confirm your 'hold' baggage on the tarmac before embarking - it is a final security check. Make sure you do this, or your baggage could be left behind!

BAGGAGE
When on safari, we strongly suggest luggage be kept to a reasonable minimum, (i.e. one main bag and one camera or personal bag), otherwise conditions in the vehicle can become cramped. Soft barrel bags are preferred to suitcases or rucksacks as they are more flexible for packing. If you are flying on a domestic flight i.e. Serengeti - Arusha, remember to keep your BAGGAGE TO MAX 12 KG TOTAL.

PERSONAL SAFETY
Tanzania is a friendly country. However, as with any city/town, please be VERY careful when shopping, do not wander around at night in towns (use taxis), and do not leave valuables in hotel rooms etc. Lock up in safes where available.

DRINKS AND PURCHASED ITEMS ETC
On most safaris drinks are EXCLUDED. A few tips - wine in East Africa is extremely expensive, and often not that great!! If you enjoy wine, and are staying at camps or lodges then take your own bottle/s along - you may be charged a corkage, but even so that often still works out cheaper than paying inflated prices for wine up there. Spirits - local spirits eg. gin are reasonably priced and acceptable, however imported spirits like whiskey can be expensive. When ordering drinks, always specify if you want a SINGLE tot, and also local vs imported - otherwise you will be automatically served a double of the important brand! Cool drinks etc. are freely available, at 'normal' lodge prices, so are beers. Bottled water can be purchased throughout, generally costing about USD 3 for 1.5 litres. If buying from the roadside, check the seal has not been broken. Curios can be found throughout Tanzania - on the roadside, as well as at markets and most lodges. Prices vary considerably - and it is best to negotiate when purchasing on the roadside etc. Discuss with your guide the best place to purchase whichever curio/s you are wanting.

ROAD CONDITIONS
While travelling in Tanzania most of your travel will be on dirt roads - they are extremely rough and dusty but unfortunately cannot be avoided.

The vehicles you will be travelling in are usually diesel and do therefore tend to be a little slower on the road.

Please note there are some long distances to be travelled, through beautiful scenery, so some long days will be spent in the vehicle.

FACILITIES - CAMPING TRIPS
Camping equipment is provided, stretcher beds, mattresses and sleeping bags with inner sheets or sheets and blankets. Walk-in dome style tents are used, and fold up camp chairs and tables, a portable shower are also supplied. A camp hand/cook as well as your driver/guide will do everything to ensure your personal comfort and well being, however, minimal participation is requested. Campsite facilities are very basic and in some places non-existent. Campsites that do provide showers will only have cold water and toilets will be long drops. Please note that the campsites and ablutions we use in the National Parks are run by the parks themselves, and are sometimes not well maintained - we are NOT allowed to provide our own facilities, such as short drop toilets, in these sites, much as we'd like to. In some places showers are not available at all, which is why we carry a portable shower, and use it when allowed.