Touring Tanzania

Areas of Interest in Tanzania

Tanzania is a small African country located in the upper regions of the African continent. Tanzania is a well-known tourist attraction because of its' magnificient wildlife and tranquil landscape making a tourists' visit to this country one of peace and complete relaxation away from the bustle of city life. The game lodges in Tanzania are highly recommended as they offer to their guests all that they would possibly need or want during their stay in the grandeur of the country of Tanzania. Photography is an activity which occurs to a large extent in Tanzania and tourists enjoy taking photographs of the wildlife which can be found in their natural habitats in the landscape of Tanzania. Tour operators get many requests from travellers wishing to visit this beautiful country in order to get away and just relax in nature. That is the reason why so many travel packages have been made available by tour operators and tour agencies to give these tourists exactly what they have asked for. These travel packages include everything such as accommodation and activities which can be performed during a tourists stay in Tanzania and all this is compacted into a single payment for the use of a specific travel package chosen by the tourist. Areas of interest in Tanzania range from a large variety of choices which makes it the perfect place for any tourist to visit as there are so many activities to partake in. This ensures that no tourists needs and wants are overlooked and therefore no visitor will leave Tanzania feeling unsatisfied as though they did not get to do all the things which they wanted to do, whether it be going on professionally organised game drives or taking time to get in touch with nature through walks in the bush or even bird watching. Therefore it can be stated that great attention is paid to ensuring that visitors are left feeling completely satisfied after their tour to Tanzania.

There are a plentitude of game lodges and game reserves to be visited by guests of Tanzania. The most popular of these game reserves in Tanzania can be identified as the Serengeti National Park, whose popularity is forever on an incline.

The mountain peak of Kilamanjaro is another popular reason why Tanzania is such a is so well-visited by tourists from all over the globe. Mount Kilamanjaro is a mountain climber's dream possessing the highest peak on the African continent and being the second highest in the world. Many tourists come to Tanzania with the main objective of conquering this mountainous peak and it can be said that many have prevailed in achieving this challenging goal which these adventurous tourists set before themselves.

Best Time to Tour Tanzania

In Tanzania, the best time of year to visit their gracious landscape and inviting game lodges would be in the dry season. Thee dry season of Tanzania occurs between the months June and October. Dry seasons are the preferred time frame by tourists to visit game reserves as the wildlife can be seen easily as no immense shrub growth occurs which in turn restricts the adequate viewing of the wildlife in their natural surroundings. By visiting game reserves in seasons other than that of the dry season could also prove problematic as floods occur in the rainy seasons making tourists stranded and unable to return back home as Tanzania is a third world country with simple transportation and communication methods.

When wanting to make a trip to the Serengeti National Park, various tourists make touring arrangements for specific purposes and therefore book in specific seasons. For tourists who wish to experience to great migration of the natural wildlife the best time to visit this National Park would be between the months December and July. Paying a visit to the Serengeti National Park during the months of June and October would be for the optimum viewing of the predators which dominate and rule this large and glorious extensive piece of land.

When it comes to those adventurous tourists who visit Tanzania with one goal in mind, conquering Mount Kilamanjaro, specific time frames need to be followed to ensure tourists a good climb in the best conditions possible. The best months for taking up the challenge of climbing Mount Kilamanjaro would be the months of January, February and September. These are the warmest months which are almost clear of clouds and therefore prove to be the best months for climbing. It would be possible to take on the task of climbing this mountain throughout the year but the selected months provide more enjoyable and easier conditions in which to climb. The months of April and May are the allocated rainy seasons and massive clouds will block visibility, even though the temperatures will still be high. Snow occurs at the top of Mount Kilamajaro during this time period, while heavy rain storms can be expected on its' lower slopes.

Climate

The reason why Tanzania does not have extreme changes in weather or climate is beacuse it is a country which lies very close to the Equator and therefore seasonal variations are not very noticeable. The best weather in Tanzania comes between the moths June and September. However, planning to visit the Serengeti during this time frame would not be a good idea as this is when the wildlife has migrated to neighbouring country Kenya. The months to avoid touring Tanzania has to be stated as April and May when the weather in Tanzania is wet and rainy. When visiting the northern reserves of Tanzania, a warm jacket will be needed as temperatures are about 10 degrees F/5 degrees C cooler year-round than elsewhere in Tanzania.

As a result of Tanzania'a largely varying topography, the climate of Tanzania displays a great range of regional differences.

In General: Tanzania has two rainy seasons. The short rainy season occurs throughout the country in the months November, December and January while the long rainy period can be found between the months of March and May. December through to March have been identified as the warmest months in Tanzania. The time period when temperatures are lowest can be noted as being from June to October.

Climate Along the Coast: Coastal Region, Dar es Salaam, Limdi, Mtwara and Tanga, and the off-shore Islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Unguja is tropical with relatively high humidity.The average temperature concerning climate along the coast ranges between 27 and 29 degrees celsius. This temperature is however moderated by the sea breeze, especially on the islands.

In the Central, Northern and Western: Located regions are Mwanza Kagera, Kigoma, Shinyanga and Tabora. As a result of highland plateau, the climate undergoes modification. Temperatures range between 20 and 27 degree celsius (sometimees reaching 30 degrees celsius), becoming cooler during the months of June and August. Low humidity occurs in these areas. High temperatures can be expected between the months of December and March.

Northeast and Southwest: The mountainous areas of the Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mara region and Mbeya, Rukwa, Iringa and Ruvuma, and Makonde Plateau (Newalla, Masasi, Nachingwea and Tunduru). Temperature can drop below 15 degrees celsius during the winter months of June and July. The temperature can reach as low as 8 or 6 degree celcius in the area around Rungwe mountains.

Central: A large part of central regions (Dodoma and Singida) is semi-arid, receiving less that 500mm of rain annually. In contrast, the mountainous area in the north-east and south-west receive over 2000mm of rain annually. Along the coast (Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Lindi, Mtwara and Coastal Region) rainfall ranges between 1000 and 1900 mm.

Currency

The currency made use of in Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling divided into 100 Senti. It makes for an inexpensive holiday for foreigners as currency exchange proves to be low with regards to the Tanzania shilling. Local currency can not be imported except by residents of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Importing and exporting foreign currency can occur without limit. Only major tourist hotels, restaurants and gift shops accept credit cards such as ACCESS, MASTERCARDS, VISA, AMERICAN EXPRESS, EUROCARD, and DINERS. Banking hours are between 08:30 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday and 08:30 to 13:00 Saturday. The Tanzanian shilling is the equivalant to 100 cents. Bureaux de change offer favourable exchange rates. Foreign currency can be changed into Tanzanian currency at any branch of the National Bank of Commerce or through private exchange bureaus. A visitor who is not travelling on a package tour must pay in foreign currency for all goods and services such as park entrance fees, hotel board and lodging, etc.

Most prices in Tanzania are expressed in US dollars. Although many things can be paid for with Tanzanian shillings, fees to the national parks must be paid in convertible foreign currency. It is better to keep most of one's money in foreign currency and only buy the minimum amount of shillings.

Electricity:

230 Volts, 50 cycles Ac.
It can be stated that an access to electricity in Tanzania is present. The parastatal power supply utility in Tanzania is known as TANESCO which is an acronym for Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited. TANESCO has a vertically intergrated monopoly in the supply of electricity in Tanzania. Constant growth in concern with electricity availability is taking place in Tanzania with new developments springing up in no time. TANESCO is responsible for the new project regarding co-operatives which has the main objective of ensuring that all in Tanzania have access to power supply. Therefore, it can be said that Tanzania is a developing country and electricty is available in a majority of the country.

Entrance Fees

Entrance fees for national game reserves are paid per person at a set cost. If a tourist is taking part in a packaged tour arranged by a professional tour operator, these entrance fees are usually inclusive in the tour package fee and therefore the tourist need not worry about carrying unreasonably large amounts of cash on them to pay for such things as entrance fees to game reserves in which their accommodation is to be found. Prices for lodge safaris are all inclusive. Tour operators which organise a tourists' travel package will take care of all administration and ensures that their client has all that is necessary in Tanzania. Administration costs are inclusive in lodge safaris and many other tour packages available.

When self-driving in Tanzania, a tourist would be required to know about the entrance fees which need to be paid. The National Parks fees are listed below.

Entrance fees from 1 July 2002 are:
Costs are per person for a 24 hours period ......

• Lake Manyara/Tarangire/Arusha National Park US$25


• Serengeti and Ngorongoro park fees US$30


• Ngorongoro Crater service charge per vehicle for 24 hours US$20


• Vehicle for 24 hours period T Sh 5000


• Public Campsites per person for 24 hours period US$25

Flights

There are international flights to Kilimanjaro, Dar-es-Salaam, Zanzibar and Nairobi. Some airline companies offer the possibility to arrive at Kilimanjaro or Nairobi en depart from Zanzibar or Dar-es-Salaam. The national airline of Tanzania is known as Air Tanzania. In other words, Air Tanznia is the countries' national carrier. A problem concerning Air Tanzania is the fact that their international flight destination schedule is a little limited. You can only use them to fly internationally from Dubai, Johannesburg, Muscat, Nairobi, Mombassa and Zanzibar. Taking Air Tanzania into consideration when planning to travel by plane within the country would be highly beneficial because of the reason that Air Tanzania has an extensive number of internal destinations.

When it comes to landing in Tanzania, it should be known that there are five airports at which to land. Although there are numerous airports wihtin the country, only one of these major airports deals with international traffic. This airport is Es Salaam International in Dar Es Salaam.

The airports to be found in Tanzania are as follows:

• Aiport Kilamanjaro found in the city of Kilamanjaro
• The Kisauni airport to be found in the city of Zanzibaar
• Aiport Wawi located in the city of Pemba
• Mwanza airport in the city of Mwanza
• The Es Salaam International airport in Dar Es Salaam

Health

Regulations and requirements may be subject to change at short notice and visitors are requested to contact their own health authority, the nearest Tanzanian Diplomatic Mission or their travel agent well in advance of the intended date of departure. At present, Yellow Fever innoculation is compulsory. Malaria exists below 1,800m in maligant falciparrum form. Private health insurance is recommended. Vaccination against hepatitis, tetanos is recommended. It is advised to take an anti-malaria prophylaxis, such as Palludrine.

Tanzania Tour Information

Paying a visit to Tanzania, a tourist is getting a chance to revive and relax as time is spent in tranquil and natural landscape away from the cityscape and business of everyday life. While on holiday in Tanzania, a tourist is exposed to a number of enjoyable activities such as hiking, game drives, scenic walks or bird watching, to name but a few. The accommodation available in this country is of high quality offering their guests as royalty ensuring that their every request is attended and that they remain satsified during their stay. Accommodation varies from five star hotels to luxurious game lodges set within the heart of the African bush surrounded by wild animals. A trip too Tanzania sure proves to be an unforgettable experience for anyone to enjoy.

Tanzania is a predominantly Muslim country. It is therefore recommended for men to wear long trousers and shirt and for women to cover their shoulders and legs when outside the main hotel areas.

Throughout the year, it is recommended to wear light tropical clothing during the day. Shades and a hat are also highly recommended. During their winter months (May – September) cool monsoon winds occur, especially in coastal areas. It is therefore recommended to bring a fleece or warm top for the evenings. Except for the monsoon period (April-June), waterproof clothing is not absolutely necessary.

During the evenings, long sleeved shirts, long trousers and socks should be worn as a protection against mosquito bites.

The type of footwear to bring is dependent upon the type of holiday you book. Reef-type sandals are very practical, especially for beach-based holidays. Closed shoes (e.g. trainers or lightweight walking boots) are recommended for walking and safari activities and also to be worn at night.

What to Bring:

Bring a sweater as it can be quite cold at night and in the morning at higher places like Ngorongoro Crater. Remember to bring your camera, video or both. Binoculars are also a good idea. Clothing can include things such as light summer clothes which are suitable year round. A raincoat, wide-rimmed hat, suntan oil, insect repellant and sunglasses are recommended for safari. Some warm clothing is needed for the higher altitudes (Ngorongoro Crater).

People

Tanzania is a beautiful country with friendly people.

However, in Dar-es-Salaam and even in Arusha, you will most probably be approached by streetboys offering you great deals for a safari or whatever. In many cases they'll just take your money and you'll never see them again. Some might organise some kind of a safari themselves, using the name of a reputable safari company.

Therefore, remember the following advise :

• Go to the office of a licenced Tour Operator.
• Always ask for the "TALA licence" and check the name on it.
• There is a "blacklist" at the Tanzania Tourist Board office.
• NEVER pay anything to anyone on the street or in a hotel.
• All payments are done in the company's office against official receipt.
• Never agree to a proposal for changing money or buying soft drugs : it's a setup !

Tanzania is known for their 100 different tribe groups which are present in the country, most being of Bantu origin. All their tribes live in harmony within Tanzania and form a hard-working and vibrant society. Tanzania has a population of over 29 million people.

Tipping and gratuities

A general recommendation is to tip moderately - in accordance with the level and quality of the service which was provided. Per person guidelines on tipping should be followed, such as, for example: Safari guide(s) - US $5 -$10 per day; Cook 5 US$, Camp staff - US $3 - $5 per day, as a pooled tip to be shared among the housekeepers, waiters, bartender, etc. For porters and waiters at hotels and for taxi drivers in cities, the customary tip is approximately 10%. (Tipping in US$1.00 bills for porters and waiters is greatly appreciated). The traditional gratuity to safari guides or camp staff is not included in the price of your tour but is completely discretionary. Beware of unscrupulous people who try to exhort extra payment from unwary passengers just for shuffling their bags around.

The list below displays guidelines on tipping and the proper handling of cash in Tanzania:

• In Tanzania, travellers cheques are widely accepted
• Making payments in foreign currencies often attracts a poor rate of exchange and therefore most prices are quoted in dollars
• Expectation concerning the ability to easily obtain cash advance using a credit card should be eliminated
• Payment with the use of a credit card is often not possible even though it is possible in thee larger towns at some banks and bureaux de change, the exchange rates used will be punitive.
• If you are pleased with a service you have received, tipping is highly recommended. Tiiping is a customary actt in Tanzania.
• Tip boxes are located near the reception desk in some hotels in Tanzania. Tips can be placed in this box that are distributed equally to all hotel staff, including those often not seen by guests.
• For tipping purposes, it is always best to keep some smaller change bank notes tto make use of when tipping or paying gratuities
• Your passport, travellers cheques, embassy contact number and so on should be kept seperately from your wallet.

Communication

Communications is an essential part in the development and correct funtioning of each country within a global perspective. Tanzania is one of those third world countries which is embracing new technological advancements in order to satisfy the tourists who visit the country as well as those who live in Tanzania. Communication is important in the travel industry as tour operators and travellers require information direct from the horse's mouth when it comes to arranging thee perfect holiday experience. Various communication techniques are being made use of in Tanzania in order to ensure that the process of communication occurs quickly and efficiently in order to transport important messages between the sender and receiver. The communication channel is the most important part in the process as it defines how the messages will be transported and in what form.

As of the year 2003, there have been a total of 149,100 main telephone lines in use in Tanzania. Mobile cellular telephones have the high number of 891,200 in use at present. A general assessment of the telephone system has been idenitified as being a fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system under construction domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean).

Not only is the telephone system crucial to the proceess of communication in Tanzania, but the Internet has also been playing a large rolee in transporting messages to and fro. As of the year 2003, there have been 250,000 Internet users idenitified in Tanzania. This just goes to show the development which Tanzania is undergoing when it comes to communication and the implementation of new technologies.

Language:

Tanzania has about 120 tribes and all have their own languages. The national language is Swahili, but English is common in the major cities.

Transport

Tanzania offers many various forms of transport to all those present in the country. These forms include road, water, rail and air and prove to be highly affective modes of transport in Tanzania.

Air Travel: As already identified, Tanzania is served with five najor airports making air travel possible. Internal air travel within Tanzania is widely used as it proves to be the fastest of all transportation available. There are however only two main airports found in the citiees of Dar Es Salaam and Kilamanjaro.

Rail Travel: There are three main railway lines in Tanzania - the TAZARA, northern and central lines. The only entrance into Tanzania by rail is from Zambia, on TAZARA (Tanzaia-Zambia Railway). All major centres (with the exception of Arusha) are connected by railway. A choice of 1st, 2nd and 3rd class is given to all passengers. Reliability and comfort offered by trains makes them a popular mode of transport in Tanzania. The Tazara railway runs between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi, across the Zambian copper belt through Mbeya, Tunduma and Nakonde. Every week, five trains occur in both directions; two express and three ordinary.

Water Travel: Tanzania can be reached via lakes Tanganyika and Victoria, and via the Indian Ocean. On Lake Tanganyika the MV Liemba, the main ferry on the lake, runs scheduled services from Burundi and Zambia across Lake Tanganyika to Kigoma. There is a weekly ferry on Lake Victoria connecting Mwanza and Kisumu in Kenya. MV Victoria and MV Serengeti are two scheduled ships on this route. On Lake Tanganyika, MV Liemba connects Tanzania, Burundi and Zambia. Connecting Itungi and Mbamba Bay via several other small ports are two ferries on the Tanzanian side of Lake Malawi. Ocean going liners link Dar-es-Salaam and Mombasa in Kenya. Several boats and ferries connect Dar-es-Salaam to the offshore islands of Pemba and Ugunja.

Road Travel: Variations of road conditions occur to a large extent within Tanzania. The best way to enter Tanzania overland is from either Kenya or Malawi. Advise is given too not enter from either Uganda or Rwanda. Most Tanzanian roads do not have sealed surfaces. Travelling on the roads in Tanzania during the wet seasons can be problematic. A law aimed at curbing accidents forbids public vehicles travelling between 10 pm and 5 am. Certain guidelines should be followed by those who prefer to hire a car and perform their own transportation. Vehicles keep to the left of the road. All foreign drivers require an international driving licence. Third-party insurance must be present with all vehicles. Car hire services are limited and it is difficult to hire a self-drive vehicle. The available car hire companies, are based in Dar-es-Salaam and larger towns.

Taxis: Availability of taxis are limited to international airports and larger main cities. No meters are present in thee taxis and therefore they tend to charge standard rates per journey for given distances. Taxis are available at international airports and in main towns.

Topography

Tanzania covers 937,062 sq km making it the largest country in Easten Africa, just south of the equater it borders Kenya and Uganda in the north;Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi in the west; and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique in the south, making a splendid centre from which to explore easten, central and southern Africa. Through the interior runs the Great Rift Valley, that vast faultline down the spine of Africa, that in Tanzania, has created many fascinating topographical features such as the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Tanganyika. The central plateau (1,200m abouve sea level) is a huge expanse of savannah and sparse woodland. To the north the 5,890-metre (19,340 ft) Mount Kilimanjaro rises, the highest mountain in Africa. While the interioe is largely arid, the 800 kilometre coastline is lush and palm - fringed as are the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.

Visas

Visas are required for all, except citizens of the commonwealth, Scandinavian countries and the republic of Ireland. Before departure you can also get your visas from the Tanzania Embassy. You can also get your visa at the major entry points of Tanzania such as : Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar International Airports, Namanga, Tunduma, Holili, Taveta, Sirari and Horohoro.

The granting of a Tanzanian Visa is, in effect, only a form of pre-entry clearance. A visa does not guarantee permission to enter Tanzania. The Immigration Officer reserves the right to grant or deny admission. Visa holders are subject to normal Immigration control at the port of entry. They should therefore carry with them, for possible presentation to Immigration officers, the documents submitted with their applications. Travelers to Tanzania require a valid Visa each time they enter the Republic.

Visa fee varies from country to country; depending, largely, on the charges imposed by an individual country on Tanzanian nationals. In most cases, however, such charges do not exceed $50 USA for a single tourist entry. However, in order to avoid unnecessary delays, those who proceed to Tanzania from a country where there is a Tanzania Diplomatic Mission or Consular Office (such as South Africa.) are strongly advised to obtain their visa prior to departure to Tanzania. Clearing preference at the all FOUR mentioned entry points in Tanzania will be given, first, to those who possessed visa issued by Tanzania Missions and Consulates abroad and, secondly to those who come from countries where there is no such a Mission to issue such visas. Visitors who proceed to Tanzania, without a visa, from a country where there is a Tanzania Mission will have to satisfy the immigration officer as why he/she did not obtain visa from where he/she comes from.