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Documentation
A
valid passport and visa are required for all visiting Tanzania.
Nowadays, it has been made possible
to obtain a visa at any entry point of country. It costs US$50.
However, we still advise that
these
arrangements be done well before your arrival.
Money
The
Tanzania currency unit is called the Tanzanian Shilling. It is
available in both coins and
notes/bills.
There are Bureau De Change in various parts of Arusha and Dar
es Salaam where you
can
get a better rate.
Although the American dollar is largely acceptable, it is advisable
to pay for
drinks
and other services in local currency. The
black market has generally disappeared after the introduction
of a liberalized
economy in the region. The use of
Credit Cards is still very minimal and subject
to additional charge.
Also, don't expect to find many cash machines!
Climate
Basically,
we can talk two different climatic areas; the coast and the upcountry.
Most of our Safaris
are
conducted in the high plains and mountains
of the Great Rift. Here the temperatures are quite comfortable
year round and the humidity
is much lower than in the lowlands or on the coast. At the Coast,
tropical climate is experienced throughout
the year, very warm
and humid. The temperatures range
between 27 & 32 degrees centigrade and humidity
is over 75%. There are two rainy seasons;
the
short rains from October to December
and the long rains from
April to June. Upcountry, the
climate
is largely affected
by the altitude. The diurnal temperatures range
between 23 & 27 degrees
centigrade. During
the night it is quite cold especially in the highland areas.
Health
It
is recommended that one takes anti-malaria tabs before coming
to Tanzania. It is advised that one consults
a physician for
a prescription on this treatment well in advance of your departure.
There
are
hospitals in the big cities of Dar es
Salaam, Arusha, Moshi, and Mwanza. With a small
membership fee,
the Flying Doctors services are rendered just in case of an emergency
while
anywhere
within the National Parks. These doctors
will do an evacuation
by flying someone directly
to
Nairobi for further medical treatment.
Luggage
Due
to the limited space and ability to take everything on the go,
there is normally a luggage limit. For the
international airlines,
the limit is 20kg per person. For the Local flights, the limit
is 10kg per person. Our
safari vehicles also have limited space. Therefore, the smaller
the baggage, the more
comfortable
it is. Besides bags, one
is normally allowed to take with them a camera, and a small backpack.
It's best to avoid bringing hard luggage unless you are carrying
sensitive camera
equipment.
Clothing
It
is advised that you wear clothing that breathes easily. For example,
a pair of trousers (jeans),
pairs
of shorts, cotton clothes, or similar
are recommended. T-shirts or light cotton shirts, a
sweater/jacket,
two pairs of light shoes, including
. Light boots. A swim suit for those going to the beaches.
In the highland areas with an altitude
of over 1500meters, lie Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro,
etc, temperatures can
be considerably cold, reaching 5 degrees
centigrade at night. For this
it is important that one takes some
warm clothing if going on safari to these areas.
By following
these guidelines normally
one does his/her safari comfortably
with no fears of excess luggage that
could
be left behind in instances if taking
a local flight within the National Parks.
Transport
Our
safaris are normally done in 4x4 safari vehicles. Transfers are
through our own private minibus,
or
with leased 25
seat coaches.
Photography
Normal
camera equipment is allowed in without any problem. When one takes
a picture of the people, they
normally will feel offended.
So it is extremely important to ask permission before doing so.
In particular
the Massai people can
get quite upset at this offense, so please use your best judgment.
Electricity
The
electric current is normally 220-240 volts. Generally all the
hotels and lodges will have sockets
that
will enable one to use your electric shaver, or recharge your
camera batteries. It is recommend
that
you also bring a universal
adapter to avoid problems.
Telephones
and Fax
In
Dar es Salaam an Arusha it is easy to call directly to your home
country or even send a fax. In the remote
areas of the national
parks, communication is done by radio.
Water
& Food
Food
is very good in both lodges and our mobile camping safaris. A
better part of the hotels are
mainly
of a standard
level, two or three star. We recommend that you always drink bottled
water throughout
your stay. A variety of soft drinks,
beer, wine and sprits are available. During the safari
the
accommodation is normally
on a Full Board
basis except drinks which one has to pay for directly.
Meals
in the Camp
Delicious
3 course meals cooked in open air, are served in a spacious mess
tent. Selection of salads carefully washed
with boiled water (and served with vinegar dressing), soup, meat,
fish and
vegetable,
pasta or rice, fresh fruits
and cakes for dessert are part of our menus. A selection of
local
beers is available as well as mineral water and soft drinks. It's
suggested that clients bring their
favorite
hard alcoholic beverage or purchase
in Arusha before beginning the safari.
Shopping
One
stands to buy very good souvenirs whose prices depend on the quality
of a given item and on
the
ability of the
buyer to bargain. Wooden carvings, single carvings, precious gemstones
and a
variety
of handcrafts are all available.
Buying can be done in both Tanzania shilling or the American Dollar.
Security
Although
the security level is nowhere near that of western cities, it
is advisable to take some
precaution.
This is mainly
with the big cities. Please avoid walking in the dark alone. In
the parks,
hotels,
beaches, basically
anywhere out of the larger cities it is
absolutely safe.
Tipping
Tipping
is regarded as a normal and essential part of the safari for any
good service rendered.
This
is not different from
the American style. This is with waiters, guides camping staff,
porters etc
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