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Destination Africa - Tanzania

When to Travel
Tanzania has much to offer all year round. Travelling by road, especially in the more remote areas or through the national parks, is easier during the dry months, as road conditions deteriorate significantly in the rain.

The wildebeest migration is most spectacular from January to mid March during and just after the calving season in the Southern Serengeti. Equally spectacular is the period from May to July when you can observe thousands of wildebeest and zebra crossing the crocodile-infested Grumeti River in the Western Serengeti. Similarly awe-inspiring are the crossings over the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti bordering the Masai Mara in Kenya which you can observe between August and October.

The best time to visit Selous and Mikumi is from June to October, when the weather is cool & dry and the vegetation lush. The best months for game viewing in Ruaha are July to October (Yellow Season), when the animals are concentrated around shrinking water holes and the Ruaha River. For bird-watching, lush vegetation and wildflowers the best time is January and February (dry & warm). In March (wet season) tracks can become a bit difficult to traverse.

If you are planning a trekking or climbing holiday, the best months are June to September or late December to February. The strong South East Monsoon results in quite rough seas between June and mid September. Therefore, the best time for sailing and scuba diving is from late September to early April. Deep sea fishing is possible all year but the seas can be rough during May, June and November, it is best between December and March.

Health
All visitors to Tanzania are required to by law to possess a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. In this case and for citizens of other countries, the Yellow Fever vaccination must have been administered at least 10 days before entering Tanzania.

Anti malaria prophylactics is strongly recommended, especially if you are visiting the coast and during the wet seasons when malaria is more prolific. In order to avoid to get bitten, bring a good insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts, trousers and socks in the evening.

It is advisable to visit your local personal physician at least a month before travelling in order to update any vaccinations, obtain anti-malarial treatment and any long term medication that you may require.

We cover our guests with Flying Doctors Society in case of an emergency. This enables air evacuation from a remote area to Nairobi or the nearest high-quality hospital.

Dehydration is a common problem, and we like to advise guests to drink as much water as possible to prevent this probability. Please bring a sunscreen of at least factor 15-30 to prevent sunburn and sunstroke. Dark glasses and a good hat or cap that shades the face are also essential.

There are several excellent private hospitals in Kenya, and we cover our guests with Flying Doctors Society in case of an emergency. This enables air evacuation from a remote area to Nairobi or the nearest high-quality hospital.

Clothing:
Safari wear should be comfortable and casual. Evenings and early mornings can be chilly so warm sweaters are recommended. Low heeled comfortable shoes are best, and suitable walking shoes should you intend joining any walking safaris.

A hat, sunglasses, flashlight and binoculars are useful accessories. Many hotels, lodges and camps have swimming pools so you are advised to bring swimsuits. The coastal regions of Pemba and Zanzibar have significant Muslim majorities and some sensitivity to cultural dress codes is important.

Some specialist safaris, i.e. mountain climbing, require extra items of clothing and footwear - details would be provided on booking. Sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended.

Laundry is possible on most upmarket and luxury safari and beach properties.

Storage space is at a premium onboard and guests are advised to bring only the clothes that they need. Luggage should be soft and collapsible to aid storage onboard.

Visa Requirements
Visa are required by all visitors except citizens of the Commonwealth (excluding citizens of the UK, Australia, Canada, India and Nigeria who do require visas). It is straight forward to obtain a visa at the point of entry (border crossing or airport) and the cost of a tourist visa valid for up to three month is currently US$50.

Insurance
We suggest that you make arrangements so that you and your property are fully insured for the duration of you stay, as well as for travel in light aircraft if applicable. Similarly, we recommend to arrange for adequate insurance in the unforeseen event of the cancellation of your safari. As previously stated, we cover you through the Flying Doctor Society for emergency evacuation form remote location to the nearest hospital or to Nairobi in Kenya which has good hospitals.

Security
Security is really a matter of common sense, and the same precautions should be taken in Kenyan towns and cities as in any city worldwide. It is advisable not to wear jewellery (especially necklaces and expensive watches), not to carry large sums of money, and keep a close watch on handbags, wallets and camera equipment. When walking in town keep to the main thoroughfares and avoid walking at night, especially alone. Make use of hotel safe or deposit boxes and never leave valuables in hotel rooms or safari vehicles. It is a good policy to travel with photocopies of your passport, traveller’s cheques, and any other important documents.

Gratuities
Personal gratuities to guides and camp staff are left to the guests’ discretion. Most lodges, camps and hotels have a central tipping box for all staff except the guides who are typically tipped separately. As a general guideline, we recommend to tip 5-10 US$ per guest per day for the staff and the same amount for the guide

Photography
We recommend that you bring your equipment, extra batteries and all your film with you although all normal types of film can usually be bought in major towns. A telephoto lens is essential for good game pictures. Most lodges and hotels have facilities for recharging batteries for video and digital cameras.

Please, respect the local people and only photograph them with their permission. We also strongly recommend never to attempt to take photos of border posts, airports, persons in uniform and military installations where photography is strictly prohibited.

Bargaining
Bargaining is not only a commonly used practice but also a necessary one. Unless you are in a high-end store where prices are fixed, feel free to bargain. As a starting point, halve the amount quoted and negotiate with the seller there on.

Time:
Tanzania is ...
3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London)
2 hours ahead of European Standard Time (Paris, Berlin)
8 hours ahead of American Eastern Standard Time (New York)
7 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time (Sydney)

Communication
Most high-end hotels and even some remote lodges have internet, telephone and fax facilities. There are also internet cafes and IDD telephone facilities in all major cities and some smaller towns. We will provide you with a local SIM card on which we will store all relevant numbers prior to your arrival.

The international dialling code for Tanzania is +255.

Electricity:
Tanzania uses 240V and 50Hz. Plug sockets have 3 square pins as in the UK. Adaptors are readily available at electronic stores in case you don’t bring one with you.

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