Visas
All safari travellers to Africa require a passport, valid for the duration of their tour or vacation in Tanzania. Entry points in Tanzania currently offering visa services on entry, are Dar Es Salaam port and airport and Kilimanjaro International airport, and Namanga entry post on the road border between Tanzania and Kenya. Some nationalities do not require visas, so it is advisable to check with your local Tanzanian Embassy.
Language
English is widely spoken in Africa, but a few basic words of Swahili is always greatly appreciated in Tanzania.
Money
Major foreign currencies - particularly US$ and Euros - and travellers cheques are accepted and are convertible at banks and bureau de changes in the main towns and tourist areas. Credit cards are not widely accepted and carry poor exchange rates. Banks seldom offer ATM facilities. Visitors may be expected to pay in foreign currency at game parks. Don't change money in the street.
Health
Yellow fever vaccinations are a legal requirement for entry into Tanzania. Please note you will be required to show this certificate upon your entry. We recommend that you take precautions against malaria (malaria only occurs in areas below 1 800m in altitude) prior to the commencement of your holiday. Adequate precautions must also be taken to avoid yourself being bitten by a mosquito. Kindly contact your closest Travel Clinic or medical practitioner.
Climate
Generally dry and hot with cool nights/mornings from June-October, short rains from November to mid-December, long rains March-May but the seasons can vary.
Vacation Clothing
Pack lightweight, washable clothes plus a sweater for early morning wildlife game drives, a sunhat,
sunglasses and sunscreen. Long sleeves and trousers in light-coloured fabrics help discourage insect bites.
Shorts for women are acceptable (but not too short). Women should carry a wrap to cover legs in the
village and towns as revealing clothes can cause offence. Staying at a Lodge, bring your swimsuit along.
Baggage
Baggage on safari is limited to one bag, plus one small piece of hand baggage per person (excluding a camera bag). In total this should not weigh more then 20kg. Suitcases and other heavier items can be stored in town hotels whilst clients are on safari.
Photography
Bring film and batteries for your camera with you. Protect your camera from dust and keep equipment and film spools cool. It is courteous to ask permission before photographing the local Tanzanian people. If you intend to take a lot of people pictures, be sure to bring an instant camera with you so that you can leave a picture with people you photograph.
When taking photographs of the local people or any of their belongings such as cattle or homesteads- Respect privacy - ask permission and use restraint.
Security
Tanzania is a generally safe country but don't invite temptation. Keep your eyes on your belongings. Don't walk in the towns or cities at night - take a taxi. Don't carry cameras or large amounts of cash, beware of pickpockets and hawkers. Use hotel safety deposit boxes to safeguard valuables and obtain a receipt. Leave valuable jewellery at home.
Shopping
The Tourist areas and wildlife lodges sell a wide range of souvenirs, jewellery and trinkets. Don't be afraid to haggle at roadside stalls (Your driver/ guide will advise you where to shop and on a reasonable price). The most popular souvenirs are wooden carvings, curios, and a famous love stone which is the well known gem stone "Tanzanite" which are all widely sold at souvenir shops.
Game drives/Game viewing:
The game drive/ game viewing is the standard mode of wildlife viewing in the African national parks, concession, where both regulations and safety considerations restrict exploration on foot. Conditions are ideal for vehicular safaris; rising savanna fame country from the security and comfort of a car, you will encounter a large number and variety of animals simply by chance. Game drives in most of the parks are always invigorating: you may go from one species to the next – observing zebra here, giraffe there, a knot of impala on the right, a trio of elephant bulls ahead. However, there is really no guarantee on what you will see; the animals are free to move around as they please, and may even pass beyond park boundaries.
Environmental Guidelines By following these simple guidelines, you can help to reduce the impact on the environment, minimize the possibility of animal suffering and stress, and encourage respect and appreciation of other cultures and traditions.
Respect Animals - In National Parks and Wilderness areas the animals are wild. Harassment can cause stress, keep your distance if you are in a safari vehicle or other forms of transport.
Stay on Track - Unsupervised off road driving can cause irreparable damage to the soil and vegetation, all for the sake of that once in a lifetime shot. In many areas, trekking and climbing are popular leisure activities. By carefully keeping to marked paths and routes, human impact can be kept to a minimum.
Driver guide: the best driver-guides will accompany each safari group with expert knowledge in wildlife and other areas of tourist interest. The driver-guides are continually under training on subjects as varied as the maintenance of safari vehicles, client’s safety, the mating habits of various species, preservation and conservation, general knowledge and foreign languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.
Tipping:
Tips are not included in the costs but we are indicating a schedule which could be used as a
guide by the guests should they wish to tip the staff on appreciation of services rendered.
We recommend tipping the driver guide between US $ 20 to US $ 30 per group per day
If on a camping safari do we recommend tipping the cook between US $ 10 to US $ 15 per group per day
Baggage:
Baggage allowance for domestic flights is 15 kgs per person including hand luggage. Soft-sided luggage or duffels are preferable to hard luggage for storage on safari vehicles and aircrafts used within East Africa. Large suitcases of dimensions greater than 24"x 17"x 7" are impossible to store in vehicles and on aircraft and should not be used. (Baggage and personal effects are at owner's risk throughout the tour and baggage insurance for members is strongly advised).
Itinerary Changes: Although every effort is made to adhere to schedules, it should be noted that we might be obliged to occasionally change routes on safaris as dictated by changing conditions.
Such conditions may be brought about by seasonal rainfall on bush tracks, airfields and in game areas, by game migrations from one region to another, or airline or other booking problems, etc.
TanzaniaWildlifesafaris.com will communicate with you for such itinerary or accommodation changes
Attitude:
For those who want to travel and enjoy the countries we go to, it is very important to set your expectations on the right level for the country you are visiting - leaving Western expectations behind.
FACTS ABOUT TANZANIA
Time Zone : GMT +3 hours
Approximate Exchange Rate : US $ 1 = 1160 Tsh
Religion : Predominantly Christian
International Dialling code : + 255 + area code
0 comments:
Post a Comment