Tanzania Travel information.Tanzania is a wonderfully diverse country which contains more than its fair share of the continent’s natural wonders and yet remains relatively lightly tourist. Travel to Tanzania is without doubt the best location for proper overland
although the big names Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro crater, Kilimanjaro national park, Arusha national park ,Lake manyara national park and Zanzibar beach , do attract decent numbers of visitors, there is very little of the overt mass market tourism that is so prevalent in parts of Kenya and elsewhere.
A second rank of locations … Selous game reserve , Ruaha national park , Mahale national park , Tarangire national park although in many ways equally impressive, are much lesser visited and remain places where one can still feel a something of a pioneer.
The best time of year to Travel in Tanzania – if you’re after large quantities of animals that is, is between June and October. This is the dry season across most of the country. While this is particularly the case in Ruaha and Selous in Southern Tanzania, Katavi national park Uduzungwa mountain national park,mikumi national park in Western Tanzania and the Mahale Mountains on Lake Tanganyika, it’s by no means the case for all parks. Between December and May for example throws up some of the best game viewing available in all Africa in the Serengeti and surrounding areas.
The Ngorongoro Highlands can still be full of flowers in June and July, but be prepared for cold with low cloud hanging often around till midday. Tarangire in Northern Tanzania, which acts as a dry season refuge for wildlife from the entire Maasai Steppe is at its best for game between late July to late October. However it’s always good for elephant and in the green season between December and May it has tremendous birdlife.
If the wildebeest migration is a major objective, then there isn’t really a “best” time to visit. River crossings happen between July and October on either the Grumeti or the Mara River, and the calving, one of the most spectacular times to visit, happens in February. Game action remains excellent through the unfashionable months of March, April and May when the wildebeest start moving off the plains during the rut. Low visitor numbers make this a great time to visit.
Getting in Tanzania
Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
The most convenient way to get to Tanzania is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (Airport Code: JRO). This airport is about 45 minutes from Arusha or Moshi. We can provide airport transfers to and from JRO for any flights that arrive at Kilimanjaro air port
Arusha Airport (ARK)
Arusha has a small airport within the city. Flights into and out of this airport are very limited, but if you are coming from a nearby country or Zanzibar this may be an option for you.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya
Some clients choose to arrive in Nairobi, Kenya. From Nairobi, you can take a daily shuttle bus to Arusha for under $50USD. The ride is about 4-5 hours.your welcome at more Tanzania Travel information see below
Tanzania is located in East Africa between longitude, 29 degrees and 41 degrees east and latitude 1 degree and 12 degrees south. Tanzania borders Kenya to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, and is the largest country in East Africa (943,000 sq km), comprising both the mainland and the Zanzibar Archipelago.
A large central plateau makes up most of the mainland (at between 900m and 1800m) and the mountain ranges of the Eastern Arc and the Southern and Northern Highlands cut across the country to form part of the Great Rift Valley.
A land of geographical extremes, Tanzania has the highest peak – Mount Kilimanjaro, the lowest point – the lakebed of Lake Tanganyika, and the largest lake – Lake Victoria, on the continent.
Official languages
Kiswahili and English
Documentation
A valid passport and visa are required for all visiting Tanzania. Nowadays, it has been make 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!
Weather and Climate
Because Tanzania lies below the equator, the coolest months occur during the northern hemisphere’.s summer, and all-year round the weather remains pleasant and comfortable. Between June to October, temperatures range from around 10. °.C in the northern highlands to about 23Â.°.C on the coast. On the plains and the lower-altitude game reserves, the temperatures from June to October are warm and mild. On the coast, these months are some of the most pleasant to visit, with balmy, sunny weather much of the day and cooling ocean breezes at night.
From December to March, the days are hot and sunny with often not a cloud in the sky. Temperatures range from the mid-twenties to the low thirties throughout the country while visitors flock to the parks and beaches to escape the dreariness of late winter in colder climes. Clear sunny days are the norm in the northern highlands and the heat of mid-day is tempered by the golden light in late afternoon and the especially striking sunsets. In the game parks and central plains, the beautiful weather provides perfect opportunities for unhampered game viewing, and clear night skies offer perfect opportunities for star-gazing and romantic evenings in the bush. On the shores of the Swahili Coast, the Indian Ocean reaches its highest temperatures and is ideal for swimming at any time of day or night.
Tanzania’s equatorial climate brings two seasons of rain each year: the masika, or long rains that fall from mid-March to the end of May, and the mvuli, or short rains, that come intermittently throughout November and parts of December, and sometimes stretch into early January. During the long rains, heavy showers fall in the early mornings but usually clear up by mid-day, with the weather often remaining clear and sunny until late afternoon. By evening, impressive cloud formations build, breaking sometime after dark and the rain often continues throughout the night. During the short rains, light showers in the mornings and late afternoons are punctuated by stretches of clear weather and beautiful rays of sunlight. The beginning of both rainy seasons is marked by a change in the winds which historically, marked the time for trading boats to set off on expeditions across the Indian Ocean or return to their native lands
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.
Culture
Tanzania is home to some of the most incredible tribal diversity in Africa. The country includes all of the major ethnic and linguistic groups on the continent – an amazingly varied population to inhabit a single country.
Home to approximately 120 tribal groups, most of these comprise small communities that are gradually being assimilated into the larger population due to changes in land use and the economic draw of city life. Tribal diversity is prized and far from being a source of division, Tanzanians place a high value on their country’.s multicultural heritage. Over the past few years, cultural tourism has become an increasing attraction for visitors from around the world and visits to tribal villages are often a highlight of safari itineraries.
The Masaai are perhaps the most well known of Tanzania’.s tribes and inhabit the northern regions of the country. Pastoralists who fiercely guard their culture and traditions, Masaai tribal life revolves around protecting and caring for their herds of cattle and finding ample grazing land in their region. The tribes live in circular enclosures called manyatas, where small mud huts surround a secure open circle where their cattle and other herd animals sleep protected during the night. Woven thorn bushes form a thick fence around the enclosure to protect the herds from attacks by lions and other predators. Because good grazing land fluctuates according to the seasons and yearly rains, Masaai settlements are temporary and easily relocated to where grazing and water access is best. Tribal tradition separates men and women into different age groups: the youngest herd sheep and goats while the young male warriors, or moran’.s, job is to protect and care for their family’.s cattle. Male elders hold a position of respect in Masaai society and once a warrior becomes an elder, he may marry to begin a family of his own.
The Spice Islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Pemba, Mafia, and the entire Tanzanian coast is home to the Swahili people, a vibrant mix of Arab, Indian and Bantu origins who historically based their livelihoods around Indian Ocean trade. The Swahili Coast, as the region is called, is a predominantly Islamic region with old mosques and coral palaces found throughout the area. Swahili culture centres around the dhow, a wooden sailing boat powered by the seasonal wind. Historically, the boats connected the Swahili Coast with Arabia and India and allowed trade between the regions to flourish. Fishing remains a mainstay of coastal income in small villages throughout the area, and coconut and spice plantations continue to form an important source of export. These days, life on the Swahili coast is tranquil and even-paced. Women cloaked in long robes called bui bui walk through meandering streets to the local market, stopping to chat outside tall houses hewn from coral and limestone rock. In the villages, the call to prayer rings out clearly over the palm trees and once they have finished their religious duties, the men gather in the square to drink spiced coffee from brass braziers. From the warrior moran of the fierce Masaai to the tranquil rhythms of Swahili t”