TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

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1 TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

2 TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL In the north, Tanzania is mountainous and boasts Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa s highest peak. Also in this area and stretching west are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria (Africa s largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa s deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish). Tanzania contains many large and ecologically significant wildlife parks, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park in the north and the Tarangire National Park further towards the country s beautiful coast, with white sandy beaches - this is the perfect way to finish off a safari holiday in Tanzania. Serengeti National Park : The beautiful Serengeti National Park is renowned for the famous annual wildebeest migration, with over one and a half million wildebeest and 250,000 zebra. The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and covers around 5,700 square miles of grassland plains, savannah as well as forest and woodlands. The park contains a variety of wildlife, including the Big Five of lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. There are also many cheetah to be seen, Thomson s and Grant s gazelle, hyena, impala and even the elusive African wild dog. Tarangire National Park : The Park s name originates from the Tarangire River that crosses through the park. The landscape and vegetation are incredibly diverse and the hilly landscape is dotted with many Baobab trees, high grasses and dense bush. Huge herds of up to 300 elephants roam the national park while migratory wildebeest, zebra, impala, buffalo and eland crowd the lagoon and waterholes. The Tarangire is also home to the more unusual species of fringe-eared Oryx and peculiar longnecked gerenuk. Saadani National Park: The Park is one of the only remaining protected coastal areas in Africa. The Park covers 1100 square kilometres and is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania which borders the ocean. Surrounding the national park are many villages which make their living through farming or fishing depending on their location. The park is home to a huge variety of wildlife from large cats to lazy hippos and crocodiles. Ngorongoro Conservation Area: The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 180 km west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres. A large diversity of animals reside in the Crater, including an extraordinary population of predators, such as lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the elusive leopard; as well as hippo, wildebeest, warthog, zebra, eland, buffalo, gazelles and waterbuck. Lake Manyara National Park: The Park is located both in the Arusha & Manyara Regions. The park consists of 330 square kilometres of arid land, forest, and a soda-lake. The Park contains a variety of wildlife such as baboon troops, blue monkeys, bushbuck, forest hornbills, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and giraffes. Inland of the floodplain you are likely to see Manyara s legendary tree-climbing lions and elephants as well as banded mongoose dart and Kirk s dik-dik. There have also been more than 400 bird species recorded with highlights being thousands of flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. Time Zone GMT + 3 hours Language Tanzania's official language is Swahili. Currency Tanzania's currency is the shilling. Notes are issued in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and shillings. Coins are issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 shillings, although the first two are seldom used. The local currency you may need during your stay in Tanzania should be obtained at authorised facilities such as banks and foreign exchange bureaus. US Dollars and British Pounds can also be exchanged at the airport on arrival. It is very difficult to exchange the shilling outside of Tanzania so we recommend that you change only as much as you will need.

3 TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL Credit Cards Major credit cards are accepted at most outlets in Tanzania. At both our Sanctuary camps in Tanzania, we accept Visa, MasterCard or Amex, as well as cash and travellers cheques. Passport and Visa Information Travellers should check for visa requirements pertaining to their citizenship, as entry requirements vary between countries. All travellers, however, must be in possession of a passport with at least six months of validity left beyond the intended departure date from Tanzania. Health For up to date information on the latest health and vaccination recommendations, please consult with a qualified health professional at least 6 weeks before your intended departure. Anti-malarial medication is strongly recommended for all visitors to Tanzania. No vaccinations are currently required for entry into Tanzania if arriving directly from North America or Europe. If you are arriving (or planning to re-enter) from a country where yellow fever is endemic, then you are required to have a yellow fever vaccination. This vaccination is also recommended if you are travelling outside of urban areas. Do not drink or brush your teeth with tap water. Mineral water is available at our camps. Baggage Restrictions Maximum of 15 kg of luggage per person is allowed for light aircraft flights, including hand luggage and camera equipment. It is important that you carry soft-sided bags. It is highly recommended that you lock your luggage if you are travelling through Southern Africa. It is also advisable that you do NOT pack valuable items in your checked luggage. Weather Tanzania has a tropical climate which is mainly characterised by warm days and cool evenings. December to March are usually the warmest months of the year, while June to August are the coolest. April and May often see intermittent rains, and from September to November the days are warm with short scattered rains falling in November.

4 TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL What to P ack Clothing on safari should be comfortable and colours should blend in with nature as much as possible. Greens, browns and khaki coloured clothing are advisable. The most practical items to pack for safari are: Fleece, sweater or warm jacket for morning and evening game drive Light cotton shirts Blouses or shirts with long sleeves T-shirts Comfortable walking shoes Swimwear (for lodges and camps with swimming pools) Shorts, trousers and chinos Sun hat and sun block Camera Binoculars Evening dress in the lodges and camps is smart casual, there is no formal wear required. We advise guests dress in a way they feel most comfortable. Laundry Service We offer a complimentary overnight laundry service in Sanctuary Swala, Sanctuary Kusini, Sanctuary Saadani Safari Lodge and Sanctuary Saadani River Lodge. Electricity In Tanzania, electricity runs at 220/240 volts. You may want to bring an international converter kit complete with a set of adapter plugs as lodges are unable to provide adapters. We do, however, suggest that you consider battery-operated appliances wherever possible - and bring a supply of extra batteries. However, be aware that Kusini and Swala camps usually switch to inverter power at 10pm and therefore charging should be done before this time when the generator is running. Internet Complimentary wireless internet access is available to all guests in the main areas of Sanctuary Swala, Sanctuary Kusini, Sanctuary Saadani Safari Lodge and Sanctuary Saadani River Lodge. Photography Many travellers, viewing this as their "trip of a lifetime" for animal photography, bring more than one camera in case of a malfunction. Sun filters will help block glare and heat haze. A dustproof camera bag and an air brush will help protect your equipment from heavy dust. If you plan to travel with digital photographic and/or video equipment, make certain to pack the specific charging apparatus for each piece of equipment (as well as the appropriate socket plug adaptor and voltage converter if required). When photographing people, especially members of the Maasai tribe, always ask permission first. Because so many local people are asked for permission to be photographed, many will expect a tip or an outright fee for this. There are some places where photography is prohibited, and these areas are usually clearly marked. Tipping and Gratuities Guide If you enjoyed your stay with us the guidelines below can be used as a reference. Tipping is a very personal matter and it is not included for staff at our lodges and camps. Porter - US $1 per bag Driver-guide - US $5-7 per traveller per day - this is normally paid on the last day and is based on 4-6 travellers in the vehicle. If there are only 2 or 3 travellers you may consider increasing this amount to US $6-8 per traveller per day Private Luxury Camping - US $10-14 per traveller per day - this should be given to your guide on the last day for distribution among all camp staff. Again, smaller groups (in this case 5 or less) might consider tipping in the slightly higher range of US $12-14 per traveller per day Philanthropy P rojects Ilboru School Project: We are working Ilboru Primary School in Arusha to improve and advance their Special Needs Unit. Mwika Bee keeping: We are working with the village on a grassroots beekeeping project, emphasising the preservation of the environment to bring rewards to the community. Serengeti Cheetah Project: The project helps to monitor the demographics of the cheetah in the area, one of the last few remaining natural ecosystems where these cats exist in viable numbers.

5 TANZANIA BEFORE YOU TRAVEL Guest Photo Album We would like to give you the opportunity to preserve your memories and favourite moments. Using easy and user-friendly software, you will be able to create a personalised A4 / A3 hard cover or digital photo book using your personal images combined with stunning professional photographs. Just remember to take lots of images while on safari. Once you ve returned simply go to where you will be able to create your very own book. Before you know it your photo book will be delivered to your door. (Additional cost) Recommended Reading M aterial Fodor's The Complete Guide to African Safaris: with South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, and the Seychelles The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals by Richard D. Estes Africa's Top Wildlife Countries: Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Also including Ethiopia, R. Congo, Mauritius, and Seychelles Islands Recommended Apps to D ownload African Safari Wildlife Guide HerdTracker The Kingdon Guide to African Mammals Audubon African Wildlife Sasol ebirds of Southern Africa Africa: Live App Wildlife of Southern Africa Africa - Animal Adventures for Kids Botswana Tourism Guide By Sarath Vella itranslate XE Currency StarWalk TripAdvisor Google Maps / Google Earth

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