'...pleased to be your host in Tanzania, E. Africa'

'You must be very, very luck to be in this beautiful contry, the country that has plenty of game parks and conservation areas over 25% of its landmass' Mary from London, UK.

Our Beloved country, Tanzania.

Tanzania has plenty of fresh air and uncrowded places where you can actually hear your heart beat.  That’s what we want you to experience.

• CLIMATE

Summer: September - April     30˚C/86˚F    20˚C/68˚F

Winter: May - August     25˚C/77˚F    19˚C/66˚F

Rainfall: Late March - late May (long rains), November - January (short rains)

• POLITICAL STABILITY

The country having more than 120 unique traditional tribes all writed by a common language, SWAHILI and a strong sense of national community. The writed republic of Tanzania is one of Africans most peaceful countries. Home to a flourishing democracy and prospering economy; the country is known for its peace and security in the world.

• HISTORY

Tanzania is a “cradle of mankind” for it was here in the olduvai Gorge, that Dr Luicy Leakey discovered the fossilized remains of homo habilis,or handy man, calculated to be 1.75 million years ago and the fore runner of modern man.Arab merchants visited the coast some 2000 years ago and settled in Zanzibar around the 8th century AD later established trade routes to the interior. The inter marriage of Arabs and local people crated a new people with their own language Swahili whose word for a journey “safari” has become international description for a Trip to a wild.
(Arrival of Arab Merchants)

The Portuguese established temporarily settlement in the 16th century, supplanted by the oman’s in the late 17th century who developed the infamous slave trade.The scramble of Africa by European powers at the end of 19th century led to the occupation of the mainland by Germany although Zanzibar became a British Colony. After the 1st world war, Germany was forced to surrender its territory to the British.Tanganyika as the mai land was then known to achieve its independence in 1961 Zanzibar became independent 2 years later and shortly afterwards joined with the mainland to become the UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

• GEOGRAPHY

Tanzania covers 937,062 sq. km making it the largest country in the East Africa. Just south of Equator it boarders Kenya and Uganda to the North.Democratic republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi into the west, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south.
Through the interior runs the Great Rift Valley, that vast fault-line down the spine of Africa that, in Tanzania, has created many festinating topographical features such as the Ngorongoro crater and Lake Tanganyika.

The central plateau(1,200m above sea level) is a huge expense of savannah and sparse woodland.
To the north, the 5895m (19,340ft) Mount Kilimanjaro rises, the top roof of Africa. While the interior is largely arid, the 800km coastline is lush and palm fringed as the island of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.

• CURRENCY & BANKING

Working hours at most of the commercial banks are Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 15h30 and on Saturday from 10h00 to 13h00.

ATMs are found throughout Tanzania’s major city centres and shopping complexes.

The currency is the Tanzanian shilling, where $1 is made up of Tsh1500. Please check with BOT (Bank of Tanzania) or our Financial Department for daily exchange rates.

Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and American Express are accepted by most restaurants, shops and hotels. Proof of identity may be requested, so be sure to carry a passport or some form of photo identification at all times. Credit cards are not accepted at petrol stations.

Please note that US dollar bills printed before 2003 are not accepted in Tanzania, as there was a large amount of illegal processing of dollar bills in the country during that time.   High denomination bills may also not be accepted.

• SAFETY

We advised you to check with us or hotel concierge - we  know if there are any potentially unsafe areas along your travel route.

Try to avoid deserted areas, particularly at night, and if you are on a self-drive adventure then please ensure your car is locked at all times - park in well-lit, busy areas.

Dress-low (i.e.you don’t need to wear excessive jewellery) when exploring Africa’s diverse cities. We We recommend Concealed travel wallets.

Stopping for hitch hikers is not recommended.

• PHOTOGRAPHY

It is wise be sensitive when photographing people. Tanzanians are renowned for being friendly; however, it is courteous to ask permission before snapping away.

• PASSPORT & VISA REQUIREMENTS

Guests visiting Tanzania must be in possession of a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date of travel and should have two blank pages available in their passport.

It is a good idea to obtain a visa for Tanzania before leaving your country of origin, however, visas can also be obtained at the airport on arrival. If you are planning to get your visa at the airport, please note that you will need to pay for this in USD. Make sure that you have enough cash available for the fee. Try to have the exact amount available, as you may not be able to obtain any change at the visa counter.

Visitors who intend travelling to Tanzania’s neighbouring countries and back are advised to apply for multiple entry visa.

• GUIDE BOOKS

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) there are many guide books that have been written about Tanzania by non-Tanzanian. This has caused the problem of reporting and publishing of information that is not often accurate.

Most people who write guide books have their own “personal points of view” that may or may have much to do with Tanzanian reality.

Some guide books push the “accepted norm” that Tanzania is “cheap” and that is just not the case. In some cases it is cheap (compared to what?) and on the other hand is not. This causes problems for locals because most of our guests use the guide books as “travel bibles” and often demand ridiculously low prices for certain products or services.

 This often creates problems with the tour operators that have to “compete by lowering prices” as opposed to competing with better services.  We feel most guide books are helpful, have generally good information.

• PUBLIC AND NATIONAL HOLIDAY (2013)

• New Year’s Day is on Tuesday, January 01
• Eid al-Moulid is on Thursday, January 24
• Chama Cha Mapinduzi Day is on Tuesday, February 05
• Zanzibar Revolution Day is on Tuesday, February 12

• Farmer’s Day is on Saturday, February 16
• Good Friday is on Friday, March 29
• Holy Saturday is on Saturday, March 30
• Easter Sunday is on Sunday, March 31
• Easter Monday is on Monday, April 01

• Union Day is on Friday, April 26
• Worker’s Day is on Wednesday, May 01
• Saba Saba is on Sunday, July 07
• Id al Fitr (End of Ramadan) is on Thursday, August 08
• Farmer’s Day is on Thursday, August 08

• Nyerere Day is on Monday, October 14
• Eid al-Hajj is on Tuesday, October 15
• Naming Day is on Tuesday, October 29

• Independence Day is on Monday, December 09
• Christmas Day is on Wednesday, December 25
• Boxing Day is on Thursday, December 26

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• When visiting Zanzibar, it is important for women to dress modestly out of respect for Muslim cultural beliefs. Men should not wear shorts on the main island and women should wear dresses that cover their shoulders and knees. 

• The Great Migration is one of the world's great wildlife attractions, and during peak and migration season all accommodation will be fully booked. If you intend visiting Tanzania around this time, make your bookings well in advance.



                                               



Still have questions?

Please contact us anytime!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phone: +255756243686

safari@shrikesafaris.org