Safe and Responsible Travels
Responsible travel is all about leaving a positive impact on both the environment and the people we will meet in the places we visit. The result being a more ethical and responsible trip when it comes to travelers' impacts, and also a more genuine and culturally immersive experience.
Avoid extended driving
We suggest to drive no more than 4 to 5 hours per day and enjoy the rest of the time exploring the areas and relaxing. Driving offroad is tiring, and tiredness undermines the safety of your adventure. On the tar, an estimate of 35 to 40 mph (55-65 km/h) is realistic. As soon as the sealed road will finish, then the estimate goes down to 15 mph, excluding stops. When preparing the itineraries for our clients, we do take these estimates into consideration.
Drive slowly
This will help you spot animals, and it will keep you safe. Most of the accidents happen because of the speed, especially on gravel roads, where it seems there are no obstacles.
Stay close to your comfort zone
Driving offroad is surely more tiring than driving on tar roads, be very honest with yourself and if you do not have the skills, our suggestion is to avoid looking for challenging obstacles and the likes. On top of this, you will probably be driving in remote areas, totally unknown to you. While for some Guests this is exactly what they look for, please make sure to ask yourself if this is what you are looking for in your next adventure. We will be happy to organize for you a guided self-drive. The company founders are very active in guided itineraries, and they normally organize at least one trip they guide themselves.
Rent a solid and reliable vehicle
The last thing you want to have in Africa is a vehicle breakdown. The reliability of your vehicle is extremely important. The road conditions need high clearance, very good tires, and above all, a carefully serviced vehicle. After each vehicle return, we do a complete check of the car, and we replace each and every component that is not right. We also follow a very tight preventive maintenance program to anticipate any possible problems. You will surely find cheaper options on the market. However, please be aware of all the possible risks.
Avoid driving at night
In Africa, vehicles move around often without lights. Furthermore, opposite to what we do in the Western world, people do walk on streets to move around the villages, they often move their cows and donkeys in the dark to avoid the heat, and you can’t see them while driving. This is the reason why we plan the itineraries to avoid the night driving.
Be cognizant of where you are - and engage with a reliable operator for the planning
GPS technologies are fantastic, and mobile coverage is improving fast. However, this does not necessarily mean that they will work everywhere in Africa. We strongly recommend to familiarize with the area, use the traditional paper maps, and keep close control of where you are, and where you want to go. Doing basic training on the use of a paper map and a compass is a wise idea.
Buying local
Choose carefully what you buy. Avoid buying hardwood, products made from endangered species and so on. Look for local products, and always check the legality of what you are buying.
Respect people and cultures
When visiting villages, always check if it is appropriate to take pictures. If the answer is yes, please make sure to show people the pictures you take. They love it! Also, as a gesture, after you return from your trip, you may consider sending to the village a printed copy of their pictures. Furthermore, please dress appropriately, and avoid making unnecessary noise.
Water
Clean, safe drinking water is scarce in Africa. Please do your best to use it very carefully, and avoid any waste. The best gift you can give to a group of kids on the road is a bottle of clean water.
Consider the animal danger
Camping in the wild does imply very often a close interaction with the wildlife. An incredible experience, that needs to be treated carefully.
Whatever happens, never (ever) start running away. You immediately become prey. Slowly moves back up, and try to get into the car as gently as possible.
Stay always close to the car
Keep the distance, especially from hippos and elephants. Make sure they have a safe escape line to walk away from you. If they don’t, they may charge. Never drive closer than 65 ft (20 m) to larger mammals, elephants, and buffalo in particular.
Before going out of the car, check the area, and see if there is any move, sound, or smell that indicates the presence of wild animals. If this is the case, please stay in the car, and make sure you are not along the line and close to a footpath, especially from elephants and hippos.
When allowed, you will pick up the firewood for your bush fire. Kick the logs before touching with your hands to make sure snakes, scorpions, spiders and the likes will walk away.
If you are traveling with children, make sure they stay very close to the group and keep constant control over them.
Avoid camping near the water. The chances of interfering with footpaths are too high, and crocodiles are also a relevant danger.
Last but not least, respect the wildlife
We are visitors who happened to visit their “home”, and not vice-versa. If you respect the wildlife, they will respect you.
Learn about wildlife through quiet observation
Do not disturb wildlife or plants just for a better shot. Stay on track.
Observe wildlife from a distance so they are not scared or forced to flee. Large groups often cause more damage to the environment and can disturb wildlife so keep your group small.
If you are in a larger group, divide into smaller groups if possible to minimize your impacts.
When you are back home
Please share with us and with your social network any of the actions you have taken during your adventure to promote the safe and responsible travel. This will help the entire community to gain insight into such an important topic.
The name Tanzania conjures up images of wildebeest stampeding across vast savannah, rain forests teeming with monkeys and birdlife, and great plains brimming with legions of game. All of these natural wonders and more are on offer in this exceptionally diverse African nation. Visitors typically visit Tanzania to partake in at least one of the four well-known Tanzanian tourist experiences: a relaxing seaside vacation on the picturesque island paradise of Zanzibar, an underwater tour of some of the world’s most renowned dive sites around the gorgeous Spice Islands, a safari adventure in some of Africa’s most impressive game reserves, or a hiking excursion around Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Whichever of these incredible holidays you choose, you will undoubtedly be welcomed by some fabulously friendly and peaceful inhabitants who, despite being divided into 120 different ethnic groups and cultures, live in harmony with one another and provide some of the most wonderfully exotic local cuisine you could imagine. With all of this diversity on offer, the most difficult part of your Tanzanian holiday experience is likely to be deciding where to go!
Banking and Currency
Currency
In Tanzania, the unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, which is divided into 100 Cents. Notes are issued in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 Shillings. Coins are issued in denominations of 50, 100 and 200 Shillings.
Banking
Banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Many banks are equipped with 24 hour ATM machines.
Credit cards and travellers checks are not widely accepted in Tanzania. Where they are accepted can high service fees and poor exchange rates be expected. Major foreign currencies - particularly US $ - are accepted in Tanzania and are convertible at banks and bureau de changes in the main towns and tourist areas. If bringing cash in US $, please make sure bank notes are in good condition, with no cuts or damage and are not older than 2006. Most banks offer higher exchange rates for US $ 100 / US $ 50 bank notes compared to US $ 20 / US $ 10 or US $ 5 bank notes.
Travel, Transport and Getting Around
If you are visiting a number of parks and reserves in Tanzania, you can either drive or fly between them. Roads in most of the wilderness areas are in poor condition and unmarked, and self-driving is not recommended. Operators will supply you with a driver who doubles as an informal guide; alternatively, you can arrange to fly to your destination and utilize a car and driver supplied by the lodgings. Elsewhere in Tanzania, towns and cities are linked by a steady stream of buses and dala-dalas (minibuses), and in the cities, there is public transport in the way of buses, dala-dalas, taxis, and, in some places, bicycles or tuk-tuks.
Precision Air run regular services, mostly via Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar, to all main towns and other destinations in East Africa and beyond. All national parks and some of the top-end luxury lodges have airstrips and Coastal Air operates between these and the main airports on the mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. ZanAir has frequent connections between Zanzibar, Pemba and the mainland.
Driving is on the left hand side of the road
Food, Drink and Cuisine Advice
Most camps, lodges or hotels cater specifically to tourists and serve Western-style food, ranging in standard, but generally are excellent. Game lodges tend to offer a daily set menu with a limited selection, so it is advisable to have your tour operator specify in advance if you are a vegetarian or have other specific dietary requirements. First-time visitors to Africa might take note that most game lodges in and around the national parks have isolated locations, and driving within the parks is neither permitted nor advisable after dark, so that there is no realistic alternative to eating at your lodge.
Tap water in Tanzania is generally not safe to drink, and most travellers try to stick to mineral water. Filtered and bottled water can be difficult to find you are travelling outside of main town and so it is advisable to stock up. Most camps, lodges and hotels have bottled water readily available.
Please note that, as of 2016, Tanzania has banned the use of plastic bags in a bid to tackle pollution and protect the environment. Travellers' to Tanzania will no longer be allowed to bring plastic carrier bags into the country. This ban targets all plastic bags that are imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used.
Climate and Weather
Just south of the equator, Tanzania is huge and its sheer size means that the climate varies considerably within it. However, generally the main rainy season, or the 'long rains', lasts during about March, April and May. Afternoon tropical downpours are the norm – which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The humidity is high and daily temperatures reach the low-mid 30°s.
The long dry season lasts throughout June, July, August, September and October is when rainfall is unusual, even on the islands. Temperatures vary hugely with altitude and location, but it's usually a fine, clear sky and sunny weather – it's a great time to visit Tanzania. During November and December there's another rainy season: the 'short rains'. These are much lighter than the main rains and less reliable.
If it has rained during the short rains, then it normally dries up for a few months, January and February, which is Tanzania's 'short dry season', before starting to rain again in earnest in March.
Clothing and Dress Recommendations
It never gets really cold in Tanzania so lightweight clothing, preferably cotton or linen, is recommended. While on a game viewing safari, avoid brightly coloured clothing, stick to whites, beiges, khakis and browns. There may be long days sitting in safari vehicles, so it is advisable to wear light comfortable clothing such as short sleeved shirts and cotton/linen trousers or shorts. Denim will become too hot and extremely uncomfortable. Walking shoes and socks will be required.
The evenings will be chilly, so long sleeved shirts and trousers should be worn. A sweater may be needed. These will also prevent you being bitten by insects. A hat should be worn at all times outside. The sun may sometimes not feel hot, but it can still easily burn, especially if it is cloudy and overcast.
If visiting Zanzibar or any coastal town don't forget to take a swimsuit, as it is invariably warm. Ladies are recommended to take cotton skirts, blouses and dresses. Sandals are a must for this environment! On the beaches and within the confines of hotels, normal swimwear is acceptable but nudity is not.
As over a third of the population in Tanzania is Muslim, it is therefore not etiquette for ladies to walk around in public displaying their legs and shoulders. Remember to dress modestly as short shorts, miniskirts, vests and tank tops will be frowned upon.
Internet Availability
Tanzania has good Internet Service Providers with email and internet services offered by many hotels and lodges (free / paid). In most towns there are plenty of private business centres and cyber cafes offering email and internet access, although the speeds might be somewhat slower than what you are used to.
Electricity and Plug Standards
Electrical sockets in Tanzania are one of three: Type G (BS-1363) and Type C (CEE 7/16 Europlug) and Type D (BS-546) electrical socket types: If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all types.
Electrical sockets in Tanzania usually supply electricity at 230 volts AC / 50 Hz frequency. If you're plugging in an appliance that was built for 230 volt electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need. If your appliance isn’t compatible with 230 volts, a voltage converter will be necessary.
