About Us
The customer service experts...learn more!
Safaris
The most famous safari parks in the world are just a click away!
Mountain Treks
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru and more! Click here!
Tribal Tours
Click here to visit Maasai, Hadzabe, Pare and more!
Coastal Tours
Stonetown, Scuba, Deep Sea Fishing, Spice Tours plus much more!
F.A.Q.
The answers for your questions.
Contact Us
Bookings, Price Quotes, Questions, etc.
Photo Gallery
More great photos here! Want yours included? Send us a copy.
Travel Tips /Frequently Asked Questions - Hotsun Safaris Ltd
Tanzania:
Located just south of the equator, Tanzania is a stable and friendly country,
a diverse mix of religions and cultures living harmoniously. Formed in the
year 1964, Tanzania is a union of Tanganika, Zanzibar and several small
islands. A democratic republic, tourism plays a large role in the country's
economy. Also adding to the economy are natural resources such as tanzanite,
gold, coffee and cashew nuts. It is approximately twice the size of
California. The population is about 44 million.
Tanzania: The national language is
Swahili but secondary schools require all subjects to be taught in English. In remote
areas you may encounter some who only speak their tribal language. In
areas used to many tourists such as Moshi or Arusha, it is possible to get
by speaking English and learning just a few basic Swahili phrases. All Hotsun Safaris guides and office staff speak English.
Guides speaking other languages can be arranged with advance notice.
Kenya: English and Swahili are both national languages in Kenya.
Kenya: English and Swahili are both national languages in Kenya.
Tanzania:There are three major airports to fly
into Tanzania. Dar es Salaam (DAR), Zanzibar (ZNZ),
and Kilimanjaro International Airport
(JRO). Dar, as it is fondly referred to,
is the most important city in Tanzania.
With a population of over 5 million
and growing rapdily it is the economic
hub. From a tourist standpoint , it is
not particularly interesting but it is just a
short ferry ride away from Zanzibar and other great coastal destinations. It
also is a great launching point for Southern Circuit safaris.
Kilimanjaro International Airport is located half way between Arusha
and Moshi, both major destinations for tourism. Arusha is much
larger of the two and has a city feel (e.g. traffic jams) and pulse. Moshi is easy to get
around and has a medium size town feel (population 150,000). Moshi is the closest to Mt.
Kilimanjaro and has some great views of the mountain when the
clouds permit. Arusha is closer to the game parks by an hour drive.
Kenya: In Kenya, Nairobi Airport (NBO) or Mombassa (MOI) are your options.
Kenya: In Kenya, Nairobi Airport (NBO) or Mombassa (MOI) are your options.
Tanzania: Visitors from the US and most European countries are required
to purchase a visa for entry. Visas are available at the airport and
are payable in US dollars. The government has been known to make
changes in policy and fees with little notice. At times even the
Tanzanian government web site was incorrect or had outdated
information still on it. As of July 2011, a single entry visa cost was
USD 100. Since that was a fairly recent increase it would be
surprising if it changed again soon. Irish citizens had been exempt
from the visa requirement, but that has recently changed to requiring
a USD 100 visa also.
Immunizations are recommended as is
taking malaria pills. Check with your travel health clinic in your
country for the latest updates. Drinking tap water is not recommended but is
usually fine for brushing your teeth. Bottled water is inexpensive and readily
available in all places. In towns, most items can be found that you would
likely need such as toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. Feminine hygene products
are now commonly found in stores. Pharmacies (Duka la Dawa) are easily
found and inexpensive. The country doesn't have the infastructure for waste
disposal that many other countries have, so you can do a big favor by taking
all used batteries and plastic bags back to your home country when you
return.
Tanzanian and Kenyan diet is healthy and tends to be a bit bland. When you book your tour through us, we can accomodate nearly any request.
Vegetarian diets are no problem, vegan diets may be a bit challenging to achieve. Tanzania is one of the few counties in the world that does not have
McDonalds, Starbucks or KFC restaurants. There are a few South African fast food
franchises in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania: The currency is the Tanzanian Schilling (TSH) and as of July
2011 the exhange was approximately TSH 1,600 per 1 USD. Exchange
bureaus are numerous. In areas where tourist traffic is heavy, USD are
often accepted. Euros and other foreign currencies are usually not. Bureau
de Change are common in larger towns. ATMs are also now common. Maximum daily withdrawal limits can be a challenge if you need to pay for a mountain climb or
safari. Be sure that you warn your bank that you plan to travel to Tanzania otherwise your bank may freeze your account for safety measures when they see Tanzanian
transactions. Do not expect credit cards to be accepted except in the most
exclusive hotels. It is rare that they are accepted in stores or restaraunts. Some of the most expensive gift shops do acccept credit cards and can offer
shipping of goods.
Tipping is not common except for tour guides and mountain porters. An
average tip for a safari driver or mountain guide is $15 USD/day, $10
USD/day for an assistant guide or cook, $7 USD/day for mountain porters.
The mentioned tips are total for the group, not per traveller. Clothing items are also appreciated as tips. If you did not find the service satifactory,
you are not obligated to tip but be sure to let our office know what the difficulty was. Taxi drivers
need not be tipped. In restaraunts, rounding the bill up to a convenient figure
is sufficient. Prices for most items are negotiable and as a Mzungu (non African), the prices will most often be quoted rediculously
high. This includes taxi drivers. Always agree on a price before you start
your taxi ride. Street sellers sometimes can be persistant. Being firm is best.
Saying "not today" will sometimes have them circling around you tomorrow, even waiting for you outside your hotel
because you "promised" them you would buy. Although tempting, do not give
money to young children. This trains them to become beggars instead of
attend school. There are people who can use your help however. You will run
across occasional lepers or disabled that are unable to work and giving them
a couple hundred shillings will be most helpful. If you want to help on a larger scale, we know of a few good organizations that we can put you in
contact with for donations or volunteering.
Tanzania has two
rainy seasons, the long rains in April and May and the short rains in
November. During this time, it may rain daily but seldom rains all day. The
rain itself tends to be refreshing but the inconvenience is the unavoidable
mud. It may also take days for your clothes to dry. Other times of the year there is little rain and the plains become quite
dusty. The temperature will vary according to location. Dar es Salaam tends
to be quite hot and muggy. Arusha is higher in elevation and is perhaps five degrees C
cooler. At night in the Serengeti and Ngornogoro Crater can be quite cool.
Having a Polar Fleece jacket and even perhaps a knit cap and light gloves
would at times feel quite welcome, especially in damp weather. The peaks of
Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru are near arctic conditions and attention to the
recommended packing list which we will supply to you for these climbs is strongly encouraged. All required clothing for a Kilimanjaro climb can be
rented locally.
Attire in Tanzania has an Islamic influence. Excepting the beach resorts, in
Zanzibar shorts on men or women is frowned upon. Revealing clothing such
as tank tops or bare midriffs is also inapropriate. The farther west in the
country you travel, the the more liberal it becomes. In Moshi or Arusha
shorts now are occasionally seen on men. Women wearing short skirts or
tanktops there will still feel uncomfortable with the stares. On safaris,
dressing for comfort is fine. Wearing neutral coloured clothing on safari is a good idea since bright colours are disturbing to animals and may also attract
Tse Tse flies.
Tanzania is powered by a
220-250V, 50 cycles, AC network. Those bringing electrical items from
home may wish to invest in a power breaker: Tanzania’s electricity supply is
erratic, with power surges not uncommon. Power outages are extremely common. Many hotels have back up generators however. Bringing a good torch
(flashlight) is a good idea. Plugs and sockets are mostly the
British three-square-pin or European two-round-pin style sockets. Plug
adapters are readily available and inexpensive. Be aware that plug adapters
do not change the voltage so unless your electrical items can take 250V, this
is insufficient. Standard D, C, AA or AAA batteries are easliy found but other batteries such as specialty camera batteries can be difficult to locate.
Like many third world countries, cell phones
have leap frogged passed land line telephones. Landline phones in Tanzania
are not common and the ability for your calls to successfully be placed are
sketchy. Many internet cafes offer Skype international calling. Cell phones
are very common with anyone who can afford one having one or often two.
If your cell phone is unlocked, all it requires is a SIM card bought for under
$2 and you are fine. Airtime is by prepaid vouchers readily available
everywhere. Cell phone signal strength is good nearly throughout the entire country. The major cell phone service providers are Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo and
Zantel. If your phone is not unlocked, you may choose to purchase a
cellphone in Tanzania, available from $30. Upon your departure you may
donate your phone to charities or sell it.
Internet cafes are easily
found. Connections are getting a bit faster recently, but still slow in
comparison to most of the world. Internet rates are around TSH 1,000/hour
(approximately $0.70). Wireless connections for laptops is rare. Internet connection is possible with USB modems available from cell phone companies.
There are a multitude of other things that could be included in this page. We will instead gladly and promptly respond to any questions that you send to us.