Introduction
Take a walk on the wild side in this quintessential African landscape. Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world.
Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there.
Despite troubles from rowdy neighbours and a weak economy, Tanzania offers some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities on the continent. Its famous parks make the often rather pedestrian towns well worth the stopover.
Geography:
A land of plains, lakes and mountains with a narrow, low-lying coastal belt, Tanzania is East Africa's largest country. The bulk of the country is a highland plateau, some of it semi-desert and the rest savannah and scattered bush. The highest mountains - Meru (4556m/14943ft) and Kilimanjaro (Africa's highest at 5896m/19335ft) - are in the northeast along the border with Kenya.
Destination Facts
Capital: Dodoma (official); Dar es Salaam (administrative)
President: Jakaya Kikwete
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT + 3
Area: 945090
Population: 35922000
People: 99% African (over 100 tribes), 1% Asian, European and Arabic
Religion: 45% Christian, 40% Muslim, 15% indigenous beliefs
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TSh)
Major industries: Tobacco, sugar, sisal, diamond and gold mining, oil refining, cement, tourism
Major Trading Partners: India, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Rwanda, the Netherlands, South Africa, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia, China
Country Dialing Code: 255
Getting there and away
There are frequent, albeit expensive, flights between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, and between Zanzibar and both Nairobi and Mombasa. By land, numerous bus routes connect Tanzania and Kenya. These include Mombasa to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi to Arusha, and Voi to Moshi. It's possible to go by dhow between Mombasa and Pemba but sailings are slow and sporadic. More regular are the lake ferry services between Mwanza and Bukoba (from where it's then easy to continue overland into Uganda), and cargo ships between Port Bell (Kampala) and Mwanza (Tanzania). For Zambia the best option is the fitful Tazara railway, with trains that run over two nights between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, via Mbeya and the border posts at Tunduma and Nakonde.
Getting around
Tanzania's two main non-charter airlines are Air Tanzania and Precision Air, operating domestic flights. Service on both is generally good. For flights to the Zanzibar Archipelago, check Coastal Aviation and ZanAir. Charter airlines are another option: prices are manageable if you can get a group together large enough to fill the plane (usually three- or five-seaters). The two train lines in Tanzania, the Tanzanian Railway Corporation's Central Line and the more comfy TAZARA line, link Dar es Salaam with various destinations. Buses travel by day throughout Tanzania - they are not permitted to travel at night (though some do). Be aware that road accidents are probably the biggest safety risks while travelling here, as roads are poor and buses can be very speedy. Scandinavian Express, with a wide range of routes, is generally the best line. For shorter trips off the beaten track, minibuses (also called dalla-dallas) are an option (often the only option). You might minimise the risks of the road by driving your own vehicle, though for most trips outside major towns you will need a 4WD. You can rent a car expensivelyn at one of a handful of agencies in Dar es Salaam. A few travellers cover at least some of the country on their bicycles. Main roads are generally not good for this, though many secondary roads are ideal - as long as you stay ultra-alert. If roads aren't your thing, you can hop onto a ferry on Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa and along the coast. Sailing a dhow, a boat that has been on the coastal waters for centuries, seems a more romantic experience, but the journeys can be long and uncomfortable. After several accidents involving tourists, the government has prohibited foreigners on non-motorised dhows, or on any dhow between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar island. Despite the efforts and risks involved, however, sailing under the moonlight with the breeze in your hair can be a great way to travel.
Weather
If there's a time to avoid coastal Tanzania, it's during the long rainy season from March to May, which has a brief revival from November to January. The best time is between June and September when rainfall is sparse and temperatures orbit around a pleasantly balmy 28 ° C (83 ° F). Inland on the plateau, rain during the middle of the year is insignificant and temperatures sink slightly but comfortably.
Take a walk on the wild side in this quintessential African landscape. Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world.
Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there.
A land of plains, lakes and mountains with a narrow, low-lying coastal belt, Tanzania is East Africa's largest country. The bulk of the country is a highland plateau, some of it semi-desert and the rest savannah and scattered bush. The highest mountains - Meru (4556m/14943ft) and Kilimanjaro (Africa's highest at 5896m/19335ft) - are in the northeast along the border with Kenya.
Capital: Dodoma (official); Dar es Salaam (administrative)
President: Jakaya Kikwete
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT + 3
Area: 945090
Population: 35922000
People: 99% African (over 100 tribes), 1% Asian, European and Arabic
Religion: 45% Christian, 40% Muslim, 15% indigenous beliefs
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TSh)
Major industries: Tobacco, sugar, sisal, diamond and gold mining, oil refining, cement, tourism
Major Trading Partners: India, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Rwanda, the Netherlands, South Africa, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia, China
Country Dialing Code: 255
There are frequent, albeit expensive, flights between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, and between Zanzibar and both Nairobi and Mombasa. By land, numerous bus routes connect Tanzania and Kenya. These include Mombasa to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi to Arusha, and Voi to Moshi. It's possible to go by dhow between Mombasa and Pemba but sailings are slow and sporadic. More regular are the lake ferry services between Mwanza and Bukoba (from where it's then easy to continue overland into Uganda), and cargo ships between Port Bell (Kampala) and Mwanza (Tanzania). For Zambia the best option is the fitful Tazara railway, with trains that run over two nights between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, via Mbeya and the border posts at Tunduma and Nakonde.
Tanzania's two main non-charter airlines are Air Tanzania and Precision Air, operating domestic flights. Service on both is generally good. For flights to the Zanzibar Archipelago, check Coastal Aviation and ZanAir. Charter airlines are another option: prices are manageable if you can get a group together large enough to fill the plane (usually three- or five-seaters). The two train lines in Tanzania, the Tanzanian Railway Corporation's Central Line and the more comfy TAZARA line, link Dar es Salaam with various destinations. Buses travel by day throughout Tanzania - they are not permitted to travel at night (though some do). Be aware that road accidents are probably the biggest safety risks while travelling here, as roads are poor and buses can be very speedy. Scandinavian Express, with a wide range of routes, is generally the best line. For shorter trips off the beaten track, minibuses (also called dalla-dallas) are an option (often the only option). You might minimise the risks of the road by driving your own vehicle, though for most trips outside major towns you will need a 4WD. You can rent a car expensivelyn at one of a handful of agencies in Dar es Salaam. A few travellers cover at least some of the country on their bicycles. Main roads are generally not good for this, though many secondary roads are ideal - as long as you stay ultra-alert. If roads aren't your thing, you can hop onto a ferry on Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa and along the coast. Sailing a dhow, a boat that has been on the coastal waters for centuries, seems a more romantic experience, but the journeys can be long and uncomfortable. After several accidents involving tourists, the government has prohibited foreigners on non-motorised dhows, or on any dhow between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar island. Despite the efforts and risks involved, however, sailing under the moonlight with the breeze in your hair can be a great way to travel.
If there's a time to avoid coastal Tanzania, it's during the long rainy season from March to May, which has a brief revival from November to January. The best time is between June and September when rainfall is sparse and temperatures orbit around a pleasantly balmy 28 ° C (83 ° F). Inland on the plateau, rain during the middle of the year is insignificant and temperatures sink slightly but comfortably.
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !