TANZANIA OVERVIEW

United Republic of Tanzania

• CAPITAL : Dodoma (official) and Dar es Salaam (administrative)

• AREA : 945,090 sq km (364,899 sq miles)

• POPULATION : 38,000,000

• OFFICIAL LANGUAGES : Kiswahili and English

• NATIONAL CURRENCY : Tanzanian Shilling (Tsh or TZS), divided into 100 cents.

• BEST TRAVEL CURRENCIES : USD, Euro, GBP

HISTORY

Tanzania is considered as the cradle of mankind because here, in the Olduvai Gorge, Dr Louis Leakey discovered the fossilized remains of Homo habilis, calculated to be 1.75 million years old and the forerunner of modern man.
Tanzania was occupied by various African tribes most recently the Maasai from Kenya, who have retained their proud traditions. Arab merchants visited the coast some 2,000 years ago and settled in Zanzibar around the eighth century and later establish trade routes into the interior. The intermarriage of Arabs and local people created a new people with their own language- Kiswahili (Swahili) whose word for Journey "Safari" has become the international description of a trip into the Wild. The Portuguese established temporary settlements in the 16^th century, supplanted by the Omanies in the late 17^th century who developed the infamous slave trade. The scramble of Africa by the European powers at the end of the 19^th century led to occupation of the mainland by Germany although Zanzibar become a British protectorate. After World War 1, Germany was forced to surrender its territory to the British. Tanganyika, as the mainland was then known, achieved independence in 1961. Zanzibar become independent two 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 Eastern Africa. Just south of the equator, it borders Kenya and Uganda in the north, United Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi in the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique in the south. It is therefore a splendid center from which explore eastern, central and southern Africa.
Through the interior runs the Great Rift Valley, that vast fault line down the spine of Africa that, in Tanzania, has created many fascinating topographical features such as the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Lake Tanganyika. The central plateau (1,200m above sea level) is a huge expanse of savannah and sparse woodland. To the north, Mount Kilimanjaro 5,890 m (19,340 ft) is the highest mountain in Africa. While the interior is largely arid, the 800 Km coastline is lush and palm-fringed as are the Islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.

CLIMATE

Game drives are probably the most popular way to see wild animals in their natural habitat. Typically you will leave your Tented Camp, Lodge or Campsite either in earlymorning or afternoon and you will be driven Polepole (slowly) through the bush to view game. In a Toyota Land Cruiser 4WDrive vehicle specially designed for Safari with open roofs for game viewing and a guaranteed window seat for each passenger, you will be close to some of the predators and other larger animals, safely. This gives you the opportunity to observe them at close quarters as well as providing some wonderful Pictures opportunities.

Our company use only Safari vehicle for 4 to 6 people per vehicle and employs knowledgeable informative guides.
If you prefer we can arrange for you your own private vehicle and guide. Also in some areas of Tanzania Northern Circuit it is possible to organize night game drives and Nature walk with Ranger or local Guide.

SECURITY

Tanzania is a safe country to travel in. Tanzanians are warm-hearted and generous people and are eager to help visitors get the most out of their stay. Tanzania is a politically stable, multi-democratic country. As in all countries, a little common sense goes a long way and reasonable precautions should still be taken, such as locking valuables in the hotel safe and not walking alone at night.

HEALTH

Tanzania is located in a tropical climate with different bacteria, flora, and fauna. So it is advisable to take a few health precautions when traveling to make sure that your trip goes as comfortably and smoothly as possible. Malaria is usually top on the list of visitors’ worries, and prevention goes a long way towards keeping you protected.
Make sure to visit your doctor to get a prescription for anti-malarial drugs, the best suit your health and condition – there are some very good ones available on the market. The yellow-fever vaccination is no longer officially required when entering Tanzania, (however this is still a requirement if you wish to visit Zanzibar). Other vaccinations should be considered, for more information contact your doctor well in advance of your visit.

BANKING

Banks and bureau de change are available at airports and in all major towns. Banking hours are from Monday – Friday 8.30am – 3.00pm, Saturday 8.30am – 1.30pm. A few branches in the major towns are open until 4.00pm. Please note that banks are closed on Sunday.

AIRPORT TAX

Departure tax from mainland Tanzania is included in the price of your ticket, however in Zanzibar there is a departure tax payable at the airport (around US$ 30). There is a tax levied on passengers within Tanzania (around TSH 5,000 / approx US $5).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Valid passport. Most visitors to Tanzania must require a visa to enter the country. Three month single-entry tourist visas are available at Tanzanian embassies in your country, price subject to nationality.

Embassy of the
United Republic of Tanzania
around the world :

• BELGIUM :
  363 Ave Louise, 1050 Brussels Tel 02 640 6500 Fax 02 646 8026

• CANADA :
  50 Range Road, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 8J4 Tel 0613 232 1500 Fax 0613 232 5184

• CHINA :
  No. 8, Liang Ma He Nan Lu, San Li Tun Beijing

• FRANCE :
  13 Ave Raymond Poincare 75116 Paris Tel 01 53 706 370 Fax 01 53 706 366

• GERMANY :
  Eschenallee 11 14050 Berlin (Charlottenburg, Westend)
  Tel 49 (0)30-303 0800 Fax: 49(0)30-303 08020

• ITALY :
  Villa Tanzania, Viale Cortina D'ampezzo 185 00135 ROME Tel 06 321 0923

• JAPAN :
  21-9, Kamiyoga4, Chome, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo Tel 03 425 4531 Fax 03 425 7844

• SOUTH AFRICA :
  PO Box 56572 Arcadia 0007, Pretoria Tel 012 342 4371 Fax 012 430 4383

• SWEDEN :
  Näsby Allé 6 183 55 Täby

• SWITZERLAND :
  47 Ave Blanc, CH-1201, Geneva Tel 022 731 8920 Fax 022 732 8255

• UNITED KINGDOM :
  3 Stratford Place, London W1C 1AS Tel 0207 569 1470 Fax 0207 491 3710

• USA :
  Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania
  2139 R Street, NW, Washington DC, 20008.

• USA :
  Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations
  201 East 42ND­ Street, Suite 1700 New York, NY, 10017