Tanzania Birding Safari

Normally two types of weather are experienced in Tanzania.

Dry Season- June-October

Best time to see the great wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park

The watering holes begin to dry, predators and prey concentrate around the water source, providing great wildlife viewing opportunities.

The days are bright and sunny and bereft of mosquito menace. The days and nights get cool in June-August so warm clothes are required for game drives

Wet Season- November-May

While the predators are on the prowl the calving season is in full swing from late January-March.

The air is dense with humidity, the temperature is high and rain is always around the corner.

The view is lush and green all-around, perfect for bird watching as migratory birds arrive in droves.

Crowds are less; rates are low and its good time to capture a great safari.

April- May is in fact a low season and very wet. We normally avoid this time as the roads become little bit slippery.

Let’s take a view on the best times to visit the national parks:

Serengeti National Park- June-September

Selous Game Reserve- June-November

Ruaha National Park-June-October

Tarangire National Park- June-November

Ngorongoro National Park- Throughout the year

Mount Kilimanjaro- July-October

Zanzibar Island- June to October

Wilder Heritage provides the best skilled Professional and experienced Safari Guides who have many years of knowledge in planning and leading successful safari tours. We let you explore Tanzania Safaris with the top-notch Safari Guides who are friends of your wildlife and wilderness experience. It’s you guide who help you to get a unique and cherished experience of Tanzania’s amazing wildlife and cultural heritage.

The success safari depends on your safari guides. As born and brought up in the land, they have the ideas to locate wildlife easily and safely. The guide is your wildlife and wilderness expert and your friend on safari.

You will be able to depend on him for wildlife spotting and identification and he is an expert in locating the habitats of the animals and birds that you observe. He will talk with you in your language and make you comfortable throughout your trip.

The staff is always extremely grateful to a generous tip, and our company has prepared this tipping guideline below of which will assist our clients. It is to be noted that amounts shown below includes:

• Senior guide $ 20 per day, from the whole group
• Assistant guide $ 15 per day, from the whole group
• Cook $ 15 per day from the whole group
• Waiter 10-12$ per day from the whole group
• Summit porter 12-15$ per day from the whole group
• Toilet crew 12-15$ per day from the whole group
• Regular porter 8-10 $ per day from the whole group

N.B - For safaris we recommend 10% to 15% of the whole package.

The best way to give tips normally is through collecting the tips for the whole group and then dividing them among the crew members. Also tips could be placed in envelopes addressed to each member and handed directly to each member in accordance with their status.

Mandatory Documents:

• A valid passport and visa
• Travel and health insurance
• Other documents of Id proofs
• Sufficient cash

And if you really want to go places in Tanzania, pack in a few Swahili phrases.

Learning some Swahili words will help you a lot while visiting the places.

• Jambo-Hello
• Habari-Good morning
• Asante-Thank you

Clothes:

Comfortable, informal and covered should guide your selection of clothes.

Lightweight and washable cargo pants and capris are a good idea if you are planning for outdoor safari activities.

Neutral colors are a smart choice as they don’t draw the attention of animals.

Long sleeves and trousers in light-coloured fabrics are a good protection against the sun and good against insect bites. Avoid the temptation for camouflage clothes.

Pullover or windbreaker or jackets are essential for early morning and night game drives as the temperature is low as compared to the mid-time

A backpack on your shoulders to carry the essentials should be durable, lightweight and waterproof.

Waterproof boots for those walking safaris. Sneakers can be used elsewhere.

For the day-time hot weather floppy hats, sunglasses with glare reduction, sun block lotion with high SPF, Lip balm with SPF are necessary to protect you from sunburns and sunstrokes are needed to pack.

TOILETRIES:

• soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner etc.
• Bug spray/ insect repellent with DEET
• Wet wipes
• A good sanitizer

BASIC FIRST AID

• Anti-malarial medication
• Painkillers if you need
• Cold and flu medication
• Anti-Diarrhea medication
• Antibiotics
• Antiseptic Lotion
• Antihistamines for allergies and insect bites
• ORS solution

ELECTRONICS ITEMS:

• Camera with extra batteries and zoom lens for that perfect safari shot
• Smartphone with a portable charger for taking notes when not taking photographs. Adaptor/ converter
• Binoculars for game viewing at a distance
• Headlamp with extra batteries for navigating in the dark

The entry point to Tanzania is Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha and Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Saalam.

Normally maximum trips to national parks start from Arusha. So if you land in Julius Nyerere International Airport then you can fly to Arusha and start your trip.

In most cases, your tour operator receives you from the airport and takes care of your whole trip.

Chartered flights are also available to take you to the park.

Domestic Airlines & Flights in Tanzania

Your tour operator can book Domestic and charter flights to access the parks easily in less time. Otherwise, you can choose also roadways to access the parks which are time-consuming.

Some of the most popular domestic Airlines and Flights in Tanzania are as follows.

• Air Tanzania
• Precision Air
• Regional Air
• ZanAir
• Safari Air Link
• Coastal Aviation
• Auric Air
• Air Excel

Tanzanian cuisine reflects both the country’s history and geography. Ingredients such as curry reflect its role as a crossroads of trade, as Indian traders introduced it to the region.

The recipes of Tanzania are full of flavours whether its ugali, Supu ya Ndizi, maandazi, vitumbua, Wali wa Nazi, Mchuzi wa Samaki, Ndizi Kaanga, Mishkaki, Wali na Harage, pilau, chapatti, mchemsho, or chipsi mayai. Rice, coconut, and cornmeal are the important ingredients in all meals. Tea the most widely consumed beverage and is typically consumed throughout the day, often while socializing and visiting with friends and family.

Staying up to date with the vaccination is most important especially if you are visiting Tanzania.

Malaria is a particular issue in Tanzania. So be careful about it. The common vaccinations are:

• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Polio
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Yellow Fever
• Rabies
• Meningitis

Visit your doctor before your trip and make sure you have taken all vaccines and medicines you need.

Other Safety tips to follow

• Use Insect repellent and avoid insect bites
• Use sunscreen to protect yourself from harsh sunrays
• Use light clothes to feel comfortable
• Avoid using tap water
• Pack a first aid kit
• Keep your valuable documents in a safe place
• Avoid isolated areas at night

Travel insurance covering any loss, medical expenses, theft and flight delay is highly recommended.

Electronic Gadgets

Taking the right gadgets can make a huge difference to your safari.So if you are planning a once-in-a-lifetime African safari, then don’t forget to pack the following electronic gadgets to enhance the experience.

Binoculars

Binoculars let you spot the wild animals easily and clearly. Whether to catch a glimpse of a vanishing Leopard, a lion runs after its prey, or a bird flying quickly to its nest, you need to spot them before taking a photograph.

Camera

If you have a passion for wildlife and nature photography, then a good camera should be in your backpack.

Smartphones

Smartphones are compulsory to talk to your family and friends and sharing some experiences. You can also take good photos and videos using your smartphones.

Extra batteries and extra memory cards

Extra batteries are very important when you run out of battery or memory at a crucial moment. Make sure to take an extra battery and a couple of extra memory cards. As there are many stunning sights to be captured, they fill up very quickly if you take a lot of photos and videos.

Travelling abroad is an exciting experience especially if it’s a safari vacation. You want to leave the stress behind and enjoy your whole trip. But eventuality can happen anywhere which you tend to overlook. So the possibilities can cost you more.

Taking travel insurance makes your planning complete. Just check your insurance covers these things or not

• Medical expenses and hospital benefit
• Emergency evacuation
• Accidental dismemberment
• Legal liabilities are covered
• Personal accident and liability
• Cancelling and cutting short your holiday
• Abandoning your trip
• Delayed flight departure
• Personal belongings and baggage
• Loss of Personal money, passport and travel documents
• Legal expenses

Tanzania lets you touch the real wild of Africa, to spend time in the sun and under the stars and come face to face with Africa’s animals seen in National Geography. Moving freely in the vast savannah of Tanzania and encountering the animals that you dreamed to see in real – these are the things that make a Tanzania holiday like no other.

So if you are moving to taste your safari life, then consider the following things:

• Always listen to your guide
• Zip up your tent and never come out without the permission of your guide.
• During a game drive remember that animals can come very close to your vehicle; so keep quiet and don’t make sudden movements.
• Stay inside the vehicle and ask your guide if you have any emergency.
• Watch out for thorns and overhanging branches when driving.
• If you’re on foot, don’t run. Only prey animals run!
• Don’t mess with baboons.
• Obey the safety rules in your camp or lodge
• Don’t walk around at night and make sure you are escorted back to your tent or room after dinner.

Malaria is most endemic throughout Tanzania.

So it’s recommended to talk to your doctor about how to prevent malaria while travelling. You may need to take prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria, especially if you are visiting an area with a high risk of malaria

Visitors coming to Tanzania need to carry a certificate of yellow-fever vaccination because Tanzania is an infected area (which includes Kenya). However, it is a must in some neighbouring countries like Kenya, Burundi or Uganda.

Hiking the Kilimanjaro is a lifetime experience where nature offers you its utmost beauty, love and peace. We enjoyed every moment, every challenge, pain, laugh, every meal that was prepared with love and every step towards the summit. We most importantly enjoyed the company and permanent support (morally and physically!) of Martin, our super hero guide, and all of his devoted and professional team. I personally learned that patience, will and trust in your and your entourage capacities will always take you hire. I couldn’t reach the summit because my body did not accommodate with the altitude above Barafu Camp, but my other half, Hassib, did summit it, in a record time, thanks to his unique “mental”, determination and Martin’s support. If you decide to climb it, and I so recommend you to do so, remember to drink a lot of water, take all the necessary time for your body to accommodate (consider a mountain sickness pill, which I didn’t and I should have), trust your guide and his/her team, listen to your body, your spirit and the mountain. Kilimanjaro is the most magnificent place on earth, where each one of us can “unleash its potential”.

Climbing Kilimanjaro was the adventure of a lifetime. The climb was thrilling and beautiful. The various ecological zones we passed through were incredible. Martin was very knowledgeable about the various plants and animals we saw. When you set out on a climb that is an adventure of a life-time you want to go with confidence. Importantly, Martin also inspired great confidence in us. Martin earned our trust from the moment he met us in the hotel lounge. My wife had questions about food and expressed that she sometimes gets sick while traveling overseas. Martin patiently listened to her concerns and then responded with details on how her concerns were going to be addressed. This patient demeanor of listening or observing our needs and then ensuring these needs were addressed played out through the entire trip and we quickly grew confident we could trust him with our dream of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. While this approach afforded him the ability to tailor our climb, it was crucial when dealing with the unexpected during the descent. My wife had developed Rheumatoid Arthritis, but we had not yet realized it at the time. She would be diagnosed months after returning home. One of the unfortunate symptoms of this disease is a loss of balance and the ability to walk over rough terrain due to the swelling in the person's feet. Obviously this created difficulty descending the steep and rocky terrain of the Mountain. Martin adeptly adapted and simply unassumingly walked beside my wife such that when needed he was there to quickly provide support so she did not fall. The way he read the situation and so unobtrusively provided help amazes me to this day. While I absolutely loved climbing with Martin and I wish to climb with him again soon, his biggest impact on me was the example he set for the type of person I wish to be.

Etappkyle one of the hardest things I have ever done. A very effective ego-killer experience. Think i was born this day for the second time. Big thanks to my borther @martin_msuya and to my beloved “Simba” team for incrediable support and looking after my life during this journey!

Martin was my guide climbing up the Machame route. I had limited trekking experience and there were a couple times I didn’t think I was going to make it up especially on the last day but with his support and guidance I successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. I would highly recommend Martin as a guide to anyone who asks.