Tanzania edges Kenya in mid-income tourism

TANZANIA is the most sought after destination for leisure travel especially among middle income class while Kenya is tenth, a new survey by online travel agency CheapOair shows.

Sanje waterfalls at Udzungwa National Park

The survey showed that a decrease cost of a return ticket to the top ten destinations has led to the rise in popularity among tourists, especially now when most are looking for budget leisure packages.

Mountain climbing

Tanzania’s numerous parks and reserves offer many climbing options for the avid explorer. The most frequent expeditions are obviously to Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, but there are also other destinations such as the Crater Highlands. Trekking companies will happily put together an itinerary that suits your preferences and our ”things to bring” section will help to make sure that you are adequately prepared. It is advisable, especially when climbing at higher altitudes, to take things slowly and allow your body to acclimatize.

Prison Island Tour

 

Changuu Island was used as a penitentiary for rebel slaves by the sultans from the 1860s until the end of the slave trade. After which the British began building a prison on the island under the guidance of First Governor, Lloyd Matthews. This was completed in 1894. However, the ‘prison’ was only ever used as a quarantine center for possible yellow-fever victims, and even then was hardly used as that. Don’t be deceived by the word ‘prison’ in the island’s English name, the significance of the island, like so many of Zanzibar’s cultural sites, has been made little of and the ‘prison that never was’ now houses a resort and restaurant.

The island is a popular day-trip destination from Stone Town. About 20 minutes from the city by traditional Dhow sailing boat, the island offers excellent snorkeling, a beautiful and quiet white sandy beach, giant turtle sanctuary and coral rag forest.

What to do on Prison Island

One can take the footpath through the woodland, spotting birds, bats, various butterflies and duiker antelope (so long as you tread quietly). The Aldabra Giant Tortoise sanctuary is a major tourist lure. The turtles are not indigenous. Many of those on the island today are descended from 4 that were presented to Lloyd Matthews by the governor of the Seychelles. They are magisterial creatures, weighing in at an average of 200 kg some are as old as 100 years. For TSh 1,000 you can feed them, but watch out for their snapping beaks.

Other marine life is also reasonably rich and Changuu provides good snorkeling. It is by no means the most extensive or varied snorkeling spot off the coast of Zanzibar, but being so close to Stone Town and so easily accessible makes it ideal for those who want to see ‘under the sea’ a little while on a city break.

The island’s restaurant, Matthews, is good and well-renowned. A meal and drinks will not be as cheap as at some spots on Zanzibar, but at around USD 20 a head is by no means extortionate. This is especially so considering the restaurant’s charming atmosphere and good sea view.

Getting to Prison Island

Numerous tour operators run trips to Changuu; see Excursions page for details. These will usually cost between USD 30 and USD 40 for a half day, including USD 6 island entry fee and snorkelling equipment. Full day trips may also be arranged for those who want more than round 2-3 hours on the island. The island has its own lodge for anyone wishing to stay overnight. If you wish to travel independently to the island you might talk to the boat-boys under the Big Tree on Mizingani Road. It should cost around USD 40 to hire boat and captain to the island and back plus USD 6 entry fee per person.

Tarangire National Park

The fierce sun sucks the moisture from the landscape, baking the earth a dusty red, the withered grass as brittle as straw. The Tarangire River has shrivelled to a shadow of its wet season self. But it is choked with wildlife. Thirsty nomads have wandered hundreds of parched kilometres knowing that here, always, there is water. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It's the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed. During the rainy season, the seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq km (12,500 sq miles) range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire's mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry. The swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird; the stocking-thighed ostrich, the world's largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys. More ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colourful yellow-collared lovebird, and the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver and ashy starling – all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania. Disused termite mounds are often frequented by colonies of the endearing dwarf mongoose, and pairs of red-and-yellow barbet, which draw attention to themselves by their loud, clockwork-like duetting. Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches where the fruit of the sausage tree disguises the twitch of a tail.
About Tarangire National Park Size: 2850 sq km (1,096 sq miles). Location: 118 km (75 miles) southwest of Arusha. Getting thereEasy drive from Arusha or Lake Manyara following a surfaced road to within 7km (four miles) of the main entrance gate; can continue on to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Charter flights from Arusha and the Serengeti. What to do Guided walking safaris. Day trips to Maasai and Barabaig villages, as well as to the hundreds of ancient rock paintings in the vicinity of Kolo on the Dodoma Road.
When to goYear round but dry season (June - September) for sheer numbers of animals.
Accommodation Two lodges, one tented lodge, two luxury tented camps inside the park, another half-dozen exclusive lodges and tented camps immediately outside its borders. Several camp sites in and around the park. More info on accomodation call or email us.

TANZANIA TOURIST BOARD ANNOUNCES 201 3 ANNUAL TOURISM AWARD WINNERS

(October 1, 2013, New York, NY) Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) announced the 2013 winners of the annual TTB Tourism awards. Hon. Amb. Khamis Kagasheki, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism joined by Hon. Amb. Liberata Mulamula, Tanzania Ambassador to the United States presented awards to three of the honorees at the Africa Travel Association (ATA) eighth annual Presidential Forum held at New York University.The three honorees who received the TTB Award in New York were: Click here to read more

From Left to right: Hon. Amb. Liberata Mulamula, Tanzania Ambassador to the United States; Tova Syrowics, Travel Editor, Elite Traveler Magazine; and Hon. Amb. Khamis Kagasheki, Tanzania Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism.

David Schwenk, African Travel, Inc. accepting Tanzania Tourist Board Award at Africa Travel Association’s Presidential Forum in New York presented by Hon. Amb. Khamis Kagasheki, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism.

From Left to Right: Hon. Amb. Liberata Mulamula, Tanzania Ambassador to the United States; Kent Redding, President, Africa Adventure Consultants; and Hon. Amb. Khamis Kagasheki, Tanzania Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism.

RUAHA NATIONAL PARK NAMED AS THE BEST WINTER TRIP DESTINATION FOR 2013

 Located southwest of Tanzania’s most famous safari destinations—the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater—7,809-square-mile Ruaha National Park is off the beaten adventure tour track, offering a quieter, wilder environment for exceptional game viewing and birding. The Great Rift Valley crosses the park, and the Great Ruaha River, a year-round lifeline for the park’s large mammals, forms the eastern border. In addition to having a high concentration of elephants (thought to be the largest of any East Africa park), as well as resident hippos and buffalo, Ruaha is also known as a birder’s paradise. January to April (the hot, short rainfall season) is considered the best time to view the park’s more than 570 species, including the Ruaha red-billed hornbill. Book one of the eight luxurious tents at secluded Jongomero safari camp to embark on ranger-guided game drives in open four-wheel-drive vehicles and small-group walking safaris and birding tours. The camp is just ten minutes from the nearest airstrip, facilitating a quicker civilization-to-safari transition from Dar es Salaam or Arusha.

SUNSET DHOW CRUISE

 After you step on-board the vessel, the skilled crew on board take the dhow about 1km away from the shore by means of an engine, once out in the sea the engine is shut off and during a tense moment the skillful crew put up the sail, once the sail is in favor of the wind, the guest can sit back, relax and enjoy the peacefulness of the ocean as you hear the ripple of water on the sides of the dhow as it glides swiftly through the clear turquoise water.

Our sunset cruises leave Stone Town in the late afternoon to cruise along the coast, slicing through the clear turquoise water. The sounds of the bustle of busy people in Stone Town grow faint in the distance until they seem there, only in a memory, as the dhow sail you will be served with sodas drinking water, and Zanzibar light snacks which will encourage you to sink back into the dhow bench and enjoy the romance of Zanzibar Island while the sun sets down with its beautiful orange colors. Your breath will be taken away by the wonder of the fiery golden-sun setting beyond the horizon as it makes the sky a magical canvas of shades of pinks, purples, blues and orange. As you head back for stone town the wind gently blows into the Latin sail which is truly mesmerizing. On board our dhow we have a personal guide who will accompany you on your cruise and give you a tour of Stone Town from the water as well as be able to answer any questions that you may ask him. You will come back to the shore at 1830hrs to take your tax back to hotel. Excursion time: from 16.30pm till sunset