Travel Advice
Overview
Taking advantage of and following the right and experienced Travel Advice will enable you to thoroughly relax and take pleasure in your vacation in Tanzania with less stress and comfort. The investment of both time and money that you put in for your safari is worth it – and planning well ahead of time is very crucial to ensure that your safari experience lives up to your expectations. Nothing, including what you’ll wear, where you’ll go, and how you’ll get around, should be left to chance.
This section goes over all the unique considerations, terminology, and insider information you’ll require for an exceptional safari experience in Tanzania.
Like you, we had no idea who we could rely on for travel advice, which is why we founded Impala Destination Management Company; a travel company founded by real specialists that truly understand what it takes to embark on a Tanzania safari with a worry-free mentality and experience it all.
Our travel experts are all locals with extensive knowledge of the country, safari junkies who have explored almost every destination and virtually everything in between. Following our advice will save you a big deal of time and frustration; you are in right hands with us.
The majority of the African countries are still on the developing stages, meaning, life in Africa is not as much like it is in the US or other developed countries. As beautiful as Africa in its natural setting is, some major infrastructures and facilities are not well developed.
With this in mind, we recommend that you choose a comprehensive travel-insurance policy. Your insurance should be able to cover your medical expenses, trip cancellation, loss or theft of, or damage to your luggage, emergency medical transfer. As your travel partner in Africa, we take your safety very serious. At a threat of unexpected majeure beyond our control, we will either offer you a full refund or postpone your trip at no additional cost on your part.
Make sure you keep the most important Travel documents with you when boarding your plane, such as visas, passport, yellow-fever inoculation, Airline tickets, a copy of information page of your passport, Impala DMC’s contact details, Copy of travel insurance, List of medical prescriptions, sufficient money to pay for your tourist visa at the airport upon arrival if you delay to apply, and emergence medication etc.
You’ll be expected to pay in full for any medical services as a foreigner, so make sure your current medical insurance covers you while you’re away from home and add to it if necessary.
Malaria is the most major health concern for travellers coming to Tanzania. Throughout summer, the threat is moderate, and it is very low throughout the winter. We highly recommend that you first consult a health-care professional no less than thirty days prior to departure and let them know that you are traveling to a malaria-endemic region. However, keep in mind that the Malaria parasite P. vivax appears to be capable of swiftly developing an effective resistance to new prophylactic drugs, therefore avoiding mosquito bites in the first place is the best prevention strategy.
Follow Impala DMC’s Tips:
- Put on the right clothes especially in evening hours
- Unlike dark-colored, the light-colored type of clothes doesn’t attract mosquitos and tsetse flies.
- Make sure your clothes cover your body very well. Wear long-sleeve shirts, long trousers, shoes and long socks in case you put on short trousers. For some areas, you may want to tuck your trousers in your socks.
- Apply mosquito repellent.
- Always sleep in a room that has a good mosquito net or mosquito-proof.
- Whenever appropriate, turn and leave fan on.
- Avoid areas with mosquitos entirely if possible.
Note: The risk of contracting malaria during Peak season (May through October) is very low comparing with Low (rainy) season. If you’ve been bitten by mosquito and eventually end up feeling the effects (which typically should be headache and muscle aches, worsening high fever, chills and sweats), don’t wait for so long before you go to the hospital. Malaria can be treated but waiting before you begin treatment could worsen the situation and even cause death.
- Drink plenty of bottled water especially when under extreme heat conditions (two-three quarts/day)
- Before drinking the water, make sure the seal of the bottle is unbroken.
- Put on a hat
- Apply sunscreen
- Wear lightweight clothes
- As soon as you get out of the water, thoroughly dry yourself with a clean towel. This may aid in removing any parasites before they have a chance to penetrate your skin.
- If you’ve been exposed, go to a pharmacy, grab a treatment regimen, and start taking the medication immediately.
- Take the medication home and schedule a checkup once you get there if your trip is coming to an end soon after your exposure.
- Listen carefully to your guide and take nothing for granted.
- Only walk on designated pathways in single line to avoid broadening trails.
- Avoid disturbing artifacts in historical or archeological areas.
- Do not walk near and disturbing nesting or breeding areas.
- Ensure your footwear is clean prior to hiking to avoid spreading invasive species.
- Pay serious attention to signboards; never wander in restricted areas for your own safety.
- Use toilet services only at designated areas. In emergency situations, bury your waste well.
- Take your trash out with you or dispose it in designated place; leave nature as you find it!
Yes, you are the boss in the presence your guide, but exercising wisdom and patience will benefit you more than you thought possible. First, acknowledge that he / she is a professional in the field. It can be tempting to doubt his reasoning but failure to follow a simple instruction can lead to a life-threating situation. Instead of trying to show off on your knowledge, choose to follow his / her example and be kind. In a group situation, your guide may not always be able to attend everyone’s question so we suggest you write down your question and ask your guide at a more convenient time.
Doing this will save time and create amazing opportunities to further explore more fascinating sites. Our guides are always happy to go an extra mile and provide every client with the best service such as you deserve. If you have a special interest, you can always ask your guide to spend enough time in that particular subject and they’ll be glad to do so.
Let your guide introduce you to the local community. Always pull up a smile, reach out and shake hands and kick start a simple conversation. Interacting well with the locals can positively and actively influence your host and you may learn so much from them.
- Avoid arguing and most importantly quarrels. It’s not worthwhile to spend your time in such situation. Let us help you straighten things up
- Don’t criticize the lifestyle of the locals; this is not a wise thing to do.
- Always be generous to people but beware of strangers.
- If you would like to make a donation, we recommend that you consult with us first. We’ll be happy to help you do things the right way.
Now that you are inspired to travel and explore Tanzania, Impala Destination Management Company should be your travel partner. We love our natural world and we want to be a part of the positive change and improvement the world is craving for. Tourism with Impala DMC is more than just exploring Tanzania’s beautiful country- side and create lasting memories; we long to be the top-notch responsible tour operator and preserve nature for future generations.
To make a difference with Impala DMC while creating great safari memories, we suggest that you stick to the following guidelines.
- Discourage poaching and other illegal wildlife activities by avoiding souvenirs made from endangered wild animals and or forest products.
- Use water carefully; never leave taps operating.
- Don’t throw trashes. Some hard materials take as long as a hundred years to fully dissolve and can cause serious environmental disaster.
- Honor local customs by dressing modestly especially in public beaches, city centers, and religious places. Dressing inappropriately can get you stared at a lot and treated less respectively by locals.
- Support development projects and change lives. Traveling with Impala DMC, you literarily spending your holiday contributing positively to the natural world.