TANZANIA

Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings

There was no departure tax at the airport, neither at Kilimanjaro nor Dar es Salaam. The port tax in Dar and Zanzibar is still US$5.
Anders Bjornestad, Norway (Feb 99)

If you are an Australian travelling to Zanzibar, check to see if you require a visa before going. The Tanzanian Embassy will say that no visa is required for Australians entering Tanzania, however Zanzibar Immigration think that they are an independent nation and will sting you for US$20 upon entering. The fact that you have entered Tanzania without a visa means nothing to them, and they are none too polite about it. It is a grey area at the moment; it may change with the Tanzanian government simply saying Australians require visas.
Shane Ryan, Australia (Jan 99)

I obtained a visa at the border. It cost US$20, which is actually $5 less than it would have cost in Sweden. I might have just been lucky, but as usual, if you try your best to be nice to the officials, they should be nice to you - no that doesn't mean I bribed them!
Ola Jornmark, Sweden (Dec 98)

Namanga border post has become a haven for scammers working the long-distance buses and American safari-goers passing through. I was hassled by a well-dressed guy who purported to be an immigration officer, who met me outside Tanzanian immigration and asked for US$20 for a visa. When I told him I was Australian and didn't require one, he remained insistent and threatened to call the border police; when I called his bluff he quickly disappeared. It's not a subtle or clever scam, but no doubt it works on some people.

Also, I had some problems here which were annoying. After handing my passport to the Tanzanian immigration officer, the customs official demanded a search of my pack straight away; obviously I had to keep a close eye on him while he rifled through it. When finished, I turned back to the immigration desk where the official handed back my passport and said "have a nice day". You guessed it, outside of Dar I discovered it hadn't been stamped. This caused me no end of problems at Dar immigration office, where I was threatened with arrest and hassled for the best part of a day. It therefore pays to check your passport rigorously.
Steve Thompson, Australia (Oct 98)

I checked with the Tanzanian embassy in Sweden and the Swedish Foreign Office and both state that Swedish citizens need a visa to enter Tanzania.
Fredric Carlson (Sept 98)

Once you have your Tanzanian visa, you are allowed to cross as many times as you want between Kenya and Tanzania. But going between Tanzania and Malawi or Zambia, they'll want you to pay for a new Tanzanian visa when you return, even if you are assured at the embassy that the visa is valid for as many entries to Tanzania as you like before the expiry date!
Martin Matousek & Milena Holcova - Czech Republic (no date)

The Irish embassy is on Msansani St, just off Heile Selaisse Road before International School (051-66211.
Rebecca Casey & Liam O'Duibhir (Mar 98)

You can get a visa upon arrival at Dar es Salaam airport or at Namanga border (Kenya - Tanzania). The other borders are difficult, so best to get the visas prior to travelling. There are embassies in Nairobi, Lusaka, Harare, but NO embassy in Malawi. British, Americans, Canadians and Dutch currently require visas. Kiwis and Aussies do not.
Woolley (Jan 98)

The immigration office at Bukoba is tough. I had no visa on arrival. After a long negotiation, they granted me a transit visa (I was going to Nairobi) for US$10 (first they wanted US$40).
Marc Grutering - Belgium (Jan 98)

South Africans require a visa for Tanzania. This must be obtained in Pretoria (one day), Harare (three days) or possibly in Lusaka. There is no Tanzanian embassy in Malawi so if you're going to Tanzania via Malawi make sure you get your visa beforehand. You need a vaccination card with yellow fever and cholera stamps.
David Martin - Africa (Jan 98)

We had a visa for Tanzania ($50 each at the Tanzanian consulate in Moscow - we're American citizens), but when the bus stopped on the border for immigration procedures it seemed clear that you can get a visa there in either direction. On the way back through Kenya, the visa folks on the border said our single entry was fine and so we didn't have to get another.
Eric Johnson - Russia (Jan 98)

The cost of a Tanzanian visa is US$45 for Americans and the British pay a ridiculous fee of US$55. Australians don't pay at all. Depending what mood you catch them in at the Tanzanian consulate in Nairobi, you can get it in 24 hours or alternately if they are in high spirits you can get it on the spot. The day I returned to collect my passport, another American showed up and received his on the spot. Lucky bastard.
Another thing that really pissed us off was that Janelle, who is Australian, was charged US$25 for a Zambian visa at the consulate in Dar es Saalam. Australians don't need visas for Zambia, so don't believe the embassy if they tell you that you do.
Jeff Tucker - Australia

The Norwegian Embassy is in Dar es Salaam:
The Royal Norwegian Embassy, Plot 160, Mirambo St, Dar es Salaam.
Phone: +255 5111 3366; Fax: 116 565.
Anders Hole - Norway (Oct 97)

I have to take issue with a previous postcard regarding the use of the drug, Diamox. Amongst the climbing and mountaineering community, it is considered a poor and last resort due to its side effects, the most notable being its diuretic effect, which isn't a positive thing at high altitude. Taking time is always the best option, coupled with massive and often forced hydration - drinking up to eight litres a day is not uncommon. On Kili, extra time is financially costly. If this cannot be afforded, go elsewhere for your altitude fix.

Zanzibar: please use the local touts and "walking guides," who meet you at the airport or ferry terminal. Their livelihood is based on the commission provided by the tour and travel companies and hotels. You do not need to tip them, as many of them will inform you themselves. Even if you know which ferry company or hotel you want, let them take you to the relevant office anyway. You pay exactly the same price, but these boys get a few shillings anyway. You also get a bit of local information on the walk there. Sure, they can be a bit annoying, especially around Africa House, but it is their living - and they are generally pretty cool guys.
Ken Johnston, Australia (Apr 99)

We found Tanzania better organised than we had heard and read, and that the level of service had improved a lot in a short period. We arranged the Kilimanjaro trip in advance, but everything else was arranged on the spot.
Anders Bjornestad, Norway (Feb 99)

If you have non US currency to change, you should go to a bank, not a ForEX, as the rates are 10-15% better. Commissions are not normally charged, but it is a bit more bureacratic. US$ rates are a tiny bit better in ForEX Bureaus, even more so for $100 and $50 bills.

Mt Kilimanjaro: since November 1998, all routes except the Marangu one must now come down the Mweka route.
Jens Henkner, Germany (Jan 99)

Don't ride bikes without lights or bells, as it is illegal.

Hire a car to see some of the more remote parts of the island - they are worth it. Check your jeep or motorbike before setting out, though, and ask the person you are hiring it from to get you a license (around TSh2000); if you ask the police to obtain one for you, it will be much more expensive.
Dan Stothart (Nov 98)

There are no bank machines in Tanzania, but in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, there are a couple of places which will give cash advances in Tanzanian shillings on VISA or MASTERCARD with a substantial commission (close to 10%). I paid for everything - food, accommodation, and even the ferry to and from Zanzibar - in Tanzanian shillings. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of carrying tons of cash around as you travel, I found that there was no requirement for hard currency (ie US$, British Pounds, SA Rand) anywhere in Africa. With travellers' cheques and a credit card, you have access to local currency almost everywhere. Be careful not to be left with too much left over soft currency (ie Tanzanian shillings, Malawi kwacha, Zimbabwe dollars), as it becomes more and more useless the further you travel away from the mother country - sometimes all it takes it to cross the border. Before leaving for the next country on your travels, be sure to exchange all soft currency into the currency of the next country you are headed to.
Brad Vaillancourt, Canada (Dec 98)

For anyone considering doing a safari in northern Tanzania: firstly, it is a shorter journey from Nairobi to Arusha (four hours on a shuttle) than from Dar es Salaam (9-12 hours on a crowded, hot bus ride). We made the mistake of taking the long way. Secondly, it is definitely worth using the local companies instead of arranging something with a company from your home country; safari dollars are a huge boost to the local economy. Make sure you choose your company responsibly, though. We chose a company which arranged a reasonable trips for us, but subsequently found out that they pay their guides next to nothing. Finally, you can contribute to keeping things wild by asking your driver to stay well back from cheetahs (they hunt during the day and frequent visitors can disrupt their ability to get a meal), and stay off wet tracks if you are there during the rainy season. This will prevent the roads from getting ever wider and the grass (ie animal food) from becoming damaged beyond repair.
Paula Swedeen, USA (Dec 98)

Before climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, I strongly recommend that you climb Mt Meru in order to acclimatise to the altitude. Also, Mt Meru is much more beautiful and less crowded. Futhermore, splendid views of Kilimanjaro are guaranteed.

In 1998, only about 20 tour operators have official permission to arrange tours on Kilimanjaro. You can find the list in any of the National Park offices.
Thorleif Etgen, Germany (Nov 98)

It's definitely worth checking out the registered list of safari companies and list of black-listed companies at the tourist office in Arusha before paying.
Tami Ebner, Australia (Sep 98)

Just returned from a trip to Kenya and Tanzania, where we ran a marathon, went on safari and climbed Kilimanjaro - all with our trusty LP in tow. At the end we all agreed that running a marathon was a piece of cake compared to climbing Kilimanjaro - an experience which I would not recommend to anyone I like. It's not a matter of fitness or preparation - the altitude, cold and lack of sleep, all combined succeeded in turning the final ascent to Gilman's Point into what we later described as a "moonwalk in hell", even though we walked "pole pole" (slowly), were fit, healthy, well fed and hydrated. To say we were in a hurry to get down is an understatement - we practically ran past the unfortunate people on their way up, wishing them good luck (in hell). On our fifth day we saw more than a handful of people being sick, fainting or complaining of excruciating headaches - all of them wondering why they ever wanted to climb this mountain. If you really can't resist it, do the six day trek - the more time you give your body to adjust to the altitude the better and take all the warmest clothes you have. By the time we reached the summit the hot tea we had in our waterbottles inside our anoraks was frozen!
Anne Dethlefsen (Sept 98)

It is possible to end e-mails from a lot of places in Arusha, Dar and Zanzibar. Costs are around TSh1000 per 30 minutes. In Arusha you have to go to the AICC (room 244 and many others). In Dar you can go to the "Twiga" in the building of Coastal travels. In Zanzibar, Stone Town just next to the Post Office on Kenyatta Road.

In the Sheraton hotel in Dar, it is possible to buy dollars with credit card.
Albert de Haas, The Netherlands (Sept 98)

As LP says, "things change" and that is certainly true in Morogoro's case. The prices quoted in the 1997 edition of the East Africa guide are generally very low, particularly now with the country-wide introduction of 20% VAT. New hotels catering for the "top end" of the market have opened and a few at the "bottom end" have closed.
Sancha Simpson-Davis, Tanzania (July 98)

My wife and I just got back from three weeks in Tanzania (safari two weeks, beach one week). Eighty per cent of the places that take a VISA card will not take American Express cards. Leave American Express cards home and take VISA cards instead. Tanzania is a great place. Zanzibar is a tropical paradise.
Bob, The Thorn Tree (Sep 98)

Mtae (60 km from Lushoto) is a beautiful town situated on a most dramatic cliff outcrop. The views are the best - overlooking Mkumozi Game Reserve and plains, two lakes and, with good visibility, Mount Kilimanjaro itself. The village people are amongst the friendliest in Tanzania. There are cheap and well organised hikes from Lushoto coursing through other villages and rainforest with colobus monkeys.
Dr Saleem Taibjee, UK (Aug 98)

Absolutely everything is closed in Dar es Salaam on a Sunday. I arrived expecting to be able to get somewhere to stay and have a nice dinner (first opportunity in civilisation for a long time for many people), and instead spent the whole day walking around unable to even buy a packet of cigarettes. If I'd known this before I would have changed my plans to avoid arriving on a Sunday. The only restaurant that was open is the Chef's Pride (opposite the Holiday Inn).
Trisha Stephenson, UK (Jul 98)

Prices in Tanzania have risen significantly. There appear to be two factors. Firstly, the recent introduction (in July 98) of value added tax at 20%. This applies to almost everything - transport, medical and educational materials are VAT exempt. Secondly, the increasing number of tourists has forced prices up. It is also worth noting that prices in Arusha are much higher than in Moshi, despite being only 80 kms apart.
Neil Stevenson (Jul 98)

The Amboni caves are worth a visit. The extensive caverns have been explored for 16 kms but are believed to extend to over 200 kms. There are myths about a dog entering the caves at Amboni and being seen in Kilimanjaro ! A guided tour costs TSh1000 (TSh500 for childen and residents). The caves were used by the Mau Mau during the 1950's as a hideout form the British - the Kenyan border being only 50 kms away. Despite the dire warning at the cave entrance about penalties for defacing the caves, they are covered in graffiti of Western visitors.
Neil Stevenson (Jul 98)

Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park : The walk in fee with no porters/guides is US$306 per person for five days. This is not a bargain once you start including food, porters, guides and equipment. I would recommend that if you are not an avid mountain climber or have a quest to climb every tall mountain in the world - don't do it. It is very difficult for the average person to do it in five days. We were very, very exhausted after this trek. During my torture I was wishing I was back in Zanzibar.
Franklin Murillo (July 98)

Zanzibar: there was a major problem with electricity while we were there. It pays to check whether your accommodation has a generator. Several places don't.
Sally Tong - UK (Jun 98)

Accommodation prices in general have gone up (about 20%) since 1st January, 1998 due to higher taxes.
Alexander Niklas & Christina Nikolaus (Mar 98)

There is a new government tax of 20% which made almost all prices go up.
Thomas Mauhart & Barbara Knopf (Mar 98)

Park Entry fees to National Parks went up in the New Year by about US$20. Don't get hoodwinked into believing that you can only go into Arusha and Kilimanjaro National Parks with a tour operator. You can hire guides an porters at the park entrance and they will do your cooking as well (you have to bring your food though).
Peter Barron - Australia (Feb 98)

Good bookshops in Dar es Salaam: at The Slipway in Msasani there is a brilliant bookshop called A Novel Idea, that has a huge selection of books covering a large area of topics and at very reasonable prices. They have well detailed maps and guidebooks covering Tanzania.
Helen - The Thorn Tree (Feb 98)

It is possible to get cash advances on credit cards (VISA and others) at a few spots in Dar es Salam - the Bureau de Change on the right when exiting the airport, Coastal Travel near the Sheraton and many spots in Zanzibar.
Credit cards are not very widely used, especially American Express.
Dave Harcourt (Feb 98)

When I arrived at Naabi Hill (the main gate at Serengeti National Park), without an organized tour, I was not allowed in. The wardens did not let me catch a ride into the park even though it looked easy. The next day I met some friends and joined their tour; organised tours from Arusha into the parks cost about US$80 per day.
Manuel Guillen (Dec 97)

Don't count on being able to use credit cards in Kenya, Tanzania or Malawi. Traveller's cheques are still your best bet. There is also the usual problem with US$100 bills (and sometimes even the US$50 as well).
Richard Carr - UK (Dec 97)

Yellow fever certificates were checked on arrival at Dar es Salaam airport, not just entry to Zanzibar. At Dar airport, all sorts of hassles await those without one.
Venu Thirunamachandran (Dec 97)

There is now a VISA cash advance point in Dar es Salaam. The company Coastal Travels provides this service. Their opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturdays 9am to 12pm. Their location is correctly described on your map of Dar es Salaam on page 589 of the travel guide. This is the only cash advance point in Dar es Salaam (perhaps in the whole of Tanzania) at this time. If you ask at the Sheraton Hotel they will direct you there.
Patrik Pettersson - Sweden (Nov 97)

I would like you to know that the internet cafe I am using is superb. It has all the capabilities of accessing the internet, three P166 MMX computers, 33 pbps modems, 17" screens, situated in the heart of the city - Zanaki Street, near Zanzibar Guest House. It's Internet Africa, choksi@intafrica.com. I am in no way linked to these people but would like the world to know about it.
Mitesh (Nov 97)

Making reservations for the train is impossible from Dodoma.
Johannes & Andreas, Austria (Mar 99)

We managed to take the luxusbus from Moshi to Dar es Salaam and the boat to Zanzibar on the same day.
Anders Bjornestad, Norway (Feb 99)

The tracks between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma have been fixed, so you can now take the train all the way from Kigoma or Mwanza to Dar. The train schedule has reverted to the old one, leaving Kigoma in the evening, instead of 7am. At the moment, Air Tanzania is actually flying three times a week from Dar to Kigoma. As always, this is subject to change at any time, but worth checking in to if your time is short.
Cheryl Robinson, USA (Jan 99)

There is a direct bus from the border to Dar; the office is on your left when you enter Tanzania, before you pass customs. The ticket is TSH 10,000 and the trip is supposed to take 10 hours (if the bus doesn't break down).

It might be a good idea to buy a return ticket on the ferry to Zanzibar, because once in a while they do raise the price for the return ticket on the island, and it's not like you have many options.
Ola Jornmark, Sweden (Dec 98)

There is a direct bus from Dar to Lilongwe in Malawi, leaving from where the buses to Tanga depart. The fare is TSh 25,000 (US$42) to Lilongwe, but they can drop you off at any place en route.

The Riverman Inn in Stone Town takes bookings for the TAZARA railways for a small fee of less than US$1. The major advantage is that you need not go to the station in Dar for the booking. You should book a couple of days prior to leaving as the trains are usually fully booked two or three days in advance. The only exception is 3rd class, where there are no beds available.

The TAZARA train compartments are now mixed; there appears to be no segregation of the sexes any more.
Alexander Junge, Germany (Nov 98)

Air Tanzania also operates flights to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam for US$109 which is a lot cheaper than the flight by Precision Air for US$165. Yellow fever certificates are still required, even when entering from elsewhere in Tanzania.
Thorleif Etgen, Germany (Nov 98)

To get from Arusha to Zanzibar, it is definitely better to fly from Kilimanjaro airport straight to Zanzibar. The flight takes an hour or less; the bus ride takes 7-9 hours to Dar and then 1-2 hours on the sea bus. The cost is about the same.
Barton Ward, USA (Nov 98)

The night ferry from Dar Es Salaam to Zanzibar has ceased to exist. The other way, Zanzibar to Dar Es Salaam still goes, as far as we heard.
Sofia Svensson, Sweden (Sept 98)

I learned the hard way during a holiday in Tanzania earlier this year, that the domestic airline, Air Tanzania, will simply cancel any flight that is not booked heavily enough to make it worth their while to run. The locals call the airline 'Air Maybe'. As a passenger, don't expect to be informed of the cancellation, alternative travel arrangements to be made for you by the airline or for a refund to be forthcoming. My advice for internal flights within the country is to go with Precision Air whose reputation lives up to its name.
Sandie Gustus, Australia (Sep 98)

Tanzania trains/ferries info in LP wrong: there have been significant changes which will affect anyone attempting to travel to or from Mwanza on Lake Victoria.
LP says:
A bus leaves from the border at Mutukula to Bukoba at 5pm.
Reality:
There is no bus but there are matatus which leave when full. Mine did leave around 5pm. The trip takes three hours over appalling roads.
LP says:
The ferry from Bukoba to Mwanza leaves at 9pm.
Reality:
That boat's in dock. Its replacement leaves at 6pm. Guess who got there at 8pm.
LP says:
There are flights between Bukoba and Mwanza three days a week.
Reality:
Precision Air flies at least once a day and usually twice. Departure times vary but the earliest is 8.30am. Cost is $65.
LP says:
Trains between Dar and Mwanza/Kigoma leave at 5pm four days a week.
Reality:
From Mwanza, they leave Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 8am and arrive 8pm the following day. From Kigoma, they leave the same days at 7am. From Dar, they leave Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday (sic) at 8am. The timetable change came after the El Nino floods so maybe it'll revert soon but those times are accurate now. First and second class fares from Mwanza to Dar are 29,800 and 23,900 respectively. But you should never do this. If you get out at Morogoro and take the bus from there to Dar (1,000 TSh), you'll be in Dar two or three hours before the train. You could get out at Dodoma but the road from there to Dar is terrible whereas the train trip between Dodoma and Morogoro goes through a pleasant river valley, albeit very slowly.
One consequence of the time changes is that you have to stay at least one and maybe two nights in Tabora if you're going from Mwanza to Kigoma. A better option might be to take the plane that goes directly from Mwanza to Kigoma at 1.45pm on Mondays and 8.45am on Fridays and costs $175. Another consequence is that if you come on the boat from Bukoba on a Monday night, say, you'll be lucky to catch the train on Tuesday morning.
LP says:
Mwanza is an 'attractive town'.
Reality:
It's best seen from 5km out on Lake Victoria during a blackout on a moonless cloudy night. The blackouts are not uncommon.
Paul, The Thorn Tree (Aug 98)

When getting the bus to Nairobi from Dar es Salaam, make sure that you take the earliest one possible, even if that means getting up at 5am. My bus was delayed which meant that when I got to Arusha, the driver decided he could only work until midnight so I had to get a taxi to the border, cross the border at 2am (very unsafe), and arrived in Nairobi at about 3am. If this does happen to you, ask the driver in Nairobi if you can sleep on the bus until it is light. Lots of local people do this and it is far safer than wandering around Nairobi with a backpack in the middle of the night.
Trisha Stephenson, UK (Jul 98)

El Nino washed away the train tracks between Dar Es Salaam and Dodoma. A bus to Dodoma from Dar is 5,700 Tanzanian shilling.
The bus ride from Mwanza to Arusha via Singida is only for hardcore budget travellers. But if you have more time than money, it is a guaranteed adventure. Expect to get no sleep for the 40 hour ride because you travel at about 15mph through the bush, jolting and jerking back and forth the whole time.
Robin Flood Mardeusz (Jul 98)

Boats from Mbamba Bay to Nkatha Bay (Malawi): on Tuesday and Friday morning only. Rate: 1st class cabin (2 persons): US$13 per person. It takes about four to five hours to cross the lake to Nkatha Bay. There is a Malawi Immigration office at Nkatha Bay.
Marc Grutering - Belgium (Jan 98)

The road from Bukoba is reported to be unsafe. Everyone takes the boat to Mwanza.
Marc Grutering - Belgium (Jan 98)

Ferries across from Dar - Zanzibar experience some delays with the slower 'local' ferries due to the fact they also carry cargo, especially the Serengetti (Azam Marine). I was delayed by six hours due to off-loading cargo, however, the friendly staff made up by providing me some food and drink.
Nicola J Rizza - UK (Jan 98)

The minivan service to Mount Kilimanjaro airport from Arusha connects outgoing and incoming Air Tanzania flights only.
Venu Thirunamachandran (Dec 97)

For travel between Moshi and Arushi, it seems better to use one of the bigger luxury type buses than the minibuses which are only fractionally cheaper. They are faster (non stop), and more practical if you have a rucksack.
Venu Thirunamachandran (Dec 97)

Muggings, robbery and rape are on the increase according to travellers and local traders. Be sensible: don't display your wealth, cover up and respect the local customs. Don't wander off the beaten track alone at night. It's a beautiful island but security is a real issue.
Simon Murray, UK (Feb 99)

In Zanzibar, never walk alone at night off the main streets in Stone Town, as it has become far too unsafe. Muggings and rapes at knifepoint are happening far more than in previous times, and the police are not very good at dealing with them, particularly rape. Stick to the centre of the main streets or take taxis.

Undercover policemen sometimes go to the full moon or beach parties at coastal resorts looking to bust tourists smoking drugs for bribes.

Topless bathing on any beach, or wearing short skirts is absolutely out. While a few locals may admire you, you are opening yourself up to a bigger crime threat by being blatantly disrespectful of local customs. If someone ran down the street naked in any western country they would provoke disgust. Flouting the dress code is similar. In the words of a sign at the port "Short skirts are like nude!".

Don't walk alone on the beaches at night.
Dan Stothart (Nov 98)

Beware of thieves outside the Mbeya station and on the way to the Malawian border. I saw two travellers robbed by pick-pockets, and heard of two men who discovered at the border that their passports had disappeared and had to travel all the way back to Dar to obtain new ones.
Alexander Junge, Germany (Nov 98)

Regarding the previous entry about Stone Town: robberies do occur, but they invariably happen to those stupid enough to flaunt their wealth at night. We had no problems, day or night. Just use common sense. Due to the disparity in wealth between the locals and Westerners, a flash camera or gold watch makes a nice target. You are unlikely to be robbed if you don't appear to have anything worth robbing!
Jim Haryott (Nov 98)

Kilimanjaro: I recommend being prepared to take care of yourself for the last ascent; none of the guides seem to know about altitude sickness and its severity. I advise using Diamox and taking at least six days for the climb. Even six days is too fast an ascent for the change in altitude; your body can't adjust and the last 4000 ft are not enjoyable.
Barton Ward, USA (Nov 98)

Robberies at knife-point are a daily business in Zanzibar Stonetown and near town. Lots of attacks and stabbings occur daily and the police are reluctant to help.
Barbara Konrad - Germany (Jan 98)

On my recent journey to Eastern Africa I noticed a concerning development. Since local tour operators are confined in providing guided tours up Mount Kilimanjaro by the amount of beds in the huts on the Marangu tourist route, they try to widen their business by diverting the tourists to the Machame route. This route ascends Kilimanjaro via the Western Breach. Different from the tourist route, you have to cross steep snow and icefields and occasionally you have to climb. This would not be a problem if you were properly equipped. We decided to ascend the Kili via that route. Since I am used to hiking in snow and ice I think I am experienced enough to tell that this route should not be hiked without rope, crampons and an ice-pick. The other problem is that the trail over the Western Breach is not clearly visible - despite having a guide we got lost.
Arne Ragobnig - Austria (Sep 97)

Zanzibar: you should go snorkelling off the coast. It was an amazing experience.
Barton Ward, USA (Nov 98)

One really nice thing I did in Jambiani (on the Zanzibarian east coast), was to eat in some of the families' homes. During the day, the children would come down to the beach and ask you if you wanted to eat at their mother's house that night. For between 1000 and 1500 shillings we ate food of far better quality than at the restaurants.
Stuart Anderson - UK (Jun 98)

For hikes in the northern hills, two areas deserve mention. Mlalo is a beautiful little town in the Usambara mountains, about two hours past Lushoto by bus and definitely worth a visit. It is built in a steep sided valley ringed by needle-likes peaks and opening at one end to offer views of the planes below, all the way into Kenya. The houses, many of then two stories tall, climb right up the sides of the valley, so you can stand in the market square and see nearly every building in the valley face on. There are hundreds of great day hikes around, though very few people know English so that could be difficult. There are several cheap guest houses and eateries in town and bus access in a snap. There are even two lines that go directly from Dar es Salaam to Mlalo.

The towns above Moshi on the slopes of Kilimanjaro namely Machame, Umbwe, Mweba and a few others, are linked by heavily used footpaths that traverse some of the most spectacular terrain in the country. It's rather like the first stage of the Kilimanjaro climb, but not so steep and a lot cheaper. The Weruweru gorge between Machame & Umbwe is breathtaking. It's pretty easy going as the local Chagga tribe have lots of English speakers in their midst and all routes are incredibly easy to follow as they've been in constant use for hundreds of years.
Carl Alviani (Jun 97)