Frequently Asked Questions:
Services:
Question: What services or tour does your organization provide?
Answer: We specialize in trekking tour, cycling tour and also organizing the budget camping safaris, budget lodge safaris, luxury lodge safaris, walking safaris, mountain climbing cultural tourism, beach holiday and tailor made safaris etc.
Question: How long are the hikes each day?
Answer: This will depend on the tour you choose so will be from five to seven hours.
Question: What are the accommodations like?
Answer: There is a range of accommodations. Some have a private bath, some have a shared bathroom, some have electricity and others have none. Some for running water.
Question: Is there a choice on accommodation? For instance, if a private bathroom is needed?
Answer: Yes, please let me know ahead of time and I can arrange that for you.
Question: Can I create a custom itinerary?
Answer: Yes, in fact I specialize in this. Since we are a small organization we are able to build an itinerary exactly the way you want it.
Question: What can I expect to learn about the local communities?
Answer: My studies include Mammology, Ornithology, Herpetology, Anthropology, Geology and History….You will listen to informative stories of how local communities live and how the local environment supports them. You will also learn about various flora and fauna through the journey as you pass various species. I love to tell stories about the local people, history and culture. You can ask me anything and I am happy to share what I know with you.
Question: What will we see along the way?
Answer: Villages, farms, meet with locals, tropical rain forests, chameleons, Columbus monkeys, Sykes monkeys, historical sites, waterfalls, panoramic views, birds, insects, local irrigation farming, different terracing farming, and spectacular mountain views over the plain, beautiful landscapes, etc.
Question: What is the size of a typical group?
Answer: The average group size I work with is four people, I can accommodate as few as two and as many as you want to travel with. I have a great network in the guiding community and can bring others in to help me for larger parties.
Question: Is there a minimum or maximum number of trekking days for your tours?
Answer: Yes, the minimum days is two and the maximum is five days.
Question: Will you (Anthony) be our guide or do you have different guides?
Answer: If am available I will be your guide. If not, I will arrange to have one of my guides who speaks good English lead you on the trek. All of the guides I work with are professional guides and will provide a high level of service.
Question: Can my guide speak English? Any other languages?
Answer: Yes, all can speak very good English and other languages especial local languages.
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
Question: Is water and other beverages readily available along the route?
Answer: Yes, they are available along the way.
Question: Is it safe to drink water from the taps?
Answer: No, it is not safe but we can buy water every day from the small stores along the way.
Question: Is bottled water included in the price of the trek?
Answer: Yes, is included in the price.
Question: What type of food is provided?
Answer: Local and European food.
Question: Is the local food safe to eat?
Answer: The food provided is safe to eat and most guests do not have any problems. It is up to the clients discretion whether or not to eat fresh uncooked items, as local water may be used to wash/prepare them.
Question: Can you accommodate for certain diets and preferences?
Answer: Yes, I can because I have a professional cook.
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT:
Question: What type of clothing should I bring?
Answer: Dress in natural colors like brown, beiges and khaki, shorts or trousers and short sleeved shirts/blouses or t shirt in cotton, are generally preferred. Woolen sweaters will be required in the evening or early mornings, it gets surprisingly cold in the mountains, even in Africa!
Question: What type of shoes should you wear?
Answer: You will need trekking boots or solid hiking/sport shoes but depends on the month if it is raining or not.
Question: Do I need to bring sleeping bags, blankets or pillows?
Answer: You don’t need to bring sleeping bags, blankets, pillows. We will be provided with all accommodations.
Question: Do I need to bring anything else i.e. flashlight, water bottle, alarm clock…..
Answer: Yes, you need alarm clock and flashlight, sun glasses, hat, sun cream/lotion, camera, plenty of film, replacement batteries and binoculars. Most stop have electricity for recharging electronics but there will be a few occasions along the route where we may not have power for a few days.
GENERAL:
Question: How do I know if trekking is right for me?
Answer: If you love walking, hiking, being outdoors and are interested in meeting and learning different cultures, trekking is a wonderful way to explore the world. If you have physical limitations please let me know so that I can accommodate the trip to meet your needs.
Question: What Level of fitness should I be at?
Answer: You should be able to walk 3-5 hours per day over uneven terrain without too much difficulty. There are some elevations gains and losses, but it is not extreme. We can modify the pace of the trek to the fitness level of the group as well.
Question: Where does the trek start and how do I get there?
Answer: The trek start from Lushoto, and there are many options to get there, The most popular is to get a bus from Dar es Salaam to Mombo, then I can come and pick you with my private transport and take you to Lushoto. Another option is to fly to Arusha, then you take a bus to Mombo, where I can pick you up. It is also possible to take a bus from Mombo to Lushoto if you prefer.
Question: How much money do I need to bring? Do I need shillings or another form of currency?
Answer: Trekking-it depends how many days you will be trekking but we accept whether in Tanzanian shillings or Dollars and for Safari really depends also on the length of your trip. Payment for Safari is best in $USD.
Question: Are there ATM’s/banks along the route?
Answer: No, there are no ATM/ITM machines along the route. The last stop for an ATM/ITM is in Lushoto. PLEASE arrange the cash you need for the trip in Lushoto or you can arrange the cash you need it, when you are in Dar es Salaam or Arusha.
Question: Should I be concerned about personal safety of my valuables?
Answer: Yes, it is always good to be aware of yourself and your possessions when travelling. The areas I will be taking you are considered generally safe, but as a traveler in a foreign country, you need to use your travel smarts.
Question: Is there Internet access?
Answer: Yes, there are places with internet access, and by western standards, it is very slow. Only plan on the minimal of check-ins (if that) while we are trekking or on a safaris.
Question: Is it ok to take photos of the local villages and individuals?
Answer: It is no problem to take photos of local villages but for people we have to ask them before we photograph them. Most are ok with it, some ask for money and the kids love to see their photo on the camera. Always better to ask for permission first!
Question: Can we visit a school or orphanage during our trek?
Answer: We can visit some local schools, orphanages, blind school and autistic school and we can provide the school with something essential for their learning or classrooms together if you like.
Question: Can we bring candy or pens for the kids in the villages?
Answer: It is not ideal to bring candy and pens to the villages but will be so good if we can bring them to school.
Question: Where does the money go, that you collect?
Answer: 40% of the money you pay it goes to the village development fund that already directed to the community project which is Health centre, paying school fees to poor students, buying school equipment and offering some training to the youth who have no professions. This is my motivation to work in teamwork as together we can do.
Safari Related Questions:
Question: What animals will we see?
Answer: We will see lots of animals and a great variety too. You can expect to see hundreds in the dry season and thousands, possibly, millions in the wet season. We will keep an eye out for the Big 5 too (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalos)! We often see several of these on each trip, but there are no guarantees that we will see all 5.
Question: What kind of food will be served?
Answer: I hire a professional chef to serve all of the food on the safari trips. It often consists of a protein, vegetable, tasty sauce and served with a lots of fruits. Soup is also available if you like it.
Question: Are the campsites safe (other people and/or animals)?
Answer: There are dozens of people camping in each campsite each and every night. The camps are patrolled by an armed ranger when there is the potential for animals to get close.
.
Question: What type of vehicle will we travel in?
Answer: Four wheel Toyota land cruiser with an open roof.
Question: How many hours driving per day will we do?
Answer: roughly 6 hours.
Question: How close will we get to the animals?
Answer: In some cases it will be as close as 2 meters, but often is 10-100m.
Question: Are the game drives safe and does anyone ever gets injured by the animals?
Answer: The game drives are very safe. We do our best to not disturb the animals. So long as the visitors follow the rules of the guide and the parks there will not be any issues.
Question: Are there any special things I should bring?
Answer: If you like take photographs, bring a good SLR with a telephoto lens. A pair of binoculars is also a good idea but not essential.
Question: What is included in the price?
Answer: All our safari packages include, transport by safari vehicle, all game park entry fees, all camping fees, all camping equipment, foam mattresses, three meals per day whilst on safari prepared by our cook, guide fees, administration fees and 20%for the village development fund.
Question:Is there a place to exchange money.
Answer:The country has a liberal foreign exchange policy. There is a wide range of banks and currency exchange bureaus to choose from. Credit cards are generally not accepted except in large shops and establishments. American dollars are usually accepted for cash payment. At bureaus there are different exchanging rates for currency notes of various denominations. Working hours for banks are usually 8 AM to 2:30 PM. Monday to Friday with Saturday being a half day.
Question: What is the Tanzania climate
Answer: Tanzania climate is generally tropical in most areas while temperate climate is experienced in the high lands. The central plateau is dry and arid with hot days and cool nights. June to September is the cool season. The long rains are from March to mid June and short rains from October to December. The hottest months are between October and February. On the coast , it rains in November and December and from march to may are hot and humid although sea breezes the area pleasantly between June and September.
Question: What is Tanzania climate and where is situated
Answer: Tanzania is situated just south of the Equator bordering the Indian Ocean with an area of 930704 sq km of which 53000 sq km. area covered by inland water and 247537 sq km are specially reserved for the protection of wildlife. The inland of Zanzibar is 2760 sq km. in an area.
Question:What are the popular beaches in Zanzibar
Answer:Among the more popular beaches are Kiwengwa, Nungwi , Bwejuu , Uroa, Matemwe, Mapenzi, Pingwe and Jambiani. The Dolphin Safari at Kizimkazi at the South the Island is a fascinating experience.
Question: What are Tanzania’s Safari parks?
Answer: Tanzania Safari are divided into three circuits, Nothern Tanzania comprises of the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Manyara National Park, Tarangirie National Park, Arusha National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Selous National Park, Ruaha National Park and Mikumi National Park make up the southern circuit, while Gombe National Stream Park and Mahale Mountain National Park make up the western circuit.
Question: What is the geographical location of Tanzania
Answer: Tanzania lies on the on the East African coast between 1 and 11.45 latitudes south of the Equator and 29.20 and 40.35 longitudes east.
Question: What services or tour does your organization provide?
Answer: We specialize in trekking tour, cycling tour and also organizing the budget camping safaris, budget lodge safaris, luxury lodge safaris, walking safaris, mountain climbing cultural tourism, beach holiday and tailor made safaris etc.
Question: How long are the hikes each day?
Answer: This will depend on the tour you choose so will be from five to seven hours.
Question: What are the accommodations like?
Answer: There is a range of accommodations. Some have a private bath, some have a shared bathroom, some have electricity and others have none. Some for running water.
Question: Is there a choice on accommodation? For instance, if a private bathroom is needed?
Answer: Yes, please let me know ahead of time and I can arrange that for you.
Question: Can I create a custom itinerary?
Answer: Yes, in fact I specialize in this. Since we are a small organization we are able to build an itinerary exactly the way you want it.
Question: What can I expect to learn about the local communities?
Answer: My studies include Mammology, Ornithology, Herpetology, Anthropology, Geology and History….You will listen to informative stories of how local communities live and how the local environment supports them. You will also learn about various flora and fauna through the journey as you pass various species. I love to tell stories about the local people, history and culture. You can ask me anything and I am happy to share what I know with you.
Question: What will we see along the way?
Answer: Villages, farms, meet with locals, tropical rain forests, chameleons, Columbus monkeys, Sykes monkeys, historical sites, waterfalls, panoramic views, birds, insects, local irrigation farming, different terracing farming, and spectacular mountain views over the plain, beautiful landscapes, etc.
Question: What is the size of a typical group?
Answer: The average group size I work with is four people, I can accommodate as few as two and as many as you want to travel with. I have a great network in the guiding community and can bring others in to help me for larger parties.
Question: Is there a minimum or maximum number of trekking days for your tours?
Answer: Yes, the minimum days is two and the maximum is five days.
Question: Will you (Anthony) be our guide or do you have different guides?
Answer: If am available I will be your guide. If not, I will arrange to have one of my guides who speaks good English lead you on the trek. All of the guides I work with are professional guides and will provide a high level of service.
Question: Can my guide speak English? Any other languages?
Answer: Yes, all can speak very good English and other languages especial local languages.
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
Question: Is water and other beverages readily available along the route?
Answer: Yes, they are available along the way.
Question: Is it safe to drink water from the taps?
Answer: No, it is not safe but we can buy water every day from the small stores along the way.
Question: Is bottled water included in the price of the trek?
Answer: Yes, is included in the price.
Question: What type of food is provided?
Answer: Local and European food.
Question: Is the local food safe to eat?
Answer: The food provided is safe to eat and most guests do not have any problems. It is up to the clients discretion whether or not to eat fresh uncooked items, as local water may be used to wash/prepare them.
Question: Can you accommodate for certain diets and preferences?
Answer: Yes, I can because I have a professional cook.
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT:
Question: What type of clothing should I bring?
Answer: Dress in natural colors like brown, beiges and khaki, shorts or trousers and short sleeved shirts/blouses or t shirt in cotton, are generally preferred. Woolen sweaters will be required in the evening or early mornings, it gets surprisingly cold in the mountains, even in Africa!
Question: What type of shoes should you wear?
Answer: You will need trekking boots or solid hiking/sport shoes but depends on the month if it is raining or not.
Question: Do I need to bring sleeping bags, blankets or pillows?
Answer: You don’t need to bring sleeping bags, blankets, pillows. We will be provided with all accommodations.
Question: Do I need to bring anything else i.e. flashlight, water bottle, alarm clock…..
Answer: Yes, you need alarm clock and flashlight, sun glasses, hat, sun cream/lotion, camera, plenty of film, replacement batteries and binoculars. Most stop have electricity for recharging electronics but there will be a few occasions along the route where we may not have power for a few days.
GENERAL:
Question: How do I know if trekking is right for me?
Answer: If you love walking, hiking, being outdoors and are interested in meeting and learning different cultures, trekking is a wonderful way to explore the world. If you have physical limitations please let me know so that I can accommodate the trip to meet your needs.
Question: What Level of fitness should I be at?
Answer: You should be able to walk 3-5 hours per day over uneven terrain without too much difficulty. There are some elevations gains and losses, but it is not extreme. We can modify the pace of the trek to the fitness level of the group as well.
Question: Where does the trek start and how do I get there?
Answer: The trek start from Lushoto, and there are many options to get there, The most popular is to get a bus from Dar es Salaam to Mombo, then I can come and pick you with my private transport and take you to Lushoto. Another option is to fly to Arusha, then you take a bus to Mombo, where I can pick you up. It is also possible to take a bus from Mombo to Lushoto if you prefer.
Question: How much money do I need to bring? Do I need shillings or another form of currency?
Answer: Trekking-it depends how many days you will be trekking but we accept whether in Tanzanian shillings or Dollars and for Safari really depends also on the length of your trip. Payment for Safari is best in $USD.
Question: Are there ATM’s/banks along the route?
Answer: No, there are no ATM/ITM machines along the route. The last stop for an ATM/ITM is in Lushoto. PLEASE arrange the cash you need for the trip in Lushoto or you can arrange the cash you need it, when you are in Dar es Salaam or Arusha.
Question: Should I be concerned about personal safety of my valuables?
Answer: Yes, it is always good to be aware of yourself and your possessions when travelling. The areas I will be taking you are considered generally safe, but as a traveler in a foreign country, you need to use your travel smarts.
Question: Is there Internet access?
Answer: Yes, there are places with internet access, and by western standards, it is very slow. Only plan on the minimal of check-ins (if that) while we are trekking or on a safaris.
Question: Is it ok to take photos of the local villages and individuals?
Answer: It is no problem to take photos of local villages but for people we have to ask them before we photograph them. Most are ok with it, some ask for money and the kids love to see their photo on the camera. Always better to ask for permission first!
Question: Can we visit a school or orphanage during our trek?
Answer: We can visit some local schools, orphanages, blind school and autistic school and we can provide the school with something essential for their learning or classrooms together if you like.
Question: Can we bring candy or pens for the kids in the villages?
Answer: It is not ideal to bring candy and pens to the villages but will be so good if we can bring them to school.
Question: Where does the money go, that you collect?
Answer: 40% of the money you pay it goes to the village development fund that already directed to the community project which is Health centre, paying school fees to poor students, buying school equipment and offering some training to the youth who have no professions. This is my motivation to work in teamwork as together we can do.
Safari Related Questions:
Question: What animals will we see?
Answer: We will see lots of animals and a great variety too. You can expect to see hundreds in the dry season and thousands, possibly, millions in the wet season. We will keep an eye out for the Big 5 too (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalos)! We often see several of these on each trip, but there are no guarantees that we will see all 5.
Question: What kind of food will be served?
Answer: I hire a professional chef to serve all of the food on the safari trips. It often consists of a protein, vegetable, tasty sauce and served with a lots of fruits. Soup is also available if you like it.
Question: Are the campsites safe (other people and/or animals)?
Answer: There are dozens of people camping in each campsite each and every night. The camps are patrolled by an armed ranger when there is the potential for animals to get close.
.
Question: What type of vehicle will we travel in?
Answer: Four wheel Toyota land cruiser with an open roof.
Question: How many hours driving per day will we do?
Answer: roughly 6 hours.
Question: How close will we get to the animals?
Answer: In some cases it will be as close as 2 meters, but often is 10-100m.
Question: Are the game drives safe and does anyone ever gets injured by the animals?
Answer: The game drives are very safe. We do our best to not disturb the animals. So long as the visitors follow the rules of the guide and the parks there will not be any issues.
Question: Are there any special things I should bring?
Answer: If you like take photographs, bring a good SLR with a telephoto lens. A pair of binoculars is also a good idea but not essential.
Question: What is included in the price?
Answer: All our safari packages include, transport by safari vehicle, all game park entry fees, all camping fees, all camping equipment, foam mattresses, three meals per day whilst on safari prepared by our cook, guide fees, administration fees and 20%for the village development fund.
Question:Is there a place to exchange money.
Answer:The country has a liberal foreign exchange policy. There is a wide range of banks and currency exchange bureaus to choose from. Credit cards are generally not accepted except in large shops and establishments. American dollars are usually accepted for cash payment. At bureaus there are different exchanging rates for currency notes of various denominations. Working hours for banks are usually 8 AM to 2:30 PM. Monday to Friday with Saturday being a half day.
Question: What is the Tanzania climate
Answer: Tanzania climate is generally tropical in most areas while temperate climate is experienced in the high lands. The central plateau is dry and arid with hot days and cool nights. June to September is the cool season. The long rains are from March to mid June and short rains from October to December. The hottest months are between October and February. On the coast , it rains in November and December and from march to may are hot and humid although sea breezes the area pleasantly between June and September.
Question: What is Tanzania climate and where is situated
Answer: Tanzania is situated just south of the Equator bordering the Indian Ocean with an area of 930704 sq km of which 53000 sq km. area covered by inland water and 247537 sq km are specially reserved for the protection of wildlife. The inland of Zanzibar is 2760 sq km. in an area.
Question:What are the popular beaches in Zanzibar
Answer:Among the more popular beaches are Kiwengwa, Nungwi , Bwejuu , Uroa, Matemwe, Mapenzi, Pingwe and Jambiani. The Dolphin Safari at Kizimkazi at the South the Island is a fascinating experience.
Question: What are Tanzania’s Safari parks?
Answer: Tanzania Safari are divided into three circuits, Nothern Tanzania comprises of the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Manyara National Park, Tarangirie National Park, Arusha National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Selous National Park, Ruaha National Park and Mikumi National Park make up the southern circuit, while Gombe National Stream Park and Mahale Mountain National Park make up the western circuit.
Question: What is the geographical location of Tanzania
Answer: Tanzania lies on the on the East African coast between 1 and 11.45 latitudes south of the Equator and 29.20 and 40.35 longitudes east.