Best Of

We went on the Tanzania/Kenya trip in mid-August 2016. These are suggestions for the conditions we encountered. The temperatures were never extreme and it never rained. We also didn’t have a bug issue anywhere. I am a mosquito magnate (even got bitten in Venice) and didn’t get one bite on this trip. My husband and I have traveled to several countries and this was one of the top two trips ever.

BRING:
Clothes: 2-3 pairs of pants, 4 short sleeved shirts (I wore t-shirts), 2-3 long sleeved (to wear over short sleeves in the mornings), 1 jacket (fleece, jean, puffy), 1 or 2 blouses/golf shirts, 1 pair closed toe shoes (sneakers are fine.)
Camera: Bring whatever type you have and if you plan on buying a new one, get it before this trip and learn how to USE it. People had disposable cameras, i-phones, and all the way up to expensive SLRs. For old-timers, bring triple the amount of film you think you need. It is doubtful you will find any if you run out. As your lens will get very dusty, bring a small, puffer and soft brush to clean it often. Also bring a UV filter. Don’t bring a tripod or monopod. You won’t be able to use them. For those with long lenses, you may want a bean bag.

Binoculars: If you don’t have any, either borrow a pair or buy the best you can afford. You will want one.
Bathroom: Bring hair conditioner! The water is very hard and you will need it. All hotels have shampoo, body gel, hand soap, body lotion, hair dryers, wash cloths, robes.

Misc: sunblock, sunglasses, chapstick, hat with wide brim, eye drops (take every time you’re in a jeep), buff/bandana/scarf to cover your mouth and nose from the dust, either permethrin your clothing before you go (can buy from amazon and follow directions) or bring DEET/picaridin (I just read in the Washington Post that botanical based repellants have much less protection), at least 2 UK power adaptors (Tanzania and Kenya have Type G outlets - the hotels say they have adaptors but don’t take a chance that they are all checked out), spare set of contacts if you have them, sting ease (we actually didn’t get bitten but it’s best to be proactive), alarm clock (cell phone works), a few energy bars, and last but certainly not least, Imodium!!! By the fourth day of the trip, everyone will know everyone’s bowel movements.

OPTIONAL:
gloves and beanie for a couple of the early morning drives and balloon ride, hard candy to keep throat moist, heating pad (I cannot describe how bumpy the roads are), extension cord/power strip (if you need to use anything near the bed – such as a heating pad or cpap) because there are not outlets next to bed, fishing/photography vest with lots of pockets (you don’t need to deal with a backpack/tote), saltines if you have ever had motion sickness in the past (we put them in 2 Tupperware containers so they didn’t get crushed and kept one in a backpack in the jeep), a few packages of wet-wipes (the director will probably have purell at all restroom stops but you’ll want to wipe the dust and grime off your hands also – and everyone will thank you if you pass them around), swimming suit, portable battery charger to use while in jeep (we used it daily to charge the i-phone for taking pictures – the Anker Astro is a convenient size), Dramamine (one woman used it daily but it would put me to sleep), bean bag for camera, flashlight (very handy when walking to/from room and main lodge), shorts (one man wore shorts every day – my husband wore them half of the time and had no problems)


SUGGESTIONS/INFO:
Luggage: Except for the airlines you use to get to and from Africa, don’t worry about the weight. Tauck tells you the maximum weight but no one ever weighs anything within the country. The only person that will care is the poor guy that has to lug your suitcase from the jeep to your room.

Money: Not much cash is needed and do NOT bother with exchanging money. EVERYWHERE we went accepted US dollars. Stores accept credit cards. When dealing with the Masai directly, you will want small bills to buy trinkets: beaded jewelry and boxes, wooden bowls, walking sticks, etc. We ended up spending $120 US at the Masai village but some spent only a few bucks. A couple of times there are tiny marts at a stop and you can buy soda pop or candy. Be sure to get back US change, not Tanzanian or Kenyan shillings.

Clothing: Yes, tan clothing won’t show the dust as much but don’t bother buying new clothes if you won’t wear them after the trip. Black and dark blue attract tsetse flies but a few of us wore those colors and didn’t have any problems. Remember, your clothes will be permethrined or you’ll be wearing DEET (and sometimes both.) There aren’t irons in the rooms but you really won’t care. You will probably want to use laundry services in hotels. The Mt. Kenya Safari Club was expensive so do the laundry before you get there. The other hotels were very cheap. Four Seasons is more expensive but Tauck receives a 50% discount so it ends up comparable to the Serena hotels.

Water: Do NOT get tap water in your mouth for any reason (brushing teeth, singing in the shower, etc.) Put a washcloth over the tap to remind you. The only place I didn’t worry about it is at the Four Seasons. All of the jeeps have bottled water in a cooler and all of the hotels provide free bottled water. Room service will bring 2 bottles in the morning and 2 at turn down service. Take 2-3 bottles from the jeep when you go back to the hotel so you don’t have to contact room service if you need more. It will be free but it’s just easier not dealing with it. We would also get extra soda pop and water during our meals and take them back to the room.

Fresh fruit/veggies: We were told by the director that the fruits and vegetables within all of the hotels were safe. Also, the meals you have that are Tauck planned will, of course, be safe. Some people still didn’t eat salads and fruits but I trust Tauck’s advice. Outside of the hotels, do not eat anything unless you can peal it (like bananas). It is highly unlikely you will ever be eating outside of the group as all meals are planned throughout the entire trip.

Game Drives/Jeeps: Even when I didn’t need my fleece jacket, I brought it to use as a lumbar support in the jeeps. It is sooooo bumpy. The only place to put your backpack is in the aisle between the seats so try not to lug too much around during the day. There’s actually not much you need. There will be 5 jeeps for 30 people in a group. The jeeps hold 6 people with each person having a window (plus one seat next to the guide/driver if someone wants to sit up there.) The top of the jeep pops up and you can stand in the jeep (all but the tall people stood on the seats without shoes) and the roof becomes a canopy to keep the sun off of you. Every day you will be assigned a different driver and the people that are in the jeep with you will change– except for couples and groups that came together – and you change seats at most stops so everyone gets a different view (it pretty much depends on who is in the jeep with you.) I found the back to be the absolute worst on the bumpy roads and preferred to be next to the driver or in the front row. Others favored the back because it’s up higher and they could see the best. Before going on a game drive, bring a roll of toilet paper from the hotel. 90% of the stops will not have toilet paper and most of the toilets will not flush. Many will also not have working sinks and/or soap.

Internet/Phone: Only available while in the main building of the hotels and even then there can be issues. Also, if you plan on making calls, check with your carrier for international calls or look up apps on http://mashtips.com/iphone-apps-for-international-calls/

Electricity: It went out for a few seconds in almost all hotels. The backup power would kick in within 10 seconds. We were told that once the electricity was out for a few hours but it was in the middle of the night and we had no idea.

Tipping: Even though all tips (except for the director) are included, most people tipped the guides/drivers that were really good. (We gave $10 and one person we gave $20 because he was the absolute best – I have no idea what others gave.) We also tipped the maid service daily. There were a couple of meals out in the bush and many tipped the staff as we received excellent service. If anyone gave us outstanding service, we tipped. If you get anything extra (massage, facials, etc.), the tipping will be your responsibility. At the end of trip, the director is expected to be tipped. Tauck suggests $8/day.

Hotel Rooms A/C and Heating: None of the hotels have heaters but the Fairmont Mount Kenya (2 nights) has a wood fireplace in the room. Some were worried about the smoke smell getting into their clothes but we didn’t find that to be a problem. The fire kept the room warmer without being hot. The hotels will also put a hot water bottle in the bed during the turn down service. If you’re still cold, call room service and they’ll bring another one. I didn’t need them to keep warm but put them under my lower back as a lumbar support/heating pad. The only hotel that has air conditioning is the Serena Nairobi on the very last day in Kenya (on the itinerary says there is a reserved day room while waiting to go to the Nairobi airport for your flight home but it’s a regular hotel room.) The Four Seasons Serengeti (Tanzania) and the Amboseli Serena (Kenya) have ceiling fans in the rooms.

Tauck Duffle Bags: They hold more than you will need. No one had an issue. You will use it twice. One will be for 2 nights and the other will be for 3 nights. We used one of our duffles as a carry-on to and from Africa.

Shopping: Haggle, haggle, haggle. Everywhere. Even at the Nairobi airport you can bargain. The largest selection for shopping is at the Cultural Heritage Centre in Arusha. You will be there on Day 6 for about an hour before you head to Amboseli National Park (Kenya.) Since we went to Africa a day early (as most people did), we had a free afternoon before the trip began and spent a couple of hours there. The Centre will send a van or bus to shuttle you for free that will be arranged by the Tauck director. We were told that you cannot haggle at the shops in the Centre (but you can for the art in the museum.) In the shop, I asked how much a wooden elephant cost and it was waaaaay over our budget and started walking away. We were quickly told that they could work on the price and came back after talking with the owner of the Centre and received over 50% off. We then asked if we could get a discount on a smaller piece and received 30% off of that. No one else got a discount but I think we spent much more than anyone else. They will ship your purchases for you but my husband decided to schlep the huge thing around Africa. They bubble wrapped it a hundred times and it was quite safe. I strongly suggest if you plan on buying tanzanite, you get it here. A couple of other places to buy souvenir items are at the border between Tanzania and Kenya and at the Masai village in Amboseli Park (Kenya). At the border, there will a hoard of people trying to sell their wares. When you go to the Masai village, you will end the tour with the Masai selling their items (pretty much the same things sold at the border.) After haggling, the tribe “leader” will eventually come by and tell you that he will accept a smaller amount. Haggle some more. Eventually my husband decided they (the Masai) needed the money more, plus we would be paying so much more if we were in the US. Of course, we wouldn’t be buying any of these items at home. If you like to haggle, you will love shopping on this trip. I hate it. All of the hotels have small stores but the options are limited and prices may be higher. As a last resort, you can buy at the Nairobi airport. You will need to go to the old part of the airport for most shops. You have to go through security to get back to your gate in the new part but it’s in an area that is hardly used and there’s no line. We didn’t find most of the items of good quality but it is the best place to buy Kenyan coffee. It’s a good gift and you’re not having to carry it around during the trip. Ask your director which brands to buy.

Health: If you have trouble walking and are given a room far from main lodge, request to be moved. There is no reason to add to your discomfort. I have a bad back and brought an electric heating pad, Bengay heat patches, tennis balls (if you’ve been in PT, you’ll know why), and a stretching strap. I used all of them. One woman brought a back brace. Bring ALL prescription and OTC medications you may need. It will be difficult or impossible to buy them. Drink a lot of water. You’ll be worried about potty breaks but you don’t want to get sick from dehydration. You’ll always have the choice to “check the tires.” Don’t be shy. Trust me, you won’t be the only one needing to stop. I mentioned it earlier but Imodium is a must to bring. Many people had at least one bout of diarrhea. If you have any diet restrictions, let Tauck know ahead of time and remind the director the first day.