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Tanzania: Serengeti to Zanzibar trip May 24, 2014

Shelli

Hi Forum readers! My hubby & I are getting ready for our Tanzania trip. We are newbies to Tauck and Africa. We have read and re-read the tauck booklet; gotten our shots, new safari clothes, etc. but need to hear from anyone who has taken this tour before. I'm sure there's lots to know that is NOT in the booklet. Can anyone help? Also would like to hear from anyone else from this upcoming trip. Sort of a meet-and-greet before we meet at the airport.

Comments

Al E

Shelli,

My wife and I are on this tour. Our first with Tauck. They came highly recommended. We are leaving from Newark, NJ on 21 May and will spend a couple of days at the Lake Duluti Lodge. About food etc. there are a number of posts on the Tauck Tanzania Forum. Good info. See you there.

British

If you check back on the message boards for Kenya and Tanzania tour as well as the Tanzania Zanzibar tour, there is plenty advice. Parts of the tours have xhanged a little, but you will get the gist about clothing, food, temperatures, cameras pretty much everything, but nothing about snakes Shelli!

Shelli

Al E wrote:

Shelli,

My wife and I are on this tour. Our first with Tauck. They came highly recommended. We are leaving from Newark, NJ on 21 May and will spend a couple of days at the Lake Duluti Lodge. About food etc. there are a number of posts on the Tauck Tanzania Forum. Good info. See you there.

We are leaving from Florida on 5/22 - flying to NY then on to Amsterdam then Africa. It's our first Tauck trip also. We will arrive late on 5/23. Guess we'll meet up at the hotel.

Shelli

British wrote:

If you check back on the message boards for Kenya and Tanzania tour as well as the Tanzania Zanzibar tour, there is plenty advice. Parts of the tours have xhanged a little, but you will get the gist about clothing, food, temperatures, cameras pretty much everything, but nothing about snakes Shelli!

Thanks British! We just studied the Tauck booklet and it gave most of the answers. Haven't seen much on what weather we'll get for our trip tho'.

British

Hello Shelli, go to the Tauck web page for the Tanzania Zanzibar tour to the Before You Go section, open that then scroll down to the Weather section.you will see temps. May is coming towards the end of the 'long rains' so you are likely to get heavy though brief afternoon rain. As you can appreciate, the end and beginning of the two rainy seasons in that part of Africa may vary, so perhaps the rains may be done by the time you arrive. You can also go to Weather.com and check the weather for Arusha, ten day review just before you go.
Tauck is a great company, I've been on many of their tours.
.When you get to the airport, you may not see,any other Tauck cutomers as everyone arrives at different times and days. We are arriving two days early for our tour, we like to be more over the jet lag before the tour starts. There are fewer flight choices to Arusha though, so maybe the group could be bigger. Once you leave the airport, the road eventually gets very bumpy before you eventually get to the hotel, don't be worried that the driver seems to be kidnapping you into the back of beyond!
Normally, when you check in, identify yourself as the Tauck Tanzania Zanzibar group and you are usually given an envelope from your tour director with a brief welcome message and a few details about where to meet and any other important bits of info. You usually get more specific itinerary info later on, times you will be going where and so on. Listen carefully about the conditions for the next day or if certain clothing suggestions are made, it helps to make you enjoy each day more. Do not be afraid to ask about anything you are unsure about, the tour directors have always been superb. By chance, the tour director we had for our Kenya and Tanzania trip was also the same one we got for our South Africa tour a few years later, she greeted us like long lost friends, but I guess it would be too much of a coincidence to have her again this trip, I thinks she is doing Europe trips this season. Have a wonderful wonderful trip, you'll go back to Africa, if not ever in person, you will in your dreams.

Shelli

British wrote:

Hello Shelli, go to the Tauck web page for the Tanzania Zanzibar tour to the Before You Go section, open that then scroll down to the Weather section.you will see temps. May is coming towards the end of the 'long rains' so you are likely to get heavy though brief afternoon rain. As you can appreciate, the end and beginning of the two rainy seasons in that part of Africa may vary, so perhaps the rains may be done by the time you arrive. You can also go to Weather.com and check the weather for Arusha, ten day review just before you go.
Tauck is a great company, I've been on many of their tours.
.When you get to the airport, you may not see,any other Tauck cutomers as everyone arrives at different times and days. We are arriving two days early for our tour, we like to be more over the jet lag before the tour starts. There are fewer flight choices to Arusha though, so maybe the group could be bigger. Once you leave the airport, the road eventually gets very bumpy before you eventually get to the hotel, don't be worried that the driver seems to be kidnapping you into the back of beyond!
Normally, when you check in, identify yourself as the Tauck Tanzania Zanzibar group and you are usually given an envelope from your tour director with a brief welcome message and a few details about where to meet and any other important bits of info. You usually get more specific itinerary info later on, times you will be going where and so on. Listen carefully about the conditions for the next day or if certain clothing suggestions are made, it helps to make you enjoy each day more. Do not be afraid to ask about anything you are unsure about, the tour directors have always been superb. By chance, the tour director we had for our Kenya and Tanzania trip was also the same one we got for our South Africa tour a few years later, she greeted us like long lost friends, but I guess it would be too much of a coincidence to have her again this trip, I thinks she is doing Europe trips this season. Have a wonderful wonderful trip, you'll go back to Africa, if not ever in person, you will in your dreams.

Thanks! I'll go to that web page. What do I do to contact the "Moderator" that I see on some answers in the Forum? I haven't seen anything about bed nettting. Should I buy before we leave (this Thursday!) or do they have netting everywhere we are going to be sleeping?? I've read that sand flies are prevalent in Tanzania and are smaller than the regular bed netting holes for mosquitos. Whom should I contact?? Any help is greatly appreciated!

British

Hi Shelli, I am quite sure there is netting in all the places from what I remember. How are you going to fit one of those huge nets in your baggage? I have consulted with my hubby who has studied parasites at University level and of course this is a lay man's thoughts says sand flies are usually found around rivers, and have a parasite that causes river blindness. He seems to remember that it is more of a problem in West Africa.
Shelli, the chances of you seeing these insects are so slim. You will be in a safari vehicle at all times, not roaming around the plains. The only time you are out of the vehicle is on the bush picnic and the guides are not going to stop somewhere where there is a problem with flies.
If I want Tauck Tim to answer something I have usually headed a new topic saying, For Tauck Tim, or say something like, Maybe Tauck Tim can clarify. Or you could call Tauck and ask them a question. Tim is not always around to answer questions promptly though.
You are going to have a wonderful time, your Tour director is going to keep you safe and virtually anticipate any question you may have. He/she will be giving you clear instructions throughout the tour, you are going to meet some great companions and great local people. Please when you get back, tell us wha a great time yu had and give us some new tips!

Shelli

To: British: OK! I'll probably take lots of pix and we keep a diary whenever we travel. I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of our tourmates. I'm trying to keep my clothing down to a minimum 'cos all the meds and preventatives are taking up all the room in my bags. We started taking our Malaria pills tonite. Gosh they're HUGE. I have to cut them in half to take them. Thanks for all your help.

Tauck Emily

Shelli wrote:

Thanks! I'll go to that web page. What do I do to contact the "Moderator" that I see on some answers in the Forum? I haven't seen anything about bed nettting. Should I buy before we leave (this Thursday!) or do they have netting everywhere we are going to be sleeping?? I've read that sand flies are prevalent in Tanzania and are smaller than the regular bed netting holes for mosquitos. Whom should I contact?? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hi Shelli,

I glad you are getting excited for your trip. Regarding bug nets, the properties you will be staying at will provide bug nets.

Hope this helps,
Emily