Quick Question About Food...

BayStater

I read in one of the posts that you can not have any food with you on the "Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari" (or similar trips). Is it true that we really can't have any food/snacks in our luggage?

For example, what about individually prepackaged, commercially produced, protein bars?

I prefer to eat those instead of breakfast or lunch about once a day, so I planned on packing those for me and also for the kids to have on hand as a safe, easy, fulfilling, on-the-go snack.

Thanks! (We are going in August and can't wait!)

British

First, on all the Tauck trips I have done there is always an over-abundance of food, it takes me months to lose the weight I gain. I have been to Tanzania with Tauck on the Kenya Tanzania Safari and remember it being some of the best food I have encountered. I am going on the Tanzania safari next month. I do not recall about not being asked to take food on safari, I think it would be best to call the Tauck office for correct clarification. Perhaps then you can post what they tell you for the rest of us. The camps we stay in are not the basic tented camps,most are placed on decks so discount elephants or lions at your door, in fact some camps will have measures to keep large game out. Now baboons and monkeys, who knows. I myself would be more concerned about attracting rodents like mice. On the actual safaris, maybe there is a food restriction, but generally they only last a couple of hours, presumably the kids will be too busy looking for animals to want food. Because I was born in England, the whole idea of giving children snacks all the time is kinda alien to me, mine did not get or need snacks and still don't indulge as adults in the US, the snack isles in the supermarket were a source of amazement when we arrived in the US. This is what makes traveling so fascinating! You will love the trip.

jdurkin

Truly …. I am trying to be helpful here.

As far as I am aware the pickiest countries in the world regarding the importation of foodstuffs are New Zealand and Australia. For very good reasons. We don't have the bugs other countries have. Indiscriminate and thoughtless importation of foodstuffs would result in the decimation of our agricultural industries. That leaves many other counties on a different plane. Processed foods may be acceptable. Depending. Raw, unprocessed foods possibly are not. If you start from the point of appreciating other countries' situation, then check the individual countries' regulations …. protein bars may be okay.

I am not an agricultural or bio-scientist.

Common sense, then educated responses. As any educated traveller would of course apply. Rules are made for a reason. You just need to understand why …. and then. possibly, how to work with them.

Cheers,

Jan

BayStater

Thank you both for weighing in on my quick question. I will let you know if I learn more elsewhere.

CDH

Hi: We just got back from the Family Tanzania Tour. We did take ganola bars and snacks on this tour. When we were staying in the parks in tents (where animals wonder at night), all snacks had to be check in at the lodge for your own protection. Animals smell food. Once you settled in your tent, you do not have to go back outside because there is indoor plumbing in all tents.

It is an amazing trip. They provide plenty of bottled water, food is good and accommodations are fine. Some better than others but very suitable.

Suggestions: take lots of wipes, warm fleece, long pants and shirt, deet, hat, gaitor for neck for dusty rides, immodium, cipro, kleenix, zip lock bags, neck pillow works well to sit on in the jeep when needed.

Great trip, great people, great tour director and guides, great county and beautiful. Remember it is a third world country. Enjoy.

BayStater

Thanks, CDH! We are sooooo excited!