Tanzania Safari Guide

Philip Briggs has been exploring Africa since 1986, when he spent several months backpacking on a shoestring from Nairobi to Cape Town. He has returned several times, researching and authoring the first Bradt Guide to Tanzania, and working on all subsequent editions. He has visited more than two dozen African countries and written about most of them for specialist travel and wildlife magazines including Africa Birds & Birding, Africa Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Travel Africa and Wanderlust. He still spends at least four months on the road every year, usually accompanied by his wife, the travel photographer Ariadne Van Zandbergen, and spends his rest of the time in the sleepy village of Bergville, in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg region of South Africa.

PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION

Chapter 1 Background Information
Geography 3, Climate 4, History 4, Government and politics 17, Economy 17, People 18, Language 19, Religion 19

Chapter 2 Natural History
Habitats and vegetation 21, Wildlife 21

Chapter 3 Practical Information
When to visit 51, Highlights 52, Itinerary planning 54, Tourist information 62, Tour operators 62, Red tape 65, Embassies and diplomatic missions 65, Getting there and away 66, Safety 68, What to take 70, Money and banking 72, Getting around 74, Accommodation 75, Eating and drinking 77, Public holidays 79, Shopping 80, Media and communications 80, Cultural etiquette 81

Chapter 4 Health
Before you go 89, Common medical problems in Tanzania 92, Other diseases 95, Dangerous animals 97

PART TWO THE GUIDE

Chapter 5 Arusha
History 102, Getting there and away 104, Orientation 105, Getting around 106, Tourist information 106, Safari operators 107, Where to stay 111, Where to eat 115, Entertainment and nightlife 121, Shopping 121, Other practicalities 123, What to see and do 124, Around Arusha 127

Chapter 6 Tarangire and the Central Rift Valley
Tarangire National Park 141, Babati 147, Mount Hanang and Katesh 149, Kondoa rock art sites 153, Dodoma 166
Chapter 7 Lake Manyara and the Northern Rift Valley
Lake Manyara National Park 169, Lake Eyasi and the Yaeda Valley 178, North of Manyara 181

Chapter 8 Ngorongoro and the Crater Highlands
Karatu 191, Ngorongoro Conservation Area 197

Chapter 9 Serengeti National Park
History 211, Wildlife 215, Seronera, Ndutu and the southern plains 217, The western corridor 223, Lobo, Loliondo and the north-central Serengeti 227, The Mara River and far northwest 229

Chapter 10 Moshi and Around
Getting there and away 234, Tourist information 235, Where to stay 235, Where to eat 238, Nightlife 239, Shopping 240, Other practicalities 240, Around Moshi 242

Chapter 11 Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Geology 253, History 253, Vegetaton and biology 254, Climbing Kilimanjaro 255

Chapter 12 The Usambara Mountains
Lushoto and the Western Usambara 269, Amani Nature Reserve and the Eastern Usambara 284

Chapter 13 Tanga and the North Coast
Tanga and around 289, Pangani and Ushongo 301, Saadani National Park 311

Chapter 14 Dar es Salaam
History 315, Orientation 319, Getting there and away 322, Getting around 323, Tourist information 323, Tour operators 324, Where to stay 324, Where to eat 328, Entertainment and nightlife 330, Shopping 331, Other practicalities 333, What to see and do 334, Beach resorts south of Dar 339, The coast north of Dar 340, Bagamoyo 342


Chapter 15 Kilwa and the South Coast
History 351, Getting there and away 357, Kilwa Masoko 357, Kilwa Kisiwani 359, Kilwa Kivinje 362, Songo Mnara Island 364, South of Kilwa 365
Chapter 16 Zanzibar
History 369, Getting there and away 371, Getting around 375, Zanzibar Town 376, Around Zanzibar Town 396, Islands close to Zanzibar Town 400, Northern Zanzibar 402, The east coast 413, The west coast 426, Pemba Island 432

Chapter 17 Mafia Archipelago
Climate 444, History 444, Economy 445, Religion and culture 446, Natural history 446, Getting there and away 449, Getting around 450, Where to stay 451, Activities 451, Around Mafia Island 454, Chole Island 459, Juani Island 463, Jibondo Island 463

Chapter 18 Selous Game Reserve
History 467, Getting there and away 470, Where to stay 471, What to see and do 474

Chapter 19 Morogoro, Mikumi and Udzungwa
Morogoro 477, Mikumi National Park 480, Udzungwa Mountains National Park 484, Kilombero Valley 491

Chapter 20 Ruaha National Park and Iringa
Iringa 493, Ruaha National Park 498

Chapter 21 Mbeya and the Southern Highlands
Mbeya 505, Tukuyu 513, Matema Beach 516

Chapter 22 Lake Tanganyika and the Western Safari Circuit
Tabora 519, Katavi National Park 521, Lake Tanganyika 527, Kigoma 529, Gombe Stream National Park 534, Mahale Mountains National Park 540, The lakeshore south of Mahale 548

Chapter 23 Lake Victoria
Mwanza 551, Rubondo Island National Park 557, Bukoba 562

Appendix 1 Language
Appendix 2 Further Information