Situated in East Africa, just south of the equator, Tanzania is a country of immense beauty and home to some of the world’s most exciting wildlife.

This country is a magnificent canvas, depicting vast areas of stunning scenery – from the grasslands of the Serengeti to the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, and from the Great Lakes of Tanganyika and Victoria to the spectacular coastline of the Indian Ocean. And even beyond - to the exotic island of Zanzibar, with its gloriously white sandy beaches fringed by exotic palms and crystal clear blue waters.

With such stunning landscape and richness of wildlife, Tanzania is the perfect place for a safari holiday.

Most people come to Tanzania with a taste for adventure. A Safari is the best way to get around the enormous game reserves and observe animals at close quarters and in their natural environment. Tourists would usually travel in a 4WD or minibus with removable roofs for viewing.

There are two main types of safari – lodge or camping:

Lodge safaris fall into 3 categories – standard/luxury or permanent tented camps. Lodges are set in a ‘camp’ with a whole range of amenities including bars, restaurants and even swimming pools to cool off in at the end of a hot, dusty day.

Camping safaris. Accommodation would be in tents within a safe enclosure. A guide and cook would usually accompany the party. Prices vary but a typical safari with overnight accommodation and meals could range from £135-£220 per person per day.

Zanzibar is an exotic island, lying 25 miles of the coast of Tanzania, evokes images of sun-drenched beaches, swaying palm trees and the aroma of eastern spices. With perfect white beaches, lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is the perfect place to end up after a safari holiday in Tanzania. Tourism is still underdeveloped here and therefore is an ideal choice for those who want to get away from it all. The old stone town is fascinating and well worth visiting with its winding streets and houses made from coral. These often have magnificently carved doors with brass studs. There are many bazaars to browse around and Zanzibar has by far the best selection of handicrafts – although at grossly inflated prices.

Arusha ia an attractive town is set amidst coffee plantations and maize fields. For the majority of tourists, the town is the gateway to several national parks in the north of the country, and the point of departure from Mt Kilimanjaro.

Mt Kilimanjaro Dominaes the Tanzanian landscape on the border with Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro, at 19,340 ft, is the tallest mountain in Africa. It is almost half a million years old and made up of 3 volcanoes - Kibo being the tallest one in the centre whose tip is permanently covered with snow.

Olduvai Gorge - which is in the Conservation Area, is another popular attraction. It is here that in 1959 Mary and Louis Leakey discovered the remains of early Man - a species of man that became extinct more than 1.75 million years ago.

The climate is tropical and coastal areas are hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from March to May.

The main Tourist season is in January and February during the hot, dry season. This is considered the best time to visit, as the animals gather around the dwindling watering holes and are therefore easier to observe. It is a good time for bird watching also as many species migrate to Tanzania to escape the harsher, colder weather of Europe and Asia.

Summer and autumn are particularly interesting if tourists want to watch the fantastic migration of the wildebeest, zebra and antelope in the Serengeti. If there is a time to avoid Tanzania it is during the long rainy season between March –May when it rains almost every. There is also a short rainy season between November and January.

Many of the tourist towns sell Masai handicrafts such as shields, lances and beads. Makonde sculptures are also very popular but make sure that these are authentic - they should be heavy if they are made of real ebony. Brightly coloured African cottons with distinctive prints are a good buy. Precious stones are also a good buy – rubies, sapphires and the unusual but beautiful blue stone tanzanite.

Zanzibar is famous for silver/gold jewellery and antiques. There are a wide variety of spices sold everywhere. Don’t forget to haggle - you may come away with a bargain. Watch out in Zanzibar – it may have a large choice of souvenirs but they tend to be very over-priced!

Located in Western Tanzania, on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, the Mahale Mountains National park is famous for its wild chimpanzees. The scenery of rainforest, grassland and alpine bamboo is stunning and the sunsets over Lake Tanganyika are legendary.

Mosques and Sultans’ palaces are reminders of the island’s Islamic heritage and there are many references to Zanzibar’s past involvement with the Slave and Spice Trades. Spice Tours that take you from one end of the island to the other are an ideal way to see the clove, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon plantations. Offshore there are vast beds of coral - perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving.

Tanzania has perhaps the best selection of wildlife in Africa, which can be viewed in large game reserves. There are many game parks in Tanzania but perhaps the most visited is the Serengeti National Park. This park lies on the Kenyan border and extends almost to Lake Victoria in the west. The terrain, ranging from vast open plains to grassy savannah interspersed with acacia trees, is home to some 35 species of game, (including buffalo, rhinoceros and giraffe) and over 500 species of bird. The characteristic plains make spotting wildlife easy and the interesting rocky Kopjes that punctuate the landscape are good places to catch sight of large predators like lions, cheetahs and leopards as they wait in prey.

The Serengeti is famous for its spectacular migration of wilderbeest and zebra as they cross the border from Kenya in search of grassland. This great migration starts in April each year as almost 2 million creatures stampede across the plains seeking fresh pastures.

Balloon Safaris are an alternative way to see the Serengeti. Each day at sunrise, two hot air balloons rise up over the Serengeti Plains on a one-hour journey across the great African savannah. After landing, everyone is served champagne and a full English breakfast in the bush. Prices are about £270 per person. This safari is very popular and should be booked well in advance.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a huge area of the Ngorongoro National Park is connected to the Serengeti National Park. Its most famous attraction is the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is nearly 3 million years old and was once an active volcano. The volcano eventually became extinct and its cone collapsed and sank, forming an enormous crater. The ash from the volcano provided good nutrition for the earth and slowly this area became a self-contained eco-system that provided habitat for many species of bird and animal. The trip to the crater is usually made from the nearby town of Arusha. The slope of the crater leading up to the rim is a magnificent patchwork of coffee plantations and forests.

At the rim - some 20km across and 500m deep, tourists catch their first glimpse of one of the world's most famous and impressive wildlife sanctuaries. The crater is home to an estimated 30, 000 animals. Some of Africa's endangered black rhino can be found here along with wildebeest, elephant, lions and hippo. At the bottom the white soda waters of Lake Makat support all of the animal life of the Ngorongoro Crater. During certain seasons it is often a spectacular cloud of pink from wading flamingos. The crater is a bird watchers heaven. No fewer than 400 species of bird nest here permanently including storks and cormorants. With such a richness of wildlife and beauty it is little wonder that this area has often been called ‘Africa’s Garden of Eden’

Off Changu Island, also known as Prison Island, the sea is very clear and brilliant for snorkelling. Here you may catch a sight of some giant sea turtles. Dhow trips and dolphin safaris are very popular activities in this area.

Mt Kilimanjaro Dominaes is not difficult climb but the high altitude and low temperatures at night mean that hikers should be relatively fit. For climbers it is a unique experience to ascend through rainforest, grassland, moor land, up through high desert to the snow-capped summit - at which point they can marvel at the magnificent views below. A local guide is required when climbing Kilimanjaro and groups can range from 2 - 50 people.

Ascent is by three routes, the most popular being the Marangu Trail. This route takes five days to complete. During December and between July-September this route can be very busy. For the more able climbers, the more challenging, and perhaps more beautiful, Machame Trail would be another option. This route takes 6 days.

The Sultan of Zanzibar transformed Dar es-Salaam - the ‘Haven of Peace’ - Once a fishing village, this city into a trading port in the 19th Century. Today the harbour looks very pretty with its palms and mangroves and you can still see Arab Dhows tied up to the harbour.

Some parts of the city look dowdy but there are some areas definitely worth visiting:

• Kariakoo Market - full of spices fruit vegetables and fish
• Dar’s National Museum - here you can acquaint yourself with the history of the Slave Trade – an integral part of Tanzania’s history.
• Village Museum – where you will find a reconstruction of authentic dwellings from various parts of Tanzania
• Oyster Bay – the city’s beautiful stretch of tropical coastline is a must for some sunbathing.

Tanzania – Philip Briggs (Paperback 22 July, 1999)

Lonely Planet: Tanzania, Zanzibar & Pemba – Mary Fitzpatrick (Paperback 27 August, 1999)

Footprint East Africa Handbook 2000: The Travel Guide – Michael Hodd (Paperback August, 1999)

Globetrotter Travel Guide to Tanzania – Graham Mercer (Paperback 1 August, 1996)

Jan- March, the wildebeest migrate through the Serengeti National Park, an awesome sight if you have the chance to see it. You’ll never forget what you’ve seen.

Mid June-July in Zanzibar the Festival of the Dhow Countries celebrates artists from the East African and Asian coastline celebrating film, theatre, music and craft.

All of July, in Zanzibar the Cultural Festival, see the country’s history in its art and crafts

The change in growing season (old to new crop) is celebrated with the Mwakakogwa festival in Zanzibar, generally towards the end of July.

End of September, see artists from all over Tanzania show their work at the Bagamoyo Arts Festival in Bagamoyo.

Fundu Lagoon starting cost of £140 per room each night may well be out of many peoples reach. I would suggest trying if you can! Perhaps stop there for a couple of nights after being on the mainland?

The majority of hotels are in Zanzibar cost in the region of £30-£70 per room such as the Taramind Beach Hotel in Uroa, Zanzibar, though some reasonable spots such as The Matemwe Bungalows just outside Zanzibar, where a chalet built of natural materials costs less than £35 per room per night are ideal if you want to sample the natural living and habitat of the country with a hotel complex.

All in all this is a 3^rd world country; standards are different to UK ones, however the quality of experience that comes with the trip is irreplaceable. For those who like their European style luxuries though, go for one of the top class hotels and pay the bill that goes with it!

UK tourists need a visa to enter Tanzania. These can be obtained on arrival at the airport. For further information, contact the Tanzanian High Commission, 43 Hertford Street, London, W1Y 8DB; (tel: 020 7499 8951/4).

Hep A, Polio Typhoid and Malaria are all strongly recommended and Yellow Fever is essential if you will be arriving from an infected country. Please seek professional advice; these are only guidelines. If you have not previously been immunised against diphtheria, polio or tetanus this is an ideal opportunity to have the immunisations carried out.

The usual health advice applies as with most foreign countries. Don’t drink the tap water or consume ice in drinks. Drink bottled water or use purification tablets.

Take care against dehydration and over exposure to the sun, by drinking lots of (bottled) water and use high factor sun creams.

Time: GMT + 3 hours

Electricity: 240V

Banks - Opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.30 a.m.–12.30 p.m. and Saturdays 8.30–11.30 a.m.

Currency - The Tanzanian unit of currency is the Shilling. Currency exchange offices can be found in most large towns.
Some major credit cards are accepted at larger shops and restaurants. It is recommended that tourists take Travellers Cheques.

Clothing - Take light clothing. On safari, cotton garments are the most suitable with something warmer for the evenings as the temperature drops considerably. Walking shoes are a must. Remember that this is a Muslim country and therefore dress for women should be modest when sightseeing around towns or visiting mosques etc.

Shopping - Hours are Monday to Saturday 8 a.m.–noon and 2–6 p.m.

Budget meal: £6.00

Mid-range meal: £10.00

Top-range Meal: £10.00+

Beer £00.82

Mango £00.06

Food in Tanzania is typically African – stew accompanied by rice or ugali (maize porridge)

In the larger towns there are some good restaurants. But the best bit about eating in Tanzania is the fact that you can buy such a variety of snacks from stalls and markets. From these you can buy grilled meat or chicken. Sweetmeats are very popular and fresh fruit like papaya, mango and bananas can be purchased from markets. A treat would be roasted cassava or peanuts.

FLIGHTS - There are regular flights from London to Dar es-Salaam with British Airways. Flights to Kilimanjaro from London Heathrow with KLM and Monarch airways. Kenya airlines fly regularly from Heathrow to Zanzibar. Flight times are approximately 13 hours.