Dar es Salaam, Udzwanga Mountains National Park (and surrounding area), Mikumi and Zanzibar, Tanzania
Yes, I know, I’m now direly in your debt for not writing one of these anytime in the near recent future. So, this trip actually took place last summer from June 30, 2009 until July 30, 2009. Please excuse my erroneous behavior. I will be posting more local trips from DC and my new locale in Durham, North Carolina quite soon.
Getting there: Sorry guys, there is bound to be some sticker shock involved with getting to Tanzania. However, if you book your airline tickets far enough in advance and travel during the slightly less popular wet season, then you might just get something for under $1300. I paid about $1200. I also flew Continental and, hopefully, accrued some nice mileage totals for later trips to Africa to visit my sweetie (but that’s another story). Continental only got me to London where I then took two flights on Emirates to Dubai and then Dar es Salaam. It was quite a lot of flying and, with the time difference on the way there, took nearly two days. So, plan well. My best suggestion is to use any of the numerous internet sites such as Vayama, Travelocity, Booking Buddy, Cheap Flights or Orbitz to find the right price even if you may end up with a couple stops. Besides, who doesn’t like Europe? Follow all leads and pursue each opportunity…the Internet can be a tricky place. Most folks fly into Dar es Salaam, but there are other options that you can look into.
Once you’re in Tanzania, travel is a different story. Unlike some African countries, there are numerous ways to get around Tanzania and most are reasonably priced. In Dar es Salaam, you will find a variety of travel options. Personally, I preferred walking most places as the price was right and if you’re downtown the major attractions are easily accessible. However, I wouldn’t suggest it at night. Of course, you can also ride the dalla-dallas which are basically small mini-buses. These are cheap (under $2) but crowded. When I say crowded, I mean by African standards which means you may end up with someone sitting on your lap, feet or bags or you may end up standing-up in a crush of people. You can also take taxis around Dar es Salaam. From the airport, this should cost you under ($20) to/from the airport and under ($13) to/from the bus station. Some people, including me, paid close to these amounts in order to have a driver shepherd them around this bustling city, stay with you as you run errands, and help explain what you are seeing. It’s a luxury that is nice when you step off the plane from a long flight, but other folks I spoke with certainly paid as little as $10 for their ride to/from the airport (perhaps they also have unspeakably amazing bargaining skills). MAKE SURE you agree on the price for the cab ride before you get in the taxi. Finally, you can rent a car but, hey, you know how I feel about cars. 
You can also take buses nearly anywhere in Tanzania, with some of the most popular destinations being Arusha, the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater or Lake Tanganyika. For my bus ride to Mang’ula near the Udzungwa Mountains National Park it cost about ($10) or nearly 13,000 Tanzanian shillings. BE WARE: you will need to negotiate as you do in nearly all African countries. The prices I’m telling you are the prices you should pay. However, as a Mazunga (or white person of European origin), you will ALWAYS be quoted higher prices for travel, food, lodging and nearly anything else you can think of. NEVER accept the first price as you need to bargain, ALWAYS get a receipt if it’s that kind of purchase, and NEVER pay for anything you haven’t yet received, if you can help it. I don’t know if my bus costs were typical as the Udzungwa Mountains National Park is not the most popular destination but it’s rather far away. In some parts of the country, you also have the option of traveling by train. You may enjoy this much more but the trains can be notoriously unreliable and cost a bit more (you’ll want to pay for first class which costs between $13 and $15 to Mang’ula). The plus of the train is it’s a smoother ride and there are bathrooms. Besides, my bus, also being unreliable, broke down when we got close to Mang’ula which meant I had to call my research buddies and have them pick me up. (Speaking of picking up, once you get off the main roads, the buses will race each other to stops to pick up more passengers and make extra money so you will most likely end up packed in just like on a dalla-dalla). One side note, the bus station in Dar es Salaam is quite a scary place so hang on to your wallets, purses and bags and don’t be afraid to bargain.
Finally, for Zanzibar, you can expect to take the boat for 3 to 4 hours out to the island from Dar es Salaam. Some boats will be advertised as being faster, but this is mostly just a gimic so believe it at your own peril. Most simply look like the speedie catamarn boat pictured above (not the one in the foreground). If you take the cheaper, M.V. Flying Horse that serves as the boat that Tanzanian/Zanzibarian commuters use, you can pay $20. When I was there, it left at noon but this often changes. If you take any of the other boats, the cost is usally $35. You can also pay a bit more for first class seating, but I don’t think it’s worth it as I generally sat wherever I preferred and was never questioned. Be careful with your valuables at both the port in Dar es Salaam and in Stone Town on Zanzibar. Also, ignore the guys trying to sell you tickets before you get to the actual ticketing gate for the ferries—they are just scammers. You can also fly to Zanzibar, but I did not try this option so can’t explain it more for you.
Once you’re in Stone Town, you should be able to get a cab for under 3000 Tanzanian shillings (under $2.50) to any hotel where you’ve made a reservation. In fact, if you feel like fighting for it, you can probably pay just 1000. This goes for any cab rides around Stone Town. But, hey, why would you ride in a cab once you’ve dropped your bags off? You can walk and explore this amazing cities winding streets, amazing sites, and bountiful restaurants. After being in the bush in Tanzania, the beaches, patios and foods will inspire your soul. You can also head out to any of the many beach towns, although I recommend choosing one that fits your interests: quiet relaxing, hard partying, snorkeling/diving, tours of the Jozani National Forest Park, aquatic tours, spice tours and more. The cheapest route to any of these beach towns or the central Jozani National Forest Park is through the dalla-dallas which on Zanzibar are open seatings on the back of those mini-Toyota box trucks. This is how I rode and you’ll never pay more than a $1. This is also the African public transport system, so expect to be squeezed like a sardine 
(picture 30+ folks with bags shoved in the space you see in this picture). Lots of items (bikes, firewood, food supplies, bigger bags) will also get stacked on the roof. If you’re a little people shy, you can pay any of the taxi drivers of Stone Town to drive you to other towns but it will probably cost you around $30. Most hotels will also be happy to organize mini-buses in the European style for you (you’ll travel only with other Mazungas and have a whole seat to yourself). This costs about $10. But be authentic. I went to the white sand beaches of Jambiani and back solely on dalla-dalla.
If you go: Get yourself a Lonely Planet Travel Guide to Tanzania. Much of the advice I’m telling you is contained within this book or is just plain common sense. Besides, you will need to have a travel guide of some sort in order to make your way around the country and have a sense of what things should cost. You can also try Frommers or Rough Guide, if these are more your style. Heck, the more the merrier. In an ideal world, I would also advise reading some background texts on Tanzanian culture and history or how to speak Swahili. My life seldom being ideal when it comes to having extra time, I did not do this myself. So, I can’t suggest any books. I know you can find them as Tanzania is a hot locale…just try the bookstore!
The scene: Zanzibar and Tanzania are different as night and day, to borrow an old played-out cliché. Of course, my experience in Tanzania was far from typical. Thanks to the kindness of my friend Ruth, I got to spend several amazing weeks learning how a Ph.D. student goes about her research on critters that refuse to stay still—that’s Mbega to you in Swahili or Red Colobus monkeys in English. We spent most of our time crashing through the Magombera forest which we accessed through the village of Katurukila, trying to help Ruth track the different trees the monkeys took to move through the forest. Occasionally, Jack and I lay in the dirt or even played a game of chess. Our days started abominably early (6 a.m.) and ended satisfyingly late (after 6 p.m.), so most of my pictures of the drive leave it hard to determine if we were coming or going (it was dark either way).
Ruth’s work ethic was astounding, as she surveyed each monkeys behavior every 20 minutes while Jack helped GPS track each tree and hammer in nails giving each tree its own number. Twice a week during our 6-day work week, we would conduct primate surveys and tree surveys to determine prevalence and phyto-phases. I would explain more of the methodology but then I wouldn’t want to discourage you from reading Ruth’s original research. ONE TIP: buy the rice balls from the lady on the right-hand side of the road in Katurukila. She’s nice and you will not feel let down. Trust me. Also, don’t sit in mounds of saifu. Not a good idea under any circumstance.
In the town of Katurukila, Ruth and Jack had a huge following. They may have been the most popular researchers from the Udzwanga Mountains research center this side of the Great Ruaha River. This was 
owed mostly due to the fact that they gave out soccer balls and, occasionally, candy like it was nobodies business. Each morning, our car in Katurukila would park only to be surrounded by a gaggle of children wanting to open doors, hear music and see the lights working. Of course, when we returned in the evening, the gaggle had usually grown as did the demands to see windshield wipers, beepers and door-locks in action. It took a great effort by Ruth to ensure little hands didn’t write too often on the ever-present dust on the car. Of course, we suspect the creative work of another envious researcher in this picture. The little ones usually didn’t get much further than the word Mazunga.
Finally, Zanzibar. Ahhhh… What could I write about this place that hasn’t already been written? It’s historic, it’s restful, it’s bustling with tourists, it’s beautiful and the food ain’t too bad either. I would suggest spending a couple days exploring Stone Town before you leave for the beaches. Of course, you may enjoy spending even more time in Stone Town if that’s your kind of thing. There are certainly plenty of museums, twisting allies, shops, restaurants, people and more to keep you busy. You can also organize many day tours, such as a sunset sail, dolphin cruise or spice tour from here. My one complaint was how touristy Zanzibar can be with merchants politely (and sometimes not so politely) harassing you, particularly if you’re alone. The beaches can be whatever you might want to make of them. Restful or a party scene. My suggestion is to find the cheapest little bungalow village on the whitest white sand that you can. Some folks may prefer richer, fancier spots that have pools. But who wants a pool when you have your own ocean to swim in? Plus, you miss out on the colorful local characters who hang out at the bar at the more Dharma Bum-esque locales. Often, these are the guys who will become your rafiki (that’s friend). But beware, these are rafiki with conditions, and you should always negotiate for the events or places they want to take you.
Tip 1: If you’re going to be spending serious time with researchers in the bush, make sure that you pack a few handy food items
that you might enjoy eating. Beef jerky, peanut butter, crackers, cookies or hamburgers are all good ideas. Ok, hamburgers may not be a good idea. But you get the drift. Otherwise, prepare yourself as you will invariable be eating rice and beans, beans and rice, rice, rice, rice, beans, bean, beans every day, every meal. You’ll get some nice hot, spicey red sauces to add to it. Most nights you’ll also get some greens such as ground casava leaves. But, you’ll save those dinner leftovers and eat it again the next day for breakfast and lunch. Thankfully, you will also get a chapati so that you can make your rice and beans into a burrito. Good stuff. If you’re like Jack, you may even end up feeling protein deficient and lose the capacity to finish sentences. That will necessitate buying eggs in town that have semi-yellow yokes. This thankfully adds some variety to dinner. But, don’t think about complaining to the researchers about the diet. They’ll be more than happy to help you scour the town for peanuts, breaded food-like items, a warm coke, tropical fruits and other sundries to vary your diet. However, complaining outright will just earn you a scowl as the researchers have invariably been eating this glop for much longer than you. Plus, they may have even convinced themselves they like it.
Tip 2: You’ll want one of these. Yeah, I know you’ve already got 
your mosquito net for your bed (in fact, most hotels in Tanzania already have nets for you) and you’re taking those medications that make you hallucinate at night. But nothing is so satisfying as one of these bad boys. You can use it to clear out your room before bed. Plus, ssssh don’t tell Ruth, but you can use it on more than just mosquitoes too!
Tip 3: Enjoy the wildlife and the fauna. It may not be there for too much longer. Tanzania has a policy that protects all forests from being cut down for firewood or other uses. However, most villagers get around this by simply cutting down wood and then leaving it in the forest for several weeks before returning to collect it (at which point it looks like dead wood). This occurs even in the protected forests such as the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The government has started sustainable tree projects for each village, but I guess the lure of easy wood just outside the villages for cooking fires proves to be too great.
Tip 4: Beware of Zanzibarian festivals where things get lit on fire, people beat each other with sticks and half the participants appear drunk on banana wine. It will invariably be a good time but you may question just what kind of tourist you think you are. Also, make sure you check out the old fort in Stone Town. I liked it there quite a bit.
Tip 5: Always take pictures for kids on the beach. Never let go of your camera. Also, try to get in on snorkeling/fishing trips with some of the local fisherman. Their outrigger canoes can really haul.
Tip 6: Check out the cool sea life. I did!
Tip 7: If you’re driving or riding a bus out the main road from Dar es Salaam, be sure to look out your windows when you pass through Mikumi National Park.You never know what you’ll see. Also, make sure the baboons get all the way off the road because they’ll seem to resent you for making them move their stinky butts.
Tip 8: If you’re sweetie happens to be a professional photographer, then bring her along. You’ll get better photos (my apologies). Still, here are a few more for your zen-like purposes. Excuse the drop in quality you are accustomed to on this blog.
