Bicycle Africa

Notes For Tanzania Program

Tanzania itinerary: Surf to Summit (PDF)
Tanzania itinerary: Mt Kilimanjaro (PDF)
Tanzania map: Zanzibar Island (GIF)
Tanzania map: Stonetown (JPG)
Tanzania map: Northern Tanzania (JPG )
Tanzania map: Ibike Route detail (JPG)
Tanzania map: Kilimanjaro detail (JPG)

Final payment for the land portion is due 60 days before the start of the trip. Payment may be made by money order, personal, certified, cashier's check or credit card. If fewer than six people register for the program there is a supplement of $100.  If this should turn out to be the case, the money is usually collected in cash at the beginning of the program.

Pocket money used during a two-week tour varies between individuals.  Most people use about $200 plus or minus $100.  Examples of expenses are lunch, drinks, tips on Mt. Kilimanjaro, postcards, postage, tips and laundry.  NOT INCLUDED in this estimate are souvenirs and transportation, lodging and meals before and after the tour, which may be significant ($40-$80 per day). Now bring twice what you think you will need.  You can bring any extra home.  The best exchange rate is on crisp, new US$50 and $100 bills. You can change money at the airport, but better rates are usually in town.  In rural areas you need small denominations of local currency to make your purchases, except on Zanzibar where you will occasionally need some small US bills ($1, $5, & $10).

It is easiest to exchange money in the capital city and tourist towns.  If possible, at best, it can be a laborious process in other cities and towns.  It is generally difficult to change traveler's cheques (T/C) in East Africa.  A few select banks and big hotel in the capital cities are you best bet.  To cash T/Cs in Africa you sometimes need to show your "purchase record" receipts -- bring them, but pack them separately.  The exchange rate is generally slightly better for cash (large bills) than traveler’s cheques.  US$ and Euros cash generally exchange about equally well.  The usefulness of credit card is extremely limited.

AIR TRAVEL

The program begins in Zanzibar and ends in Moshi.

You are responsible for making you own arrangements to Tanzania and to the rendezvous point (instructions will be provided.)  If you arrive anytime on or before "Day 1" of the program you won't miss any major scheduled activities.  No major activities are scheduled on the final day of the program as well. Some people like to arrive early to have more time to adjust.  If people have extra time before their departing flight they often use this for souvenir shopping or to visit a last museum or monument.

It is best to fly directly to Zanzibar (usually via Nairobi).  There are several flights a day from Nairobi, so this is the most common connection point.  You can go between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar by boat, but the docks are a hassle with a bicycle, even with the help of a group, and a royal pain to try and negotiate by yourself. You'll get a chance to take the boat, from Zanzibar to Dar, with the group, as you head into the interior. It is the kind of cross-cultural experience where once is enough.

At the end of the program, the most convenient airport is Kilimanjaro International Airport (usually more expensive, with less service).  The usual departure is to take a shuttle bus to and leave from Nairobi, Kenya, unless you are extending your stay in some other direction (the bus is about $35 and you may need a Kenya transit visa, about US$10 at the border).

You want to arrive in Zanzibar on or before the starting day of the program. If you are coming from the Americas, this probably mean an overnight flight from America to Europe and an overnight flight from Europe to Africa, so you need to start two days before you plan to arrive in Africa.

The key event at the beginning of the program is the group rendezvous in the afternoon at the hotel in Zanzibar.  Other than walking in town and going to dinner together there is not much programmed that day.  At the end of the program you get off the mountain in the afternoon.  There are no activities scheduled for the next day. It is practical to arrange to fly out of Nairobi on that night. (Or, stay on a few days and do a wildlife safari.)

Delta / KLM / Kenya Airways are partners, with daily service to and from Nairobi and good connections to Zanzibar (via Nairobi).  They also have some service to Kilimanjaro Airport.  We suggest you start by investigating these airlines and then check the alternatives. 

In the past there has been good service to Nairobi from London and Paris as well, so you might check out the price structure from those cities as well.  No matter how you get to Nairobi, you can always use Kenya Airways to get to Zanzibar.

Some airlines charge a hefty fee for bikes-as-baggage on international flights ($300 roundtrip) and some charge nothing, if you are otherwise within your baggage allowance.  You might want to take this into consideration when booking your flight.  Folding bikes, like Bike Friday's, that fit in suitcases, generally circumvent all of these hassles.  If you plan to take a stand alone intra-Africa flights bear in mind that the baggage allowance is by weight and generally much more restrictive than the allowance for flights that include a trans-Atlantic segment.

Regardless of how you arrange to get to Africa, please tell us the airline, flight, date and time of your arrival in Tanzania.

IMMUNIZATIONS & HEALTH

Yellow fever is required when coming from or in transit through infected country prior to entering Tanzania. It is compulsory to enter Zanzibar. Recommended immunizations include routine immunizations (tetanus-diphtheria, polio, measles), typhoid, hepatitis A, and meningococcal meningitis (selectively). It is recommended, but not required, that you start your shots 6 weeks before departing. Consult your physician or travel clinic for your specific needs.

Malaria is a serious health concern. Please ask your travel clinic or physician about prophylactics for chloroquin-resistant malaria and follow their instructions.

Because of high altitude, if you have any of the following pre-existing conditions please discuss this with your physician: cardiovascular problems, pulmonary disease, seizures, diabetes, hematological system or pregnancy.

PACKING LIST/EQUIPMENT ADDENDUM

Appendix A and the program packing list combined are good guides to what to bring.  Ignore the sections on "Camping Equipment," "Cooking Equipment," and "Group Equipment. Additionally:

• The items under “Village Housing, Economy Hotel & Hostel Equipment” are optional.
• For the climb follow the memo with special instructions for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Note that it is possible to rent the specialized equipment needed for the climb in Moshi.  You don't need a sleeping bag on the cycling portion of the trip but you will need a good sleeping bag for the high camps on the mountain.
• Because there are boat and bus transfers on this trip it is helpful to have a duffle bag that combines all your separate baggage into one item. Ideally, select one that rolls up small when not in use.
• Sturdy mountain bikes are recommended. Limited rental bikes are available (see below.).
• Bottled water is often available in the towns at the beginning and the end of the day, but you will need a backup. If you have a water filter or purifier, bring it. It will be put to good use.  This also allows you to avoid the expense, litter and high carbon footprint of bottled water.  Ibike supports minimizing the use of single-use plastic bottles.  Iodine and chlorine tablets are most useful in emergencies -- if you have a half-hour to wait and once a week at the most!  Don't rely on iodized water because you will poison yourself.  The three better choices are a filtering pumps, an ultraviolet light purifiers (search: SteriPen) or an oxidant purifiers (search MSR MIOX).  Filtering pumps tend to be the most versatile and labor intensive, including requiring the most maintenance.  The last two, hi-tech methods, require clear water, which is usually available on our programs, and use batteries -- which can be rechargeable.  The MIOX also need salt and adds a little taste to the water, which is mostly an issue if you start with a high mineral water that already has a taste. The UV pen is generally the effortless and fastest.  For more discussion on water treatment, see http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/water-treatment-backcountry.html.
• Generally, two 32 oz. (3/4 liter) water bottles alone are on the low side -- if you like a lot of water, and on a couple of predictably hot days, you will want additional capacity.  Some ways to reduce the amount of water you need to carry on your bike is drink like a camel overnight and in the morning (i.e. carry it inside), wear loose long sleeve clothing and/or be willing to use Coke and Fanta to replenish you liquids during the day -- these are the most available beverages in roadside kiosks.  Bottled water is available irregularly midday and has a higher carbon footprint.  AT BEST you can only count on bottled water at your destination.  A couple times you will probably need to rely on filtered or purified water.  The best strategy is to organize all your water needs for the next day the night before (you can top things off in the morning) and expect to be able to get only the occasional soft drink during the day.
• Gifts (and tips): Ordinary people generally prefer gifts (hometown postcards, school supplies, articles of clothing, your photo) to money, for small “deeds of friendship”.  Please don’t bring bags of small gifts (candy) to distribute gratuitously.  It is very detrimental to the culture and individual’s dignity.  In a family or at a school it is best to give gift to an adult.  They will know the most equitable distribution of the item.  Generally it is best to ignore begging children.  Traditional Africa has mechanism for helping those truly in need.  Please have a relationship and a reason behind every gift.  Guides, porters, photo subjects and others associated with tourism generally prefer money to gifts – or both – for tips (whether they are helpful or not).  Please feel free to tip those who improve your trip.  The amount of a tip can depend upon the size of the group, the level of responsibility of the person and how well they do their job.  If people want to tip as a group, figure out what you want to pay per day (i.e. $10 + or -) and divide that by the size of the group.  This can also work as a guide for individual tipping.
• We have devised a way to transfer the gear you don’t need while bicycling to Moshi, once you get to the mainland.  You may have to get the gear from the Zanzibar airport to the hotel, from the hotel to the boat, off the boat to another hotel and then from the hotel to the bus station.  None of these are long trips and taxis can be utilized. It is helpful if you have everything in a compact bundle.  From the bus station an assistant guide will take all the stuff from everybody by bus to the office of the climb outfitter in Moshi.  They store it until you arrive.  For logistic and security reasons, it is important that your things be bundled well and kept modest in quantity.
• In the highlands it can be cold and damp. Bring enough clothes to stay comfortably down to 50^oF.
• There is one section of the route with a lot of thorns.  It has been suggested that “Mr. Tuffy’s” would help.  In the past Mr. Tuffy’s have not always been an advantage in Africa, because the have caused a lot of unrepairable flats.  The edges of the Mr. Tuffy’s consistently slice the inner tube.  Our theory on why this happens is the intense sun (even when the air temperature is not hot) heats the tires a lot, the rubber of the tube softens more, then is less resistant to the sharp edge of the Mr. Tuffy’s and slice!  A compromise would be to bring the Mr. Tuffy’s along and only install them the evening before the thorn veld.
• Because the milieu and activities on the trip won't be exactly routine, you might want to bring some things more familiar like a "treat-a-day" of high energy comfort food.
• The use of heart rate monitors is greatly discouraged! Most others don't want to hear about your heart rate, your maximum or average anything! If you need a heart rate monitor to enjoy yourself, take stock of your life -- you may have lost perspective.

INSURANCE

Personal health insurance, travel, evacuation and baggage insurance is strongly recommended.  Cycling and travel have inherent risks, and the world seems to be increasingly changeable.  Even the most conscientious behavior does not guarantee against illness or injury. Insurance mitigates the unforeseen.

Medical insurance is not always valid in foreign countries. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.

Please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, the adequacy of coverage, including provision for medical evacuation, and whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or if you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to your home country can cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Some credit cards include travel insurance when you use them to purchase an airline ticket.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad is provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad," available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or auto-fax: 1-202-647-3000.