Even amid the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, going on a safari in Tanzania is a major decision that many people make once in a lifetime especially when new variants like Delta and Omicron are evolving every now and then. Tranquil Journeys is dedicated to ensuring that your journey is as safe and pleasurable as possible. While we have always considered that our visitors' safety is vital in allowing them to fully enjoy and make the most of their safari experiences, we have taken a number of new precautions to ensure the safety of our clients and employees during these unpredictable times. We can assist you in finding answers to your inquiries or contacting the appropriate authorities on your behalf. Tanzania Covid-19 Restrictions Upon arrival in Tanzania, all passengers must provide a COVID-19 PCR test certificate that is negative. Within 96 hours of arriving in Tanzania, you must take the test. An online Traveller's Surveillance Form is required for all travelers traveling to Tanzania. This form must be filed at least 24 hours prior to your arrival. How much do PCR tests and Rapid testing cost? All passengers entering Tanzania will undergo enhanced COVID-19 screening, which will include a mandatory rapid test. Rapid testing costs 10 USD per traveller for mainland Tanzania arrivals and 25 USD for Zanzibar arrivals. The charge can be paid in cash on arrival or online through the Traveller Surveillance Form. Do children also require PCR tests to travel to Tanzania? Children under the age of five are exempt from both pre-departure PCR tests and fast arrival tests. Temperature scanning is also being implemented by the Tanzanian government for all international travelers arriving in the country. Airports in Tanzania that conduct PCR tests Below are the airports that provide PCR testing services. Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es
Even amid the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, going on a safari in Tanzania is a major decision that many people make once in a lifetime especially when new variants like Delta and Omicron are evolving every now and then. Tranquil Journeys is dedicated to ensuring that your journey is as safe and pleasurable as possible. While
Richard Leakey, a world-famous Kenyan conservationist, and fossil hunter, passed away at the age of 77. His breakthrough work aided in the acknowledgment of Africa as the cradle of civilization. He also led anti-poaching initiatives in Kenya, including the famous burning of the country's stockpile of poached ivory. Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president, said Leakey "served our country with distinction." Leakey worked for the Kenyan government in a variety of capacities, including the National Museums of Kenya, the Kenya Wildlife Service, and as the civil service's chief. "Dr Leakey is known for his significant involvement in Kenya's civil society, where he built and effectively led a number of organizations," Mr Kenyatta added, in addition to his outstanding career in public service. In his twenties, Leakey made his own significant discoveries, and he described the emergence of Homo erectus, an ancestor of modern humans, in two groundbreaking books (Origins and People of the Lake). His findings added to the increasing body of evidence indicating the continent of Africa was home to the first humans. In 1981, he starred in "The Making of Mankind," a seven-part BBC television series that made him a household figure. He changed occupations in the late 1980s to become the head of Kenya's Wildlife Service, at a time when poachers were annihilating the country's elephant and rhino herds. He ordered his rangers to shoot poachers on sight, and he orchestrated a dramatic public burning of a massive collection of ivory. The little plane he was piloting lost power and crashed in 1993. He lived, but both of his legs below the knee were amputated. Richard Leakey & Kenyan Politics That didn't stop him from joining Kenyan politics and founding the Safina party. But his political career was short-lived, and in 1998 he was appointed head of Kenya's civil
Richard Leakey, a world-famous Kenyan conservationist, and fossil hunter, passed away at the age of 77. His breakthrough work aided in the acknowledgment of Africa as the cradle of civilization. He also led anti-poaching initiatives in Kenya, including the famous burning of the country’s stockpile of poached ivory. Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president, said Leakey “served
If you are wondering whether lions kill and eat other predators like cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. The answer is simple, No, they don't. This raises the question of why, after killing hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, or African wild dogs (adults or pups), lions never consume them. The truth is that they just will not eat them. A lion won't gain much by consuming the flesh of another predator, considering that cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and African wild dogs aren't exactly a well-deserved meal or a wanted snack – and their flesh isn't nutritious or provide the promise of sustenance, no matter how hungry the golden cat becomes. So it contented itself with viciously murdering that carnivore and letting its uneaten carcass rot, comfortable in the knowledge that it had just eliminated another rival for food and territory, as well as another possible threat to its young. Also, lions (like most carnivores) don't eat other carnivores because of a rule known as "The 10% Energy Rule in the Food Chain," which states that the higher the trophic level, the lower the energy – thus, predators like lions derive more energy from eating herbivores rather than other carnivores; and in some extreme cases, breaking the skin, removing the flesh, and digesting it are all energy- Other carnivores, on the other hand, have a larger parasite and disease load than herbivores. Any animal at the top of the food chain picks up illnesses from the other animals it eats. On the evolutionary scale, eating another predator has a far larger survival cost than eating herbivores, which are likely to have less sickness in general. Top predators with a proclivity to consume other top predators are at a higher risk of both physical injury and illness accumulation. Those who do not consume them survive longer and
If you are wondering whether lions kill and eat other predators like cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. The answer is simple, No, they don’t. This raises the question of why, after killing hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, or African wild dogs (adults or pups), lions never consume them. The truth is that they just will not eat them.
An Austrian man, attempting to smuggle 74 protected chameleons from Africa's Usambara Mountains in Tanzania into Austria was intercepted at the airport and stopped. The 56-year-old man, whose identity has not been revealed to the public is believed to have the intention of selling the chameleons and lizards in the Czech Republic and other countries. Upon x-raying his luggage, they discovered that he had stuffed some of the chameleons in socks and empty ice cream boxes. The said man was caught by customs officials at Vienna Airport, coming from Tanzania via Ethiopia. The chameleons are now under the care of the Austrian capital's Schoenbrunn Zoo, which said that unfortunately three of the animals did not make it alive. The Chameleons and lizards were illegally acquired from the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania and ranged in age from one week old to adult animals. The black market value of the reptiles would fetch about 37,000 euros (£32,860), officials said. The Austrian man who smuggled the animals into Austria from Tanzania has now to settle a fine of up to 6,000 euros, the Austrian finance ministry said in a statement. The Tanzanian highlands are popular for being home to a rare and a newly discovered species of chameleons known as Kinyongia msuyae, a small, elongated chameleon (about 16 cm long), lacking distinctive colours or pattern.
An Austrian man, attempting to smuggle 74 protected chameleons from Africa’s Usambara Mountains in Tanzania into Austria was intercepted at the airport and stopped. The 56-year-old man, whose identity has not been revealed to the public is believed to have the intention of selling the chameleons and lizards in the Czech Republic and other countries.
What you need to know if you're on a Tanzania Safari tour with the failed travel agent. The travel giant company, Thomas Cook collapses after last-minute bailout plans to save the failing firm which has been running for 178-years. The tour company based in the U.K has ceased to trade with immediate effect, this is according to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. Thomas Cook has gone ahead to publish travel advice for tourists on holiday with the affected company at the following website thomascook.caa.co.uk. Apart from Tanzania Safari holiday goers that have booked with Thomas Cook, many tourists around the world have also been affected by this situation either while on holiday or with long term plans of coming to Tanzania for Tanzania Safari tours with Thomas Cook. Fortunately, we can advise you what to do next and to claim a refund on your tour to Kilimanjaro if Thomas Cook goes into administration. Atol protection for Kilimanjaro climbers The Atol travel plan protects people who buy Tanzania tour package holidays that are all-inclusive plus a flight, through UK tour operators and agents like in the case of Thomas Cook. If you have booked a Tanzania safari or just a flight to Tanzania through the Thomas cook, Atol protection ensures you do not lose your money or be left stranded in Tanzania as Atol protection means they will be flown back home free of charge. Clients who have already booked and actually paid for an upcoming Tanzania safari with Thomas Cook should a right to a refund as part of the Atol scheme. Unfortunately, if you didn’t book your tour as part of a package you might not be Atol protected, but you may still be able to claim a refund of some sort through your travel insurance or credit
What you need to know if you’re on a Tanzania Safari tour with the failed travel agent. The travel giant company, Thomas Cook collapses after last-minute bailout plans to save the failing firm which has been running for 178-years. The tour company based in the U.K has ceased to trade with immediate effect, this is
Hollywood actor Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are in Tanzania for the second time after touring Tanzania about 2 years ago. The actor was spotted in the Serengeti National Park as he posed pictures with park rangers. Mr. Smith then went on to enjoy his African Safari experience at the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is the most popular national park amongst 16 National Parks that Tanzania has, not counting the new national parks created just recently including the Burigi-Chato National Park. Tanzania is the best safari country in Africa as voted by travellers and writers around the world according to a survey conducted by a popular safari portal called safaribookings.com. This beautiful country offers a splendid vacation for anyone seeking to create lifetime memories and those kodak moments. Will Smith's show "Welcome to Earth" features an episode Tanzania's Serengeti National Park "Welcome to Earth," Will Smith's crazy new nature series, follows the actor as he travels the outer reaches of the globe with his characteristic zeal. In the most recent episode, for example, the Hollywood legend uses never-before-seen equipment to follow wildebeest herd movements in the Serengeti at night. The series (now available on Disney+) follows the 53-year-old as he ventures into isolated parts of the natural world with his signature jokes, excitement, and adventurous spirit to uncover and explore hidden locations that the normal person can't access. Smith travels to the Serengeti in Tanzania's neighboring country to observe lions and wildebeest herd movements in the dead of night in the episode "Mind of the Swarm." Executive producer Jane Root informed media that the show employed military-grade drones that had never been deployed in "civilian conditions" previously to acquire clear photos of them. "I borrowed that from the army in order to photograph those things in complete darkness."
Hollywood actor Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are in Tanzania for the second time after touring Tanzania about 2 years ago. The actor was spotted in the Serengeti National Park as he posed pictures with park rangers. Mr. Smith then went on to enjoy his African Safari experience at the Serengeti National Park.
Below is our list of the seven most dangerous animals in Africa, based on the estimated number of human fatalities they have caused. With some of these examples, exact numbers were hard to obtain since most of the attacks and resultant fatalities happen in remote parts of Africa. 7. The Desert Locusts It may surprise you to know that insects are also considered to be animals! The definition of an animal, in several dictionaries, is as follows: “a living organism characterized by voluntary movement”, so the Locust definitely fits the bill! Although they do not kill humans directly, the devastation they cause to crops has a direct effect on humans and therefore they warrant a slot in Africa’s top 7 most dangerous animals. The Desert Locust is one of about a dozen species of short-horned grasshoppers that are known to change their behaviour when prevailing conditions are good, such as after particularly good rains when larger than average crops are expected. They form enormous swarms of adults, or bands of hoppers (wingless nymphs) which spread over a vast area. The last major Locust plague occurred in the summer of 2004 in West and North Africa, when swarms migrated over the continent causing mass devastation. Large parts of Mali, Niger, Sudan and Mauritania were affected, as well as Morocco and Algeria, once the swarms reached North Africa. It was also the first time in over 50 years that Egypt, Jordan and Israel were affected. The sheer magnitude of the swarms is staggering – one swarm in Morocco, between Tarfaya and Tan-Tan was 230km long and at least 150m wide and it is estimated that it was made up of over 69 billion individual locusts. Although they form a major food resource for over 30 bird species, you need a lot
Below is our list of the seven most dangerous animals in Africa, based on the estimated number of human fatalities they have caused. With some of these examples, exact numbers were hard to obtain since most of the attacks and resultant fatalities happen in remote parts of Africa. 7. The Desert Locusts It may surprise
An African safari - it sounds so romantic! The mind conjures up images of wonderful African sunsets, nights around the campfire and, of course, exciting close encounters with Africa’s wildlife. You may have it all pictured in your mind, but until you have actually been on Safari for the first time you will probably be wondering how you will be spending your time each day. Before we go any further, I must just say that there is actually no such thing as a “typical” day on Safari, so our heading is a little misleading. Every time you step out of your tent or suite you will be embarking on a brand new adventure; every single excursion into the wilds holds the promise of a new and unique magical moment in Nature; every Lodge or Campsite has a different atmosphere and stunning location, making each and every Safari day different and special. Having said all that, there is a certain comforting routine to your days on safari, so for the benefit of all the first-timers, I will try to give you an idea of what to expect from your Game Drives and your Camps or Lodges. Game Drives - What Exactly Is a Game Drive For the uninitiated, I should perhaps explain what a “game drive” is! You will be taken out into the bush in a 4X4 game-viewing vehicle. Depending on whether you are on a group or private safari, this could be a large “truck” with 3 or 4 rows of seats, accommodating up to 10 people or you could be in a much smaller van for up to 6 people. (On some specialized photographic safaris the number of people per vehicle is limited to 1 person per row of seats, to provide optimum photographic opportunities). A “typical” game
An African safari – it sounds so romantic! The mind conjures up images of wonderful African sunsets, nights around the campfire and, of course, exciting close encounters with Africa’s wildlife. You may have it all pictured in your mind, but until you have actually been on Safari for the first time you will probably be
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has been alerted after an increase of cases where of hyenas have a new overgrown appetite for buffalo testicles at the Aberdare National Park in Kenya. The hyenas, known more for their scavenger habits than hunting efforts are believed to be taking advantage of the hanging parts of the Buffaloes leading to lifetime castration or in some cases deformities of the Buffaloes at the Kenyan National Park. According to Aberdare National Park KWS Senior Warden Lilian Ajuoga, the first reported incident was recorded in 2008 but it has become a common occurrence recently. “The incidences of hyenas biting of testicles and tails of buffaloes are everyday occurrences in the National Park. Tens of buffaloes are partly deformed after hyenas chewed off some parts,” Ms Ajuoga said. She linked the incidents to lack of lions in the park, a scenario that has hampered the food chain which places hyenas in their scavenger category. A balanced food chain is vital, the officer revealed adding that it helps animals in the ecosystem balance roles. “In this case, hyenas are forced to hunt instead of scavenging on leftovers that have been left by other predators. This forces them to hunt on easily available things and since they lack the power to strangle, they depend on biting off hanging parts for survival,” she said. She noted that owing to the fact that hyenas cannot hunt, they target loose hanging parts of the animals like testicles and tails. “Hyenas literally feast on a prey when they are still alive because they cannot kill. In the National Park, hyenas target young buffalo bulls so they can strip off the ‘loose-hanging’ parts,” she says. Although hyenas are known to target other small animals in the park, the officer also linked the increasing cases to
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has been alerted after an increase of cases where of hyenas have a new overgrown appetite for buffalo testicles at the Aberdare National Park in Kenya. The hyenas, known more for their scavenger habits than hunting efforts are believed to be taking advantage of the hanging parts of the Buffaloes leading
The black leopard is an animal full of mystery. Many people have reported a few and unconfirmed short glimpses of this shadowy cat, until recently when researches from the San Diego Zoo confirmed that indeed it has been spotted and photographed. Although a handful can be found in zoo cages dotted around the world, no photographs of black leopards in their natural and wild habitat actually existed. Although there have been reports of sightings in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and another sighting by a journalist in Kenya in 2013 by the name of Phoebe Okall Kinya, who apparently took this image below at the Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. “Your chances of seeing a black leopard are less than one in a hundred, and bearing in mind how difficult it is to see the always elusive normal leopards, it really is always mere coincidence. But that does not mean it doesn’t exist,” The black leopard, the quite opposite of albinism is called melanism and it is the result of a gene that causes a very small supply or lack of pigment in the skin or fur of an animal so that it appears black. Melanistic leopards have been reported in and around Kenya for decades, but scientific confirmation and documentation of their existence remains quite rare. Black leopard sightings go way back to the year 1952 when nature conservationist Bryan Jones, founder of the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre near Hoedspruit in South Africa, recorded a sighting made by a child in Pilgrim’s Rest. Some individuals like in the case of Burrard Lucas and as accounted for in his blog here have dedicated the majority of their working lives trying to capture evidence of the ghostly cat. The only documented evidence which was discovered in 2017 from a 1909 photograph
The black leopard is an animal full of mystery. Many people have reported a few and unconfirmed short glimpses of this shadowy cat, until recently when researches from the San Diego Zoo confirmed that indeed it has been spotted and photographed. Although a handful can be found in zoo cages dotted around the world, no