This surely sets the stage for increased conflict between humans and wild animals in areas bordering national parks and game reserves.

An upsurge in the number of attacks on humans and retaliatory mass slaughter of wild animals in recent years are a direct result of people encroaching on wildlife habitats.

The government has found itself in a catch-22 situation, and has on more than one occasion had to fend off accusations that it was putting wild animals before the sanctity of human life.  There is also the debate on who qualifies for compensation after being attacked by a wild animal.

Wild animals have to be kept separate from humans, but unfortunately this is not the case in many parts of the country where rapidly expanding populations spill over demarcated areas and put pressure on wildlife sanctuaries.

When humans and wild animals come in close proximity, they are bound to cross each others path, with tragic consequences as is frequently reported nowadays.

For your Uganda tourism guide and Kenya safaris guide

The information about the missing three- meter python was only beginning to reach them after it was reported in the media.The snake is between two and three years old.

The snake that can eat small animals and even babies went missing from the ministry’s headquarters. It reportedly escaped from its cage where it was being held in preparations for a journey to the Nane Nane show that ends tomorrow in Dodoma.

Yesterday, the residents blamed the ministry for not quickly alerting where the snake was possibly hiding. Unconfirmed reports indicated that the reptile had been spotted but escaped before game wardens arrived.

A deputy director of wildlife, Mr Obedi Mbangwa, confirmed yesterday in Dar es Salaam that the snake was yet to be found and 15 game scouts were still looking for it.

However, he refuted reports that no information had been circulated to the residents.

But resident Ummy Shamte said she had been unaware of the incident until yesterday.
“I have just heard this from you now, would you please brief me about the incident? I simply heard it from the pupils passing around here and no more details,” she said.

But Mr Joseph Ngede said the ministry personnel had passed the message to some residents.

When reached for comment Keko Magurumbasi Primary School headteacher Mercy Nakajumo said the school had no official information about the snake.

“I heard it over the radio and other people have been speaking about it. I could not even tell pupils because I don’t have official information,” she said.
“I was frightened when I heard that there was a snake near our school, but teachers have not been told about it,” she said.

African pythons normally eat crocodiles, pigs, goats, birds, gazelles and cats. They do not chew their food but swallow it, and strong intestinal acids ease digestion.

Experts say the python that escaped could get hungry and start looking for food a week since it was last fed before it escaped.However ministry sources allay fears that it can swallow a human being.

Source: The Citizen

The number of national parks managed by Tanzania National Parks has increased to fifteen with the recent additional of Mkomazi National Park.

Comprising 3,234sq km in northern Tanzania, Mkomazi is a spectacular wilderness of dry bush, ancient baobab tress, isolated rocky hills, open savannah, acacias and grassy valleys.  To the northwest is Mount Kilimanjaro; to the south the Pare and Usumbara Mountains; and to the north Kenya’s Tsavo National Park.

Mkamazi actually shares a border 1,000 elephant, including females and their calves, to range freely between the two parks.

Buffalo, eland, gerenuk, giraffe, grant’s gazelle, hartebeest, impala, lesser kudu, Oryx, steinbak, waterbuck and zebra share the park with the elephant while predators include numerous lion, leopard, cheetah and jackal.  In all, 78 species of mammals have been recorded while a reptile population includes crocodile and python.

The birds of Mkomazi are even more numerous with some 450 recorded species.  Bee eaters, hornbills, guinea fowl, starlings and weaver-birds are seen in large numbers but less well known species include tawny eagles, secretary birds and violent wood-hoopoes, while the plant and insect life is probably the most diversified in Tanzania.

Mkomazi is also home to both the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary and the Breeding Program for the African Wild Dog.  Both projects forming part of the Tanzanian Government’s policy on endangered species.  The 28 square mile Mkomazi Rhino sanctuary, which will eventually hold up to 20 Rhino pending their transfer to other sage and secure areas of the country, offers limitless viewing and educational opportunities.

For tourists, Mkomazi offers abundant game viewing, scenic beauty and a quality wilderness experience ideal for game drives, walking safaris and hiking.  It is an ornithologist’s and photographer’s paradise.

RIVERTREES COUNTRY INN

A cosy country inn set in 10 acres of natural gardens along Usa River, with breathingtaking views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru and Wildlife only 20 minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport, Price, up to $150 per night.

P.O. Box 235, Arusha

Tel: +255 27 2553894

E-mail: rivertrees@habari.co.tz

THE ARUSHA HOTEL

This historic luxury hotel situated in the heart of Arusha and overlooked by the majestic Mt. Meru.  86 elegant rooms, extensive mature gardens, swimming pool, full equipped gym and casino. Price up to $200

P.O. Box 88, Arusha

TeL: +255 27 250 7777

E-mail: reservations@thearushahotel.com

KARAMA LODGE

An eco-friendly lodge with en-suite cabins on stilts, very close to Arusha Center with spectacular views of Mt. Meru and Kilimanjaro

P.O. Box 1573, Arusha, Tanzania

Tel: +255 732 971823

E-mail: info@karama-lodge.com

KIA LODGE

Only 2 minutes’ drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport

Tel: +255 27 2554194/5

E-mail: kialodge@africaonline.co.tz

KIBO PALACE HOTEL

A new hotel in town, about five minutes walk from the Clork-Tower.

Old Moshi Road

P.O. Box 2523 Arusha Tanzania

Tel: +255 27 2544472

E-mail: info@kibopalacehotel.com

MOUNT MERY GAME LODGE & SANCTUARY

Nestled between the peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, Meru Game Lodge and Sanctuary lies midway between Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha.  The lodge is located within 33 acres of mature gardens, bounded on the side by the tranquil waters of the Usa River and on the other by the Sanctuary where our wildlife and birdlife reside.  Rates start from US$160 per double room.

Tel: +255 27 255 3643

Fax: +255 27 255 3885

E-mail: reservations@intimate-place.com

L’OASIS LODGE

An ideal tourist lodge, of traditional styled boma houses, close to town and tucked in tranquil verdant gardens.

Price (B&B) up to US$85

P.O. Box 1908, Arusha

Tel: +255 (0) 757 557802 or +255 (0) 755 749934

E-mail: s.broadbent@edi-africa.com

NGURDOTO MOUNTAN LODGE

Nestled between Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, located within a lush coffee plantation, 140 acres, with natural streams flowing from Mount Meru.  Price from $135.

P.O. Box 7302, Arusha, Tanzania

Tel: +255 272555217

E-mail: ngurdoto@thengurdotomountainlodge.com

NAAZ HOTEL

Located along Sokoine Road, close to the clock tower

Prices start from $45 per double room, BB

P.O. Box 1060, Arusha Tanzania

Tel: +255 27 2502087

ARUSHA CROWN HOTEL

Located in the centre of Arusha town, walking distance from the sport stadium, the fruit market, and the central bus station.  38 rooms designed to meet the requirements of traveling executives and leisure tourists, rate from $70 per double room, BB

P.O. Box 361, Arusha

Tel: +255 27 254 4162, +255 27 250 8523/24

Email: info@arushacrownhotel.com

GOLDEN ROSE HOTEL

Located along Col. Middleton Road, self-contained rooms with single and double beds.  Serves traditional dishes and has a garden for East African barbecue (nyama ya kuchoma).  Rates start from US$40 per single room, BB,

P.O. Box 1440, Arusha

Tel: +255 27 250 3849/+255 713 650775

Email: afritravel@bol.co.tz

EAST AFRICA ALL SUITE HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE

Located along old Moshi Road, Price start from $140 per single room, BB

Arusha Town is surrounded by tribal societies that are in transition from traditional to modern way of life.  A visit to the villages enables visitors to get an insight of the fading African traditional life.  The following are some of the tribal areas and villages near Arusha that offer cultural tourism programmes to visitors.

Mulala is a typical Bantu village.  It is nestled on the green southern slopes of Meru, just

below the alpine forest reserve and a few kilometers from the border of Arusha National Park.  The village is about 30km from Arusha town, and is located to the north side of the Moshi-Arusha highway.

Tours to Mulala include crisscrossing coffee and banana farms, and inspecting small women’s business societies that engage in income-generating projects such as cheese making, chilli-growing, and tailoring.  The women are happy to show visitors how coffee is traditionally processed and how some traditional African food is prepared.

Tengeru is 13 kilometres from Arusha town, off the Arusha-Moshi road.  Tengeru offers a glimpse of the culture of the Meru people and their farming methods including tracing the preparation of coffee right from the farm to the table.  Tengeru also offers nature walks along the Mountain Rivers and an excursion to Lake Duluti on the lower slopes of Mount Meru.  The organizers of tours have also special programmes to visit families with disabled children and the local village primary schools.

IIkiding’a is on the higher slopes of Mount Meru about 7 kilometres north of Arusha town and offers a view into the culture of the Wa-Arusha tribe.  Walks across these villages provide impressive viewpoints and include climbing hills and having riverside picnics.  Tours of IIkiding’a include a visit to craftsmen making the traditional Maasai swords and calling at traditionally built homesteads to get an idea of how extended families live together.

Ngiresi is a village of the Wa-Arusa tribe and offers guided tours to the lush slopes of Mount Meru.  Tours to Ngiresi highlights the struggle of the people to develop and so includes visits to development projects like soil conservation, migration, cross-breeding, and the use of bio-gas.  Ngiresi is about 7 kilometers from Arusha town.

IIkurot is about 20 kilometres west of Arusha town and is a place for both the Maasai and the Wa-Arusa.  Tours of IIkurot include a visit to a Maasai boma (the traditional Maasai enclosure/village) to see the traditional houses and lifestyle of the Maasai in transition from nomadic to include programmes for watching Maasai dances and meeting women’s handicraft groups making traditional Maasai ornaments.

Osotwa is about 2 kilometers from the suburb of Ngara Mtoni, west of Arusha town, and off the Arusha-Nairobi Road.  Osotwa offers safaris to traditional Wa-Arusha-Maasai homesteads and visits to colourful weekly open markets.  Osotwa also offers a climb to Shambasha Hill, an old volcano with natural forest rich with birds, butterflies and monkeys and the privilege to enjoy a wonderful view of Arusha town.

Mkuru is a Maasai settlement on the northern side of Mt. Meru where they have gone a step beyond the traditional cattle-keeping culture by beginning to keep camels.  Mkuru therefore offers camel safaris in addition to bush walks and hill climbing and visits to Maasai homesteads.

From Arusha, the scenic route to Mkuru Juu means “Higher Monduli;” it is a cool, picturesque, green plateau standing in the middle of the usual low Maasai plains.  A visit to Monduli offers a “medicinal” tour to see the herbs and plants of Maasailand that are used in traditional medicine and to enjoy panoramic views of the Rift Valley, the active volcano Oldonyo Lengai, and Lake Natron.

Longido offers a walking safari through the Maasai plains and a climb of the impressive Longido Mountain (2690m) through dense natural forest. A tour of the extensive plains surrounding the mountain features an insight into the traditions of Maasai culture and offers the opportunity to see some of the rare birds and animals of the bush.  Longido is about 80 kilometers north of Arusha on the road to the Namanga border crossing.

Machame is to the north of Arush-Moshi road and on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro on the approach to Moshi.  It is about 50 kilometres from Arusha to the junction to Machame, and a further 14 kilometres from the junction to Kyalia, the center of cultural tourism in Machame.  Machame is a mosaic of beautiful valleys, gorges, rivers, waterfall, and farms and is home to the Bantu Chagga people.  Machame offers tales of chagga legends, forest hikes and visits to chagga homesteads.

Mto wa Mbu is situated on the way from Arusha to the great national parks of northern Tanzania, which include Ngorongoro and Serengeti. It is a green oasis just at the foot of the rift valley and bordering to Lake Manyara.  A visit to Mto wa Mbu includes farm tours, country walks and a view into the culture of many different tribes that have migrated to the area but have retained their tribal way of life.

Centered at the mid point of Africa on the Cape-to-Cairo line, Arusha is a sophisticated, lively city, with much to offer to travelers.  Shopping, coffee houses, bazaars, hotels, museums, mosques, churches and then more shopping.

Every Tanzanian city seems to offer a busy avenue or street, but in Arusha the walk along either side of the Sokoine/Uhuru Street, the avenue that divided the industrial and commercial areas, is better than most.  Walk down from the Clock-Tower or ogle the multi-million-shillings shops, which go right down to the TFA Shopping Complex housing Shoprite Supermarket opposite Kilombero market.  Marvel at the cultural Heritage Centre, farther west and see no less than two hundred antique artifacts in the spectacular compels.

Movie buffs may recognize the Arusha declaration monument or “Esami Tower”.  The 1980s Institute tower offer a panoramic view of Arusha while Mount Meru to the north of this city covers the Arusha Momella National Park, which was featured in John Wayne’s famous film Hatari. A taxi owners association offer tours from the centre of the city while tour operators offers longer safari tours as far as Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Parks.

Refreshments are usually offered on board tourist vehicles and occasionally machinga (street hawker) will take advantage of a confined clientele in a traffic jam to seek buyers for cotton handkerchiefs, khangas, radios or a million other goods, even nail cutters and lipsticks, at bargain prices.

Bargain prices are the chief feature of shopping in Arusha, particularly at the city markets that have replaced the government fixed prices of yesteryear.  Haggling over price is considered both a social custom and a business practice.  It pays to be both polite and firm; try not to look bewildered or hassled and accept the offers of Tanzanian tea or soft drinks without feeling pressured into buying.

At the glistening grand bazaars around the Central Bus Station, there are more than 30 hectares of covered shopping, much of it aimed at consumer merchandise.  The Goliondoi Road area past the main Post Office and the Arusha Hotel provides shopping for the tourist trade.  It is said there are a good number of shops here, quality and prices along the alley ways.  Choose from khangas and kikois, jewellery including gold and diamonds, and the famous Tanzanite, copper and glassware, belly dancing costumes, chess sets, and Makonde wood carvings.

While Tanzania manufacturers are generally bang to date with current fashion trends, be careful that your fashion dress or suit is that and that the colour and style you have chosen would not look out of place at home.  Every country or city has its own rogue traders, but don’t make the common mistake of imagining that haggling in itself is an effort to trick you.  It is a sport centred on trade.

Always check the goods including workmanship, and walk away from traders who are rude or will not come down to fair price.  You will meet another around the corner with a grander selling manner, offering the same goods at possibly lower prices.  And please accept Tanzanian hospitality – they like to deal in friendship, offering the buyer Kilimanjaro coffee or Chai Bora or Amani tea and exchanging details about family and lifestyle.

There is so much to see in Arusha: The Arusha Declaration Monument, the largest mosque in Arusha, St. Theresia Catholic Church, East African Community headquarters, for example, Go, too, to the mosques and churches and use the opportunity to see these exceptionally beautiful places of worship (as in many other countries, non Muslims are not allowed to enter mosques).  Visit the church of St. Theresia in Goliondoi area, with its exquisite mosaic windows and ceilings depicting the Glory of GOD.

Another important site that Arusha has to offer is the Arusha International Conference Centre, site for the Rwandan genocide tribunal.  Nearby is the Arusha Boma Natural History Museum, in the same area the Via Via Meeting Place where you can sit in the coffee bar enjoying coffee as you chat with the locals.  The museum has a very good café where a self-service drink will cost about 0.5 Euro (in the waiter-service restaurant it will cost about four times as much).

At evening time Tanzanians and tourists alike flock to the bars, cafes, and restaurants along the Moshi-Nairobi road, the Philips-Kijenge zone, and around the city centre.  As Tanzania is a secular state, there is no religious prohibition on the sale of alcohol.  In general, Tanzania beer and spirits are cheap.  Serengeti or Kilimanjaro lager is a good beer but imported alcohol will be considerably dearer.

Taxi are not metered but are usually very cheap compared to London or Berlin fares.  However as in any other country, watch out for trips that are longer than necessary including waiting charges.  It is sensible to have your destination written on a piece of paper and to negotiate price before hand.

Learn a few words of Kiswahili language, Tanzania’s national language strongly encouraged by the first president (the Late Mwalimu Nyerere, in office 1961-1985) as a little politeness will be very much appreciated.  “Jambo sana” means a very good day to you, “Ahsante sana” means thank you very much, “kwa heri” means good bye while “nipatie chakula or bia” means give me some food or beer.  And when you are done remember to say “tutaonana baadaye” meaning see you soon.

Bring plenty of lower denominations of Tanzania shilling notes and coins (foreign currencies are acceptable almost every where on the tourist trails) for shops and tips.

And when entering Arusha bus station, Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport for the flight home, hire a porter who will lift you heavy cases laden with treasures onto the back of the bus or onto scanning machines for you for a couple of hundred shillings.  Then check in your seat and indulge in more therapy at the excellent groceries around the stations.

And as departing time zeros, board your bus or airplane and wave goodbye to your friends and tour guides remembering to chant out “Ahsante san na kwa heri ya kuonanan” meaning , “Thank you very much, good-bye, and see you again.”

The other big animals found in the park include zebras, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeest, impala and waterbuck.  The primates include baboons and vervet monkey.  More than 380 species of birds have been identified in the park and this include flamingo, pelican, stilt, duck, heron, egret, spoonbill, ibis, hamerkop, hornbill and fish eagle.  Lucky travelers may catch sight of the park’s famous tree climbing lions, which make their home in mahogany and acacia trees during the rainy season.

The park has been a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve since 1981.

The first European known to have seen Olduvai Gorge was a German butterly collector, Professor Wilhelm Kattwinkle.  In his notes in 1911, he described Olduvai as containing “the book of life” and he took back to Berlin a considerable number of fossils including the teeth of and extinct three toed horse known as Hipparion.

The Gorge stretches about 50 km and is up to 90 km deep.  It was made famous by the excavations over the middle part of last century by the palaeontologist Louis Leakey and more specifically by his wife, Mary Leakey.  The most important findings include Homo habilis, Zinjanthropus and the Laetoli footprints.  Louis Leakey first visited Olduvai Gorge in 1931 and he and Mary dedicated 60 years of their lives to the search of fossil and early mankind.  It was not until 24 years later, on 17 July 1959 that Mary found Zinjanthropus, named austalopithecus boisei after Charles Bois who had supported their work at Olduvai.

Twenty five miles to the southwest of Olduvai are the 3.6 million year laetoli footprints, the earliest of our forbearers are known to have left, a replica of which is featured in the museum at Olduvai.  The Laetoli footprints are the oldest known footprints in the world.

Mafia Island Marine Park was officially declared in November 1994, under the Marine Parks and Reserves Act.  Chole Bay and Kitutia Reef, two of Tanzania’s eight offshore marine reserves declared in 1975, are incorporated into the marine park.

The sea around Mafia has an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitats including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and inter-tidal flats.

For the expert and the novice diver or snorkeller, Mafia Island Marine Park offer dramatic underwater viewing with a wide variety of choices.  Over 2,000 species of fish from 150 families exist in the western Indian Ocean and new species are being identified.  The behavior, colours, and interrelationships of marine animals are an endless source of fascination for visitors, whether diving or snorkeling.

Tourism on Mafia is still very low but growing.  Commercial planes fly regularly to and from Kilindoni, and there are also charter planes and slower sea transport.

Historically, Mafia Island was connected to the Zanzibar archipelago, but geographically it is part of Songosongo archipelago.

A walk through the narrow, twisting streets of Stone Town plunges you into the past.  Many of the houses here are more than 150 years old and are constructed from the island’s coral stone.  Built by Arab and Indian merchants in the 19^th Century, this is the only functioning historical city in East Africa.

Every year between 10,000 and 40,000 slaves were sold in Zanzibar.  The Anglican Christ Church stands on the site of the old slave market; the alter occupies the stop where the whipping block used to be.

Visiting the bustling market where anything and everything is for sale.  Explore the House of Wonders with its intricate lattice wood-carving, a famous sight in Zanzibar.  The National Museum is an excellent place to learn more about the islands.

The popular spice tours involve a walk in the western and central regions of the island through plantations, private gardens, and forests.  There are more than 50 different spices and fruits, including cinnamon, pepper, pimentos, ginger, tamarind, coffee, ylang-ylang, and sugar cane.  Coconuts are another main produce of the islands.

The island is a nonpareil place for beach holidays; picturesque villages fringe white beaches and crystal water all around the island.