Exciting Africa: Uganda - Kenya - Tanzania with a vacation in Zanzibar. In kenya and tanzania kenya or tanzania what to choose

Safari in Africa - probably, many have seen photographs with many animals on the vast expanses of the prairie, and many, when viewing, had the idea to go on a safari to Africa, but not everyone decides. And in general, life in the city is addictive and there is not enough time ...

Everything was exactly the same with us up to a certain point. It always seemed to me that Africa is so far away, dangerous (do not go to Africa for children to walk), and generally unrealistic. But this year there were no special plans for the summer and I thought about visiting Kenya and Tanzania in order to go on a safari. After searching for prices for tickets, safari, cheating with Kenyan and Tanzanian firms, the feeling was born that not everything is so complicated and unbelievable. And it was decided to go on a safari this year.

Naturally, as soon as you tell your friends: "Come with me on a safari to Africa, to the national parks of Kenya and Tanzania!" Many answer - super, let's go, someone asks about the financial side, someone says that, unfortunately, it will not work ... But even those who said that they were interested, as a result, did not go anywhere. But after a completely random visit to Krakow of our friends from Wroclaw, two more people appeared who were really ready to go. As a result, we went to Africa with a group of four people, Pasha and I, Vitalik and Ira.

Four people is already almost a group for the size of a jeep and they promised to organize a safari for us on any dates that suit us. By the way, if you are looking for a safari, then you should visit www.safaribookings.com, on this aggregator site there are many firms offering safari, with reviews and current prices.

To begin with, I decided to do a little analysis and it turned out that it is worth looking not only at the price, but at the real time spent in national parks and reserves (now you can defend a dissertation on this topic). After all, it is at this time that you can see animals and birds. And the time spent on the road or in the hotel of Arusha is just a waste of precious time. It is also worth considering what time of year you are going and which national parks will have more animals and which ones will have less. And of course, it’s worth deciding on the duration - I personally wanted more and I chose 10 days of safari, although 5-6 days is enough for most. So it turned out for us somewhere by the 6-7th day, some got bored ... although the animals did not become smaller.

Another question that may arise is which country to go on safari to Kenya or Tanzania? It depends on who you want to see, how much money you are willing to spend, where you are flying from and where you are going to spend time after the safari. There are much more international flights to the airport of Nairobi - the capital of Kenya than to the airport of Dar es Salaam (the capital of Tanzania) or even more so Kilimanjaro (an airport somewhere in the middle of Tanzania). But if there is not much time left after the safari, but you want to visit Zanzibar, then you should think about flying to Tanzania ... But these are quite objective reasons and everyone is able to solve these issues for themselves, but which of these two countries to choose for a safari? Safari in Kenya is a little cheaper, and living conditions are a little better. But in Tanzania, you often spend the night right in the territories of the national park and a zebra may well graze near the tents or an elephant will drop by for tea in the evening. As a result, we liked Kenya more, maybe because of our guide, or maybe because she was the first and the impressions were stronger, or maybe also because off-road is allowed in the Masai Mara reserve and you can get close to animals , and in other reserves it is impossible to move off the road. For animals, this is certainly good, but it is often quite difficult to consider them.

In short, on the first day we had a small evening game drive, the next day - a full day of game drive and the Masai village, and on the third day in the morning - dawn and a morning game drive.

A game drive is when the jeep's roof is raised so that you can stand inside and look in all directions. And in this form, we slowly drive through the park and look out for animals. If we find something interesting, then we drive closer and stop to watch the animals and take photos. Then we go further. Often, drivers communicate on the radio and exchange information under which bush you can find an elephant or in which swamp a hippopotamus is stuck.

After Lake Naivasha, we drove only about an hour, and arrived in the town of Nakuru. Here we lived in the Citymax hotel, which even had Internet. So everyone spent the evening posting pictures on Instagram and reading the news. The hotel is good, large rooms, a pleasant restaurant, but halal (although in all rooms there is a bible on the table by the bed) and if you want to drink beer or something stronger in the evening, you should take care of this in advance, as there is no alcohol in the hotel.

Half a day on Lake Nakuru flew by unnoticed and we drove towards Nairobi. In Nairobi, we need to leave our Australian friends and have time to get to Amboseli Park. I will say in advance that we coped with the task, but a lot of cars in Nairoba and on the highway slowed down the implementation of the plan and we arrived at the camp near Amboseli only at 20:30. But the clear starry sky allowed us to try night shooting, and the Milky Way was visible more clearly than ever...

After Amboseli Park we left Kenya for Tanzania. We were told that, by law, guides from Kenya cannot drive through the parks of Tanzania and vice versa. I don’t know how true this is, but on the forums and in other places where I found information on safari, the same information was everywhere. One tour in Kenya. operator, and in Tanzania another.

We were taken to the border in our bus, which we had been driving all this time.

The Kenyan-Tanzanian border is something enchanting, no one is following anything, you can go back as many times as you like, and no one checked the visas that we received. But they checked the availability of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever. They say that when crossing the borders between African countries it is mandatory, we all had it. Although later, when we asked our guide about the obligation and what to do if there is no certificate. He said that if there is no certificate, then the person will simply be “checked”, what it means, we still don’t understand ... But at the border you can immediately get vaccinated, so I think you just have to pay an extra couple of tens of bucks.

A visa to Tanzania costs $50, you only need a passport and a couple of completed questionnaires that you fill out on the spot. A visa is issued for three months, a single entry, but within the framework of the East African Community, you can enter and leave as many times as you like. When moving to Tanzania, you need to switch to the new currency, the Tanzanian shilling, and the new exchange rate of $ 1, about 2150 Tanzanian shillings. In Tanzania, it makes sense to exchange dollars and euros for the local currency, since the exchange rate in souvenir shops and restaurants is very unfavorable. For example, a beer might cost 3,000 shillings, but $2.

We crossed the border on foot, and then we went on a regular regular bus, where they put us on the border and where places had already been booked for us. But since there are no seat numbers here, we got scattered and not the best ones. The bus was packed local residents and all the luggage went on the roof. In one place, in the middle of the desert, they dropped off a passenger who looked like a teacher, he brought with him bundles of books, a folded map, some other belongings and a shovel ... On the side of the road he was met by schoolchildren who rushed to help him with things.

The first word you are greeted in Tanzania will be "caribou" - welcome. You should learn "asanti" (sounds almost like "leave me alone") - thank you.

We arrived in Arusha, we were met by a representative of the travel agency and taken to the hotel - Arusha Center Inn, the office of the travel agency itself is located there, where we met with the boss of the Tanzanian tour. operator. We were once again told what to expect and we still had half a day of free time. We walked around the city, changed money, found a local market where we bought bananas (a bundle for 2000 shillings) and mangoes (1000 shillings for 1 piece, but it was not the season and the mango was not very good).

We decided to have dinner at the restaurant in the hotel, especially since the prices are quite good.

In Tanzania, all safari vehicles are jeeps, mostly ancient Land Rovers. For 5 or 7 people. And a cook is traveling with you for your group. And you bring tents with you, as there are no stationary campsites. We were told that since we would spend the night in the territory of the national park, stationary buildings were prohibited there, and as a result, we saw many stationary buildings on the territory, but we spent the night in tents. This was not a problem, especially since they provided a fairly thick mattress and we had our own sleeping bags. Of course they can provide, but their condition is far from good.

Even before the lake, we were informed that two more people would join our four. They were two guys from Amsterdam. Later, we found out from them that they are just friends, but the phrase "We are not even married" still sounds strange ...

At the campsite near Lake Manyara, we first encountered a show in the evening, which is worth noting, it was very, very good. The guys work for tips and the opportunity to sell CDs with their music.

The campsite where we stayed is located on a hill and offers a gorgeous view of Lake Manyara and the surrounding area. And of course, in the morning there were many who wanted to meet the dawn. In addition to tourists, at dawn, a herd of baboons also came to see. The head baboon busily turned the garbage can over, examined its contents, but not finding anything interesting, went on. They did not come close to people and did not show any aggression, but you should not leave things unattended.

And the view of the Manyara National Park inspired us to do morning exercises in style... I don’t know in what style - it’s up to you, the photo below...

Immediately after breakfast, we packed tents and mats on the roof of the car and set off towards Ngorongoro (Ngoro Ngoro Conservation Area). The pass to the territory of Ngoro Ngoro was painless and we began to climb higher and higher. The walls of the old crater, where the road passes, reach a height of about 2400 meters. In the morning there was heavy fog and quite cold. But the path in the clouds did not last long and we went to a more gentle and low terrain. From where, sometimes, in the parting trees, the walls of the crater with sliding clouds were visible.

A little more and we are standing at the entrance to national park The Serengeti is the Tanzanian continuation of the Masai Mara, but much larger. by area. Near the entrance there is a fairly large area for rest and lunch, and there is even a short hiking trail to the top of the neighboring hill. So we had a comfortable lunch and a walk until our entry papers were ready. There are many lizards with pink heads and blue tails on the hill, and giraffes roam around.

It is worth noting that in Tanzania, entry into nature reserves takes much longer than in Kenya and requires more paperwork and preparatory work.

The exit from the national park was not as smooth as the entrance - we spent 3 hours, and all because someone in the office did not transfer enough money to an electronic wallet, and only they can pay. And we were waiting for someone in Arusha to go to the bank and the money would "reach".

As soon as we were able to move on, we moved along the same road we had taken yesterday. On the way, there were Masai Boms - settlements with a fence of thorny bushes, as well as many tourist jeeps. Of the most memorable on the way, we met a herd of giraffes and two males fought for a female - they slowly beat each other, swinging their whole neck and hitting their heads with horns.

We stopped at a campsite on the edge of the crater, already during the day zebras roamed our clearing, and in the evening, already in the dark, a huge elephant came to visit, which broke one of the garbage bags. And when they began to photograph him with a flash, he let out his trademark roar. The photographers set aside a pile of bricks and disappeared into the safe dining room. A guard with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, in a Soviet-style overcoat and a hat similar to Budyonovka, is on duty at the camp all the time, and given that he is black as soot, the sight is quite creepy.

Very early in the morning, before dawn, we had breakfast and went to the Ngoro Ngoro Crater - Safari in the Ngoro Ngoro Crater, Tanzania

After Ngoro Ngoro, we quickly moved to Arusha, where we arrived at about 18:00.

And so ended our 10 day safari. But the safari ended, but there was no way, because the next day we were still going to Nairobi, and from there we flew to Mombasa - on the coast of the Indian Ocean. After all, after an active-passive contemplation of animals, it is necessary to bask on the beach?!

By the way, even though the planes to Mombasa depart from the Nairodi Jomo Kenyata International Airport, many fly from the second terminal, which is located to the side. To the second terminal from the first there are free buses that stop at all entrances of terminal 1 - 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D.

The second terminal is small and has only two gates, which is probably why you can check in for a flight up to 30 minutes before departure. After all, it takes no more than 5 minutes to get from check-in to the gate.

Yesterday I returned from a large and unusually interesting 17-day trip to Africa, during which I saw two very beautiful countries, went on a safari in wonderful national parks, climbed the most high peak"Black Continent" and fully immersed in the extraordinary and sometimes shocking local flavor. I travel a lot, but this trip, in terms of the totality of impressions, has become, perhaps, the most striking and unusual for me over the past five years, unambiguously surpassing even Antarctica. :) For the first time in recent years, she brought back the already forgotten feeling of “culture shock” from visiting another country and teased the appetite for travel for the future. I understand that after such a trip I will have many questions about this trip - and now I will try to compile answers to the main possible ones. If I forget something or something is not clear - do not hesitate to ask. :)

1. How did you go there if the whole of Africa is covered by the deadly and terrible Ebola virus!? This question was asked with horror and is being asked by almost everyone who knows about this journey.

The Ebola outbreak took place in West Africa. Kenya and Tanzania are East Africa, diametrically the other end of the continent. The distance between these parts of Africa is about the same as from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk or Irkutsk. There are no cases of Ebola in Kenya and Tanzania. Local authorities, of course, really do not want it to appear, so now every plane arriving in Nairobi is additionally checked - each passenger's temperature is measured with a special thermometer. Kenya and Tanzania are very touristic countries: there are a lot of tourists there: mainly from Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan… Everyone travels and does not take a steam bath. So I wish everyone the same, and I also strongly advise you “not to read Soviet newspapers before lunch”, and if you do, then do not succumb to their zombies and clearly filter through yourself what they are trying to put into your brain. I also strongly advise you to look at the world map more often, because Africa is a huge continent, and not a small piece of land teeming with diseases near the Limpopo River, glorified by Chukovsky.

2. If there is no Ebola in Kenya and Tanzania, then what is there - what is the probability of catching some other infection there?

In principle, of the serious diseases there is only malaria. Of course, this does not mean that one should go into paranoia and be afraid of every mosquito - but this must be borne in mind, and whoever is warned is armed, as you know. In our country, malaria is considered a very serious disease, each case of which is always treated as an emergency and is treated quite difficult and unpleasantly. Some people advise you to drink some of our terribly harmful antimalarial drugs before traveling to potentially dangerous regions such as Africa and plant your liver well in this way. In reality, in Kenya and Tanzania, everything is different: malaria there is a common thing and no more an emergency than we have the flu or SARS. In these countries, cheap malaria tests and the very cheap and universally applicable French drug Coartem are sold in every pharmacy without any prescription. Malaria often starts like a regular SARS or flu - chills, fever ... Therefore, if such symptoms begin, then you just do a malaria test for yourself, and if it is positive, then you start treatment. In case of malaria, you should immediately drink one four-day course of "Coartem" - with the help of this drug, malaria is cured literally "on its feet". It is impossible to buy "Coartem" in Russia - only there, on the spot! On the first day, we stopped at a pharmacy in Nairobi and bought it for ourselves with a margin, as well as tests. If you are going to a potentially dangerous malaria region - buy it there, on the spot, or write, I can give it on the road. And so in general - in every hotel or campsite there are anti-mosquito nets over the beds. Plus, take mosquito repellant with you. Reasonable precautions - and almost certainly everything will be fine! :)

3. Is there any mandatory vaccination required to travel to Kenya and Tanzania?

In Kenya, no. Tanzania requires compulsory yellow fever vaccination. In fact, there is no yellow fever in Tanzania, the last case of it was recorded there in some very furry year. But - the formal requirement for vaccination remains. I vaccinated myself a couple of months before the trip, and received an international certificate. In Moscow, it is done very simply, Natasha did it at home in St. Petersburg - also without problems. I don't know about other cities. The vaccination certificate is asked at the border when entering Tanzania. They write that they look at this certificate at airports specifically, and I entered Tanzania on an intercity bus from Kenya through a very rural border checkpoint Taveta / Holili. Some aunt just asked me if I had a vaccine - I said yes, and went on. :)))

4. What other precautions should be taken when traveling to Kenya and Tanzania so that the trip is not overshadowed by health problems?

By and large, the same as in any other trip. I advise you to take a good first aid kit from home (however, I personally try to have a good first aid kit with me on any trip, especially abroad, where it is sometimes very problematic to buy the most banal medicine, not to mention antibiotics). And so - I advise even in good hotels to wash and brush your teeth with bottled water, and not from the tap. Also, wash your hands often, especially before eating. In this regard, pocket gel antiseptics and all sorts of antiseptic wet wipes are very convenient when traveling.

5. How did we organize this trip?

I clearly planned a trip to Real Africa for the fall of 2014. I read about countries, their sights, scrolled through different travel options in my head. For a long time I chose between Kenya and Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. As a result, I settled on Kenya and Tanzania, as a more classic version. Specifically, I took up the organization of the trip in April. At the same time, my St. Petersburg friend Natashka, with whom five years ago we went to Kamchatka and Baikal, caught fire with the idea of ​​​​Africa. It’s not worth going to African countries in an unorganized way - after all, these are not the countries where it’s good to ride spontaneously and as a savage. Traveling through Russian travel companies is, firstly, three times expensive (they still do it all through African travel agencies, acting as intermediaries), and secondly, for some reason I don’t like contacting our travel agencies without special need. We began to dig options together - as a result, Natasha found one interesting and more budget option through the Vinsky Forum. We came across a Russian woman who now lives in Kenya and works for the Kenyan travel company Right Choice. If there is a specific interest - write, I will give her contacts. The option is ideal - you organize a trip directly through a local travel company, but at the same time you have your own person there who speaks the same language with you, with whom you can discuss certain nuances and who, if anything, is always on the phone right at the time travels. I originally planned to spend the first week on a safari in Kenya, and the second - to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Natasha decided not to climb Kilimanjaro, and after the safari, spend five days on the Kenyan coast of the Indian Ocean in a hotel in the resort town of Diani. Simultaneously with us, a couple of Nizhny Novgorod residents, Irina and Andrey, gathered on a safari and then on a beach holiday in Diani. And already in August I accidentally invited my colleague Marinka on a trip to Africa (without climbing Kili). Thus, the trip consisted of two parts - in the first part of the trip, Natasha and Marina and I, as well as Ira and Andrey, five of us watched Nairobi and then all together for 5 days rode around the national parks of Kenya, and then on the second week I went to Tanzania alone to conquer Kilimanjaro, and the four of them continued their vacation with a beach holiday.

6. How much did this trip cost?

Given the scale of the trip and the always expensive ascent of Kilimanjaro, this 17-day trip cost me relatively inexpensively: $ 2,300 + 30 thousand rubles airfare. Well, that is, it is expensive, of course - but our option was, perhaps, perhaps the most budgetary possible. If without climbing Kili, then the trip (Nairobi + safari + beach vacation) for the guys cost about $ 1,200 + 30 thousand rubles flight. We took tickets in advance (Natasha and I in May, Marinka - in August for the same 30 thousand), flew to Kenya via Amsterdam (KLM + Kenya Airways). The tour itself was paid as follows: a 30% deposit in advance through a bank, and the rest of the amount is already on the spot in Nairobi at the office of a local travel company.

7. Do I need visas for Kenya and Tanzania?

No. You do not need to apply for visas to Kenya and Tanzania in advance. Visas are placed directly at the border. The cost of a tourist visa is $50.

8. How calm and safe are these countries?

By African standards, Kenya and Tanzania are very calm countries. Plus very touristy - there are a lot of tourists. On a safari, climbing - no problems at all, but in cities you still need to take certain precautions: there are cases of robberies, you should not wander around the cities yourself after sunset (even if you only need to walk a few blocks in the evening, it is better to take a taxi), and there are quarters where it is better not to wander at all. You should not carry large sums of money with you, it is not recommended, if you walk alone, to “shine” for show expensive photographic equipment. In African cities, a white tourist on the street is always an object of close attention. However, you get used to it over time, the “culture shock” passes and, subject to reasonable security measures, African cities are no worse than other cities in Russia. :)

9. Money and tips. How about this?

In Kenya and Tanzania, it is customary to tip guides, travel organizers, hotel porters, drivers (even if your transfer is paid in advance). I understand that many of them live on tips, and not on a regular salary. So if you didn’t give it and you are suddenly politely reminded of it, don’t be surprised. The tip is small - with the exception of climbing Kilimanjaro. There it is supposed to tip $10 a day for a porter (who carries heavy things uphill), $15 a day for a cook, plus $15-20 a day for a mountain guide. Of course, rounding up is welcome. :))) Taking into account the fact that, for example, I was walking alone with two porters, a cook and a mountain guide, for a five-day ascent there were about 300 dollars in tips for everyone. However, my ascent was organized very well and competently - so there really was something to tip. :)))

Now about climbing Kilimanjaro...

10. The height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters. Do I need any special climbing training to climb?

Special climbing training and any special equipment are not required to climb the highest peak in Africa - you just need good physical shape, endurance, a certain amount of health and good shoes. But this does not mean that everyone can climb Kilimanjaro so easily - after all, the ascent takes 5-7 days, in some places the ascent is steep and difficult, the total duration of the ascent route is about 40 kilometers uphill, and at an altitude of more than 4000-5000 meters very rarefied air. In general, according to statistics, about 70% of the total number of climbers successfully climb the summit.

11. What routes of climbing Kili are possible and how is the ascent organized?

The three main routes to climb Kilimanjaro are Maranga (the easiest), Rongai (medium difficulty) and Machame (the most difficult, but also considered the most beautiful). I went exactly the Machame route. You go uphill light (only with light things - for example, I carried two not so light DSLRs to the top. :)) heavy things, backpacks, tents, etc.) and a cook who prepares hot meals throughout the route. Mountain guides on Kili are good - they correctly orient you on the route, set the right pace depending on your physical capabilities, distribute your strength over the distance, and organize mountain acclimatization at altitude. They are certainly interested in you reaching and that the ascent is competent and safe - if only because a good tip is relied on for a successful ascent (see paragraph 9)

12. How hard is it at the top?

It all depends on the physical condition of a particular person. According to statistics, most of the climbers reach the summit (and among them there are often quite old people). I am a sports person (I go in for sports regularly, go to the gym, ride a bike, run crosses of 3-5 kilometers, in winter I go skiing and downhill skiing) and in general the ascent was easy for me - up to a height of almost 5000 meters I generally ran like a goat and didn't even get tired. But on the final assault - from the base camp of Barafu (4550 meters) and to the top of Kili (5895 meters) you still had to seriously try - very rarefied air, hard to breathe, knocking in your temples, weakness, every movement is given to you several times harder than at normal height. But on the whole, it went well - and at the top, the buzz and euphoria from conquering the highest mountain in Africa a hundred times exceeded these slightly unpleasant symptoms.

13. What gear and equipment do you need to climb?

The most important thing is good shoes. Plus, you need good warm clothes, a hat, gloves, foam, dark glasses, a flashlight and a sleeping bag (at night on the slopes of Kilimanjaro - up to minus ten frost). During the ascent you spend the night in a tent. I went to Kili without sticks, but it is easier for someone to climb with sticks. If you don’t have any of the above, then this is not a problem - you can take any equipment and equipment right there, from the mountain guide. I personally took everything, with the exception of the tent, from Moscow with me - and before the trip I specially equipped myself well. But again, it’s who it is - in principle, you can go and generally carry things (well, maybe with your own boots), and get everything you need already on the spot.

14. What did I photograph on this trip?

I took three lenses with me on a trip - a universal (18-300), a long-range telephoto lens for shooting animals and distant objects on a safari, plus a wide-angle lens - purely for landscape photography. There were two SLRs for three lenses - so as not to constantly refasten. In general, in Africa there is definitely a place for a photographer to roam. :)

Here is some such list of questions and answers turned out. If you forgot something or something is not clear - ask, add. :)))

Have you ever been to Africa? Experienced travelers recommend starting the “development” of this continent from the east coast. And then the question arises: where to go first? The most popular are tours to and, but how to understand which is better? Let's try to understand this issue.

Let's start with the fact that Kenya passes through its southern border into Tanzania. Climatically and geographically, the countries are very similar. They are located in the same time zone GMT + 3 south of the equator. By the way, the legacy left after the British, these two countries also have in common: left-hand traffic everywhere and English sockets, incl. tourists from Russia and the CIS countries will need special adapters.

The coldest months are May, June and July, it happens that at night the air temperature is only +10+12 degrees. From April to June, the real rainy season reigns, beginners are not recommended to visit the East African coast at this time. And lastly, both countries are members of the East African Community (EAC), which means that crossing the common border is not complicated by bureaucratic and other nuances. You can take a taxi in Tanzania and get off in Kenya without any problems. Or any tour can be started on the territory of one state, and finished in another - it's convenient, isn't it?

Metro in big cities no, the roads are not always ideal, especially outside the city. This leads to huge traffic jams, which must be taken into account when planning trips, especially to the airport. There is very little public transport, we recommend in settlements take a taxi or tuk-tuk. Between major cities and regions it is more convenient to fly by plane or travel by bus. Therefore, if we consider the transport issue, it is difficult to say which is better to choose - Kenya or Tanzania.

Today, residents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and some other countries of the former USSR can easily obtain a visa immediately upon arrival in or. The cost of the procedure is only $50. The best part is that having received a visa in Kenya, then visiting Tanzania and returning back, you do not need to get a visa again. This is the great value of YOU.

From the unusual: the passage of the border of both states is accompanied by the procedure for taking and checking your fingerprints - separately the thumb and the four others together. Local border guards were not noticed in extorting bribes, rather, on the contrary, they politely explain modern orders and laws to all inexperienced tourists.

The very first question concerns malaria. There are no vaccinations against it, but a week before the trip, you need to start taking appropriate medications. Alas, in Russia and the CIS countries, in most pharmacies, the necessary medicines are sold at greatly inflated prices, and in many they are not available at all. There are zones completely free from malaria, and there are dangerous ones (hot, humid with an abundance of insects). In the first case, this is, for example, the capital of Kenya, in the second, the African coast and lakes.

In addition to preventive drugs, it is imperative to have a set of tests and therapeutic agents with you. Both in Kenya and Tanzania, tests and drugs for prevention are sold everywhere and cheaper than in Russia and Europe. Remember, at the first symptoms of a cold, immediately test for malaria. If you are flying directly to and are not going to leave it until the end of your vacation, then be calm: malaria has not been here for a long time and you do not need prevention. But you will have to get vaccinated against yellow fever, they are especially strict about this issue in Tanzania and even ask for a certificate.

Let's start with the fact that in Kenya and Tanzania, in addition to the local currency, dollars are also in free circulation, and sometimes rubles in big cities. In Kenya, the exchange rate is generally more profitable by about two times than in Tanzania, and also more affordable: exchangers can be found literally at every turn. Tipping is optional (about 10%), they are not included in the bill anywhere. But on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, we recommend taking only cash: there are practically no exchangers here, the rate is significantly lower than the mainland.

The level of service and quality of goods can be found from the simplest to high-quality and even luxury. The question is not only the price and your willingness to pay it, but also the habit of sleeping, for example, in a clean private room, and not on a couch in a barn without windows.

If you are going on a safari, accommodation is guaranteed to be included in your tour. These can be modest but equipped tents or more expensive houses with rooms.

In cities and towns you can find decent rooms for an average of $30-50 per person per day. If you decide to stay on the coast, then expect that a bungalow will cost about $30, and rooms will cost about $100-130. Of course, you can find more comfortable hotels on the first line, but it will be more expensive.

To the surprise of many tourists, modest eateries for locals do not differ much in appearance from more or less decent and proven restaurants. There are not so many local dishes to stand in line for them: the main food is meat, vegetables, rice. In almost any institution, both in and in, where a trusted guide will take you, you can safely order cold cuts, and these are poultry, pork, beef, ostrich, crocodile, buffalo, zebra, etc. In some places there is a vegetarian menu. Very varied and familiar you will be fed only at good hotels. You can arrange a belly festival on your own after visiting a good supermarket.

The island of Zanzibar is significantly different in terms of gastronomy, it is a kind of very Europeanized place, where both the cuisine is familiar and the service is at its best. Everything for the capricious tourist.

There is no doubt that all tourists are primarily interested in nature. You will not be understood if, having arrived in or you do not find time to visit at least one national park. It is advisable to carry out all trips with binoculars, since you can not drive everywhere, but you want to see a lot. There is a constant migration of animals between the two states, incl. there is no choice where exactly to look for them. Acquaintance with the life of the Maasai tribe and an excursion to their village can be organized with the help of a local leader. For some fee, he guarantees you his protection and patronage, of course, if you are not going to get into a fight or behave obscenely.

Getting to know is the second most important goal of many tourists. The highest point in Africa changes somewhat with time, so you should not put it off until later. Know that you can climb it only from the territory of Tanzania, but you won’t be able to admire all its slopes here, the best views open from Kenya. So you choose which is better in this matter: Kenya or Tanzania.

Water activities are present throughout the east coast. Divers have chosen the islands and coast of Tanzania, surfers -. For lovers of calm beach holiday most travel agencies recommend . It is worth noting that history lovers will like it more in Tanzania: there are more old forts and the historical heritage of the British preserved here.

In general, we can conclude: if you are accustomed to a normal service and are still afraid to walk confidently on the black continent, and acquaintances with the beauties of flora and fauna beckon you strongly - you have a direct road to Kenya. But if you are an experienced tourist and you are not afraid of a noticeable lack of civilization and tourist infrastructure, or you dream of conquering Kilimanjaro, you will go straight to Tanzania. Have a nice holiday!

Tour in Kenya and Tanzania includes the classic continuous safari(10 days) in the best National parks East Africa. You will have every opportunity to meet with great representatives more than once Big Five: elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes, as well as crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, ostriches and other numerous antelopes and feathered representatives of the African fauna. Comfortable accommodation in lodges and campsites at the same time will provide maximum proximity to nature. A worthy end to the tour will be a vacation on an exotic island Zanzibar, with its snow-white beaches, spice plantations, vintage Arab city and caves in which desperate runaway slaves hid. Here you will find great opportunities for diving, snorkeling and sea fishing. The program can be adjusted according to your wishes and possibilities.

Day 1. Nakuru. Arrival at Nairobi. Meeting with a representative of the host company. Depending on the arrival time (KLM - in the morning, Qatar and Emirates a / lines - in the afternoon, Turkish a / lines - at night), transfer to the National Park Nakuru(about 200 km) or to the hotel. This park is famous for its soda lake with hundreds of thousands of flamingos, there are also rhinos, leopards and giraffes. Accommodation at Nakuru Lake lodge. Briefing, evening game drive in two jeeps, rest.

Day 2. Nakuru - Masai Mara. Before breakfast (optional) – morning game drive. After breakfast departure to the National Park Masai Mara(about 7 hours drive). This park is the most famous in Kenya, where you can see animals in almost the same abundance. As it was a hundred years ago. Accommodation at Mara Leisure Camp. Lunch, evening game drive, rest.

Day 3. Masai Mara. Safari day - two game drives (before breakfast and in the evening), visiting Maasai villages. Overnight at Mara Leisure Camp.

Day 4. Amboseli. After breakfast departure to Nairobi, an early lunch at a local restaurant Karen Blixen or a picnic. Visit to the museum of the writer Karen Blixen. Next drive to the National Park Amboseli, spread out under the canopy kilimanjaro, the most famous symbol of Africa. On the way to the National Park - game drive. Accommodation at Amboseli Serena Lodge, rest, dinner.

Day 5. Amboseli. Safari day - two game drives (before breakfast and in the evening). Overnight at Amboseli Serena Lodge.

Day 6. Arusha, Tanzania. After breakfast departure to Tanzania. Crossing the border at Namanga, obtaining visas on the spot. Meeting with the Tanzanian host. Arrive in 4-5 hours Arusha, accommodation in Ngaresero hotel 4* in a cozy colonial estate on the wooded slope of Mount Meru, relaxation. Possibility to visit the museum shop cultural heritage to purchase quality souvenirs and precious tanzanite (this can be done later when returning from a safari).

Day 7. Manyara. Transfer from Arusha to National the park Manyara(about 2.5 hours drive). Here in one day you can see almost all the large animals of Africa, including predators. Lunch - lunch box / picnic. In the afternoon game drive through the park, dinner and overnight at Serena Lodge.

Day 8. Manyara - Serengeti. After breakfast departure to Serengeti. The road will take about 5 hours, during the journey you can observe gigantic herds of migrating antelopes and zebras, and next to them, if you're lucky, predators. Lunch - lunch box / picnic. In the evening, arrival at the Serena Lodge.

Day 9. Serengeti - Ngorongoro. Game drive at dawn. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Next departure to Ngorongoro, on the way (about 4 hours) observation of animals. Additionally, you can visit the canyon Olduvai with archaeological excavations of traces of the most ancient people and Masai village(payment on the spot about $ 20 per person). In the evening, arrival at the Ngorongoro Caldera, dinner and overnight at Serena Lodge.

Day 10. Ngorongoro - Arusha. Game drive in the caldera from dawn to noon. Return to the lodge for lunch. Further return to Arusha, on the way at the entrance to the city it is possible to visit a store-museum cultural heritage. Accommodation at Ngaresero 4* hotel.

Day 11. Arusha - Zanzibar. After breakfast transfer to Arusha airport for flight Zanzibar. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the north coast (Nungwi North Coast Beach) to a 5 * BB hotel (our choice: Sunset Bungalow - Kendwa 5 * BB). Free time.

Days 12-13. Zanzibar. Accommodation at the hotel, free time, optional excursions.

Day 14. Zanzibar - Nairobi, flight home. Transfer to the airport, evening flight to Nairobi, docking with an international flight.

Day 1 Arrival in Nairobi. Transfer to Amboseli. Evening safari.

Arrival in Nairobi (JKIA) in the morning. Moving to the south of the country through the picturesque Masai lands to Amboseli Park. The majestic Mount Kilimanjaro rises above this area, hiding high above the clouds. Lodge accommodation. Dinner. Evening safari.

Day 2 Moving to Ngorongoro. Free time.

Breakfast. Safari in Amboseli on the way to Namanga border. Crossing the border and changing cars. Lunch in the town of Arusha. Moving to Ngorongoro. Located at an altitude of 2286 meters above sea level, it is the largest fully preserved caldera in the world. Surrounded by very steep walls rising to 610 meters, the crater is about 19 kilometers in diameter and has an area of ​​about 260 square kilometers. Here, as in Noah's ark all African animals are collected: elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, rhinos, monkeys, hyenas, lions and many others. Lodge accommodation. Free time for rest.

Day 3 Safari in the crater of the extinct volcano Ngorongoro. Moving to the Serengeti. Safari along the way.

Breakfast. Departure for a safari to the crater, where all African animals live in a relatively small area. Lunch boxes will be prepared for you. Lunch on the shore of a picturesque lake with hippos. Moving to the Serengeti National Park, the only place on the globe where the concentration and number of wild animals is so high (more than a million large mammals). Here you can see the "Big Five" in full force. On the way, visit Olduvai Gorge (an additional $36 per person is paid), where the remains of a “handy man” were found. Safari in the park along the way. Lodge accommodation.

Day 4 Full day safari in the Serengeti.

Full day safari National Park Serengeti:
Early safari. Breakfast at the lodge. Free time for rest. Dinner. Evening safari. Dinner.
Or depending on the movement of the animals:
Breakfast. Safari in the park with lunch - lunch box. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Day 5 Transfer to Lake Manyara. Evening safari.

Breakfast. Transfer to Lake Manyara. Despite the small area (315 square kilometers), this is one of the most diverse parks in Tanzania. More than 380 species of birds and many African animals live here. The grassy shores of the lake are one of the the best places to watch the hunting of lions, which are also notable for their habit of climbing trees. Lodge accommodation. Dinner. Evening safari.

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