Dhows located in the surf of the beach in front of Nungwi.Stone Town is full of old buildings including many that are in a state of severe decay. This city seems like a tiny maze at times, however its difficult to get too lost - if you walk far enough you will either end up on the seafront or on Creek Road which is the outermost road in Stone Town. While in Stone Town be sure to visit the evening waterfront "fresh fish cookout." This event … [Read more...]
Zanzibar – Shopping
Stone Town is one of eastern Africa's shopping meccas. I found several incredible antique stores specializing in east African tribal antiques from the 1600s through the 1900s. One such store was like walking back in time. Intricately carved horns, parchment scrolls, rawhide prayer books, wooden masks, wooden statues of every shape and size and many other types of antiques were on display. The owner has several partnerships with antique dealers in … [Read more...]
Zanzibar – Lodging
Amaan Bungalows are located in the northern most village on Zanzibar called Nungwi. Besides the bungalow lodging, they also have three restaurants on the premises. Annex of Abdulla Guest House is centrally located in Stone Town within walking distance to the old Anglican Church built in 1824, the Africa House (a special place for watching the sun set), and to the Old Central Market opened in 1904. All their rooms are self contained and they … [Read more...]
Zanzibar – Restaurants
Forodhani Gardens, located down by the seafront is an excellent source of local cuisine - housing street vendors selling mostly seafood. Meals are cooked in front of you. I ate here several nights and never had any problems with the food. The Tourist Board recommends the following restaurants Fisherman Restaurant in Stone town - excellent fresh fish Restaurant on the roof of the Chavder Hotel. The Pagoda Chinese restaurant.- … [Read more...]
Zanzibar – More Information
In addition to the below websites additional information about Zanzibar can be received by either writing or calling the following organizations: Tanzanian Embassy 2139 R Street NW Washington DC, 20008 Phone: 202.939.6125 | www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org General Information www.africatravelresource.com/africa/tanzania/c/zanzibar an excellent Zanzibar info resource www.ecoculture-zanzibar.org culture Tours -tour operator on Zanzibar … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
In every inspiring natural creation there is a realism that speaks to you. In every moment on a mountain you find it more and more. You discover yourself in ways not possible through other means. This stays with you and guides you for the rest of your life. May everyone have this chance at least once. ~ Dave This guide is a review of a climb by Dave of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. This article focuses solely on the climb with little other … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – Altitude
While most people can climb Kilimanjaro if they are fit, climb slowly, drink plenty of clean water and have excellent guides, most people suffer some form of altitude sickness on this mountain. Although you do not need to have mountaineering skills and be in top shape, you have to be extremely careful with the altitude because this is such a tall mountain. Some early symptoms to be aware of are headaches, nausea, vomiting, dry cough, … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – What to Pack
Here Dave details what he packed for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. One may bring other items not listed here, or feel it unnecessary to pack some of the items mentioned below. This list and related information is provided as a reference only. For a climb like this one, you will need waterproof gear, and warm gear. If you already do not have any of the below items you will want to purchasing these items. Waterproof gear is a must. This … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – The Climb
Mountain Madness guides its clients up Kilimanjaro on the Shira Plateau or the Fisher route. The route Dave chose had about 80 climbers from various companies. To put this into perspective the other side of the mountain (which included the other routes) had 2000 people attempting the summit. Usually the client/guide-porter-cooks ratio is about 4 to 1. This means that for 2000 clients there were 8000 guides, cooks and porters. In summary, there … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – Route Itinerary
The following is a list of camps and descriptions that we stayed at while hiking up the Shira route. Base Camp is located at 6500 feet among lush vegetation. During certain times of the year elephants and herds of animals can be seen in this area. During clear days, there are stunning views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Several small roads and trails are in this area - some of the trails lead up to small mountains from which there are … [Read more...]