Banks in Nepal will no longer be accepting Nepalese currency with portraits of Nepalese kings as of March 15, 2011. The new Nepalese currency has a picture of Mt. Everest on it and will be accepted throughout Nepal. Visitors doing a tour in Nepal are advised not to accept any currency with a picture of a king on it.
Exaple of correct Nepal currency
For many people, Tanzania is the first Third World country they have gone to. It is also very different culturally. Here are some things to be aware of, which will make your Kilimanjaro trek and Tanzania safari more enjoyable.
ELECTRICITY
Tanzania is a Third World country and is prone to rolling blackouts. Most hotels have generators, but they may not operate 24 hours a day. Some stores do not have generators, so cold drinks and ice may not be plentiful all the time.
We recommend keeping a headlamp or flashlight near your bed for nighttime bathroom visits. Charge your batteries in the early evening and in the mornings when electricity is more dependable. Bring multiple power converters if you have a lot of batteries to charge.
HOT WATER
If there is no electricity, there is no hot water. All of the safari lodges (no matter how expensive) are susceptible to a lack of hot water. You are in the bush, and all the comforts of home are not necessarily available.
BOTTLED WATER
Always use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth. Hotels will have bottled water available, but it will be cheaper at a store. You may also want to bring a Steripen or filter if you don?t want to buy bottled water all the time to save money and the environment.
TRAFFIC
Like everywhere in the world, traffic can be a problem in Moshi, Arusha, and at the Kilimanjaro Airport. Getting places takes longer than you think. Patience is appreciated.
AFRICA TIME
Life in Tanzania just moves slower than some Westerners are used to. Be prepared to wait.
ITINERARY
We try to stick with the trip itinerary exactly as stated in your reservation confirmation. However, changes in accommodations or other unforeseen circumstances may require last minute changes to your itinerary. Also, if there is a change you would like to make, your guide may be able to accommodate your request, but not always.
SELLING HASSLES
There are many people in Tanzania trying to make a living and barely scraping by. They may hassle you buy things from them. Be firm and don?t let it upset you. Learning some Swahili can also help.
DOUBLE BEDS
Most mid-range and budget accommodations have twin beds. We can request a double/queen bed, but it doesn?t always happen. Luxury accommodations have more queen/king beds.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Like many places in the world, customer service at hotels, restaurants, and shops vary greatly. Tanzania tends to be slower and less helpful than what some people are used to.
INTERNET
The Internet in Tanzania can be very slow and very expensive. The further away you get from a major town, the slower and more expensive it gets.
HOTEL CHARGES
When you order drinks, food, Internet, laundry, or other services at a hotel, they write the charge down on a slip of paper and put it in the ?box? for your room. They will add these up when you check out. Look carefully at these slips to make sure they are all correct.
ATMS/CREDIT CARDS
ATMs are available in major towns like Moshi and Arusha, but they do not always work. Credit Cards are accepted at larger hotels, stores, and restaurants, but sometimes they are not. How?s that for uncertainty?! Check with the hotel/restaurant ahead of time to budget your cash correctly, and bring more cash than you think you need.
TIPPING
All AWR staff is paid a salary, but tips are greatly appreciated. Hotels have a tip box to cover all staff at the hotel.
SAFETY
If you are in busy areas of town or on safari during the day, you are generally safe, but be careful and smart. It is recommended that you keep your money well hidden, do not bring valuables, and do not go out at night alone.
There may not be seat belts in some of the vehicles in Tanzania….
SLOW FOOD
Restaurants in Moshi and Arusha serve lunch and dinner very slow. It can take up to an hour for food to be served after you order. If you are eating at your hotel, consider ordering ahead of time. If you are in a hurry, find a buffet or go to a coffee shop, which is faster. Or, just be prepared to relax and wait.
COMFORT FOOD
If you have particular favorite foods, you may want to bring them from home as not everything is available in Tanzania. You may also want to stop at a local convenience store on your trip to pick up comfort foods like chocolate to have on hand.
BUGS
Mosquitoes are mainly a problem during the rainy season ? April, May, and November. However, there can be mosquitoes and other bugs all year round. All hotels have mosquito nets over the beds, and tented camps have zippered screen doors and windows. You will still want to bring bug spray and keep it handy particularly in the evenings.
MONKEYS AND BIRDS
On safari, monkeys will find their way into your hotel room through an open door or window to grab any food you might have around. The lunch break areas on safari are also very popular for birds looking for a snack. Do not feed the animals, and watch out!
This blog post is by AWR collaborator Sarah Martens. Sarah and her husband Ted are currently traveling around the world in search of adventure and, along the way, sampling some of AWR’s great trips and looking for new destinations.
Ted & Sarah Martens on the summit
Though common sense and sound advice tells you to prepare yourself as much as possible before a physical undertaking as demanding as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, my recommendation is that a little ignorance can be a good thing.
Before our climb, my husband reached out to a few friends that had climbed Kili to ask them about the hike and to hear their experiences. He got a few intimidating responses ranging from miserable altitude headaches to incredibly grueling hard work. He (thankfully!) decided that there was no good reason to share this information with me and off we went with me none the wiser.
I’m telling you this story not to discourage you but to remind you that every climber will have their own unique experience so there is no reason to obsess over the good, the bad and the ugly of any climber tales before you.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is a gigantic mountain that deserves a lot of respect but I’m confident we made it to the top not because we were in the best shape of our lives (we weren’t), or because it has been a lifelong dream of ours (it hasn’t) but because we really wanted to get up there and because we never imagined that we wouldn’t do so.
There is a lot of emphasis on summit day and getting to the top (my previous paragraphs included) but the 4 days of hiking leading up to summit day are more-than-incredible in their own right: walking through lush rainforests, seeing silhouette views of nearby Mt. Meru at sunset, camping on cliff edges overlooking spectacular valleys, walking through clouds and catching rewarding glimpses of Kili all along the way. The hiking alone is world class and THEN you get the opportunity to really challenge and reward yourself.
Glaciers near the summit
You may not want to get up at midnight to start your summit attempt – you may get cold, or a little dizzy or even wonder why you paid money to do this – but you just keep walking, putting one foot ahead of the other. And just when you want to turn around or sit down or be done with the whole thing, you can see the top in the early dawn light. The end is in sight. The pink sky is just the encouragement you need to finish what you started and get to the top. When you see the crescent of first sunlight on the horizon from the roof of Africa, everything at that moment gets a whole lot better, and man does it feel good!
A huge thanks to AWR for making this incredible opportunity possible and to our guides and porters for keeping us safe up there!
Patagonia is a vast region with a variety of striking ecosystems from the high Andes to the Atlantic coast. Visitors to this region can enjoy many outdoor activities including trekking, sea kayaking and wildlife viewing in a diverse array of spectacular landscapes.
Patagonia stretches almost 1,000 miles north to south, so visiting this region takes some careful planning. Linking up some of Patagonia’s most popular destinations is best done by air.
Where you chose to visit depends on the landscapes you wish to see and your favorite activities. Here are a few of Argentine Patagonia’s best destinations.
Peninsula Valdés: Marine Wildlife Viewing and Sea Kayaking
Peninsula Valdes Sea Kayaking
The Peninsula Valdés is located in Northern Patagonia and is considered one of the best places to view whales, sea lions and penguins. Best visited between September and April, this area is famous for viewing southern right whales and orcas. Activities around the peninsula include photographing wildlife and sea kayaking.
It is also possible to combine Peninsula Valdés with the high Andes and the Patagonian Steppe on a 15-day kayaking adventure from Bariloche to the Atlantic.
Los Glaciares National Park: Trekking and Glaciers
Los Glaciares National Park
This park and its landscapes correspond to most people’s expectations for a trip to Patagonia; its towering granite spires and glaciers inspired the logo for the well-known brand of clothing.
Visitors to the region usually fly into El Calafate. You can embark on incredible treks to Mount Fitz Roy or Cerro Torre and visit the park’s glaciers that break off into pristine lakes. For even more trekking and unforgettable vistas, trekkers should consider crossing over into Chile to visit the Torres Del Paine National Park.
Crown your Patagonian experience with a stay on an estancia (ranch) where you can explore the countryside and experience authentic local culture. Possible estancia’s include La Ernestina, a sheep ranch located on the remote northern tip of the Peninsula Valdés, and Nibepo Aike, a sheep ranch located on the Lago Argentina in the Los Glaciares National Park.
Contact us for more information about visiting Patagonia!
All travelers coming from endemic countries to Tanzania are required to produce evidence of yellow fever vaccination. This travel requirement does not apply to those travelers coming from non-endemic countries. Travelers from non-endemic countries traveling through endemic countries are subject to yellow fever vaccination only if they stay outside the airport or have a long connection up to twelve hours.
Africa
For many people, Tanzania is the first Third World country they have gone to. It is also very different culturally. Here are some things to be aware of, which will make your trip more enjoyable.
Mosquitoes are mainly a problem during the rainy season – April, May, and November. However, there can be mosquitoes and other bugs all year round. All hotels have mosquito nets over the beds, and tented camps have zippered screen doors and windows. You will still want to bring bug spray and keep it handy particularly in the evenings.
On safari, monkeys will find their way into your hotel room through an open door or window to grab any food you might have around. The lunch break areas on safari are also very popular for birds looking for a snack. Do not feed the animals – and watch out!
Tanzania is a Third World country and is prone to rolling blackouts. Most hotels have generators, but they may not operate 24 hours a day. Some stores do not have generators, so cold drinks and ice may not be plentiful all the time.
We recommend keeping a headlamp or flashlight near your bed for nighttime bathroom visits. Charge your batteries in the early evening and in the mornings when electricity is more dependable. Bring multiple power converters if you have a lot of batteries to charge.
If there is no electricity, there is no hot water. All of the safari lodges (no matter how expensive) are susceptible to a lack of hot water. You are in the bush, and all the comforts of home are not necessarily available.
Always use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth. Hotels will have bottled water available, but it will be cheaper at a store. You may also want to bring a Steripen or filter if you don’t want to buy bottled water all the time to save money and the environment.
Like everywhere in the world, traffic can be a problem in Moshi, Arusha, and at the Kilimanjaro Airport. Getting places takes longer than you think. Patience is appreciated.
Life in Tanzania just moves slower than some Westerners are used to. Be prepared to wait.
AWR makes every effort to reserve the accommodations per your itinerary. However, hotels and tented camps are notorious for overbooking. We may have to make a change at the last minute, but we will always find the best available option.
We try to stick with the trip itinerary exactly as stated in your reservation confirmation. However, changes in accommodations or other unforeseen circumstances may require last minute changes to your itinerary. Also, if there is a change you would like to make, your guide may be able to accommodate your request, but not always.
There are many people in Tanzania trying to make a living and barely scraping by. They may hassle you buy things from them. Be firm and don’t let it upset you. Learning some Swahili can also help.
Most mid-range and budget accommodations have twin beds. We can request a double/queen bed, but it doesn’t always happen. Luxury accommodations have more queen/king beds.
Like many places in the world, customer service at hotels, restaurants, and shops vary greatly. Tanzania tends to be slower and less helpful than what some people are used to.
The Internet in Tanzania can be very slow and very expensive. The further away you get from a major town, the slower and more expensive it gets.
When you order drinks, food, Internet, laundry, or other services at a hotel, they write the charge down on a slip of paper and put it in the “box” for your room. They will add these up when you check out. Look carefully at these slips to make sure they are all correct.
ATMs are available in major towns like Moshi and Arusha, but they do not always work. Credit Cards are accepted at larger hotels, stores, and restaurants, but sometimes they are not. How’s that for uncertainty?! Check with the hotel/restaurant ahead of time to budget your cash correctly, and bring more cash than you think you need.
All AWR staff is paid a salary, but tips are greatly appreciated. Hotels have a tip box to cover all staff at the hotel.
If you are in busy areas of town or on safari during the day, you are generally safe. It is recommended that you keep your money well hidden, do not bring valuables, and do not go out at night alone.
Restaurants in Moshi and Arusha serve lunch and dinner very slow. It can take up to an hour for food to be served after you order. If you are eating at your hotel, consider ordering ahead of time. If you are in a hurry, find a buffet or go to a coffee shop, which is faster. Or, just be prepared to relax and wait.
If you have particular favorite foods, you may want to bring them from home as not everything is available in Tanzania. You may also want to stop at a local convenience store on your trip to pick up comfort foods like chocolate to have on hand.
Orcas at Punta Norte (pnor.org)
Every year around the month of March a group of ocras (also known as killer whales) does something amazing: they throw themselves on the beach of Punta Norte to capture sea lions. These orcas located off the coast of Peninsula Valdés in Northern Patagonia in Argentina comprise the only pod (family group) in the world to use this unique hunting tactic.
Adventures Within Reach can organize private departures to view this natural spectacle. The beach at Punta Norte is the only location in the Peninsula Valdés Fauna Reserve where travelers can have the opportunity to see the orcas during one of their high-tide attacks.
The area around the actual attack channel is restricted to professional photographers who have obtained a permit, however guests who stay on Punta Norte obtain similar access to the beach. Due to the remote location of Punta Norte there is only one lodging options that will allow travelers to view the channel where the orcas attack the sea lions. The Estancia La Ernestina is an active sheep ranch and one of the ranchers takes guests on private nature walks during their stay. The ranch has been run by the Copello family since 1907 and includes 6 rooms for guests.
For the best chance to see one of the orca attacks travelers should plan to visit during the month of March when sea lion pups begin to venture alone into the ocean. AWR recommends a 4-day/ 3-night stay at Estancia La Ernestina. Guests can relax in the remote location, watch the beach for orcas during the high-tides, go on a series of nature walks to view penguins and elephant seals, and visit other areas of the Peninsula Valdés when traveling to and from Punta Norte.
The price for a 4-day/ 3-night itinerary is $ 1260 (per person based upon double occupancy for March – April 2012). The price includes private transfers between Puerto Madryn and Estancia La Ernestina, full-board at Estancia La Ernestina, and guided nature walks at Estancia La Ernestina.
We also recommend visiting Peninsula Valdés from September through December. Other activities include whale viewing and sea kayaking trips.
Contact us for quotes and other itineraries!
Links:
Here are the few, the proud, and the lucky who are on the AWR Aconcagua trip February 14 – March 2, 2011.
I consider myself a world explorer and somewhat seasoned mountaineer. I am a PhD student in planetary geology, work at NASA for the International Space Station program and am a commercial pilot/flight instructor. I grew up in Colorado and the high country, and have since climbed Mt. Fuji and Mt. Kilimanjaro and this will be my highest climb to date. During our successful ascent of Aconcagua, I also plan to attempt to contact the crew of the ISS using a HAM radio. The party will be at the summit so see you there!
The websites below can be used to follow our expedition in real time during the two weeks of our climb.
I am 27 years old and am from Fairfax Virginia just outside Washington DC. I have been a Fairfax County fireman for the past 7 years. I have just started my “mountaineering career.”
I have climbed Kilimanjaro, Mt. Whitney and Mt. Hood. My goal is to climb all 7 summits. When we summit Mt. Aconcagua this will be 2 of 7 for me.
I am 30 years old and grew up in Cardiff, Wales. I now live in London, England with my girlfriend, Amy, and am attempting the summit to make the most of some time off before starting a new job in March.
This is my first climb of this magnitude and I am looking forward to the challenge very much.
I live in upstate New York near Rochester, NY. My wife and I have three daughters. Retired in 2009 and a Grandpa to 3 grandkids in Hawaii and 2 here in Victor. This is will be my 4th climbing trip, first was Mona Kea, Hawaii, second Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, third Kala Pattar, Nepal & Everest Base Camp. At 63 this maybe my most challenging summit. I am looking forward to new friends and a very high summit.
I’m from Fuzhou, China, and I run a shoe factory there with my husband. We export shoes to different countries, but most of them to Europe. I received my MBA in Toronto, Canada and I have a 9-year old daughter who would like to join me on one of my fun journeys soon. I like outdoor activities, and once cycled from my city to Beijing, which is over 2000 kilometers. I’ve also summitted Kilimanjaro. Those two are my biggest adventure up till now. Aconcagua will be a new record, and I’m looking forward to that!
I am a Major in the US Air Force. I am an instructor/evaluator pilot in the AC-130U “Spooky” Gunship at the 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL. I got into climbing when I lived in Colorado, where I climbed several 14’ers, but have always been an outdoor sports junky. Since then, I’ve climbed Mt Ararat in Turkey and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This will be my highest climb to date.
Our lead guide is Augusto Ortega. He is Peruvian, bilingual and very experienced. He has guided on all of the high Andean peaks multiples of times, with 48 summits of Aconcagua. He was the first Peruvian to climb Mt. Everest including one time without oxygen.
The Zanzibari Hotel is a small, intimate hotel in the Nungwi area of Zanzibar Island (the very northern tip).
Special Deal for April 1 – June 15, 2011: Pay for 4 nights, Stay for 5!
Set above the beach on a low coral cliff with easy access to the sea you are offered privacy, peace and tranquility while taking in the stunning views of the Indian Ocean.
The Zanzibari is a great place for honeymooners. The “Honeymoon Package” is only $60/person and includes:
Zanzibari Hotel: Infinity pool
Zanzibari Hotel: Room
Zanzibari Hotel: Jacuzzis
Zanzibari Hotel: Dhow Restaurant and Bar
This past October AWR’s Tilden Daniels traveled to Chamonix, France. Located beneath the Mont Blanc, western Europe’s highest peak at 15,781 feet, the Chamonix valley is a must-see destination for anyone who loves the mountains. Here is the second of two trip reports. (Read the first trip report).
Hiking through the Larch forests above Chamonix
On October 7, 2010 I woke up to blue-bird skies and a crisp fall morning. After an early breakfast I started hiking from Chamonix’s downtown. The previous night I had taken care of a few essential details to ensure a great day of hiking – I had reserved a bunk space in a hiker’s lodge in Argentière and stocked up on local meats and cheeses for picnics.
Larch needles in the fall
After purchasing a half-baguette in a bakery I walked past the Mont Envers train station and began hiking up toward the Mer de Glace (literally “ice sea”), one of the area’s largest glaciers. While you can take the train up to the Mont Envers and the Mer de Glace you can also hike for about an hour and a half through the magnificent larch forests. The larch tree, a conifer that sheds its needles in the fall, is particularly beautiful in the spring or in the fall. By October they turn golden yellow before losing their needles, and in the spring, especially in May, the new needles are bright green and the branches have a few red flowers. (The larch was made famous in comedy in Episode 3 of Monty Python’s “Flying Circus”: “How to Recognize Different Types of Tress From Quite a Long Way Away” !)
Larch in the spring
Mont Envers hotel and the Dru in the background
As I got near the Mont Envers the massif’s famous granite spires started coming into view. The Aiguille Verte (Green Needle) rises above the east side of the glacier and, while you can’t see the summit, the Drus spire dominates the landscape. The Mont Envers hotel was closed for the season but a handful of tourists had taken the train for the spectacular views. Fortunately on the way up I had appreciated the solitude of the mountains and seen only two other hikers.
Looking down on the Mer de Glace
From the Mont Envers you can continue down a path and then a series of ladders to the glacier. Just past the train station a marker notes that the trail lies along a point where the glacier reached in the 1830s – a point over 300 feet above the actual glacier! I hiked down the trail and then down the ladders to the moraine along the edge of the glacier. The only other people were guided groups equipped with ice axes, crampons and ropes. Since I was alone I stopped along the edge of the ice for lunch before heading back up to Mont Envers and hiking back down to the Chamonix valley.
Looking up at the Aiguille Verte and the Dru at sunset
The rest of my hike headed east in the Chamonix valley to the town of Argentière. The gentle trail, known as le petit balcon nord (lower northern balcony), follows the south side (north face) of the valley beneath the slopes of the Aiguille Verte and passes through the picturesque small town of Le Lavancher. Upon arrival in Argentière I found the hiker’s lodge, Le Belvédère, where a bed in a shared room costs 16.50€ per night (private rooms start at 46€ per night). Le Belvédère is an excellent option for budget trekkers and skiers and offers a communal kitchen and common eating area. I walked around town enjoying the beautiful sunset illuminating the Mont Blanc and the Aiguille Verte. I soon found a charming local restaurant, Le Carnotzet, that specializes in wine and regional cheese dishes including fondue, raclette and tartiflette. A “carnotzet” (pronounced “car-note-zay”) is a regional word from neighboring Switzerland for a wine cellar or tasting room.
The next morning the weather was just as clear as the previous day. My plan was to hike back to Chamonix along the north side (south facing side) of the valley on the trail known as the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Aiguillette d'Argentière
I first hiked up from Argentière in the larch and pine forests to the Chéserys slabs, a popular rock climbing area. By 9 AM I was above tree line where I would remain for the next 4 or 5 hours. The first point of interest, besides the amazing views over the Aiguille du Tour, the Aiguille Verte and the Mont Blanc, is the Aiguillette d’Argentière (Little Needle of Argentière). Several single-pitch rock climbing routes run to its summit including a route by Gaston Rébuffat, the well-known mountain guide.
And I continued up and up on trails and ladders to the Chéserys Lakes with breathtaking views to the north over the Aiguilles Rouges and to the south over the Mont Blanc Massif. The air was crisp but warm, the colors were autumnal, and the sky was blue. I stopped by the Chalet du Lac Blanc at 2359 meters (7340 feet) and then hiked down the trail to Chamonix. For this part of the hike I’ll let the pictures tell the story.
– Tilden Daniels
Pictures from Chéserys on the Tour du Mont Blanc:
The Mer de Glace
The Chéserys Lakes with the Argentière and Le Tour glaciers in the background
The Chalet du Lac Blanc
The Mont Blanc (summer 2008)
