Hi everyone,
Leaving on our first trip to Tanzania.
Flying out of Chicago on Turkish Air through Istanbul and on to Dar Salam.
Any advice, tips for our trip?

I think that best advice is always: Have fun!

Congrats, Tanzania is awesome.
If you have time the Sea Cliff is a great hotel to unwind at before or after your safari.

Go with the flow.

Listen to your PH - I am assuming he is good.

Leave any preconceived ideas at home, almost nothing will turn out to what you have imagined.

Africa always wins, don’t fight it.

You will a great and memorable time.

Personally, I don’t like to stay in Dar.

In and out from the airport.

But, if your flights don’t allow that, the Sea Cliff hotel is great.

Enjoy!

Make sure you visit the wood carvers if your looking for souvenirs.

Thanks, we are staying at the SeaCliff before returning home!

Well, it's been interesting so far as Turkish Airlines has lost our gun case.
Can't find a single phone number to get through to anyone. Only contact seems to be through Facebook.

If anyone has a working number for Turkish Airlines, please provide!

I hate to say it again, but in this day and age, one should ALWAYS go through a specialist travel agent.

quote:

Originally posted by Poochuss:
Well, it's been interesting so far as Turkish Airlines has lost our gun case.
Can't find a single phone number to get through to anyone. Only contact seems to be through Facebook.

If anyone has a working number for Turkish Airlines, please provide!

Your outfitter, who would/should have provided assistance on arrival, should be able to handle the situation and in any case, it is customary to report the missing piece of luggage at the baggage handling counter at the airport.

First off now is to get the outfitter's representative to haul ass to the airport for the next incoming Turkish flight.

Turkish Airline baggage services telephone contact numbers:
+255 (22) 2116681/82/83/84

Just had a wonderful dinner in the sea cliff after an excelent safari and heading back home. This year I may say has been interesting hunting dagga boys! Green as hell eater everywhere and 3 meter high grass but dfinally we won

Fortunately it was on the return trip but, Turkish air lost my rifle and my bow case for 6 weeks. I did get them back but had just about given up. I called the working number they had back then every day.

I second the Sea Cliff 100%. Food was very good and very inexpensive, rooms are nice. I would very much like to go back, just need to find the right late season deal & I will one day.

My buddy and I gambled all night in the casino there. It's fun playing with $10,000 chips, which are worth around $4 apiece. When we walked in, we agreed to get a cocktail and just stay for an hour. We were chartering into the Selous the next morning.

Cocktail waitress came by the table around 4am. "What would you like to drink"
I said: "The same rum you've been bringing us, please."
To which she replied: "There is no more rum. You drank all of it."

We were younger & more resilient then.

I overnighted in Dar. Paid a cabby 20 USD to take me on a tour of the city. Saw some real 4th world stuff including dead people laying around an old hospital. Stay at the SeaCliff place everybody recommends. I stayed in a place that maybe in 1950 was okay but not now. It was way beyond 'seedy'. Pushed furniture up against the door of my room as a precaution.

What did you guys think about the black hookers cruising the bar??

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
What did you guys think about the black hookers cruising the bar??

12% HIV in Tanz. Higher some regions. I worked the Highest District in Highest Region in the Livingstone Mtns.

Loved Tanz and need to get back there. Spent a lot of time in the bush, not hunting but trying to avoid things that could stomp, stick, chew, eat us.

Enjoy the trip.

Fly business class. The lounge in Istanbul is superb….

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I hate to say it again, but in this day and age, one should ALWAYS go through a specialist travel agent.

Best money you will spend…..

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I hate to say it again, but in this day and age, one should ALWAYS go through a specialist travel agent.

I did. And Kathi has been great.

Seems my case was taken to the Turkish air managers office in Ohare, and she sat on it for a week before contacting TSA. Fortunately since I had contacted TSA they remembered my report and the case was shipped to Dar. Unfortunately to late for me to use on safari. I will claim it and then make the journey home, hopefully with all my bags this time!

quote:

Originally posted by Poochuss:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I hate to say it again, but in this day and age, one should ALWAYS go through a specialist travel agent.

I did. And Kathi has been great.

Seems my case was taken to the Turkish air managers office in Ohare, and she sat on it for a week before contacting TSA. Fortunately since I had contacted TSA they remembered my report and the case was shipped to Dar. Unfortunately to late for me to use on safari. I will claim it and then make the journey home, hopefully with all my bags this time!

That is terrible!

Sounds like the manager is an incompetent idiot!

Fortunately Ultimate Tanzania Safaris was able to arrange 2 rifles so we could go on the trip.

Hoping the return goes alot smoother.

I'll be writing to Turkish Airways about this but doubt they will even care.

You'll love it. Like everyone said, chill and go with the flow, but get plenty of cashews and those little bananas when you get there. They're awesome. I always ask that they get them in camp in advance, but I've bought them from street vendors and just kids along the side of the road.

Dates. Don't forget to get the dates. And ask them to undercook the fish. They always overcook fish in Tanzania.

Poochus:

You didn't say if you were going through Arusha or Dar. If you are going through Arusha, try to find time to go by the Cultural Center. Lot's of good stuff there.