Tanzania informations

1. Transport is cheap, buses go pretty much everywhere outside the National Parks, and there are cheap local guesthouses and cheap food in every town. Unlike in many places in Asia, you won't find many backpackers or any tourists for that matter in these local places off the beaten track, whether that is good or bad, you have to know for yourself.

2. Tanzania is expensive as soon as you want to do anything "touristy" - starting from beach accommodation in Zanzibar for no less than $30 per night per double, usually more, up to the Safaris and Kilimanjaro climbs, which are not really affordable on a proper backpackers budget. For Safaris and Kili you need to go with a licensed tour operator, but that's not the problem. What makes it so expensive is government fees.

Problem is, many of the highlights are these expensive places and it would be a shame to come all that way and miss out on all of them. Having said that, there are beautiful areas outside the NPs (Usambara mountains, southern highlands, Lake Victoria region), where "local travel" as described above is possible,

Hi from Scotland
I visited Tanzania in May and September this year and am going back on Dec 29th for 3 weeks. There is cheap accom in Stonetown.Zanzibar. Also LP's recommendation of Two Tables was really good. You can visit Iringa in the Southern Highlands by bus.Pass through Mikumi National Park. Newly built Chaule hotel near Tuimaini University -en suite and a/c was £8 (10 TZS) a room.

Plenty of cheap rooms in Dar but to chill out visit Bongoyo Island leave from the Slipway Msasaki .
We are going back to Mafia Island . Fly from Dar and visit all the islands-Jibondo, Chole etc by traditional dhow.

Quaheri, rosalind