href="http://www.klm.com">www.klm.com). Regardless, the total journey time is still going to be over 20 hours. Fares for these routes are universally expensive.
The alternative to these routes is to fly to a different African destination, such as Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines, www.ethiopianairlines.com) or Cairo (Egyptair, www.egyptair.com), and then continue your journey from there.
A jacaranda tree towering over shacks on a street in Arusha
From Australia and New Zealand
If travelling from Australia or New Zealand to Tanzania you will have to stop over in Asia, Southern Africa or the Middle East. The best deals are usually to be had either with Gulf Air (www.gulfair.com), who fly via Singapore and Bahrain, Egyptair (www.egyptair.com), who fly via Bangkok and Cairo, or Emirates (www.emiratesairline.com), who fly via Dubai, although none of these options are cheap. It is quicker, but more expensive, to fly with Air Zimbabwe (www.airzimbabwe.aero) via Harare. Alternatively, fly to Johannesburg with Qantas (www.qantas.com) or South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) and pick up a connecting flight to Dar es Salaam from there.
By land
An alternative and easy way of accessing Kilimanjaro is to fly to Nairobi and then travel overland to Arusha or Moshi in Tanzania. The shuttle bus service is cheap and reliable. There are a couple of companies plying the same route, most of them operating 20-seat buses and offering a twice daily service from their offices in the centre of Nairobi. The companies will often offer to collect you from your hotel or from one of the main hotels in town, usually the New Stanley or the Norfolk. The buses cross the border at Namanga and then travel to Arusha, where they pause at the Novotel Hotel and where you may have to change bus, before continuing on to Moshi via Kilimanjaro International Airport. The journey to Arusha takes between five and six hours and the onward trip to Moshi, via the airport, takes a further one and half to two hours – potholes, punctures and breakdowns allowing. A single ticket costs around US$35.
The border crossing at Namanga is straightforward enough, although it is usually slow and time consuming. The crossing has been cleaned up considerably over the years and is now much safer and less hostile to pass through. The large numbers of beggars, sellers, charlatans and thieves that used to congregate here have been dispersed. There are still a number of Maasai that loiter, but generally the crossing is hassle free.
At the border you will need to queue for a visa stamp and to have your baggage checked. You only ever need to pay for the visa. There are no other border fees or payments to be made, no matter what anyone tells you at the time.
In addition to the regular public buses that are run by the bus company Akamba and depart from the hectic River Road area of central Nairobi early in the morning, there are some companies that operate shuttle runs from Nairobi into Tanzania. By using these companies rather than the public buses, you are forced to pay a little extra, but are then able to board the buses in the comparative safety of downtown Nairobi. The best known and most established is Riverside, although another operator, Impala, is also a good bet. There are services provided by smaller companies too including AA Luxury Shuttle Bus, East Africa Shuttles, Nairobi Arusha Shuttle Transport Company and Regional Luxury Shuttle. Most of the company websites have booking facilities, timetables, prices and information about where to meet the buses. See Appendix B for a list of outfitters.
A view of the Western Breach and summit amid cloud as seen on the Southern Circuit Path
Permits and visas
Tanzanian visas
Most nationalities require a visa to enter Tanzania. The UK is no exception. Kenyans, Ugandans and the Irish are exempt. The visa should be obtained in advance of your arrival. This can be done in person or by post from any Tanzanian embassy, consulate or High Commission. It is possible to download the application form in advance from the High Commission website, http://tanzaniahighcomm.co.uk (see Appendix B for contact details). The visa application desks are generally open from 10.00am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday. The visa request takes 24 hours to process and requires two passport photos and a passport that is valid for at least six months. A three-month single entry visa costs £40; £50 for a next day service or £60 for a same day service. A multiple entry visa costs roughly double that.
It is possible to get a visa on arrival in Tanzania, but only at a couple of entry points. You may also have to explain why you didn’t get one in advance if there is a Tanzanian High Commission in your home country. The immigration points at Tanzania’s three international airports (Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar) and several of the major land border crossing points, including Namanga, are authorised to issue visas. If you are applying for a visa upon entry to Tanzania, US dollars are the most readily accepted currency, although sterling is usually accepted as well. Your passport will then be stamped to show how long you are allowed to remain in Tanzania.
As long as your Tanzanian visa remains valid, you can visit Kenya or Uganda and then return to Tanzania without having to reapply for another visa. You will still need to have your passport and visa stamp checked.
Should you wish to extend your visa, you may apply at the immigration office in any major town: there’s an Immigration department on Afrika Mashariki Road in Arusha (tel 027 250 3569) and Boma Road in Moshi (tel 027 275 1557). There is no extra charge, you do not require any extra photos and the extension is usually issued the same day. If you have already spent three months in Tanzania, you will need an acceptable reason to stay on. The alternative is to quit the country and reapply for a fresh visa. If you are intending to stay in Tanzania longer than three months, you may be as well to apply for a residency permit from the Tanzanian High Commission in your home country in advance of your trip.
Kilimanjaro’s summit seen at sunset
YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CERTIFICATES
Officially, Tanzania has stopped checking yellow fever vaccination certificates upon arrival in the country. While this is probably fine for the airports, it may be advisable to get the jab anyway and have the certificate handy if you are travelling overland into the country. Try to ensure that you have the inoculation done in advance of departure, in your home country.
Kenyan visas
If you choose to fly into Nairobi and then transfer overland to Tanzania, you will also require a Kenyan visa, www.kenyahighcom.org.uk. Most western and European nationalities, including the UK, need to obtain a visa in order to enter Kenya. This can be done in advance at any Kenyan embassy or high commission, where it generally takes 24–48 hours to process and requires two passport photos and an air ticket that confirms your departure from the country. A single entry visa costs £30 and is valid for three months. A multiple entry visa costs twice as much. It is possible to secure a visa upon arrival at the airport in Kenya. This process is usually trouble free, but is very slow and time consuming.
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