I need information about the Serengeti
 

I want to visit the Serengeti but I am very sensitive to Mosquitos and the like. Can you tell me when is the best time of the year to travel and avoid having to deal with this problem.

The best time would be in the winter when it's cold at night and morning (mossie biting time from dusk to dawn) and when it's dry and staying at higher altitudes. Mid-July thru October would be good.

I don't believe anyone travels here in the hopes of being bitten, or that anyone isn't sensitive once bitten.

That said, there are no guarantees whether one will come upon mossies or tse-tses. The latter with nasty bites and repellent doesn't do much good.

Regardless, one should be using repellent on exposed skin during biting time and daytime if one is weary of possible bites. And SPF to protect against the equatorial sun.

We were in the Serengeti during September. I don't think we ever saw a mosquito the entire week. There was one day when the tse-tse flies were somewhat annoying, but that wasn't too bad - only one spot, so we knew when to shut the windows, etc

Also, you can soak your clothing in permethrin before you go. It doesn't affect the look or smell of your clothes and washes out after a few launderings. We did this before our trip and were never bothered by any insects. I don't know if we were just lucky and didn't encounter bugs or whether the permethrin works amazingly well.

Sandi:

Was June 2006 in Northern Tanzania a rare weather & conditions occurance? I don't recall seeing one mossie the entire time!

I did run into one patch of tse-tse flies while driving towards LOBO but my Guides reaction & method of dealing with them was so hysterical it was worth the few bites I received while laughing my head off!

Den

Except for recent trips end-May/begin-June, have I even been bitten by anything. Even those years when I traveled in November (the short wet season), not a mossie anywhere. On the recent ventures, it's been on Zanzibar which is always hot and humid... the mossies (not the malaria ones) got my ankles. Another time, bitten by little grass flies, again on my ankles. I believe only once in 13/years being attacked by tse-tses... my friend was a mess, bites everywhere... but me, only a bite between two fingers. And I and the driver were both wearing navy blue, she was in tan.

You just never know, so you have to be prepared and hope for the best.

sandi:

Thanks Sandi, before I left for my trip I had the misconception that I think many folks have-that there are so many bugs in Africa that one is going to be swatting constantly & even breathing them in. Your numerous experiences sound like good news to me and like my only one.

Den

Sorry but is there another Serengeti one that's not in East Africa?

I react very badly see my trip report...
There are loads of biteing insects in the Serengeti I should know I've met most of them. Apart from a swollen hand from tsetses I had about 50 mossie bites on my back, my fault, it was to hot and I would sit outside in the dark semi naked, not a pretty sight.

Some people (me) attract mossies leaving the rest of you in peace.
But seriously I do think that weather conditions do play a part on the amount and type of stingers. Don't let that put you off, take lots of anti-histamine and it is relative. I think I saw more mossies in Norfolk (England) in a week than three times in Africa.

Cheers