Nervous about traveling to Tanzania
 

My family and I are traveling to Tanzania for a Family safari in December over Christmas with Tauck and we are transiting through Nairobi. My kids are 8 and 13. With the recent pick-up in terrorist threats, the kidnapping/murder on the Kenyan coast yesterday, and the ongoing drought and famine in the region, I am really starting to get nervous about our trip. Can anyone give me any words of encouragement? Did anyone ever feel threatened or nervous at any time? Did anyone that traveled with children have any issues? I want to go and thoroughly enjoy this once in a lifetime excursion but not be stressed out the whole time I'm there. Thanks so much for any input you can give me!

I would not hesitate to go. I've been to Tanzania five times and have always felt safe there. In fact, I'm returning next year. I've also been to Nairobi several times. My first trip to Africa was to Kenya in 1998, just a week after the embassy bombing. We had a wonderful safari, although we were saddened by the lives cut short by this act of terrorism. The recent kidnap and murder was at a beach resort near the Somali border. Nairobi is nowhere near the border and Tanzania is south of Kenya, not close to any troubled areas at all. Your driver/guides are trained to keep you as safe as possible. Probably the greatest danger you'll face is one you face every day, a car accident.

Thank you Shay!

I was in Tanzania 1 year ago (did not travel through Kenya) and felt totally safe at all times. I understand how headlines can rattle one's nerves, but I wouldn't think twice about going to Tanzania. I'm sure you and your children will have a wonderful time.

I was in Tanzania and Nairobi a few months ago and never once felt remotely nervous or unsafe.

Of course use common sense at all times just as you would anywhere. But just go and enjoy the time of your life!

I am off to Tanzania in Dec as well and was in Kenya last year.

Never felt so safe and the people were so friendly, was carrying £2k worth of camera equipment and never once felt anything but safe.

You will have the time of your life.

travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1038.html

Tanzania is light years more stable than Kenya

No current problems I know of safe very tourist friendly.

No border with Somalia where most of the problems come from

Tauck.com is a great company from personal experience.

I would insuremytrip.com for rare theft cancellation etc.

But would have no hesitation whatsoever going

will make a wonderful Xmas trip...

Happy Travels!

We, 2 parents with 2 children, have been in Kenya in august 2011. 1st two weeks in Masai Mara, Amboseli and Chyulu Hills were great. No threats, nothing but hospitality and proud Kenyans that love to show their country.

3rd Week should have been spent in a beautiful beach house, situated in a paradise-like (and abandoned) spot south of Mombassa. During the first night at 1 am, eight men with panga-machetes and a gun broke into the house by cutting down a wooden door. The dedicated guard was already stabbed in the back and the caretaker was molested too, so they couldn't offer any help.

We were beaten and cut with machetes and threatened with the gun. The criminals kept hitting and threatening for about 20 minutes, gathering all our belongings, exept my daughter's things. Once a G4S patrol came onto the house they shot once and left in the dark.

One lesson I learned: 'crowded is cosy' or, I will never choose for so much privacy again. Especially not in certain environments.

The safari-part I would no-doubt do again tomorrow, hiring a dedicated guide/driver from a (local) travel and safari company.

The coast is lovely, but too tricky to our taste (after what happened to us). But I'm sure that there are enough resorts that are very safe and where you can have a good time.

Tanzania is a country I don't know anything about, but it's evident that it has other kind of neighbours than Kenya does.

TN in KW,
In the times we have gone, we(Wife & kids included) never once felt threatened. There were a couple of times we were uncomfortable, but those were in issues of interacting with peddlers or drunks. In the parks we felt extremely safe, but it is where your might get victmized

*watch those monkeys in lake Manyara and Serengeti, they will grab your sandwich right out of your hand. One slid through a partially open window and took my daughters Ipod(we got it back)

IMO: the greatest risk of the trip, is something you might allow on your own. It is whether you require your kids to sit and buckle their seatbelts every time you move in the parks.

I've been traveling to Kenya and Tanzania now 17/years with no incidents, nor ever feeling unsafe.

As ShayTay above, we too visited in '98 about 2/mos after the Embassy bombings and we were fine.

Even when there was upheaval after the elections in Kenya back 3/yrs ago... visitors were never targetted or harmed.

You and your family will be perfectly safe in Nairobi and then on safari in Tanzania. Tauck is a very reputable company and take seriously their client's concerns about safety.

But like travel anywhere, you still have to be aware of your surroundings... no flashy jewelry, expensive camera equipment, showing cash... when walking around NBO.

Safari njema!

Thanks you so much everyone. RTh, I am so sorry to hear about your horrible experience on the coast! Frank, thanks for giving me a heads up about the monkeys!!! I appreciate all your input. TN

I am heading out to Tanzania next May, however I have traveled to Egypt, right after the Sharm el Shek bombings and to Kenya in 2002 also was in India in 2008 the year of the Mumbai attacks though we went a few weeks before. I have never felt threatened in any of these places beyond really crazy cab drivers and traffic! It's worth noting that FAR more people are injured in car crashes every day then that experience terrorism first hand. Additionally, I find that after an incident, such as the one in Kenya, security is doubled, face it, these economies rely heavily on tourism. IMHO the best thing you can do for your kids is to experience these amazing places. Use common sense and have a great time.

As everyone else has said, use common sense and you should be fine! :) Tanzania is quite a distance from Somalia and that's where many of the dangers seem to be coming from right now. In Nairobi, be smart and keep your kids close just like you would in any large city and airport.

I'm planning on being in Kenya and Tanzania over Christmas as well and my main concern is packing for me and my parents. :)

We were in Tasmania (Australia) which is heaven on earth, when 26 tourist were killed by a mad gun man. Just the year before in Dunblaine Scotland, a wee and lovely village, several kindergartners were killed by a mad gun man. No place is safe and everywhere is safe. We just use reasonable caution where ever we are and don't worry about it.

My husband actually made a going point, when I mentioned this thread. As many people know, the situation in parts of Mexico has deteriorated into drug violence, kidnappings and murder; unfortunately sometimes these events cross over the border into the southern part of the US.. He looked at a map and made the observation that worrying about travel to Tanzania because of the violence in Somalia and small parts of Kenya is a little like worrying about violence from Mexico when traveling to Oregon.

Monkeys - they're too funny! And, not all that dangerous if you let them be monkeys.

The ones at Samburu are so good they've learned how to open the tent zippers. I've had breakfast with more than a few when they tried to steal my biscuits that came with early morning coffee. Have had one pop into vehicle and right to my tote bag to see if there was anything to eat... not!
Or those who are fond of underwear that visitors dry outside their room/tent... they go right on the monkey's head... :) - Dry them indoors.

They're generally harmless... just let them do whatever or shoo them away. Many lodges/camps actually have a staff member with sling-shot to scare them off, as they also seem to like the rolls on your lunch/dinner plate, and will swoop down off a branch and off they go! :) :)

You're with nature, so Welcome to Afree-kah!