I was in Kenya two years ago and did not encounter them. Of course, it was really dry and in Sept. The main area is in the western corridor of the Serengeti where they got me around the Grumeti. There are more woods there, but the grass also had them as well. Since it was so soon after the rainy season, maybe that was why they were so bad.Fortunately, it was towards the last days of the trip. I used Deet repellent AND had my clothes treated with permethrin. Neither detered them. I was wearing sandals the first day and that is day they got me the worse. So, Tinydancer, wear closed shoes and socks when you are in that area. They bit right through my clothes/socks and I got bites on my back and abdomen as well. I have been bit by horseflies and these were definitely not horseflies. There were a few of the "migration" flies but not as many as tse tses. They also recommend rolling up your windows until you get through the area, but the whole area was infested and you just couldn't keep the windows rolled up all the time, it was too hot. My bites are getting better and healing, so...so far so good. I still had a wonderful safari in spite of the nasy little #@%!:)

I have heard from many different quarters that DEET is of no use in trying to deter tsetse. But I have also heard that RID (made in Queensland) really does work. It has different active ingredients and those who have used it in tsetse heaven, Katavi, swear by it.

Of course, burning elephant dung also is said to work.

I looked into that Twaffle, but the cost of getting RID online was pretty expensive and I didn't think I needed it that bad...maybe I should have re-considered it:)

Yikes! I was going to get RID, and then for some reason got turned towards Bushman. Maybe I'll take some RID too, as that's what I heard first. So confusing.

Tinydancer, you know you will probably get all of this stuff and get there and not see a single fly. I had everything for mossies and only saw one. That's the Murphy's law, but at least you are prepared.

<i>burning elephant dung also is said to work</i>

I'll stock up :D

Hey Patty,
I wonder if you should put it on the hood of the safari vehicle or the popup top ;)

A fire on the hood might not be a good thing so I think I'll use the pop top.

I think you need to find an old metal container, a hubcap will do. Then you walk out into the bush and collect your dung … not sure whether it should be fresh or old … then if you are still alive, you put it into the hubcap and light it. On the metal floor of the vehicle. Enjoy! :D

GOOD GRIEF! I've been researching tse tse fly repellent and haven't found a single good idea going back to something like the 1960's. Or even earlier. But I like what sonicdeb said "Tinydancer, you know you will probably get all of this stuff and get there and not see a single fly. I had everything for mossies and only saw one. That's the Murphy's law, but at least you are prepared " and hope that's the way it will be.

I have this vision of me on safari with a hat, face net (we have them here in Australia) long sleeves, mesh chemically treated jacket, long pants, white socks, closed shoes. And totally not enjoying my safari. I think I'll minimalize it and hope for the best.

We will be there in September, going to Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and then the Mara triangle in N Serengeti before heading up to the MM in Kenya. Maybe we can zip by the tse tse flies?

I have now heard positive comments about RID, Sportsman's REPEL, Bushman's Choice, and elephant dung. I have my fingers crossed that we won't encounter them in either Samburu or the Mara but perhaps it isn't a bad idea to have one of them in my game drive bag as a precaution. I think the elephant dung will get me over my luggage weight limits but one of the others may do.

TD, I asked a friend who lives in Nairobi and she said most of the flies are in Tanzania and mozzies in very humid areas. I dont think Sept. will be hot and humid, but rather dry.

I never see a Mara trip report indicating them, so maybe it is a Tarangire problem? Someone correct me if I am receiving incorrect info!

Would also like to know if any Sept. travelers of past had any problems.. thanks for bringing that up. I hate carrying all this extra repellent etc if we don't need it or can get it there...

MB

I never saw a tse tse in the Mara. I was there in Sept 08. I just ran into them in the Tanzania Grumeti/Kirawira area, but I have read reports of travelers finding them in Tarangire and Lake Manyara,although not as bad as what I experienced. I was also in Lake Manyara on this trip and did not experience them. There is not much you can do to prevent them (other than a HAZMAT suit & I think they could bite through that!) Just wear closed shoes and socks in areas that you will encounter them. They love ankles and feet for some reason. My friend had a yellow shirt on and they didn't bother her at all. The game didn't care about her yellow shirt either, apparently, because we saw plenty :); but I had on dark hunter green and the seats in the truck were that color as well, so maybe they confused the green with the blue. Anyway,don't worry too much (I survived them) and have a good trip.

I'm just back from Tanzania and encountered them in both Lake Manyara and particularly Central Serengeti. Got me badly - but anything and everything does. They ate me alive in South Luangwa last year also. I have also found them in much smaller numbers in the Olare Orok area in the greater Mara area but not in the reserve proper.

Everybody I have spoken to has said that there is little to deter them if they find you tasty.

Has anyone tried eating garlic pills? I have heard that since you sweat out garlic this is a deterrent. Any fly sightings at the crater or southern serengeti lately? eight sleeps til departure.

last pic down right - that's the way you SEE them most of the zime: suckling. Flying rather rarely :-(

That's a horse fly:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pferdefliegen

As you will realise the horse fly doesn't overlap it's wings as the Tsetse does.
The head of the tsetse is more "round-ish" than that of the horse.

But the action is totally different:
horse flies make noise when flying - tsetse don't. That's the nasty thing: you won't hear them until it's too late.

((@))

Sonicdeb- regarding your friend's yellow shirt, do you recall what shade of yellow it was? Bright lemon yellow, pale yellow or golden yellow? Thanks for your input, I am very curious. KhakiF

i was in Tarangire and Lake Manyara last weekend and got pretty badly bitten in both parks. It seemed the flies were the worst in dry, southern part of Lake Manyara (and there weren't any animals around there either - chased away by the flies, I am sure!)

The worse bites are the ones that I got thru my clothes (thighs and back). I was wearing lightweight linen clothes. Right now it is not that hot in that part of Tanzania, so I'd wear jeans and closed shoes if I had it to do over.

The parks were beautiful though. Have a great trip!

Safari Njema!

-Cheryl

Avon Skin-So-Soft <http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-x-skin-so-soft-dry-oil-spray-insect-repellent-/320593546193?pt=UK_HeathBeauty_BathShowCons_RL&amp ;hash=item4aa4dd4bd1> .

Colgate toothpaste took the itch from my bites. Reapplied daily. Also swimming in a chlorinated pool will dry the bites up. Hope this helps.