How To Be A Responsible Tourist In Tanzania

R esponsible tourism is an         burn but to return nutrients to    attitude of mind to which       the soil or best left for the      we should all aspire. When      resident pastoralists. It is       on a walking safari or camping        preferable therefore to bring you  safari it is a must to keep to        own camp stove.                    the tracks laid out in the parks;                                        in Tanzania it is important to        It is advisable to use bottled     keep to the designated trails. If     water; the local water sources     a driver is caught making a new       may be heavily used by people and  trail with his vehicle he looses      animals so may well be             his license and is banned from        contaminated. If you do use water  all National Parks. To keep to        purify by filtering and boiling    the trials helps protect fauna        and/or the use of purification     and prevents soil erosion.            tablets. Avoid using soap or       Tanzania takes its responsibility     shampoo directly in the water      towards the environment very          sources and wash at least seventy  seriously. The African in these       meters away from any water         parks is the heritage of the          source. Use established toilets    Tanzanian people.                     where possible otherwise dig a                                           shallow hole and burry all evince  In the National Parks use             of you visit; a makeshift toilet   authorized land for camping. The      should be seventy meters away      official camps sites may be           from any water.                    little more than a cleared area                                          of ground to pitch your tent;         The local people of the area -     camping is generally very basic       remember you are their guest -     in Tanzania. Camp fires are not       treat them with the regard a       allowed because of the danger of      visitor should show toward the     a bushfire, the small amounts of      host. Many of the National Parks   wood there is available is not to     are home to people whose economy   is based on livestock; respect        looking for sweets or money when   the local customs and traditions      a vehicle approaches. It is        and dress code. Often tourist has     better to visit a village and      little respect for the dress code     give through the elders or make a  of other cultures. It is not          donation to a registered charity.  pretty to see tourism interfere                                          with the native peoples work and      I would also advise that many of   private lives use common sense        the peoples may be poor in         and remember what is acceptable       material positions but they are    in your culture may not be            rich in skills. Pay them for       acceptable in a more traditional      their beadwork, carvings basket    culture.                              weaving… when buying a curio it                                          is better to buy from the people   Ask permission before                 who make them so they get the      photographing people, try to use      full benefit. If you buy from a    designated village to visit           curio shop you make the middle     within the National Parks and         men rich. Your driver/guide may    Game Reserves. If you are camping     well take you to a curio shop or   close to a village it is possible     two; driver’s receive commission   to negotiate a visit with the         for this; so it is in his          village elders. This will             interest to convince you to buy    normally involve some payment.        from an established curio shop as                                        this is where the lagest           The Tanzanian Government does not     commission is paid.                encourage roadside deals for                                             photography or giving of gifts at     An exception to this rule would    the roadside. This encourages         be Tanzanite; this beautiful blue  people to harass tourists and has     stone is better bought from an     been known to cause the deaths of     established gem dealer. Do not be  children who run into the road        tempted to buy in the street you   may get a good deal but it is         looks unsightly – littler kills.   more probable you won’t. You may                                         even find buying from an              In conclusion treat the peoples    established merchant is a better      here as you would want to be       deal than in the street! It is        treated by visitors to your home.  also safer, much more comfortable     Threat the country with the        and stress free.                      respect it deserves; remembering                                         you are the stranger here          This should not have to be said       arriving with the strange          but say it I must; remember not       customs. Relax and enjoy this      to littler. Pack with care            wonderful country, Africa is an    leaving all unnecessary packaging     amazing place to be, the peoples   in the town. Carry out all you        of Tanzania are friendly and very  litter, do not be tempted to          polite with a keen interest in     burry it as animals will              learning about where you come      invariably dig it up – litter         from and to welcome you.           About the Author: Bethel Adventure cares about responsible tourism; we use tourism to improve lives. http://www.betheladventure.co.uk We believe responsible tourism should give back to the communities that tourism relies upon. see http://www.tanzania-info.co.uk for information on Tanzania Read more articles by: Ian Williamson Article Source: www.iSnare.com