Health and Safety Issues on a Tanzanian Safari

When walking safaris, mountain climbing or walking around the camp, it is advisable to be aware of the following guidelines for health and safety in the African bush.

Height disease associated with this disease can kill you and every year tourists height-related diseases die. Highlands even colder in Africa is less oxygen and walking slowly is very important especially for hiking or climbing over 1500 to 3000 meters above sea level. You should be breathing easy at the painting and not a big physical excursion. Regularly drinking water and eating a light diet with lots of carbohydrates. It is important to keep warm.

Hypothermia or exposure: it is a life-threatening condition with a reduction in body temperature and can occur in temperatures as high as 10 C [50 F]. Usually caused by a cold wet clothes or just poorly clothed conditions. Signs / symptoms include clumsiness, stumbling, lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, disorientation, and eventually unconsciousness. The treatment is immediately warm in a warm dry environment the patient sleeping bag is ideal for a one or even two people inside the sleeping bag with the patient. Warm energy-rich drinks helps, as well as rest as soon as possible to return to the camp.

Acute mountain sickness: This affects a lot of people, over 2050 meters [or 10,000 ft] signs / symptoms include nausea, headache, fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, restlessness or no sleep. The treatment is to slow down, remain in the camp, drink water, and relax your body. It is important to adjust the height slowly. In the case of severe headaches, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing immediately evacuated for medical attention. This condition kills tourists every year in Tanzania!

Hiking in hot or sunny weather often causes overheating signs / symptoms are weakness / fatigue, headache, dizziness, thirst, nausea / vomiting, weakness high body temperature. The treatment is equal to the shade, remove clothing to cool the patient to soak the body with cold water, re-hydrate patient and monitor body temperature

Heat stroke is a more serious signs / symptoms of delirium, coma, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, skin hot and dry, the body temperature above 40c [104 F]. Treat as overheating, but this condition can be fatal, seek medical help - if possible evacuation.

Wildlife, try to avoid interaction and generally try to avoid the animal. Buffalo and elephants can attack, surprised or provoked. When a hike in the woods or dense shrub width often or call us if you meet an aggressive animal, always respect their armed manager. Never feed wild animals baboons and monkeys are very dangerous, and they can steel strength, they have learned to get food from tourists.

Weather in Tanzania rainy season from November to May sometimes drier season in January-March divided into long-term and short-rains season. It never rains all the time. Dry season, June to October, with the coldest month is a great height to reach temperatures bellow freezing in July.

If you get lost stay where you are, your guide will seek and find it faster if the trail - it sometimes happens fog or dense forests. The day pack should be an instant body shelter, warm clothing and water proof jacket, meets or lighter, mirror or buzzer alarm, food and drink [esp. water] first aid, torch and compass.

Some areas of stinging nettles at the following areas Shorts stings, causing temporary but painful irritations

Safari ants are small shiny brown ants moving quickly across the columns of trails - they are common and carnivorous, they creep up your legs and start chewing. Tuck pants into socks and watch where you step, especially where you stand.

Acacia thorns "cat claws" waiting-bit thorn tree rip skin and clothes - Thorn is long and straight, and can pierce soft-soled shoes and even car tires, so take care and try not to wear sandals.