Getting There & Around -- It's possible to drive from Dar (460km/285 miles) or Moshi (360km/223 miles) to Tanga (from where it's a farther 51km/32 miles along a bumpy dirt road to reach Pangani). You need to know, however, that the journey from Dar is pretty grueling and will eat into your leisure time considerably. There are daily flights from Dar, Arusha, and Zanzibar to both Tanga and Mashado (The Tides' private airstrip at Ushongo/Pangani); flights cost between $111 and $396 and are with either Coastal Aviation (tel. 071/337-6268 or 078/481-0608; www.coastal.cc), Regional Air (tel. 075/428-5754 and 027/250-4164; ww.regionaltanzania.com), or Safari Airlink (tel. 077/772-3274 and 077/372-3274; www.safariaviation.info), depending on your points of departure and arrival. Transfers to Ushongo from the Mashado airstrip will be arranged by your lodge; they'll similarly organize any transfers from Tanga (around $125 per vehicle or $55 per person) if you make prior arrangements, or you can hire a taxi at the airport (make sure it's a very sturdy-looking, preferably off-road vehicle, since the road is a shocker). Note that a public ferry (for passengers and vehicles) is the only way of crossing the river at the southern edge of Pangani. If you're catching a taxi from Tanga to Pangani, you should probably hop out at the ferry and cross over as a pedestrian, having arranged to be picked up on the other side for the remaining 25-minute drive to Ushongo.
A far more memorable way to arrive at Ushongo (or at Mkomo Bay, just north of Pangani) is by boat, providing you're commencing from a point with boat launch capacity (such as Saadani Safari Lodge or Bagamoyo). The romantics' choice would probably be to catch a dhow from Zanzibar (a trip that you can also make in reverse, of course). You can usually arrange boat transfers when booking your accommodation, but be aware that boats must inevitably time their activities with the tide.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
