Whoever wins the sweepstakes gets the opportunity to take a guest to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with guide Macon Dunnagan. Dunnagan is an experienced climber who literally wrote the book on climbing Kilimanjaro. Well, a book, at least-his novel Sons of Kilimanjaro is about 4 men climbing the 19,340 foot mountain, and he’s made the climb at least 16 times himself.

The winner will also be protected from the elements with Polarmax clothing and gear, obviously, and will get to star in a climbing video for the Polarmax site. Airfare and 4 nights in a nearby hotel is included as well.

Sure, it’s a long shot, but entering is a cinch-all you have to do is go to the Sweepstakes website and enter your contact information in the online entry form.

Whether you win or not, successfully climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro requires training and preparation. For more helpful hints about how to prepare for the climb, see A Tanzanian Visa: Your First Step To Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Whether you’re going as a contest winner or you are paying for the trip on your own, you’ll need both a valid passport and a Tanzanian visa. You can apply for a Tanzanian visa in the airport when you arrive, but you’ll be able to leave the airport and get to your hotel more quickly if you get yours in advance.

Here’s what Tanzania requires you to have in order to apply for a tourist visa:

• 1 completed visa application form
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of a recent bank statement
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate
• A travel itinerary or a bank statement showing a minimum balance of $2,000.
• If you’re going on an organized tour, you will need a letter from the tour operator showing you are paid in full.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you get a Tanzanian visa, as well as any other visas you might need for your journey. We make the application process easy by providing you with personal guidance and helpful checklists. Then, we deliver your paperwork directly to the embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Tanzanian visa today!

However, when it comes to travel visa horror stories, the potential for a truly awful trip increases exponentially. With the appropriate visa, you might not be allowed on your plane. If by some chance you are allowed on your plane, when you arrive at your destination, countries that don’t allow you to apply for a visa on arrival will more than likely put you on the next plane back, at your own expense.

You could also end up stranded in a third country, like the couple that tried to go on honeymoon in St. Petersburg but didn’t have Russian visas.  One thing is certain: without the appropriate travel visa, the outlook for a successful trip is not good at all.

If you have a truly awful travel-related story, now is your chance to cash in. Starting December 1st, the travel insurance company Travel Guard is having a contest to find the “World’s Unluckiest Traveler.” To enter, all you have to do is submit your travel horror story. According to the Denver Post, the company is giving away 2 Flip MinoHDTM camcorders each month for a year, starting December 1st.

There are two ways to win a camcorder-either submit the worst travel story for the month, or vote for your favorite travel story.  If you vote for the winning entry, you could also win.

At the end of the year, one lucky monthly winner will be selected to receive an additional grand prize: $10,000 for their dream vacation!

Contest details aren’t up yet, but check Travel Guard’s site after December 1st.

Of course, the likelihood that your travel visa horror story will win you a prize is slim. Wouldn’t you prefer to avoid visa-related mishaps?

RushMyTravelVisa can help research your itinerary to determine what visas you need for your trip. Then, we’ll help you with the paperwork and submit it to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.  We can’t do anything about that annoying person sitting next to you on the plane or that awful stomach virus you picked up overseas, but we can make sure you have your visas on time for your trip.

Need a travel visa? Apply with us today!