The name Tanzania conjures up images of wildebeest stampeding across vast savannah, rain forests teeming with monkeys and birdlife, and Great Plains brimming with legions of game. All of these natural wonders and more are on offer in this exceptionally diverse African nation. Visitors typically visit Tanzania to partake in at least one of the four well known Tanzanian tourist experiences: a relaxing seaside vacation on the picturesque island paradise of Zanzibar, an underwater tour of some of the world’s most renowned dive sites around the gorgeous Spice Islands, a safari adventure in some of Africa’s most impressive game reserves, or a hiking excursion around Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Whichever of these incredible holidays you choose, you will undoubtedly be welcomed by some fabulously friendly and peaceful inhabitants who, despite being divided into 120 different ethnic groups and cultures, live in harmony with one another and provide some of the most wonderfully exotic local cuisine you could imagine. With all of this diversity on offer, the most difficult part of your Tanzanian holiday experience is likely to be deciding where to go!
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Passports are required by all foreign visitors and must be valid for 6 months after the intended length of stay, together with onward travel documents, proof of accommodation and return flight booking. Please ensure that you have two full consecutive blank visa pages. We recommend you have 4 blank visa pages if you are travelling through more than one country on your journey. If there is insufficient space in the passport entry into the country will be denied.
Any applicable visas and/or relevant documentation are your responsibility. All foreign passport holders require a visa to enter Tanzania. It is imperative to check visa requirements as it varies according to your nationality. Where a visa can be obtained at port of entry, fees are payable in US dollar cash only. Small denomination bills are recommended.
Where possible, it is strongly recommended to obtain visas prior to arrival to avoid long queues at all airports. Further visa information is available https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa
BANKING AND CURRENCY
The currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling, however US dollars are widely accepted and are recommended. Notes dated before 2009 are not accepted, and it is recommended to take low denomination notes.
Due to licensing and other issues, the Government of Tanzania has closed most of its Bureaux de Change outlets in Arusha and other major towns. As a result, acquiring foreign currency is very challenging. Travellers are therefore advised to exchange foreign currency at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit cards are accepted at most hotels and lodges. However, credit card transactions can take up to a few months to go through, especially from the more remote areas.
TRAVEL, TRANSPORT AND GETTING AROUND
If you are visiting a number of parks and reserves in Tanzania, you can either drive or fly between them. Roads in most of the wilderness areas are in poor condition and unmarked, and self-driving is not recommended. Operators will supply you with a driver who doubles as an informal guide; alternatively, you can arrange to fly to your destination and utilize a car and driver supplied by the lodgings. Elsewhere in Tanzania, towns and cities are linked by a steady stream of buses and dala-dalas (minibuses), and in the cities, there is public transport in the way of buses, dala-dalas, taxis, and, in some places, bicycles or tuk-tuks.
Precision Air run regular services, mostly via Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar, to all main towns and other destinations in East Africa and beyond. All national parks and some of the top-end luxury lodges have airstrips and Coastal Air operates between these and the main airports on the mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. ZanAir has frequent connections between Zanzibar, Pemba and the mainland.
Driving is on the left hand side of the road
HEALTH AND MEDICAL INFORMATION
Please consult your physician or travel clinic before you travel to Tanzania for advice on precautions against malaria and other recommended vaccines. A yellow fever certificate is required for travellers from 1 year of age arriving from or having passed through countries with risk of yellow fever. The yellow fever certificate only becomes valid 10 days after immunization.
If you take medication, you should ensure you take enough supplies to last the entire visit.
SAFETY NOTICES
Visits to Tanzania by tourists are mainly incident free. However, you should remain vigilant; avoid walking alone, especially during the evening and at night, and keep large amounts of money and high value personal items secure and out of sight. If using ATMs, try to do so in secure and well-lit areas, and do not accept assistance.
Where safes are available at hotels and lodges, it is advised to use them to store valuables and important documents.
While on safari, visitors should adhere to the instructions of guides and accommodation staff.
Your accommodation will have safety precautions in place in the event that wildlife approach the area. Visitors will be briefed upon check in.
Game drives will be led by your guide who will advise on appropriate behaviour. In general, you should avoid making loud noises and sudden movements which may startle animals, and should never try to interact with or disturb them. It is important to remember that you are visiting wildlife in their habitat and although they are accustomed to safari vehicles, they should be treated with respect.
If sharing pictures of your wildlife encounters on social media, you should avoid stating your exact location as poachers use this as a means of tracking wildlife.
FOOD, DRINK AND CUISINE ADVICE
The cuisine of Tanzania is influenced by Indian, Middle Eastern and local African cuisines. Specialties of Tanzania include:
- Ugali, the staple and most common food in Tanzania, is a cornmeal starch made into a thick paste. It is often accompanied with fried vegetables or meat stew.
- Chapati, an Indian flatbread usually served with meat stew and vegetables.
- Nyama Choma, translates as burnt meat which is typical of a Swahili barbeque and is usually beef or goat.
- Ndizi Nyama, translates as ‘bananas and meat’ and contains unripe bananas and meat to form a stew.
- Supu ya Nsizi, a plantain soup made by crushing up plantains and then cooked with chicken stock.
The tap water in Tanzania is unsafe to drink. Bottled mineral water is readily available.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Tanzania’s weather can vary due to its size. In general, it has a tropical climate along the coast but can be temperate in the highlands.
Temperatures on the coast and islands average between 25°C / 77°F to 30°C / 86°F and 22°C / 72°F to 28°C / 82°F inland.
Tanzania has two rainy seasons: the “long” rains last from March to May, with the “short” rains from November to December. The dry season lasts from June to October.
CLOTHING AND DRESS RECOMMENDATIONS
It never gets really cold in Tanzania so lightweight clothing, preferably cotton or linen, is recommended. While on a game viewing safari, avoid brightly coloured clothing, stick to whites, beiges, khakis and browns. There may be long days sitting in safari vehicles, so it is advisable to wear light comfortable clothing such as short sleeved shirts and cotton/linen trousers or shorts. Denim will become too hot and extremely uncomfortable. Walking shoes and socks will be required.
The evenings will be chilly, so long sleeved shirts and trousers should be worn. A sweater may be needed. These will also prevent you being bitten by insects. A hat should be worn at all times outside. The sun may sometimes not feel hot, but it can still easily burn, especially if it is cloudy and overcast.
If visiting Zanzibar or any coastal town don't forget to take a swimsuit, as it is invariably warm. Ladies are recommended to take cotton skirts, blouses and dresses. Sandals are a must for this environment! On the beaches and within the confines of hotels, normal swimwear is acceptable but nudity is not.
As over a third of the population in Tanzania is Muslim, it is therefore not etiquette for ladies to walk around in public displaying their legs and shoulders. Remember to dress modestly as short shorts, miniskirts, vests and tank tops will be frowned upon.
INTERNET AVAILABILITY
Tanzania has good Internet Service Providers with email and internet services offered by many hotels and lodges (free / paid). In most towns there are plenty of private business centres and cyber cafes offering email and internet access, although the speeds might be somewhat slower than what you are used to.
ARRIVAL PROCEDURES FLYING INTO TANZANIA ON COVID 19:
Tanzania is primarily a nature destination with visitor focus being the game parks and beach holiday which happen to be less crowded and easy to introduce hygiene protocols including social distancing to contain transmission of Covid-19. Tanzania is endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) as a Safe Travels destination and is open to international travel
1. Health Form
All international airline passengers flying into Tanzania are required to complete an online Travelers Health Surveillance form within 24 hours before arrival.
https://afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz/
2. Covid-19 PCR Test Certificate
All arriving passengers are required to have a Covid-19 PCR Test Certificate showing a Negative test result. The test must be carried out within a maximum of 72 hours before the time of departure on the flight to Tanzania.
In order to prevent the importation of new Covid-19 variants, the Ministry of Health has rolled out stringent measures that include a digital system for verification of Covid -19 test results christened “Trusted Traveler”. Through this platform, airlines and port health authorities are able to validate test results of the travelers.
The traveler is required to visit www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel for guidance on uploading the test results
All passengers departing Tanzania for Kenya require a negative PCR based COVID-19 test carried out within 72 hours before arrival in Tanzania. All passengers entering Kenya will undergo temperature screening upon arrival and must complete a Health Declaration form to be submitted upon entry. There are no self-quarantine requirements for passengers arriving in the country who are not showing any COVID-19 symptoms.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
We highly recommend travel insurance. Between missed connections, lost or delayed luggage, or medical emergencies, you want the peace of mind that your vacation investment is well protected. No matter who you buy from - please consider vacation insurance before you travel.
Based on own research and positive customer experience we recommend Travel Guard - AIG
