A Journey through Tanzania

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!

ENTERING TANZANIA

You DO require a visa to enter Tanzania if you are a citizen of -

· USA

· Canada

· Australia

· United Kingdom

· any of the EU countries

If you are a citizen of another country, please consult THIS LIST

(http://immigration.go.tz/module1.php?id=24), to determine if you need a visa before you enter.

Foreign nationals requiring a visa are divided into two categories, those who are required to obtain special clearance before travelling, and those who may purchase their visa upon arrival. The vast majority of travelers fall into the latter category.

In all cases, ALL visitors are required to have a passport which is valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from Tanzania.

In all instances, ALL visitors must ensure there are TWO successive blank pages in their passport per country to be visited.

Visitors traveling through South Africa, to and from Tanzania, should be advised that the passports of ALL travellers to South Africa must contain at least TWO blank consecutive (unstamped) visa pages each time entry to South Africa is requested; these pages are IN ADDITION to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport.

Depending on which visa category you fall into, Tanzanian visas may be obtained in advance, as well as at -

Dar es Salaam International Airport

Zanzibar International Airport

Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), or

Namanga Entry Point (Tanzania-Kenya boarder point); respectively.

Visas obtained in advance may be applied for manually at relevant Tanzanian Diplomatic or Consulate Missions. Visitors are urged to do so to avoid any possible inconvenience at point of entry in Tanzania.

For visitors purchasing a visa on arrival, travellers should -

· have the exact US$ to hand

· note that if purchasing visas on arrival in Tanzania (airports and road border posts), you will be required to use US$ bills issued LATER than the year 2006.

Older notes are not accepted and may result in travel delays or entry refusal.

CURRENCY - CREDIT CARDS in TANZANIA

The currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), which is made up of 100 Senti (Cents).

Credit Cards

As in most African countries, Visa and MasterCard are usually accepted throughout Tanzania.

American Express and Diners Club are frequently NOT accepted at all.

Be sure to ask your bank about a Visa or MasterCard with no foreign transaction fees!

Debit cards are not acknowledged.

TIPPING

Although not compulsory, if you are happy with the level of service provided, it is customary to tip guides, drivers, and support staff, and it is appropriate to do so in US$ or Tanzanian Shillings (TZS).

General Guidelines for Tipping

· Ranger/ Guide - $20 per couple per day

· Tracker - $15 per couple per day

· Butler - $15 per couple per day

· Camp Staff - $15 per couple per day

· Transfer Drivers - $5 per transfer

· Porters - $1 per bag

· Restaurants - 10% of the bill

Whilst it is not encouraged to carry enormous quantities of cash, visitors should be aware that facilities for exchanging or drawing any type of currencies are restricted to the bigger towns and the cities.

NOTE: US dollars dated 2006 or earlier are NOT accepted in East Africa.

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

VACCINATIONS & GENERAL HEALTH INFORMATION for TANZANIA

Malaria:

Since malaria is endemic in many areas of East Africa, including Tanzania, it is strongly recommended you obtain anti-malaria medication before entering the country.

To obtain a prescription for anti-malaria medication, visitors should consult their own medical doctor or health authority prior to departure.

Currently, the most commonly prescribed anti-malarial tablet is Malarone. Your primary-care physician will be able to offer the best advice.

Vaccinations:

If you are traveling from a country with a risk of yellow fever, upon your arrival the government of Tanzania requires proof of a yellow fever inoculation.

USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and the EU, do NOT fall into this category, BUT, if you have travelled or transited through countries where yellow fever is apparent, even if just in transit via Nairobi, you will be required to provide a Yellow Fever certificate.

Endemic countries include Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

A full list of yellow fever risk countries may be viewed HERE.

The yellow fever vaccination is valid for ten years, and must be administered no later than ten days prior to departure.

NOTE: should you fall into the yellow fever risk category, you are required to travel with your Yellow Fever certificate/card.

Water:

All safari camps and lodges supply fresh, clean (bottled or filtered) water for their guests. Do however always check with the camp/lodge staff if it safe to brush your teeth with the tap/faucet water.

Medication(s):

Pack your own basic medications for headaches and hay fever for instance, as well as for any other minor afflictions, and/or travel-related maladies, you think you may experience in the course of your stay.

Visitors are advised to carry sufficient supplies of specialised (prescription) medication they may require for the entire duration of their holiday.

Most camps, lodges or hotels cater specifically to tourists and serve Western-style food, ranging in standard, but generally are excellent. Game lodges tend to offer a daily set menu with a limited selection, so it is advisable to have your tour operator specify in advance if you are a vegetarian or have other specific dietary requirements. First-time visitors to Africa might take note that most game lodges in and around the national parks have isolated locations, and driving within the parks is neither permitted nor advisable after dark, so that there is no realistic alternative to eating at your lodge. 

Tap water in Tanzania is generally not safe to drink, and most travellers try to stick to mineral water. Filtered and bottled water can be difficult to find you are travelling outside of main town and so it is advisable to stock up. Most camps, lodges and hotels have bottled water readily available.

Please note that, as of 2016, Tanzania has banned the use of plastic bags in a bid to tackle pollution and protect the environment. Travellers' to Tanzania will no longer be allowed to bring plastic carrier bags into the country. This ban targets all plastic bags that are imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used. 

THE WEATHER in TANZANIA

Tanzania is too close to the equator to experience a real winter and a real summer.

Temperatures inland are relatively temperate, and hotter and humid at the coast, on the islands, and in the Selous.

The warmest period is September, October and January, and the coolest is June, July and August.

Tanzania has two rainy seasons; the long rains are from March to May, and the short, or ‘Mango’, rains, come from late October to late December.

Daytime temperatures are generally pleasant and range between 15°C/59°F and 26°C/78°F, but do sometimes rise above 30°C/86°F in the warmer months.

In the higher altitude areas, the temperatures drop substantially, and it can be very cold on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater.

Conversely, the coastal area is humid all year round, with higher temperatures and muggy heat.

WHAT to PACK for TANZANIA

Whilst muted colours are recommended for a safari holiday, there is no need to purchase serious safari gear for your visit to Tanzania.

It is quite acceptable to wear jeans with a neutral-coloured shirt and a baseball cap, with the emphasis on comfort and ease.

Must Haves:

· A good wide-brimmed sun hat – for the intense African sun

· A bandana - for the dusty, dry regions

· Comfortable sneakers, tennis shoes, or boat shoes - you do not require specialised hiking shoes for bush walks

· Sandals – flip-flops for around the camp

· Golf shirts or T-shirts

· Long-sleeved cotton shirts – to provide protection from sun, as well as from mosquitos in the evenings

· Shorts - note that short skirts are not practical and not recommended

· A sport bra - for bumpy game drives

· A micro-fibre zippered jacket and light rain gear - for rainy summer months

· Swimming costume – whilst at all times respecting modesty of local custom

· Warm fleece, anorak, scarf, gloves and ski cap/beanie - for morning and evening game drives, for the winter months, and for higher altitudes, where it can be cool even in summer.

A Detailed List of the Most Practical Items to Pack:

· Khaki, green, beige, neutral colours

· Shirts with long sleeves

· T-shirts

· Shorts or light skirt (not short)

· Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cool days

· Wind-proof warm jacket

· Light sweater/jumper

· Lightweight water-proof jacket

· Swimwear

· Comfortable walking shoes

· Socks & underwear

· Personal toiletries

· Sun block, after-sun gel, moisturiser, lip salve/balm

· Strong insect repellent

· Hat and sunglasses

· Binoculars and camera equipment (as well as a dustproof bag for cameras and accessories).

LAUNDRY

Laundry can be done at most camps. At many of the camps and lodges, this service is complimentary, but there may be a nominal charge at other establishments.

Owing to and depending on prevailing local traditions in the country, at certain camps, the staff may not or will not wash underwear or intimate apparel.

It is totally acceptable to wear the same outfit more than once while on safari, there is no need to be a fashionista in the bush!

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. 

POWER in TANZANIA

Camps and lodges in Tanzania are situated in remote areas and generate their own electricity - either by solar power or by diesel generator.

These power sources in turn charge banks of batteries known as an inverter system, which then provides 220Volt power in each tented room for lighting and ceiling fans.

Hairdryers & Electric Shavers

It is very often not possible to use appliances such as hairdryers or electric shavers in tented rooms at the camps/lodges, as they have low-wattage fuses which will trip the power.

You will however be able to charge your equipment in a designated area in the camp - either in your room, or in a central charging station in the common areas.

Most camps have adapters for your use, but if you would like to purchase one at home prior to departure, the most commonly found plug/socket type in Tanzania is the ‘D’ , and the less commonly used ‘G’ , which utilises the universal plug adapters WA-10 and WA-7 respectively.