Before You Go

Important Notice:

All kinds of carrier/grocery plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging have been banned in Tanzania. Please ensure you do not bring them into Tanzania nor purchase them while in Tanzania as there are heavy fines in place. Examples of household plastic bags are disposable, grocery, carrier, sealable, packaging, and any kinds of consumer plastic bags. Ziplock bags may be allowed if they are used to contain items such as tooth paste, lotions e.t.c. 

For your safety

Having comprehensive travel insurance is highly recommended in case of medical emergencies, emergency travel expenses and unexpected trip cancelations.

Please follow all the necessary precautions to avoid medical problems and to avoid getting malaria. Although our national parks are low risk malaria zones it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor for more information on howto ensure you are protected against malaria.

If you are travelling to Tanzania from yellow fever endemic countries/regions (or if you have a transit in an affected area of more than 12 hours and/or leave the airport), please note that you will be required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival. This certificate must be obtained no less than 10 days prior to travel.

Administrative preparation

Please be sure to carefully check your visa requirements before your travel plans begin.If you are getting your visa on arrival, please remember that we only accept USD notes that are accepted from 2009 or newer, Visa fee ranges from $50 to $100 per person.

It is a mandatory requirement that you travel to Africa with at least two blank passport pages per country you plan to visit, and that your passport is valid for a minimum of six months after your date of travel.

Flights and road transfers are typically quoted on a shared/scheduled basis. Please note that the travel route may vary on the day.

Scheduled charter flights may stop at airstrips/airports en route to your destination to collect or drop off other guests or to refuel. Guests may also be required to change planes at some of these stops. Due to these stops, flight durations may vary.

Tanzanian National Park and concession fees are charged per person, per 24-hour period when you are inside the park.

Climate

Before you get started on packing, make sure you know what the weather is going to be like. What time of the year are you visiting? You can expect to find rain in March, April, May and November.

June, July and August are the colder months of the year, however the weather is hot and humid on the coast and on islands. Temperatures are generally pleasant, ranging between 15ºC (59ºF) and 26ºC (78ºF) during the day, sometimes rising above 30ºC (86ºF) in the warmer months.

Electricity and plug standards

The electricity supply in Tanzania is 220/240 volts at 50 Hz. Plugs are 3 point square (UK Type).  Adapters are available at major airports.

Food, beverage and cuisine advice

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 when 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.

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.

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.

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, short dresses, see-through clothing, miniskirts, vests, bra-letts, crop-tops, tank tops and tops that expose a lot of cleavage will be frowned upon.

Currency

In Tanzania, the unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, which is divided into 100 Cents. Notes are issued in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 Shillings. Coins are issued in denominations of 50, 100 and 200,& 500 Shillings.

Banking

Banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Many banks are equipped with 24 hour ATM machines.

Credit cards and travellers checks are not widely accepted in Tanzania. Where they are accepted high service fees and poor exchange rates be expected. Major foreign currencies are accepted in Tanzania and are convertible at banks and bureau de changes in the main towns and tourist areas. US $ are particularly common and are accepted widely. If bringing cash in US $, Euro €, British pound £, please make sure bank notes are in good condition, with no cuts or damages and are not older than 2006. Most banks offer higher exchange rates for US$ 100 and US$ 50 bank notes and a lower exchange rate for US$ 20, US$ 10 or US$ 5 bank notes.