updated October 2007
Please note that this page is offered as help, not as expert advice;
and that especially in the case of Medical and Health matters
you should consult your Doctor.
General
Visas and Embassies
Documents and Customs
Money Matters
Medical and Health
What to wear
Weather
General
Language
English is widely spoken but a few Swahili words are always well received.
Tipping
In restaurants a tip for exceptional service - a maximum of 10% - will be appreciated.
Airport tax
For International flights, an Airport tax of Us $ 30 is levied, which may be included in the price of your international air ticket.
When leaving on domestic flights from Dar or Zanzibar, an Airport tax of
USD 5 is usually charged. In addition a safety fee of USD 2 has recently been introduced. It is a good idea to carry some small denomination dollar notes.
Religions in Tanzania
Christian, Indigenous Beliefs, predominantly Muslim in Zanzibar
Currency: Tanzania Shilling (TZS)
Time: GMT + 3 hours
Opening hours in Tanzania
Government offices: 7.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday
Banks: 09:00 - 16:00
Businesses: 8.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 1.00pm Saturday
Shops often close for lunch and sometimes on Friday afternoons for mosque services. Many are open for part of Saturdays and Sundays.
International Dialling Code: +255
Radio Frequencies
BBC KHz: (daytime) 17885,11940,9770, (evening) 21470,11940,6005
Visas
Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Visas are required by almost all nationalities. The cost can be as high as USD 60, depending upon your nationality.
Tourist visas usually have a one month validity, unless you request a longer period.
check out: www.visaworld.co.uk/_tanzania.html for advice on who needs a visa to Tanzania and how much it costs.
Visas can be obtained before travel, from Tanzanian Embassies and High Commissions around the world.
See list below, or use:
http://www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm
Tanzanian Embassies & Consulates around the worldBelgium : T 02 640 6500 F 02 646 8026 : 363 Ave Louise, 1050 Brussels
Canada : T 0613 232 1500 F 0613 232 5184 : 50 Range Road, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 8J4
France : T 01 53 70 63 70 F 01 53 70 63 66 : 13 Ave Raymond Poincare 75116 Paris
Germany : T 0228 358051 F 0228 358226 : Teaterplatz 26, 53177 Bonn
Italy : T 06 321 0923 : Rome
Japan : T 03 425 4531 F 03 425 7844 : 21-9, Kamiyoga4, Chome, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo 158
Kenya : T 02 331056 F 02 218269 : Continental House, Corner of UhuruHighway and Harambee Ave, Nairobi
Mozambique : T 258 1 490110 : Ujamaa House, PO Box 4515, Maputo
South Africa : T 012 342 4371 F 012 430 4383 : PO Box 56572 Arcadia 0007, Pretoria
Switzerland : T 022 731 8920 F 022 732 8255 : 47 Ave Blanc, CH-1201, Geneva
Uganda : T 256 41 256 292 F 256 41 242890 : 6 Kagera Road, PO Box 5750, Kampala
United Kingdom : T 0207 569 1470 F 0207 491 3710 ; 3 Stratford Place, London W1C 1AS :
http://www.tanzania-online.gov.uk/visa/visa.htmlUSA : T 1 202 939 6125 F 1 202 797 7408 : 2139 R Street, NW, Washington DC 20008
http://www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org/Zambia : T 260 1 253320 : Ujamaa House, 5200 United Nations Avenue, Lusaka
Zimbabwe : T 26 3 472 1870 : Harare
If you have been unable, or have not had time to procure a Visa in advance, it is possible to obtain a tourists' single entry visa at Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar or Kilimanjaro International Airports, and also at the Namanga entry point (Tanzanian-Kenya road border point) subject to the fulfilment of all immigration and health requirements. You will need to carry USD in cash to pay for these.
Documents & Customs
Driving Licence
If you intend to drive in Tanzania, international driving licences are required. Failing this you can use your national licence to get a temporary Tanzanian licence from the traffic police, but this is much more hassle.
Health Card
Visitors from countries infected with Cholera and Yellow Fever must produce international certificates of vaccination.
Customs
It is illegal to export shells, coral, ivory and turtle shell. Please don't do it.
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency you can take into the country, although sums over $10,000 must be declared. The amount of local currency you can take out of the country is restricted to 2000 TZS.
Visitors arriving at Zanzibar pass through local customs, even if arriving from mainland Tanzania.
Baggage
It is a good idea to have smaller cases rather than one large one, if you are planning to take internal flights around Tanzania.
Some safaris/air charters limit baggage to a 10 - 15 kilo maximum
Currency
The unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). Note denominations are 10,000, 5,000,
1,000, 500, 200 and 100 shillings
and coins of 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.CURRENCY CONVERTER
Wednesday, October 10th 2007:
1 US Dollar = 1,231.22 Tanzanian Shilling
1 Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) = 0.0008122 US Dollar (USD)
1 British Pound = 2,503.48 Tanzanian Shilling
1 Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) = 0.0003994 British Pound (GBP)Link to Tanzanian Shilling exchange rate service
Changing money
It is best to carry your hard currency in US Dollars.
You can change hard currency, travellers cheques in plenty of places.
You can not change travellers cheques for USD.
Keep hold of your changing receipts so that you can change your shillings back to hard currency when you leave.
Almost all hotels, car hire, diving, safari operators, airlines etc. will require you to pay in US Dollars currency.
Travellers cheques are usually changed at around 5% to 10% lower than cash. Credit cards are accepte
in many hotels etc. but a charge of up to 20% may be levied.
Sometimes airport tax is only accepted in USD, which means you must have some with you.In Dar, Zanzibar and Arusha you can get cash against Mastercard and Visa cards, at the Coastal Travels Offices.
The exchange rate isn't great though and there is a TZS 4000 charge. Exchange here is limited to USD 600 per day.
There is now a cash machine at Barclays Bank in Zanzibar Stone Town.There is no black market of any note. Ignore offers on the street - it's probably a set-up.
Medical and Health
General
Don’t drink tap water - bottled water is widely available and should be used at all times.
Malaria
Malaria is endemic to the region, especially on the coast. It is transmitted by infected mosquitoes
You are advised to take preventative medication Ask your doctor about prophylactic pills
Remember that mosquitoes are most active during the evening and night.
wear light coloured clothing - mosquitoes don't like to be seen
wear long trousers and long sleeved shirts in the evening
use mosquito repellents, preferably with natural ingredients, as some of the chemicals used in some brands can give unpleasant side-effects
avoid wearing perfumes or aftershaves
If infection is suspected medical advice should be sought immediately. Malaria is detectable with a simple blood screen, but the sample is best taken during a high cycle of the fever, when the infection is at its most active.
VACCINATION TABLE
Type Vaccination Duration Comments Cholera No longer recommended. Only necessary if travelling from infected countries. Diptheria & Tetanus 10 year booster For long stay visitors, rural travel Hepatitis A Up to 10 years Recommended Hepatitis B For extended travel or high risk Polio 10 year booster Recommended Typhoid Up to 10 years Recommended Meningitis A & C 3 years Long stay visitors, rural Rabies Long stay visitors, rural travel Yellow Fever Up to 10 years Recommended Modern Medical services are available in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar and other major centres.
Visitors are advised to bring their own personal medicines with them.
What to wear
It never gets really cold in Tanzania so lightweight clothing is normal.
On safari avoid brightly coloured clothes, they may alarm the animals.
Browns, beiges and khaki are preferred.
Short-sleeved shirts or blouses, and shorts are ideal but do pack a warm sweater, it can be chilly in the early morning and in the evening, especially in northern Tanzania.
Wear a hat to avoid sunstroke and don't forget sunglasses, sun cream and a swimsuit.
Shoes should be sensible for walking in the bush.
Shorts for women are acceptable - but not too short. Women should carry a wrap to cover their legs in towns or villages as revealing clothes can cause offence especially in Zanzibar and other Muslim areas.
On the beach, and within the confines of beach hotels, normal swimwear is acceptable but nudity certainly is not.
Weather in Tanzania
Link to site which gives current weather in Tanzania.
