It is always advised to be ready and know what to expect on your journey before visiting any new nation, especially one as unfamiliar as Tanzania. Because of this, we have put together a list of the topmost important Tanzania travel tips that will make your journey easier and safer. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, they say. Check out these Tanzania travel tips, advice and suggestions before you visit to ensure the ideal African vacation if you’re visiting Tanzania.

What Travel Documents Are Needed For Entry Into Tanzania?

Most individuals, including those from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and other European Union nations, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, need a visa to enter Tanzania. The passport needs to be valid for at least six months after the proposed stay. Before leaving, visas can be requested at Tanzania’s embassy or at points of entry, including:

• Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Dar-es-Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport
• The Zanzibar’s Abeid Aman Karume International Airport
• Namanga Entry Point (Tanzania-Kenya border point)

Visas cost $100 for United States citizens and $50 for everyone else. Only USD may be used to pay for the visa. No credit cards or other forms of payment are accepted. It’s a rather simple process to get a visa at the airport. There will be two lines when you arrive as you enter the airport. People who are purchasing visas should stand in line on the right. Visa holders should stand in the queue to the right. Fill out the visa application, present your passport, and pay the cost to obtain a visa. Three lines will be required to pass through immigration control.

What Vaccinations Are Required In Tanzania?

Tanzania travel-related vaccines are advised. There are no mandatory immunizations, though. The following immunizations and drugs are advised by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP):

• Malaria
• Yellow Fever (required if entering Tanzania from an ‘infected area’)
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies

If you are not current, the CDCP also advises routine vaccines against polio, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT), as well as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).

Additionally, you might wish to pack Cipro, a potent anti-diarrhea drug, and Diamox, an FDA-approved prescription drug used to prevent and treat altitude sickness. Consult a travel clinic or a member of your healthcare team, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

It is advisable for each client to get a medical examination to see whether they have any health issues that could make trekking at a high altitude more dangerous. Every customer who is 65 years of age or older must present a doctor’s note certifying that they are well enough to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Do I Need Travel Insurance For Tanzania?

In all African nations, including Tanzania, travel insurance is a must. You are protected from unanticipated events with travel insurance. When a trip is confirmed, deposits are nonrefundable, and balance payments made within 30 days of the trip’s start date are also nonrefundable. Therefore, even if it was not necessary, having travel insurance is a wise and useful way to pay for your vacation.

Travel insurance might help reimburse your expenses if you must cancel your vacation due to one of the following circumstances:

• Flight delays or cancellations
• Injury, illness, or other medical conditions
• A death in the family
• Loss of employment

Other items that are reimbursed by travel insurance include:

• Lost or delayed luggage
• Traveling expenses
• Hospital costs
• Evacuation

Most Tanzania tour companies requires you to have current travel insurance policy to join them on their Mount Kilimanjaro Hikes. Travel insurance should include medical and repatriation expenses, trip cancellation, and high altitude trekking up to 6,000 meters. Additionally, if you have travel insurance, you are instantly eligible for AMREF’s complimentary Flying Doctors evacuation insurance. Medical attention and helicopter evacuation may not be covered by travel insurance. Consequently, it is crucial that you purchase travel insurance.

Do I Need To Exchange Money For Tanzanian Shillings?

In Tanzania, US dollars are accepted everywhere. As a result, converting to Tanzanian Shillings is necessary or mandatory. However, utilizing local currency will offer you a better deal if you intend to make numerous minor purchases because merchants usually round up if you pay in dollars, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

Tanzania Tipping

Tipping your safari and Kilimanjaro guides is traditional. These tipping recommendations are meant to help you decide how much to tip your tour guides and porters. The total staff depends on the number of climbers at the party, the route, and the number of days you spend on the mountain. Before your trip, we will let you know how many employees there will be so you can get your tips ready. Please take note that the amounts below represent a fair gratuity for excellent service. It is allowed to provide values that are lower or higher than those listed.

Trekking Team Tipping Guidelines

• $10-$30 per day for a guide
• Assistant Guides are paid $15-$20 per day.
• $12-$15 per day for a cook
• Porters: $5-$7 per day.

Most groups will agree on their tipping percentages as a group and then collect all the money into one pot. The group will then decide how much to donate to each person. If you like smaller parties, you can do it by yourself. On the final day of the climb, there is a ceremony during which tips are given. Smaller bills with appropriate denominations are used for tipping because they are simpler for the staff to divide.

Tipping On Wildlife Safari In Tanzania

The standard recommendation for tipping is $5 to $10 per person each day for your driver during the safari. Therefore, the gratuity for the driver for a 5-day safari for two people can range from $50 to $100. Tipping at the higher end, around $10 per person per day, is appropriate if there are fewer safari participants. Tipping can be done at a discounted rate of $5 per person per day if your safari includes four or more individuals.

Where Do The Trips Begin In Tanzania?

Most of Tanzania safari holiday/ journeys start in Tanzania’s Arusha city. The town of Arusha is the one closest to all the national parks in northern Tanzania.

Flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA): Flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport is the most practical way to get to Tanzania. You may count on us to pick you up at the airport and transport you to your visiting destination and attractions. Upon booking, local contact information and instructions on how to meet our personnel will be sent.

There is a tiny airport in the city of Arusha. There are, consequently, extremely few flights into and out of this airport. This could be a possibility for you if you are traveling from a nearby nation or Zanzibar Island.

Some clients opt to fly into Nairobi, Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). You may get to Arusha on a daily shuttle bus from Nairobi for less than $50 USD. The trip takes four to five hours. You must take a bus, which takes approximately 6-7 hours and costs about $75 USD, to get to Arusha. For an additional fee, we can also set up private transportation for you to take from Jomo Kenyatta Airport to Arusha. Direct flights from the following airlines land at Kilimanjaro airport:

• KLM: Direct flights from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro airport
• Condor: Direct flights from Frankfurt to Kilimanjaro airport
• Turkish Airlines: Direct flights from Istanbul to Kilimanjaro airport.
• Kenya Airways: Direct flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro airport
• Precision Air: Direct flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro airport
• Qatar Airlines: direct flights from Doha to Kilimanjaro airport.
• Ethiopian Airlines: Direct flights from Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro airport.
• RwandAir operates direct flights from Kigali to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

If there are no direct flights available to Kilimanjaro Airport, you can fly there through Nairobi-Kenya or Dar es Salaam. Nairobi is substantially closer to Kilimanjaro than Dar es Salaam. Nairobi has much higher air traffic than Kilimanjaro Airport, which results in more affordable rates. Within Tanzania, the following airlines provide domestic flights:

• Precision Air
• Air Tanzania
• Regional Air
• Zan Air
• Coastal Aviation
• Air Excel

Safari Accommodations In Tanzania

On Tanzania safari, lodgings are typically a mix of lodges and tented camps. These luxurious camps and lodges are all one-of-a-kind and located in breathtaking settings “in the bush” far from civilization. Most permanent tented camps include comprehensive bathroom amenities, just like lodge rooms. Mobile campgrounds might have common restroom and shower tents or individual en suite bathrooms. There won’t be a TV or a phone with an outside line unless you’re in a big city. Generator-powered electric lights are often on for a few hours in the morning and from dusk until 10 or 11 PM.

Food On Safari In Tanzania

Delicious meals are served on safari, ranging from basic to gourmet. Lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and delicious homemade soups are what you can anticipate. Fish and vegetarian options are frequently served during lunch and dinner, along with chicken, lamb, beef, or pork. Lots of tropical fruits, hot and cold cereals, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, slices of bread and pastries, as well as eggs cooked to request, are available at the breakfast buffet. Lunch always begins with soup and maybe buffet-style or plated. There is no need to dress up for dinner, which is typically a 4- or 5-course sit-down meal. Frequently, your safari guide will dine with you while you discuss the activities of the day.

Climate In Tanzania

Tanzania Experience one of the most comfortable climates all year long. Arusha is located at an altitude of 5000 feet, while the Great Rift Valley plateau is even higher. Normal daytime temperatures range from the upper 70s to the mid-80s, while mornings and nights are typically between the mid-50s and the low 60s. Depending on the season, southern and coastal Tanzania can become very warm and muggy. Although there are two rainy seasons, the sun is present every day of the year. Travel might occasionally be challenging during the lengthy rainy season of April and May, but the brief rains in November and December are excellent because they typically come in the late afternoon.

The Best Time To Go To Tanzania

Any month other than April and early May, when there are “heavy rains,” is the best time to go on a safari in Tanzania. November through March and June through July are prime times to view the “great wildebeest migration.” The Serengeti herds are in the area at this time. They typically go into Kenya’s Maasai Mara around August and return there in early November. Depending on the time of year and the location of the “food,” patterns will change in most parks. For instance, enormous concentrations of up to 6,000 elephants and a variety of other creatures migrate to Tarangire National Park on the banks of the Tarangire River during the dry season, which lasts from July to October.

It is advised to stay away from the seashore and nearby islands from March to May when there is a lot of rain. The most comfortable times to visit this hot and humid region of the country are from June to October, when it’s reasonably cool and dry and malaria risk is at its lowest.

The southern circuit is ideal between July and November. However, from April to June, when many lodges close in preparation for the heaviest rainy season, it should be avoided.

Though both mountains may be climbed at any time of year, the dry months of March and September are typically regarded as the ideal times for trekking on Mount Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru.

The finest bird watching is from November to April, when a variety of intra-and extra-African migratory species join the local species.

Clothing On Safari In Tanzania

While on safari, it is preferable to wear casual, comfortable attire that is lightweight and easy to care for. Early mornings can be extremely chilly, so you should layer your clothing until the sun has a chance to warm the environment. For cool early morning game drives that turn warm before you get back to camp, khaki pants with zip-off legs are ideal. It is ideal to wear long pants, cotton shirts, and T-shirts with walking shorts. In Africa, shorts for women are typically frowned upon on the streets. Along with a warm sweater or fleece jacket for the chilly nights, a cotton bush jacket or windbreaker will come in handy. A hat with a strap is also essential. Most safaris do not require extensive hiking or long walks, so a pair of comfortable walking shoes or tennis shoes and a pair of sandals should be sufficient.

Shopping In Tanzania

If you don’t like to haggle, there are numerous wonderful shops and galleries in the major cities that sell lovely crafts, including basketry, batiks, beading, masks, and woodcarvings. Shops selling quality gifts can be found at hotels, safari lodges, and certain camps. Investigate the neighborhood markets if you enjoy haggling. Don’t send the items home, though. The cost of shipping is not always predictable and may be very high. Plan to take your items home with you or prepare to pay the airline’s fee, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

Tanzania’s Language

Tanzania’s official language is Kiswahili. You will learn words like Habari, Hujambo (How are you?) and Asante while on a safari (Thanks). Even though English is the official language and is widely used, not everyone speaks it. Our guides are all fluent, though.

Children On Safari In Tanzania

In Tanzania, kids are welcome in most resorts and mobile camps. If you want to please your kids by taking them on safari, we will let you know about any limitations. Families frequently take trips with kids as young as 5 years old. If you have more than one child, you might need to bring a different vehicle for game drives.

Electricity In Tanzania

Because of its background, Tanzania now meets a variety of international standards for power delivery. Bring a universal adapter as electricity is given at 220 volts but fluctuates depending on the connections. Additionally, the main building or bar area will contain outlets, so you may recharge your camera if there are no outlets in your permanent tent camp. A cigarette lighter adapter can be used to charge your camera while you’re driving.

The Tanzania Packing List

Carry at least one set of clean clothes for every day you will be on safari, because doing laundry while traveling can be time-consuming. Setting aside one or two shirts for evening use only can be a smart idea because dusty conditions literally require a daily change of clothing.

On a safari, shorts and a t-shirt are perfectly acceptable daytime attire, but long pants and thicker clothing may be needed at night to ward off the chill and bugs. Natural textiles should be used to make socks and undergarments, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

Anyone planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro should consult their guide for expert advice on what to wear, Tanzania Travel Tips To know Before you Go on a Safari

The majority-Islamic locals of the seashore and nearby islands are accustomed to visitors and are tolerant of Western clothing rules. However, it is still preferable to err on the side of modesty, particularly in populated places and metropolitan environments.

For seeing faraway wildlife in the game reserves, binoculars are a necessity. Much of the time, 7×21 compact binoculars will be adequate, but birdwatchers will benefit more from 10x magnification and should always have a decent field guide with them.

Bring all the fluids you’ll need, including backup eyewear if you wear contact lenses. Many safari visitors discover that the mix of sun, dust, and dryness bothers their eyes.

The best way to transport money, traveler’s checks, credit cards, passports, and other critical documents is in a money belt that can be tucked under your clothing. To protect the contents from perspiration, this should be made of cotton or another natural fabric, and the contents could be wrapped in plastic.

A flashlight, a penknife, a small alarm clock, and potent insect repellent are additional helpful supplies.