Know before you go

Travel tips for Tanzania

The practical things worth knowing before you arrive — visas, money, health, what to pack and how to get around.

Before you fly

Most visitors need a visa. You can apply online at the government portal before you travel, or buy one on arrival at Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro airports. Carry the fee in cash as a backup.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date you arrive, with blank pages for stamps.
Zanzibar asks every visitor for travel insurance. It is checked on arrival, so arrange it before you leave home.

The currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS). US dollars are widely accepted for hotels, tours and park fees.
Dollar notes must be dated 2009 or later. Older notes are often refused, and torn ones always are.
Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in town. Away from the main centres, carry cash.
ATMs are easy to find in Stone Town, Dar es Salaam and Arusha, and scarce everywhere else. Draw what you need before heading out.

Yellow fever vaccination is required if you arrive from a country where it is present. Bring the certificate.
Malaria is present across the country. Speak to a doctor about tablets well before you travel, and pack repellent.
Drink bottled or filtered water. Most hotels provide it.
Bring any prescription medicine you need in its original packaging, with enough for the whole trip.

June to October is dry and cool, and the best time for both safari and the beach. It is also the busiest.
The Great Migration crosses the Mara River in the northern Serengeti around July to September, and calving is in the southern plains in January and February.
The long rains fall from late March to May. Many beach hotels close, and prices drop sharply for those that stay open.
December to February is hot and mostly dry, with short rains in November.

Zanzibar is mainly Muslim. Away from the beach and the hotel, cover shoulders and knees. It is a small courtesy that is noticed and appreciated.
Swimwear is for the beach and the pool, not for Stone Town.
On safari, wear neutral colours. Avoid dark blue and black, which attract tsetse flies.
Mornings and evenings on the plains are genuinely cold. Bring a fleece even in the dry season.

Park fees are usually separate from the tour price. Ask your operator what is included before you pay.
Bring more memory and battery than you think you need. Charging in camps can be limited to a few hours a day.
Binoculars change the experience more than a longer lens does.
Stay in the vehicle unless your guide says otherwise, and keep your voice down near animals.

A local SIM is cheap and works well. You need your passport to register it, which takes a few minutes.
Coverage is good in towns and along the coast, patchy in the parks.
An E-SIM lets you arrive already connected, if your phone supports one.

Tanzania is a welcoming place and most trips pass without trouble. Ordinary care is enough.
Avoid walking alone on empty beaches or unlit streets after dark.
Use the hotel safe for your passport and spare cash, and carry a copy rather than the original.
Agree the fare before getting into a taxi, or use a ride app in the cities.

Tipping is normal and genuinely appreciated, though never demanded.
A safari guide is usually tipped around $20 to $25 a day from the group, and camp staff a little less.
In restaurants, around 10% is usual where service is not already added.

Flights between Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Arusha and the parks are quick and reasonably priced, with strict baggage limits — often 15kg in a soft bag.
Roads between towns are long. Arusha to the Serengeti is most of a day by vehicle.
The ferry between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar takes about two hours. Book a seat in advance in high season.

Plastic bags are banned. Leave them at home; your luggage may be checked on arrival.
Power is 230V with UK three-pin sockets. Bring an adapter.
Greetings matter. “Jambo” for hello and “asante” for thank you will be met warmly everywhere.
Ask before photographing people, especially in Stone Town and in villages.

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