Practical information Tanzania

364899  sq.mi

Swahili and English.

36,700,000 inhabitants

You must have a passport valid for six months after the return date. A visa is required except for Scandinavian citizens or those coming from Commonwealth countries. You can obtain a visa at the Tanzanian Embassy, and it costs £38 that must be paid in cash. It can also be issued upon arrival into the territory, at Dar es-Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports, in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kigoma ports and at the border posts of Namanga, Tunduma, Holili, Taveta, Sirati and Horohoro. After you cross the border, always check what has been written on your visa by immigration officers. They can in fact reduce the validity of your visa and in this case you will have to respect the length of stay allowed by the immigration services.

Religion in Tanzania is equally split between Christians, Muslims and Animists. The island of Zanzibar is however 98 % Muslim.

The Tanzanian shilling (TZS) consists of 100 cents. 1 pound Sterling = approximately 2,075 TZS. In the cities, banks are open from 9:00am to 2:00pm, except on Saturdays and Sundays. Foreign exchange offices have more flexible opening hours, opening on Saturdays and sometimes also on Sundays. US$100 notes are exchanged at a better rate than smaller denominations. Travellers cheques are accepted as well as credit cards (Visa, American Express, Diners Club and MasterCard) in hotels, lodges, travel agencies and some souvenir shops. Cash machines are beginning to appear across the country but are still very few and far between and can currently only be found in Dar es-Salaam and Arusha. Bring US dollars in small denominations in order to pay airport taxes or port taxes if you are going to Zanzibar by boat. US dollars are viewed more favourably in shops than pounds are.

By train:
There are three lines from Dar es-Salaam: The Tazara, Tanzania Zambia Railway links the capital to Mbeya, in 20 hours. The train then goes on to Zambia. The Central Railways links Dar es-Salaam to Kigoma or Mwanza. In the middle of the route, in Tabora, the train separates into two: one part continues to Kigoma and Lake Tanganyika, and the other travels to Mwanza and Lake Victoria. Journeys last about 40 hours. The Kilimandjaro Link connects Dar es-Salaam to Moshi in 15 hours. Seek information from the Dar es-Salam Tourism Office. The departure time varies and travel duration is uncertain.

By plane:
The Air Tanzania Corporation (ATC) flies between Dar es-Salaam and Zanzibar, Arusha (Kilimanjaro Airport), Mwanza, Kigoma, Mtwara. You can get private charter planes fly from Dar es- Salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar. Capacity: 4 to 48 seats: A single Arusha-Zanzibar costs from 100 USD.

By bus:
They travel over Tanzania at very little cost. On some lines, companies compete to attract customers by offering video, soda inclusive, etc. For example: close to ten companies travel daily between Dar es-Salaam and Arusha (roughly 435 miles) in 7 to 8 hours on tarred road. Whereas other lines are not as quick, for instance Dar es- Salaam - Mtwara could take 48 hours.

By car:
There are big car rental companies on the spot. To visit the parks, take a 4x4. A "Land-Rover" will cost 100 USD a day. A normal vehicle is enough for driving in Dar es-Salaam and Zanzibar (40 USD a day). Driving is on the left, and an international driver's license is required. In addition to the motorways, there are several tracks to Arusha, Dodoma and Mbeya from Dar es-Salaam. Roads are less dangerous than the motorways that are often dotted with potholes which drivers avoid at the last minute with a brisk turn of the wheel.

By boat:
Several companies travel to Zanzibar from the port of Dar es-Salaam. The speedboat companies get to Zanzibar in one and a quarter hours. On Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria, ferries sail around and frequently stop along the shores.

Types of accommodation:
There are several hotels in Dar es-Salaam, from 0-star to 4-stars and a youth hostel (YMCA). On Safari, choose to stay in lodges (bush hotels built with local materials). Here also you'll find varying levels of luxury. There are guest-houses throughout Tanzania for adventurers, more or less comfortable and costing from around £4.

The vaccine against yellow fever is not mandatory, but it would be a bad idea to miss it as East Africa is an area where you can catch many diseases. Recommended vaccines include hepatitis A and B, DTP, typhoid, meningitis.
Anti-malaria treatment is essential, especially for seaside stays. More generally, do not eat the skin of fruit and vegetables, avoid ice cubes and only drink bottled water. In your pharmacy kit, pack antibiotics, disposable syringes and tablets to disinfect water. If you are already taking certain medicines, pack enough medicine for your entire stay in the country. During your stay in the country, you can subscribe to insurance from flying doctors that arrive by plane, and evacuate people to Nairobi, Kenya.
Flying doctors in Nairobi. Tel: 254 2501 301
Flying Doctors, in Dar es-Salaam: 051 116 610

220 V. Three-pin electric plugs, two flat pins and a one that is vertical. An adapter is recommended.

Prices include the value added tax. Tips are always welcomed. After a safari ride, the custom is to leave a tip to the driver.