Esential travel Information for Tanzania
Esential Travel information for Tanzania | Travel to Tanzania | Where to stay in Tanzania | Tanzania top Hotels |Tanzania Safari and Tours |Climb to Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru | The best of Tanzania Safari | Expats in Tanzania | Tanzania Travel Guide
Health
Safety
Customs
Entry Requirements - Visa/Passport
Useful Contacts
Language/Money/Tipping
Health
Visitors should consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and polio, and proof of yellow fever vaccination is required if visitors are coming from or have transited through an airport of a country where yellow fever occurs. There is a risk of malaria all year and outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever occur; travellers should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and take malaria medication.
Food prepared by unlicensed vendors should be avoided, as meat and milk products from animals may not have been cooked thoroughly. Sleeping sickness is a risk in the game parks, including the Serengeti, and visitors should take precautions against bites by tsetse flies.
There is a high prevalence of HIV/Aids; cholera outbreaks are common throughout the country and visitors are advised to drink bottled or sterilised water only. Travellers climbing Mount Kilimanjaro are at risk for altitude sickness.
Medical services are available in Dar-es-Salaam and other main towns, but facilities and supplies are limited even in cities and often non-existent in rural areas. Visitors with particular requirements should take their own medicines. Comprehensive travel insurance is advised.
Safety
Most visits to Tanzania are trouble free, but violent and armed crime does exist. Travellers are sometimes the victims of mugging and bag snatching (especially by passing cars or motorbikes), and armed robbery and burglary rates have increased throughout the country. Travellers should walk as far away from the road as possible and avoid walking and cycling at night. They should also avoid carrying large amounts of cash or other valuables, and leave their passport in the hotel safe.
As in other East African countries, there is some threat of terrorism in Tanzania, and visitors should be cautious in public places and at tourist sites. The area bordering Burundi should also be avoided. There have been reports of piracy in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden is a concern, with commercial and tourist vessels being fired upon and several tourists taken hostage.
Road accidents are common due to poor road and vehicle conditions, violation of traffic regulations and exhaustion among long-distance drivers. There have also been a number of ferry accidents in Tanzania in recent years. Travellers should take precautions, such as staying away from buses or ferries that seem overloaded or in poor condition.
Customs
Tanzanians are known to be friendly and generally welcoming, but travellers should be sensitive to local cultural mores. Drunkenness is frowned upon and Tanzanians feel strongly about showing respect for their elders.
Visitors to Zanzibar should be aware that it is a predominantly Muslim region and visitors should dress modestly and respectfully. Beachwear is fine on the beach or around a hotel pool, but not acceptable elsewhere. Topless sunbathing is a criminal offence. Some tourists buys a local sarong, called a kanga, which can be used to cover shoulders when needed, or otherwise be used as a towel.
Smoking in public places is illegal. Tourists should be especially careful during Ramadan, when public drinking, smoking and even eating in public should be avoided. Homosexuality is illegal.
Entry Requirements - Visa/Passport
SINGLE ENTRY / ORDINARY / TOURIST VISA
- Copy of the applicant’s valid passport;
- Visa application form dully filled in;
- Respective visa Fee;
- 2 passport size photographs ( for those lodging their applications through embassies).
- Provide flight itinerary, ticket or tour operator package receipt.
- People traveling for specific reasons other than tourism must submit a letter from their organization or office. These include but not limited to volunteers, people attending meetings & conferences, studies, diplomatic, official and any other business not mentioned here.
- Visa applications for minors under 18 years traveling alone or with only one parent/legal guardians should be accompanied by a notarized letter, jointly signed by parents or legal guardians approving the minor to travel, A copy of their ID
MULTIPLE VISA
- Valid passport at least for 6 month
- Visa application form duly filled in;
- Security Bond duly filled;
- Valid passport copy of the invitee;
- Three passport size photographs;
- Copy of the valid Passport or any other identity (For a host citizen of Tanzania);
- Documents of the Company like TIN, VAT, Registration Certificate, Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum etc;
- Any other evidence to prove that the applicant is bound to travel frequently into the United Republic of Tanzania.
TRANSIT VISA
- Copy of the applicant’s valid passport;
- An entry visa or onward ticket to the intended country of destination;
- Respective visa fee;
- 2 passport size photographs ( for those lodging their applications through embassies).
BUSINESS VISA
- A valid passport at least for 6 month
- A work contract or any proof of the work/assignment to be performed within a period not exceeding three months;
- Respective visa fee.
Useful Contacts
Tanzanian Tourist Office: www.tanzaniatouristboard.com
Embassies / consulates in other countries
- Embassy of Tanzania, Washington DC, United States: +1 (0)202 884 1080
- High Commission of Tanzania, London, United Kingdom (also responsible for Ireland): +44 (0)20 7569 1470
- High Commission of Tanzania, Ottawa, Canada: +1 (0)613 232 1509
- Embassy of Tanzania, Tokyo, Japan (also responsible for Australia and New Zealand): +81 (0)3 3425 4531
- High Commission of Tanzania, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 4371
Embassies / consulates in Tanzania
- United States Embassy, Dar-es-Salaam: +255 (0)22 229 4000
- British High Commission, Dar-es-Salaam: +255 (0)22 229 0000
- Canadian High Commission, Dar-es-Salaam (also responsible for Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles): +255 (0)22 216 3300
- Australian High Commission, Nairobi, Kenya (also responsible for Tanzania): +252 (0)20 4277 100
- South African High Commission, Dar-es-Salaam: +255 (0)22 221 8500
- Irish Embassy, Dar-es-Salaam: +255 (0)22 260 2355
- New Zealand High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa (also responsible for Tanzania): +27 (0)12 435 9000
Language/Money/Tipping
Electricity
230 volts, 50Hz. Rectangular or round three-pin plugs are used.
Language
Swahili and English are the official languages. Several indigenous languages are also spoken.
Money
The official currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS), divided into 100 cents. The tourism industry prices everything in US dollars and this is the preferred unit of currency. Money can be exchanged in larger towns; foreign exchange bureaux may offer a better rate of exchange than banks. ATMs are available in major towns and cities. Major lodges, some hotels and travel agents in urban areas accept credit cards, but these should not be relied on and can incur a surcharge.
Tipping
Waiters in the better restaurants should be tipped around 10 percent; guides, porters and cooks in the wildlife parks and on safari trips usually receive tips as well. The amount is discretionary according to the standard of service and the number of people in the travelling party.
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Safaris & Tours
Tanzania is one of Africa’s top safari destinations. The wildlife viewing is out of this world and big cats are especially easy to see. All members of the Big Five can be found in various Tanzanian parks and reserves, and all five are present in the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park.
Mountain Climbing
The most frequent expeditions are obviously to Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, but there are also other destinations such as the Crater Highlands. Trekking companies will happily put together an itinerary that suits your preferences and all other important details for your comfortability.
Beach Holidays
Unguja/Zanzibar Island, is the main island in the Tanzania. Stone Town, part of Zanzibar, is an old trade center, with mosques and winding lanes. The 1883 House of Wonders is a former sultan’s palace with a clock tower. The Old Fort now houses a cultural center and a stone amphitheater, The best beaches!
Travel to Tanzania
All international passengers to Tanzania must complete an online Health Survey within 24 hours of arrival. A separate Health Survey is required for Zanzibar. Further information on both Health Surveys is provided in the Tanzanian government’s travel guide here.
All international passengers are required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival, using a sample collected within 96 hours of departure for Tanzania. Two types of tests are accepted: Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs).
Passengers arriving from certain countries experiencing variants of interest and high Covid-19 case numbers are obliged to take a rapid antigen test on arrival in Tanzania, at their own expense. The list of countries for which rapid antigen testing is required can be found here. This requirement also applies to all passengers who have travelled through these countries within 14 days of arrival in Tanzania. Further details on rapid antigen testing requirements, including advance online booking, can be found in the Tanzanian government’s travel guide here.
Tanzania Travel Information FAQ
Yes, Travelers are required to present a negative COVID-19 test certificate upon arrival. The test must be a Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) collected at a nationally accredited/approved laboratory, with the sample collected within 96 hours of arrival in Tanzania.
YES! Visas are available upon arrival in Tanzania, whether you arrive at the airport or cross the border. For non-US nationals, a visa on arrival costs $50, and for US citizens, it costs $100. This must be paid in US dollars. Other forms of payment are not accepted.
A passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond visa issuance and/or date of entry, and at least one blank visa page, is required. Visitors who enter on visas must present a roundtrip ticket and demonstrate they have sufficient funds for their stay.
It depends from where you are coming from, roughly 40 nationalities may visit the country for tourism without obtaining a visa, for short stays. However, all other foreign citizens traveling to Tanzania or Zanzibar for tourism or leisure need a visa. The Tanzania online visa for tourism is quick and easy to obtain.
There are currently a total of 45 Tanzania passport visa-free countries, 25 Tanzania visa-on-arrival countries, and 2 eTA destinations. Altogether, Tanzania passport holders can enter a total of 72 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA.
There is no permanent residency in Tanzania. Tanzanian citizenship is governed by the Tanzania Citizenship Act No. 6 of 1995 and the 1997 regulations made thereunder. A person can acquire Tanzanian citizenship by birth, lawful marriage, descent or naturalisation.
The maximum length of consecutive time for American nationals staying in Tanzania is 90 days Per Entry. A multiple-entry visa is valid for a maximum of 1 year after arrival, but you must depart Tanzania at least once every 1 year after arrival and then re-enter.
General travel Advice
In weighing up the decision to travel to Tanzania at this time, YOU should take into consideration the risk of restrictions being introduced during their travel and, also, the impact which responding to COVID-19 may have on local health care systems over the course of their proposed visit.
You should monitor developments regularly and follow the advice of local authorities.
Private healthcare facilities with the capability to respond to COVID-19 cases exist, but capacity is limited. You should be aware that in the event of a significant COVID-19 outbreak in Tanzania, the ability to access treatment for other ailments is likely to be limited.
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