TRAVEL INFO

Your holiday is approaching, and it is time to think of preparations !
On this page, you will find practical information ensuring that your holiday enrolls in the most ideal conditions. At the bottom of this page, you will find the check-lists of the minimum items to take with, for a flawless time in this beautiful country.

Tanzania enjoys a peaceful political climate : people are kind, curious, joyful, helpful. However, African culture and Tanzania’s for our current concern, remains very different from ours. Always keep in mind that as Occidental tourists, we are inevitably rich.

In Zanzibar and namely on the beach, you will most probably be approached by locals who will want to sell you excursions, sunglasses, local jewelry and other fridge magnets. On our standards, they can become quite insistent… As far as we are concerned, telling then nicely, yet firmly, that we are not interested has always worked well.

Zanzibar is mainly Muslim, most women are veiled or at least cover their heads. Swim suits are luckily perfectly fine on the beach, however when going into town, it is recommended to cover one’s shoulders and wear knees-covering shorts. 

IMPORTANT NOTICES :

 COVID-19 : Information 16th March 2022 :  

Travellers who are fully vaccinated and in possession of a complete vaccination certificate with QR code no longer need to show a negative PCR test upon arrival in Tanzania.  

Traveller who are NOT vaccinated will have to show a negative PCR test upon arrival in Tanzania.  

PCR negative test will have to be no oler than 72 hours prior to arrival (the sampling and NOT the test result).  

All travellers arriving in Tanzania must fill in a health form prior to their arrival, following the following link :  

https://afyamsafiri.moh.go.tz

Same applies to Zanzibar, if you’re entering Tanzania from Zanzibar (does not apply if you’re arriving in Zanzibar from mainland Tanzania) 

mohz.go.tz

When returning to Switzerland, quarantine is no longer mandatory for travellers who are vaccinated. If you are not, you will have to have a negative PCR to enter Switzerland. 

2. You will be invited to comply to covid-19 prevention measures (social distancing, if impossible wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, etc) at all times.

3. As of 1st June 2019, single use plastic is prohibited in Tanzania. Please pack accordingly as checks might be performed. .

4. Get your electronic visa for your Tanzanian trip at following address :

eservices.immigration.go.tz

(do not use other sites – as they are unofficial – they will charge you a fortune and you will never receive your visa. 

5. The use of drones is prohibited in Tanzania. 

6. In Zanzibar since March 2021, tourists must dress with respect to the Muslim culture, and be covered from shoulders to knees in public places. Depending of the severeness of the offence, fines starting at $ 700 will be notified. 

HEALTH

 

First,  we recommend that you visit a tropical medicine centre :
In Lausanne : “Polyclinique Médicale Universitaire at the CHUV, Av. du Bugnon in Lausanne (website)
In Geneva : HUG, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 6, 1205 Genève (website)

You will find more information according to your region HERE.

Alternatively, you can make an appointment with your MD, mentioning your destination so that he can ensure he has the appropriate vaccination at hand.

The website Safe Travels will provide you with all relevant information (unfortunately not in English). The same website will provide you with vaccination recommandations, for :

diphtheria | tetanus | poliomyelitis | measles |hepatitis A | yellow fever.

Although recommended in particular situations only, the following vaccines can be prescribed : hepatitis B | typhoid | rabies | cholera.

There is a vast debate about yellow fever vaccination : WHO as well as various travel sites mention that yellow fever vaccine is mandatory to enter Tanzania; it is not the cas. The vaccine is ONLY mandatory if you live in a country that is endemic to yellow fever, of if you have travelled/stayed in a country endemic to yellow fever less than 6 months prior to your arrival in Tanzania. 

You will receive more info during your visit either at the Policlinique or at your MD’s.

The risk of malaria varies according to the region and the season; it is not high in Zanzibar but in any case, you need to protect yourself againstmosquito bites.

As a general rule, it is always better to have with you anti-malaria medication, that you can take in case you catch a fever.

 

MEDICATION TO TAKE WITH

You will find below a list of medication that I always take with me when going to Tanzania or Zanzibar, even if I hardly ever use any.

I suggest that you call your MD, informing him of your destination so that he can send you a prescription for the following medication :

– Panadol (or any other paracetamol)
– Anti-inflammatory (irfen, ibuprofen or other)
– Itinerol B6 (if you get sea-sick)
– Buscopan (or other, against abdominal cramps)
– Anti-nausea and vomitting (Primperan or similar)
– Immodium (anti-diarrhoea)
– Fenistil gel or any other cream to soothe insect bites or skin allergies
– Parapic (pain relief in case of insect bites)
– Band aid
– Elastic bandage
– ANTI BRUMM RED (anti-mosquitoes)

BASIC CLOTHING

SAFARI
To avoid mosquito bites :
– Light (coloured) trousers
– Socks
– Long sleeves T-shirt

And more generally :
– Long sleeves sweater
– Light warm jacket (nights can be fresh)
– Shorts
– Jeans
– T-shirts
– Underwear
– Cap
– Sunglasses
Sun tan lotion (protection 50 or 30 min)
– Trainers or any type of comfortable light closed shoes

ZANZIBAR
To avoid mosquito bites, same as for safari.

And more generally :
Sun tan lotion protection 50 (the light breezes of the Indian Ocean are misleading, the sun is very strong) 
– After sun lotion
– Shorts, bermudas
– Flip-flops and river shoes (to walk on the ocean bed at low tide)

TOILETRIES & OTHERS

During your safari and outside of the large towns, as well as in Zanzibar, it will be very difficult to find items that we consider common (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant,etc). When you find them, they will most probably be more expensive than in Switzerland. Therefore, I always take with what I use daily.

Note that your maximum luggage weight allowance for all internal flights will be 20 kgs. 

– Gel douche
– Shampoo and other cosmetics
– Hair brush
– Tooth brush and tooth paste

MISC
– Plug adaptor (UK plugs are used in Tanzania)
– USB hub plugs
– Multiple plug (that I use to plug on the adaptor)
– Chargers and USB cables : telephone, i-pad, camera, electronic cigarette, etc)
– Camera
– SD cards for camera (emptied and formatted)
– Paper copy of your passport and vaccination certificate.

MONEY

Local curreny is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSH), which you cannot obtain in Europe. You will be able to withdraw TSH in local bancomats (ATM).

Euros and USD are aslo widely used  (1 EUR – TSH 2600) and USD (1 USD – TSH 2300) approximately.

If you’d rather use Tanzania Shillings and do not want to withdraw from local ATMs, please consider that USD 100 and 50 notes will be changed at a more favourable rate than any of the smaller notes.

USD notes printed before 2007 will not be accepted anywhere.

We advise that you pay in USD or EUR when you can.

We also advise that you carry some small notes for tips. 

Last time we went to Tanzania, withdrawing money from ATM machines was only possible with bank cards that had codes of 4 digits only. Make sure that you change your code prior to your departure, if it is a 6 digits code. 

Since a couple of years, withdrawing money with a Swiss bank card is limited to the equivalent of CHF 200 per day in Africa. In Northern Tanzania, everything will be prepaid, except for the extras. You will easily find ATMs in Aruha and Karatu.

However, in Zanzibar, ATMs are only available in Stone Town (and they do not all work). The distances are not great but time consuming. Therefore, if you need cash, we advise that you either withdraw in the North or ask your driver to drive you to an ATM at your arrival at the airport after having planned your spendings and cash need.

In hotels, lodges, restaurants you should be able to pay with a credit card : note that a 2-5 % transaction fee is added to any payment via credit card.

Always be vigilant when withdrawing cash (Tanzanian shillings) at ATMs !

INSURANCES

Prior to your departure, ensure that your accident and sickness insurances cover your travels abroad, more specifically in Africa. 

Do you have an ETI coverage ? If not, you might be interested in THIS.

REGA can also be an alternative. Check their proposals HERE.

 

FOOD & DRINKS

Tap water is very seldom drinkable on our standards. Therefore, drink bottled mineral water only!

In Tanzania and Zanzibar, any bottle will be brought to your table sealed, and the waiter will ask your authorisation to open it in front of you.

In your hotel, the food is obviously adapted to Europeans. Outside of your hotel, refrain from eating any salad composed of vegetables that have not been peeled (ie cabbage, carrots are OK, even though I never recommend salads in local restaurants). Do not eat fruit that you cannot peeled, unless you rinse them with bottled mineral water before you eat them.

Should you wish to try local restaurants, always ask the waiter whether the food is adapted for Europeans.

 

READY TO TRAVEL ? Then...

When you arrive in Tanzania at Kilimanjaro airport, you will go through customs formalities.
You will have been given a form to fill in during your flight, which you will handover to the customs officer. After having paid USD 50 per person (again if you do not have an electronic visa), your passport will be stamped with a tourist Tanzanian visa.
After having picked up your luggage, your driver will welcome you and drive you to your hotel for the night.

From then on, he will manage your safari. Remember that your chauffeur-guide is here for to ensure that you have an incredible holiday, and also for your comfort and safety. Therefore, if you wish to stop for something particular on the way, feel free to ask him !

Out of principle, we ask our driver-guides not to stop at every “curio shop” on the way. Should you want to visit one, kindly ask him to stop.

 

In Tanzania, except in shops where the prices are labelled, EVERYTHIN IS NEGOTIABLE ! And this includes taxis… As a general rule, I divide by half the proposed price, then negiotiations start and can take a considerable amount of time. In any case, if the price that you propose is too low, the seller will stop the discussion right away.

As a general rule, do not leave your valuables (camera, electronic devices, cash, bank card, passport) in your room, unless it has a safe. Always ask your driver-guide if it is ok to leave your valuables in the car.

DO FOLLOW SAFETY & SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY YOUR DRIVER-GUIDE AT ALL TIMES !

In Zanzibar, ask your hotel reception if your valuables are safe in your room, and keep the door to your room locked at all times.

For your information, nothing ever got stolen from me when I was not in any of the rooms in which I’ve stayed, and I’ve travelled to Tanzania some 30 times so far….

As a general rule, do not go out alone at night ! Refrain on wearing jewellery, expensive watches, do not go to places where there is no one around, and avoid all crowds gatherings.

 

CHECK LISTS

 

essentials

Passeports
Vaccination certificate
Bank cards / credit cards
Flights tickets
Paper print out of your passport
Health form

 

pharmacy

Paracétamol | anti-inflammatory | Itinerol B6 | Buscopan |Primperan | Immodium | Cream/gel against insect bites| Parapic | band-aid | bande de gaze | elastic bandage | ANTI BRUMM RED

clothes

Long and light coloured trousers | socks | long sleeves T-shirt | sweater | light jacket | bermuda, shorts | cap | sun glasses | river shoes

Toiletries

Shower gel | shampoo and hair care | tooth brush and tooth paste | sun tan lotion 50 | after sun lotion

MISC

Adaptors| USB hub| multiple plug | charger and USB cables | SD card for camera photos | camera

Print Friendly, PDF & Email