Tanzania

Language Kiswahili otherwise known as Swahili is the ‘lingua franca’ of Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Uganda. English is very widely spoken in Kenya & Tanzania, particularly in tourist centres, hotels, lodges and main cities. Basic Swahili phrases for travellers; knowing a few words of Swahili will really help you out while on safari. National Emergency Numbers Emergency (Ambulance, Police, Fire) 112 Public Holidays The dates of certain public holidays change from year to year – refer below. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, then the Monday is also declared a public holiday. Jan 01 New Year’s Day Jan 12 Zanzibar Revolution Day Varies Good Friday Varies Easter Monday Feb. 26 Birth of the Prophet * Apr. 26 Union Day May 01 International Labour Day Jul 07 Saba Saba (Industry's Day) Aug 08 Nane Nane (Farmer's Day) Aug 11 Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan) * Oct. 14 Nyerere Day Nov16-17 Eid al-Adha * Dec 09 Independence and Republic Day Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 26 Boxing Day *Religious Holiday- subject to change. VAT VAT of 10% is levied on all goods and services. Time Zone Tanzania is GMT + 3 hours in the winter, and GMT + 2 in the summer. US Embassy Address: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam Tel: 255-22-229-4000 Fax: 255-22-229-4970 or 4971 Website: tanzania.usembassy.gov

The mains electricity supply is 240 volts, 50 cycles – UK style plugs.  On safari, many lodges and tented camps operate their own generators which offer intermittent electricity by day for lighting and refrigeration. Please be aware that you will not find plug sockets in your room/tent at these lodges. The lodge may be able to recharge your camcorder at the main reception area so it’s worth asking. We recommend taking a small flashlight.

Banks Most banks are open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm and Saturday from 9am – 12pm. Various ATM's are found in every large town.  Several international banks have branches in the main cities. The banks and the Bureau de Change at most airports offer the best exchange rates, but you can also change money at hotel receptions. Credit Cards All major credit cards are accepted in East Africa in hotels, restaurants and shops. Visa and MasterCard are more prevalent. Currency Tanzania’s currency is Tanzanian shillings and cents. You will be able to change foreign exchange at the bank at the airport and also at any other banks in the major towns. US dollars are often favoured, and most excursions, tips, drinks and curios can be paid for in dollars. Please be advised that US Dollar notes older than 2004 are no longer accepted in East Africa. It is recommended that clients take spending money in the form of US dollars cash. Credit cards are widely accepted, although many locations no longer accept travellers’ cheques. ATMs can be found in almost all larger towns. To find out current exchange rates visit www.xe.com

Tap water in Tanzania is generally not safe to drink, and most travellers try to stick to mineral water. Filtered and bottled water can be difficult to find you are travelling outside of main town and so it is advisable to stock up. Most camps, lodges and hotels have bottled water readily available.Most camps, lodges or hotels cater specifically to tourists and serve Western-style food, ranging in standard, but generally are excellent. Game lodges tend to offer a daily set menu with a limited selection, so it is advisable to have your tour operator specify in advance if you are a vegetarian or have other specific dietary requirements. First-time visitors to Africa might take note that most game lodges in and around the national parks have isolated locations, and driving within the parks is neither permitted nor advisable after dark, so that there is no realistic alternative to eating at your lodge.

Just south of the equator, Tanzania is huge and its sheer size means that the climate varies considerably within it. However, generally the main rainy season, or the 'long rains', lasts during about March, April and May. Afternoon tropical downpours are the norm – which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The humidity is high and daily temperatures reach the low-mid 30°s.The long dry season lasts throughout June, July, August, September and October is when rainfall is unusual, even on the islands. Temperatures vary hugely with altitude and location, but it's usually a fine, clear sky and sunny weather – it's a great time to visit Tanzania. During November and December there's another rainy season: the 'short rains'. These are much lighter than the main rains and less reliable.If it has rained during the short rains, then it normally dries up for a few months, January and February, which is Tanzania's 'short dry season', before starting to rain again in earnest in March.

If you are visiting a number of parks and reserves in Tanzania, you can either drive or fly between them. Roads in most of the wilderness areas are in poor condition and unmarked, and self-driving is not recommended. Operators will supply you with a driver who doubles as an informal guide; alternatively, you can arrange to fly to your destination and utilize a car and driver supplied by the lodgings. Elsewhere in Tanzania, towns and cities are linked by a steady stream of buses and dala-dalas (minibuses), and in the cities, there is public transport in the way of buses, dala-dalas, taxis, and, in some places, bicycles or tuk-tuks. Precision Air run regular services, mostly via Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar, to all main towns and other destinations in East Africa and beyond. All national parks and some of the top-end luxury lodges have airstrips and Coastal Air operates between these and the main airports on the mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. ZanAir has frequent connections between Zanzibar, Pemba and the mainland. Driving is on the left hand side of the road Departure Tax The international departure tax is $40 and domestic departure tax is $8 each way on departures from government airports and airstrips. These amounts must be paid locally, so please ensure you carry enough currency on you for these payments.

During the day, shorts or trousers are ideal, and the evenings may be chilly so light cardigans or sweaters are appropriate. It can be very chilly in the early morning and late evening, no matter how warm it has been during the day – please believe us! Bring a warm jacket to wear for the morning. It is best to dress in layers of clothing so that you can peel them off as the sun comes up. By 9:00 am it could be quite hot again! Long sleeved shirts and trousers are also advisable in the evenings to lessen the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes. Many safari lodges have swimming pools, so bathing suits should be taken. It is advisable to have a good pair of closed walking shoes/boots. In the Cities We suggest ladies do not wear shorts in the cities, particularly in the Muslim areas. At Coastal Resorts One piece or bikini swimsuits are fine on the beach or around your hotel pool, but not appropriate in town. Topless sunbathing is prohibited. Neither jackets nor ties are required when dining in hotels or out at restaurants.

Please consult your health-care provider 4-6 weeks prior to travel to ensure you are receiving all required vaccinations and that the medication has enough time to take effect. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance with medical benefits and that you bring any personal medication with you. Please also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations. Required Immunizations/Vaccinations: Yellow Fever – all travelers coming from a yellow fever infected country will be required to show a valid Yellow Fever certificate on arrival. It is otherwise not required or recommended. You should be vaccinated at least 10 days before you travel, as this will allow enough time for your body to develop protection against the yellow fever infection. Your proof of vaccination certificate will only become valid after this time. Recommended Immunizations/Vaccinations: Malaria prophylaxis – highly recommended for all travelers Malaria Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa.  Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are mainly active in the early evening and throughout the night. Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months. We strongly recommend you take the following preventative measures: Use plenty of mosquito repellent. Some camps provide a locally made repellent but please bring your own as there may be skin sensitivity. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. Please use the mosquito net over your bed where supplied/available. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with a suitable insecticide to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are also effective. There is a six to seven day minimum incubation period before symptoms present themselves. If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria. Please remember the best precaution is the preventative kind.  It is inadvisable for pregnant women to visit malarial areas as malaria infection during pregnancy can be detrimental to both mother and child. Stomach Upsets It is advisable to carry medication supplied by your physician for simple stomach upsets.  In the first few days of your trip you may suffer from mild upsets attributable to a change in food and water. Ticks Ticks exist all over the world and are well known carriers of diseases that affect both animals and humans. Symptoms of this disease present after a 5-7 day incubation period and include fevers, headaches, malaise and even a skin rash, but effects can vary dramatically from person to person. A dark black mark usually results at the site of the infected bite and is a helpful diagnostic. The disease is easily treated with antibiotics although this is not always necessary.  After walking in the bush it is best to brush your clothes down and to examine your body for ticks. If a tick is found, remove it entirely without leaving the biting mouth parts in your skin. Anti-tick sprays such as Bayticol can be very effective against ticks and wearing long pants will prevent many bites. Tsetse Flies Tsetse flies exist in large areas of sub-Saharan Africa including parts of Tanzania. They are best known as the carrier of trypanosomiases – causing sleeping sickness in humans which can be fatal but is easily treated and cured. In the unlikely event that symptoms are recorded after a visit to an area containing tsetse flies, we recommend that a doctor be consulted. These symptoms can present a few weeks to months after a visit and begin with fever, headaches and pains in the joints followed by dramatic swelling of the lymph nodes. If left untreated these symptoms can evolve to cause anaemia, cardiac and kidney disorders; alternate bouts of fatigue and insomnia can disrupt the sleep cycle.

VISA REQUIREMENTS:U.S. citizens are required to obtain a visa for entry into Tanzania. Non U.S. citizens should consult with your local embassy.