Tanzania Travel Advice- Bushwide African Safaris

TANZANIA TRAVEL ADVICE

Tanzania travel advice is on hand whether you are taking a Serengeti safari,Kilimanjaro climbing, exploring the Ngorongoro conservation area, tracking chimps in the Mahale Mountains or relaxing on a beach holiday in Zanzibar.
Our destination specialists can give you first-hand travel advice on how to explore Tanzania at its best.These Tanzania travel tips will help you plan your trip to Tanzania.
This page has information about visas, health, safety and when to go.

Visas

Citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and most countries in the EU, need a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. Application details and forms can be found on Tanzanian Embassy web sites. Tanzanian embassies issue single ($50) and double ($100) entry visas (handy if you’re planning to cross over to Kenya or Malawi for a few days). They do not issue visas for more than two entries.
Tanzanian tourist visas are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. So while planning ahead for visas is a good thing, make sure the visa is still valid for the length of time you plan to travel in Tanzania.
You can obtain a visa at all airports in Tanzania as well as at the border crossings, but it is advised to get a visa beforehand. In order to get a visa you have to have proof that you plan to leave Tanzania within 3 months of your arrival.

Health and Immunizations
Immunizations

No immunizations are required by law to enter Tanzania if you are traveling directly from Europe or the US. If you are traveling from a country where Yellow Fever is present you will need to prove you have had the inoculation.
Several vaccinations are highly recommended when traveling to Tanzania, they include:

Yellow Fever
Typhoid
Hepatitis A
Diphtheria

It is also recommended that you are up to date with your polio and tetanus vaccinations.Rabies is also prevalent and if you’re planning to spend a lot of time in Tanzania, it may be worth getting the rabies shots before you go. Contact a travel clinic at least 3 months before you plan to travel.

Malaria

There’s a risk of catching malaria pretty much everywhere you travel in Tanzania. While it’s true that areas of high altitude like the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are relatively malaria-free, you will usually be passing through areas where malaria is prevalent in order to get there.
Tanzania is home to the chloroquine-resistant strain of malaria as well as several others. Make sure your doctor or travel clinic knows you are traveling to Tanzania (don’t just say Africa) so s/he can prescribe the right anti-malarial medication.

Medications & Vaccinations For Tanzania

We always recommend that you see your doctor or a travel clinic before travelling to make sure that you have taken all the necessary health precautions. You can also contact the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) to obtain a Tanzania ‘Health Brief’ specifically tailored to your trip. Two other good sources of travel health information are Fit For Travel and The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. As requirements and regulations are subject to change at short notice, visitors are advised to contact their travel health advisor well in advance of their intended date of departure.
If you are travelling to a malarial area, which is the case in Tanzania, it is essential that you take professional advice regarding a course of anti-malarial prophylactics. In our experience, Malarone is the most commonly prescribed anti-malarial, but we say that only in the spirit of helpfulness and not as a substitute for professional medical advice. It is the responsibility of every traveller to consult their own GP or a recognised travel clinic for the latest up-to-date advice. Please note that atovaquone/proguanil is the generic tablet form of Malarone and therefore exactly the same, but cheaper. These are available from leading pharmacies.

When to Go to Tanzania

The rainy seasons in Tanzania are from March to May and November to December. Roads become washed out and some parks even have to close. But, the rainy season is the perfect time to get good deals on safaris and enjoy a quieter experience without the crowds.
The best months to climb Kilimanjaro are January, February and September when it is warm and dry. The best time to see the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebras is February to March when they have their young. The dry season (June to November) in general is the best time to go on safari in Tanzania since the animals congregate around the water holes and river banks.
The best time to enjoy the beaches of Zanzibar and Pemba is between July and October when there are less tourists escaping the European winter and there’s little chance of rain.

Tipping In Tanzania

Tipping is an integral part of Tanzanian life but is entirely optional and only recommended if you are satisfied with the service you have received. On safari, you will always have a professional safari guide and sometimes a tracker as well on your safari vehicle.
For your guide, consider around $20 per person per day ($50 for a family), and $5-$10 per person per day for the tracker. Some lodges will have a staff gratuity box in which you can leave any tips for general staff. Suggested is $20 total per day for all the staff.

Travel Advice