Tanzania Travel Guide for Tourists

Essential Information

Government Travel Safety Advice

We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice. 

Visa and Passport Information

Tanzania: A single visa is required by UK, New Zealand, Australian, US & Canadian citizens. Only single-entry visas can be arranged on arrival, but due to queues at immigration, we recommend that the visa be arranged in advance online or through the embassy. An E-visa for Tanzania can be obtained before departure via the e-visa website: http://www.immigration.go.tz.  Click on the e-Services tab and then select Online Visa Application, please ensure you read the Visa Application Guidelines before applying for your e-visa. You will need to print a copy of your e-visa approval letter and present this with your passport and final documents at your entry point into the country. The approval letter can take approximately 10 days to approve if there are no queries on the application. We therefore advise that you apply at least 15 working days before travelling. Please ensure you have enough validity left on the visa through to the end of the tour before you travel.
The Tanzanian High Commission in London no longer processes or issues visas. American nationals are required to apply for a multiple-entry e-visa for all tourism visits to Tanzania; the ordinary single-entry e-visa is unavailable for Americans. Passports must have a minimum validity of 6 months and at least 1 blank/unused page at the time of travel. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a full passport, with the correct validity for your chosen destination.

Airports

International Flights to Tanzania- recommended nearest airports

Mountain trekking- Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

All safari tours- either Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport (ARK)

Zanzibar Island beach tour- Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ)

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is approximately 60km (60 minutes) from Arusha City Centre. Kilimanjaro International Airport is the closest international airport to Arusha.

Arusha Municipal Airport (ARK) is on the outskirts of Arusha but only operates domestic flights (Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Serengeti).

Other options include flying to Dar es Salaam at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) and then catching a domestic flight to Kilimanjaro or Arusha. You can also fly to Nairobi (Kenya). International flights to this destination are often cheaper. You can then fly from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro or take a bus from Nairobi Airport to Arusha (approximately 7 hours).

Currency

We recommend that our clients bring United States Dollars (USD) with them and withdraw Tanzanian Shillings once they arrive. There are many ATMs in Arusha City/Moshi Municipal. Most places that you will visit accept USD but it is always a good idea to have some local smaller currency. Please note Tanzania does not accept USD printed before 2006.

Vaccinations

A Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate are required when travelling to Tanzania. We strongly recommend protection against malaria, hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, polio and yellow fever. Please note you are required to produce a valid yellow fever certificate on arrival in Tanzania. Consult your travel clinic for the latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria. Travellers may also wish to take immunisation against meningococcal meningitis. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor before departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be sought from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.

Insurance

It is a condition of booking with Nitopa African Adventures Limited that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip. Please ensure that you are covered for the full amount of your holiday cost, as insufficient cover could invalidate a claim under the policy.

Altitude information

5895 m maximum altitude when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. This is an altitude where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), a common and usually harmless condition caused by reduced air pressure and a lower concentration of oxygen. While the itinerary has been specifically designed to allow your body to acclimatise gradually, the speed of onset and severity – as well as the height at which AMS develops can vary greatly between individuals; being physically fit affords no special protection. If symptoms occur while on tour you must let your tour leader know immediately. Common mild symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, stomach illness, dizziness, sleep disturbance and shortness of breath. More serious symptoms include fever, dry cough, vomiting, bluish colour on lips and fingers, difficulty breathing even when resting, lack of balance, and loss of consciousness.

Travel safety on tour

Your fitness and ability to participate: All Nitopa African Adventures Limited ‘exhilarating, unique and challenging’ adventures require some level of active participation. It is in the interests of all members of the group that everyone should be capable of fully participating in the activities of their chosen tour. With this in mind, travellers should be aware, if it is felt that any customer is not able to participate in a tour without endangering the health or safety of themselves or any other person (including other group members), or that the presence of the customer on the tour means we will be unable to provide the tour in whole or part to other members of the group as advertised and contracted, the tour leader at any stage has the right to require them to leave the tour.

To ensure that this is never necessary, please make sure that you have fully understood the level of fitness and ability required to complete the tour on which you are booking. Tour trip notes are quite specific about the level of fitness and ability required on any given tour. It is your responsibility to let us know if you have any concerns related to this subject. If you have any medical condition or disability that may affect your tour arrangements in any way, you must provide us with full details at the time of booking.

When on holiday we tend to be more vulnerable – partly due to being in a more relaxed frame of mind. During free time it is therefore important that you are extra vigilant in areas where thieves may operate. Take care not to flaunt your wealth – such as jewellery, cameras, phones and computers. If you are carrying a bag, make sure it’s securely fastened to you and not loosely slung over your shoulder. Unless you are required to do so, never carry your passport and flight tickets with you on the streets, and only take as much money as you need. Your money and valuables will be much more secure in the hotel safety box. If you can, scan your important documents (such as passports) and store them on your webmail account.

Transfers

Customers will receive free transfers at the tour start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the advised point of entry airport or train station to your trip’s joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally, the airport or station that Nitopa African Adventures Limited have advised will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts or the one nearest to the joining point.

Transport

Transport on your tour will mostly be in a 4×4 vehicle. Seat belts must be used at all times during transit. We kindly request customers not put their feet on the vehicle seats, to ensure the condition of the seating is maintained and for hygiene purposes. Whilst on safari, clients are reminded to stay within the vehicle and use the safety viewing canopy when the tour leader allows. Clients must not open doors/ windows to entice any wild animals towards the vehicle. All litter must remain in the vehicle until a suitable disposal point i.e. hotel/ picnic site/ campsite.

Plastic Bag Ban

With effect from 01 June 2019, it is illegal to use, manufacture and/or import plastic bags into Tanzania and Zanzibar. Any person found with plastic bags of any type including shopping bags on arrival into the country can receive a heavy fine.

Accommodation

Our treks are camping-based (except the Kilimanjaro Marangu Route and Mount Meru trekking where huts are the provided accommodation) and, as you may expect, conditions are basic on the mountain, though the service from our porter team is superb. We use two-man tents which will be put up and taken down by our porter team. A mess tent is provided where we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as tea and refreshments at the end of each day’s trek. We carry portable chemical toilets and a toilet tent and there are also basic long drop toilets at each campsite. There are no permanent washing facilities at the camps – a limited amount of water is available. In Moshi/ Arusha before and after the trek we stay at a comfortable hotel which is included in the tour price.

For all pre-planned tours, we arrange carefully selected accommodations that are quality-assured and audited regularly. Customers can request alternate or upgraded accommodation standards to their liking which will be reflected in pricing.

Whilst we take all necessary steps to ensure quality service provision at all times, we understand that the unforeseen can happen. Please inform a member of our team or report to a hotel representative immediately should a problem occur. You can also email info@africankushsafaris.com to notify us.

Accommodation is priced per person based on twin-share occupancy unless otherwise stated. Please state your preference when booking. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in the representation of accommodation. The rating standard, in our opinion, reflects a true representation of the merits of each property. Inevitably, standards will differ slightly between the many destinations that we feature in Nitopa African Adventures Limited tours.

Shared accommodation: On most tours a single room costs more. However, on selected tours, we can sometimes offer shared accommodation in a twin room with another single traveller, giving you the benefit of not having to pay for a single supplement. This is subject to someone suitable being willing to share. Otherwise, a normal supplement will be charged on your confirmation invoice. If you are willing to share, please indicate this at the time of booking.

Single supplements If a single traveller occupies a double room they will usually be asked to pay extra (a single supplement). Hotels price their rooms as doubles and they do not reduce their rates if they are occupied by a single person. The cost to the hotel of providing a room/ heating/ lighting/ cleaning etc. is the same regardless of how many people occupy that room. The prices we charge reflect the cost of underoccupancy of the rooms contracted to us by the hotel, we do not mark up those supplements.

Clothing requirements for Mountain Trekking

Being properly equipped is one of the keys to a successful trek. Use the following checklist and notes to be sure that you have what you need for the actual trek. Jacket – After sunset, temperatures can fall below freezing. A very warm jacket is the most convenient way of keeping warm when the temperature drops. Down jackets are recommended especially for the summit attempt. Waterproofs – Breathable jacket and trousers waterproofs made from material such as Goretex not only protect against rain and wind but also stop you from overheating. They ‘breathe’ and avoid the condensation that you may experience from nylon waterproofs. Long trousers – For everyday walking, light trekking trousers are the most suitable. Jeans are not recommended as they are often difficult to walk in over longer distances and become cumbersome and cold when wet. Fleece jackets: Fleece jackets are essential as nights can be very cold at altitude. Make sure that your waterproof jacket is loose enough to wear over your fleece. Thermal underwear/base layers – Long-sleeve tops and long-john legging thermal underwear are essential. Cotton clothing like t-shirts are not suitable or recommended as a base layer as they do not wick away any moisture from the skin. In extreme cold, this could lead to hypothermia. It can also contribute to chaffing of the skin in sensitive areas leading to discomfort and skin irritation. Shorts – Shorts can be very comfortable to walk in but you must carry long trousers with you in case you get either sunburned or cold! Waterproof gloves; a warm scarf & a warm hat – Heavy-duty windproof gloves or mittens (such as ski gloves) and thinner liner gloves are essential. Also, bring a scarf to cover your neck and a warm balaclava or a warm hat. Buff – Useful protection against dust kicked up from the steep slopes of the summit. Note re: summit night clothing – Climbing Kilimanjaro is the equivalent of trekking from the Equator to the Pole. You must have the proper equipment and clothing to ensure you enjoy the trek and also give yourself the very best chance of reaching Uhuru Peak. After many years of trekking and reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro, we strongly recommend that you wear the following for your summit night: Torso: You should have six or seven layers of clothing covering your chest depending on your kit specifications. Starting from your base layer to the outer shell, you should wear a long-sleeve thermal underwear layer; a comfortable long-sleeve shirt; a jersey; a thin fleece; a thicker fleece and a thick waterproof and windproof outer shell that may contain a fleece lining. If you have a down jacket you may want to decrease this by one layer. Legs: You should wear three layers of clothing covering your legs. Starting from your base layer to the outer layer, you should wear long-john thermal underwear; trekking trousers and a waterproof and windproof outer shell. Extremities: Your head must be covered by a balaclava or a warm hat and your neck should be covered by a scarf. Your hands must be covered with thinner liner gloves with thick waterproof and windproof gloves on top. You must have thick clean warm socks for summit night. You might also wish to bring hand warmers for additional warmth for summit night. Most well-stocked pharmacies/outdoor stores will have these available. Footwear: Walking boots – We strongly recommend walking in a good, comfortable, broken-in pair of boots. Trainers and tennis shoes do not give the ankle support afforded by a decent pair of walking boots. Ideally, visit a specialist outdoor pursuits shop that will offer advice. It is a good idea to carry your boots in your hand luggage on international flights or wear them. Gaiters are useful to keep snow and scree out of your boots. Trainers or trekking sandals – Useful in towns and when travelling and relaxing around camp. It is worth bearing in mind that trekking sandals afford you little protection from stubbing your toes when walking around rock-strewn campsites at night. Socks – It is best to wear a pair of liner socks under a pair of fairly thick loop-stitch socks. This helps to protect your feet against blisters. Avoid nylon socks, they are abrasive, don’t breathe well and can cause blisters.

Luggage requirements (if trekking is part of your package). 

Your luggage should consist of three main pieces: Main baggage – The item of luggage used to carry all your belongings in the hold of the plane and used to store all of the items that you don’t need on trek. This can be left behind at the group hotel used before the trek. Trek kitbag – Before leaving Moshi/Arusha there is time to re-sort luggage into what you need on the trek and what can be left in Moshi/Arusha. Think about what you are taking on the trek (remember your sleeping bag) and then think how big your kit bag needs to be. An ex-army type can usually be obtained cheaply. A nylon or canvas bag with a zip along the top is also suitable. Whatever you choose, it must be strong and waterproof, but the porters will carry your kit in heavy-duty outer bags for added protection. Soft luggage is essential as framed rucksacks are unsuitable. The weight limit for the bag and its contents must not exceed 18 kg but you will probably find that you do not need this much.Daysac/Rucksack: 30-35 litres recommended. During a trekking day, you do not have access to the luggage that is being carried for you by the porters. In any mountain region, the weather can change rapidly and you must be equipped for this eventuality. Your day sac should therefore be large enough to carry waterproofs, a fleece jacket weather, long trousers (if walking in shorts), a warm hat and gloves, a sun hat, sun cream, a water bottle (minimum 1 litre) and your camera. Most people normally find that this adds up to about 2 to 3kg. Other optional items in a day’s might be a diary or a book to read at lunchtime. We advise you to take a waterproof rucksack cover or line the sack with a large dry sack to keep the contents dry. Personal equipments. You will need to take on the trek: Sleeping bag – As you do not carry it yourself, this may be down or synthetic, but it must have a 4-season comfort rating (temperature -10 degrees celcius). A silk or fleece liner helps to keep your bag clean and adds extra warmth. Sleeping mat – Whilst Vaude sleeping mats are provided, they are lightweight and fairly thin. You therefore may wish to bring your inflatable thermarest for added comfort and a good night’s rest. Sleeping aids – Some people find it difficult to sleep at altitude. You may find earplugs and an eye mask useful at night. Trekking poles – Strongly recommended. Water bottles or Platypus/CamelBak hydration system – During the trek, you will be supplied with filtered water each morning in camp but this will still need to be purified. Take at least 2 x 2-litre personal water bottles or a system that allows for this much water. If you elect to use a hydration system with a tube then the bladder and tube must be insulated for high altitude and below freezing temperatures. If not using a filtered bottle, a personal supply of tablets/drops (approximately 40 tablets) for your water purification system is essential and should be brought with you as they are not easy to find in Moshi/Arusha. Powdered/ diluted fruit juice can be used to disguise the taste.Sunglasses/ snow goggles – Essential for protection against UV rays and glare at high altitudes. Sun hat, high-factor sun cream/block and lip salve – Choose a high-factor sun cream (factor 30 or more) to protect your skin against the sun at high altitudes. A combination of sunblock/lip salve is ideal for facial protection. Torch/batteries/bulb – A head torch is essential at night in the camp and for lighting your way on the nighttime summit ascent. Bring plenty of spare batteries and a bulb. There are no facilities on the mountain to recharge any digital equipment. Personal toiletries – Essentials are toothbrush/paste, soap (preferably biodegradable), face cloth and trek (quick dry) towel. Personal First Aid Kit – On each trek, a first aid kit is carried but you should have your blister kit, supply of plasters, aspirin and other essentials. Also please bring antibacterial hand wash for daily usage. Please do not give medicines to local staff without consulting the tour leader. Personal supplementary snacks – Although sufficient food is supplied on this tour, we recommend that you bring some high-energy snacks like cereal bars and chocolate (sweets if you are lactose intolerant) with you. Dextrose and mint cake are especially good for summit night. Swimming costume – for hotel usage man tents, dining tents, toilet tents and all cooking and kitchen equipment are provided by Nitopa once you are on the trek. Equipment rental available for the following (please request at time of booking): Trekking poles/ Four-season sleeping bag/ Air mattress (self-inflating Therm-a-Rest style).

Safari/Beach-only tour luggage requirements: One main piece of baggage (a kitbag or holdall) plus a daypack. Please note that it is important to keep within these restrictions. The limit does not include your camera equipment. Please note that the flights to/from Zanzibar usually allow a maximum luggage allowance of 15kg, for both hold and hand luggage combined. Please check the flight ticket information before the tour. Any additional weight may apply to excess luggage fees. Equipment for safari/ beach tours- a water bottle, sunhat, sunscreen and sunblock. Binoculars are useful, as is a telephoto lens – for photographing games. Snorkel and mask may be useful for Zanzibar and, while normally available locally, you may prefer to bring your own. Clothing for safari/ beach tours– Clothing should be lightweight. A waterproof is recommended for the wetter months (April to May and mid-November to mid-December). Although it has been known to rain through June, July and August on the plateau. Warm sweaters or fleeces are advisable for tours in July and August, especially at the Ngorongoro Crater, and for the evenings and on early morning game drives. Bring a swimming costume and a towel plus water shoes. A scarf is useful to protect you from dust on game drives. Bright clothes should be avoided for walking safaris. A laundry service is available in some of the accommodations, your tour leader will advise accordingly. Binoculars are certainly handy. Lightweight safari boots or walking shoes/trainers and sandals plus plastic sandals or water shoes for the beach due to sea urchins.

Tanzania Climate

The climate is tropical but varies greatly with altitude. Coastal areas and islands are hot and humid, while the central plateau is dry. Tanzania can be visited all year round and its seasons can be defined as green and dry. The dry season is generally from June to October and January to February, with most days being fine and sunny weather with temperatures and humidity rising throughout the day. It can be cold at night, particularly in June & July. The green season includes the rains of March to May (with the peak in April – generally during the afternoon) and November to early December. This pattern can be unpredictable. The weather system during these periods refreshes the landscape creating luscious green scenery that is not witnessed during the dry season. The Zanzibar archipelago is a year-round destination but does have dry and rainy seasons. The dry season is between June to October and January to February. The ‘short rains’ are between November to December, when a short, afternoon rainstorm can be a daily occurrence. The ‘long rains’ occur between March to May, when days can be humid and rainy, however, sunshine is still often frequent. The changing weather patterns do mean the ‘rainy’ season is becoming less predictable. Weather at altitude can vary to the above seasons, with the evenings being cold. Kilimanjaro features its array of climates and biomes; between 1,800 to 2,800 metres is a rainforest climate (humid and hot), and from 2,800 to 4,000 metres is dry mountain vegetation – please note night time temperatures can fall to below 0 degrees from this level. A cold desert climate with a strong equatorial sun during the day but cold nights is found between 4,000 to 5,000 metres. The summit generally has clear days though the evenings can be very cold featuring snow.

Drones are not permitted in any National Park in Tanzania without a permit. Permits cost approximately US$250 per 24 hrs. Please advise us at the time of booking if you wish to take a drone with you into the National Park, as permits are difficult to obtain. If you launch a drone without a permit this will be confiscated by the Park officials.

Tipping

Tour leader Tipping isn’t compulsory, and we work hard to ensure that our leaders all receive a fair wage. However, you might want to recognise a leader who’s done a great job or added to your trip by giving them a tip. We’re often asked about the recommended amount. It’s a tricky one, and down to personal preference, but we’d recommend between $10 to $ 20 per person per week as a guideline. Local crew, The suggested tips for the safaris tips between 20 USD to 30 USD per day for the guide (who is also the driver). So for instance, in a five-day safari, the guide can be tipped 100 USD to 150 USD total from the entire group (not per individual) as a guideline. According to the tipping rules of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) and Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO), we recommend these amounts per day per trekking group. The Chief Guide will pay $20 to $25, Assistant Guide to be paid $15 to $20, Cook will be given $12 to $15 and Porters will be paid $6 to $10. You can pay a bit higher than this depending on your appreciation for the service provided; there isn’t any above limit for happy donating. Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognized part of life in this region of the world. Some local staff will look to members of the group for personal recognition of particular services provided. To make things easier for you, your leader may organise a group’s tips kitty for included activities and meals and if this is the case, they will account for it throughout the tour. Accordingly, you should allow US$30.00 per family member for group tipping. For all non-included services and meals on your trip please tip independently at your discretion.

International Air Departure Taxes
Please note that a $48 departure tax is applicable on all international flights departing from Zanzibar. Most international tickets should include this tax in the cost of the ticket, please ensure you check with your flight agent/company concerning this. If your international ticket does not include the tax, it must be paid in cash at the airport.

Tour Itinerary

All our tours are, by their very nature, complex and include services from many different hotels. Due to the demand for the services, it is not always possible to guarantee particular services/ hotels featured on a particular itinerary or selected dates. It is with this in mind that we reserve the right to change any of the listed services and if necessary, even modify the itinerary itself without period notice. Where any alteration significantly changes your tour itinerary or tour dates, we will always make every effort to give as much advance notification as possible. Changes to tours may also be necessary once the tour has commenced, changes may include the sequence of visits being altered according to local conditions.

Dietary Requirements

If any special dietary restrictions please inform us upon booking and kindly remind your Tour Leader upon arrival on your tour/ at your tour welcome briefing.

Age Requirements

For all our guided group holidays the minimum age is 16 at the time of travel. To book adventures with children under the age of 16, please contact us directly to discuss.