SAFETY FIRST: DON’T FORGET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

When it comes to embarking on your dream adventure to Tanzania, your safety is our top

priority! That’s why we urge all travellers to ensure they have comprehensive travel insurance in

place before setting off. While Gaia Safari doesn’t provide travel insurance directly, we’redelighted to recommend IMGlobal (https://www.imglobal.com/) as your go-to provider for your upcoming trip to Tanzania.

MADATORY HEALTH INSURANCE IN ZANZIBAR

Starting 1st October 2024, all visitors of Zanzibar must purchase mandatory travel insurance for just 44 $, offering comprehensive coverage for medical emergencies, accidents, and moreduring your stay. This new requirement ensures peace of mind while exploring the beautiful archipelago.

The procedure is simple: visit the official Zanzibar tourism website https://visitzanzibar.go.tz/ , select the single, family, or group option, fill out your details, and pay the 44 $ fee (children 3-17 years for 22 $ and younger for free). The coverage applies only within the Zanzibar archipelago.

Once the insurance and payment have been processed, you should receive a receipt with a QR code to present on arrival at immigration at the Zanzibar airport or ferry along with your tourist visas.

WHAT VACCINATIONS ARE NEEDED FOR TANZANIA?

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is only required for travellers one year of age and older coming from – or who are in airport transit for more than 12 hours within – a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

In addition to standard vaccinations such as MMR and TDP, the CDC and WHO recommend vaccinations for Tanzania, such as Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid. Yellow fever and rabies vaccinations are also recommended depending on the traveller’s activities. As of January 2023 there are no more COVID-19 restrictions in Tanzania, and vaccinations or PCR-tests are no longer necessary before traveling.

As with all international travel, we always advise you to consult your physician for professional health advice before travelling to Tanzania.

WHAT IS THE TIME IN TANZANIA?

Tanzania is GMT + 3. To put that into terms we all understand, check out the time difference from Tanzania to New York, London and more below.

New York: -7 hours

London: -3 hours

Berlin: -2 hours

Hong Kong: +5 hours

Tokyo: +6 hours

Sydney: + 8 hours

WHAT IS THE CURRENCY OF TANZANIA?

The local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, although US dollars and Euros are also accepted in most places in Tanzania.

Please note that US dollars bills older than 2009 are not accepted in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

LANGUAGE IN TANZANIA

There are over 100 different languages spoken in Tanzania. The official languages, however, are Swahili and English. You can expect all your Gaia Safari guides and hosts to speak English!

Swahili and English are the official languages in Tanzania, but Swahili is spoken by almost everyone. In the tourism sector, however, English is widely spoken by the majority of people.

TANZANIA WEATHER

Tanzania weather differs from region to region – but there is always a great time to travel in Tanzania! Weather in the coastal areas is the hottest and most humid, while the North and highlands of Tanzania are cooler because of altitude. The temperatures vary between 22°C and 31 °C throughout the year. During the night, the temperature in Tanzania mainland drops to between 10°C and 22°C. The beaches of Zanzibar have a distinctively tropical climate since it is located close to the Equator.

Tanzania has two seasons yearly: the wet and the dry season. The wet season (also called the rainy season) runs from the end of October right through to December, and then again from the end of March to the beginning of June. They are referred to as the ‘short-’ and ‘long rains’.

These tropical rains mostly start late afternoon and continue all night till early morning. The rains of Africa are famous worldwide and are a soothing, enchanting sight to behold during a trip to Tanzania.

- Passport, Itinerary, Travel Insurance Documents & E-tickets

It seems obvious, but there is a reason we put this at the top of the list of what you must pack for your safari.

- Prescription Meds

Remember to put your prescription medications in your hand luggage and make sure you have enough of each type to last your entire safari.

- Camera, Video and Binoculars

Whilst most people will remember to take their camera and/or video (or will use their mobile phone), not everyone thinks they need to take binoculars! Binoculars are essential for optimum wildlife viewing on safari and a good pair of binoculars will make a big difference to your safari. 

Tanzania is a photographer’s dream. Not only does the boundless wildlife come in all shapes and sizes, but the country is also blessed with stunning landscapes, colourful people and fabulous light!

- Clothes & Toiletries

Of course you’re not going to forget clothes! But are you wearing the right clothes and are you within the weight restrictions your travel agent told you about for the smaller aircraft flights? Most international airlines will restrict your check-in luggage to around 20kgs to 30kgs. However, if your safari itinerary includes any domestic flights, then this can be as little as 12kgs to 15 kgs.

- 3-4 pairs of lightweight, quick-drying safari pants or shorts

- 5-7 short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts (preferably neutral colours like khaki, olive, or beige)

- 2-3 long-sleeved shirts or blouses (for cooler mornings/evenings)

- 1-2 lightweight jackets or sweaters

- Comfortable walking shoes or boots

- Sandals or water shoes

- Sun hat or baseball cap

- Swimsuit

- Lightweight, long-sleeved layers for mosquito protection

- Accessories

- Sunglasses

- Sunscreen (high SPF)

- Insect repellent

- Moisturizer and lip balm

- Phone and charger

- Power bank

- Small backpack or daypack

- Flashlight or headlamp

- Portable water bottle

- Other items

- Travel pillow and lightweight blanket (optional)

- Lightweight, quick-drying towel

- Bags for dirty laundry or wet items

- Snacks and energy bars (optional)