Tanzania

Proof of YELLOW FEVER vaccination is required only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever, or if you had a long transit in one of these countries. We recommend you consult with your local travel clinic for the most up to date recommendations, particularly in regards to malaria prophylactics

In Tanzania the power plugs and sockets are of type D and G. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

we recommend you don’t drink tap water, as it may contain much higher levels of different minerals than the water you are used to at home. For local people this is not a problem as their bodies are used to this and can cope, but for visitors drinking the tap water can result in illness

ATMs are available in major cities (Arusha, Zanzibar) in Tanzania. Credit cards are generally accepted in tourist shops and some restaurants. Visa and MasterCard are generally preferred over American Express, and Visa cards are more recognized over MasterCard. You should be aware that some venues charges extra 3-5% for purchases by cards. Smaller venues take cash only.

Always check with your bank first before travelling to make sure your cards can be used in Africa.

If you plan to rely on cash, please bring foreign currency (Euro, Pound, USD) while the easiest foreign currency to exchange for local currency is $US. However please note that mostly any US notes that are older than year 2006 are not accepted. Money exchange bureaus usually offer the best exchange rates, and larger bills like $50, $100 gets better exchange rate.

Tanzania is generally safe. While many national governments provide a regularly updated advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government’s advice for their latest travel information before departure.

We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home – you won’t need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.

Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time. Although the cities visited on our trips are generally safe during the day, there can be risks to wandering throughout any major city at night. It is our recommendation to stay in small groups and to take taxis to and from restaurants, or during night time excursions.

Tipping is an expected, though not compulsory. If you are happy with the service provided feel free to tipp, it makes a big impact for locals working in tourism. Giving a tip should be a seen as a formal ‘thank you’, and the action should in no way be awkward.

The best method of tipping someone that has served the whole group is to plan in advance. We recommend that each group member to contribute anonymously by putting their tip into an envelope, and then the group collectively present the gift to the recipient(s), offering their thanks and showing their appreciation.

You may use the following as a guideline, all given in a per person format:

• Full day local guide: $5-10 USD (per day)
• Driver: $5-10 USD (per day)
• Local guides/Single activity guides: $1 USD (per couple of hours)
• Hiking Guide (For Kilimanjaro Hike): $10-15 USD (per day)
• Assistant Guide (For Kilimanjaro Hike): $8-10 USD (per day)
• Cooks (For Kilimanjaro Hike): $7-10 USD (per day)
• Porters (For Kilimanjaro Hike): $6-8 (per day)
• Restaurant/café servers: 10% of the cost of the bill