Here are a few tips on issues relating to safari travel in Tanzania ...

Passports and visas

All visitors are required to be carrying a valid passport with at least six months remaining between the date of departure from the country and the date of expiration and sufficient blank pages for stamps and visas. Most nationalities require a visa to enter the United Republic of Tanzania and Zanzibar. To obtain a visa on arrival you will need to pay in cash US$, you may need to have the correct amount as change may not be forthcoming and you will need to comply with the passport regulations listed above. The price is around US$60 for single entry for most nationalities, US$100 for travellers from the USA. Multiple entry visas may also be available. Alternatively you can obtain a visa in advance using the links below. There are certain nationalities who must obtain a referral visa in advance which can take up to 3 months as the application is processed in Dar es Salaam. The detail provided by the consulates is quite vague but the current list of nationalities includes ... Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia Sri-Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen. You do not need to take additional passport photos with you. If you are asked on your Visa Application or Entry Certificate for 'local contact details', you can simply put the details of your first lodge and the phone number provided on your confirmation paperwork. Be sure that you passport is stamped with the correct departure date or you could encounter serious problems. Travellers arriving from or having transited through countries where yellow fever is endemic will be required to show a suitable certificate of vaccination in order to gain entry into the country. This includes endemic countries such Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as of marginal risk countries such as Somalia and Zambia. Customers who are transiting through international airports in endemic areas, for example changing planes at the international airport in Nairobi or Addis Ababa on the way to Tanzania, or customers flying directly into Tanzania from a non endemic area should be exempt, but in our experience are often asked to produce a certificate anyway. Travellers passing between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar are also often required to show a yellow fever certificate, although this appears to done in error as the official line is that it is not a requirement. A strong rebuttal should see you through. It may be possible to be vaccinated on arrival at a cost of approx $50 per person but travellers unable to show proof of vaccination will most likely be refused entry. We cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. Please be sure to check for updates from the relevant authorities ... London : for UK and Europe ... tanzaniahighcomm.co.uk/ Washington : North, Central and South America ... www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org Please note that getting a visa on arrival can involve waiting in line for a period, which can be quite tedious after a long flight. You may therefore consider using a specialist agency to help you get your visa in advance, although there is an additional cost involved. Our customers from the US particularly recommend ... www.travisa.com

Health

The currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling. Approximate exchange rate : USD 1 = TZS 1500 This cannot usually be exchanged back into hard currency, so whatever you change you will have to either spend, give away or take home. It is worth noting that your on-the-ground expenditure in most parts of Africa should not be as high as you might be used on other trips since all of your accommodation is pre-paid, with many of your meals and activities also being included. We recommend taking a modest amount of cash US$, a small proportion of which you can change into local currency. Then back this up with debit and credit cards. Virtually all major cash payments can be settled in US$. Note that some US$ banknotes may not be accepted due to the high levels of counterfeit currency in circulation in Africa. We recommend that you only travel with US$ bills dated 2006 or later. A small amount of TSh can come in handy for small purchases at roadside stalls and stores. Exchanging US$ for TSh is possible in most locations, although exchange rates will vary. Larger, newer and better condition US$ bills generally attract a better exchange rate. Other hard currencies can be used, notably Euro, although may be subject to more unfavourable rates of exchange. Credit and debit cards are now accepted at most major stores and lodges and can be used to make payments. Virtually all locations charge a significant premium for using a card, 5% to 10% is common, higher rates in excess of 25% can be encountered. Travellers checks are no longer widely accepted. It may be significantly easier and cheaper to carry cash, but this does obviously heighten the risk of loss or theft. Refer to the section on crime for more information. There are very few cash machines or ATM's, except in the major urban centres, where banks can also be found. If you ever run out of money, then your safari operator or lodge owner should be able to bail you out, with our assistance where necessary. When trying to assess exactly how much cash to take, most people seem to settle on somewhere between US$50 and US$200 per person per day. The more you take, the more you are likely to bring back home with you. It is more a case of how much you feel comfortable carrying. Note that your largest expenditure is likely to be tips, which could exceed US$25 per person per day.

Money

Generally speaking Tanzania is a safe place to visit, although travellers should make themselves aware of any issues.

Electricity

Socket outlets are almost universally the British three rectangular pin variety 230V/50Hz. Most good lodges provide universal adaptors, although we always recommend bringing your own.

Safety when travelling in Africa ...

Sickness

International travellers to Africa who take suitable precautions rarely encounter serious health issues, but you really do need to take care and be aware. There are some very serious issues covered in our health section, most notably the need to have adequate vaccinations and to take prophylaxis pills against malaria.

Altitude Sickness

This issues is specific to trekkers on Kilimanjaro, but is so serious that it features highly in this list. Of the 30,000 who trek Kilimanjaro each year, we estimate that between 5 to 10 people die each year from altitude sickness, which means that the chances of death are around 1 in 4500. Please refer to the Mount Kilimanjaro page for details.

Road Accidents

We usually hear of around one fatal road crash every two years. We therefore estimate that the chances of being involved in such an incident are around 1 in 60,000. Read more in our section on road safety.

Large Animals

We usually hear of around one fatal animal attack every two years. We therefore estimate that the chances of being involved in such an incident are around 1 in 70,000. Read more in our section on animal attacks.

Air accidents

We usually hear of around one fatal air crash every two years. We therefore estimate that the chances of being involved in such an incident are around 1 in 20,000. Read more in our section on air safety.

Snakes and insects

We are commonly asked what are the chances of being bitten by a venomous snake in Africa? The answer is extremely low. We usually hear of around one fatal snake bite every three to five years. We therefore estimate that the chances of being involved in such an incident are around 1 in 100,000. Read more in our section on snake bites. On the other hand, the chances of getting bitten by insects is much higher and, if you do not take suitable precautions, the consequences can be just as serious.

Crime

Contrary to commonly held pre-conceptions, crime is no more of a problem in most of Africa than it is in many other parts of the world. But it is something of which you need to be aware and act accordingly. Read more in our crime section. On the other hand, hustle is something you are likely to be exposed to at regular intervals on your trip, although this tends to be of such an non threatening and even positive and rather charming nature.

Getting Lost

This risk is specific to desert areas, notably in Namibia, where self-drive travellers turn off the main routes, get lost or break down and end up dying of thirst. It sounds like a pretty extraordinary way to go, but we hear of such incidents about once every five years, which means that the risk of dying in this way is probably around 1 in 50,000. The ways to reduce this risk are pretty obvious ... don't wander off the main roads without advising people exactly where you are going and when to expect you, only travel on the most remote routes in convoy and hire a satellite phone for emergency communication.