|
 13
Things you should know before travelling to
Tanzania
1: How to get into Tanzania
Several major airlines fly into Tanzania- KLM
(Royal Dutch Airlines), Condor Airlines and
Ethiopian Airways fly into lands at Kilimanjaro
International Airport (KIA/JRO) and Dar es
salaam International Airport (DIA) daily.
British Airways and Swiss Airlines lands at DIA
at least twice a week.
Other airlines operating flights to Tanzania are
South African Airlines (SAA), Emirates, YEMENAIR,
Oman Air, Qatar Airways, and Kenya Airways.
2: Immigration
Requirements
An onward ticket and sufficient funds
are required when entering Tanzania.
Visas are required for all visitors except
citizens of the Commonwealth, Scandinavian
countries and the Republic of Ireland.
Visas are easy to obtain at any Tanzanian
embassy abroad, the Visa fee is dependent on the
type of passport held.
A visitor’s pass which can be obtained free from
any Tanzanian diplomatic mission or point of
entry is required for all travelers. It is
advisable to get one before you leave home.
3: Health
A yellow fever vaccination
certificate is essential if arriving from yellow
fever infected areas and anti-malaria tablets
are also recommended.
Travelers are advised to take their prescribed
drugs a few days prior to arrival, during their
stay, and for a short period after returning.
It is also necessary to boil or sterilize all
local drinking water and milk and cook or peel
vegetables.
Private health insurance is recommended.
4:
Currency/Exchanging Money
There is no restriction on the
importation of foreign currency. Under no
circumstances should travelers change money in
the streets - no matter what rate is advertised-
as the chance are you will be cheated.
Travelersare encouraged to exchange money at a
Bureau de Change, which offer better rates than
banks.
5: To tip or not to
tip, that is the question Tipping is
not obligatory, instead it is left to the
discretion of the visitor.
The following tips should only be used a
guideline.
Porterage: US $ 1.00 per bag.
Dining Room Staff: US $ 1.00 per person.
Driver Guide: US $ 15.00 per day.
Mountain climb Guide: US $ 15.00 per day.
For outstanding personal service, you may decide
to give a higher tip.
6: You get what you
pay for Beware of the ‘dodgy’ tour
operators who advertise unbelievably cheap
prices as you may be disappointed by
sub-standard services, poor accommodation and
inadequate tour vehicles. Accept the standard
prices and research different companies to find
a reputable tour operator.
7: Street Smarts
It is not recommended that foreign
travellers walk unaccompanied at night in poorly
–lit streets or along deserted streets.
Always travel in groups and ride only in
registered taxis.
8: Insurance
You are strongly advised to have your own
insurance cover to cover baggage, personal
accident and medical expenses.
9: Take a walk on
the Wild Side
Tanzania offers travelers a number of
adventure activities including: –
-
Safaris, wildlife safaris, night game drive
safaris and canoeing safaris
-
Climbing, trekking, and mountaineering:
Channel you inner explorer by conquering
Mountains Kilimanjaro,
Meru and
Oldonyo Lengai
-
Walking Safaris and bird watching
-
Beach
holidays: Tours to Zanzibar island,
Mafia island, Dare salaam and Pangani Tanga
coast offer a number of beach activities
including swimming, snorkeling, scuba
diving, dolphin watching, fishing and water
sports.
-
Cultural
Tourism: Learn the customs and
traditions of the local people in Maasai in
Ngorongoro Crater and Chagga near Mount
Kilimanjaro.
10: BARGAIN, BARGAIN, BARGAIN
When shopping in streets bazaars, travelers
should always bargain. However some prices e.g
in restaurants are fixed and you could be
mistaken for a miser if you start haggling.
11:
WHAT TO WEAR:
It never gets really cold in Tanzania so light
weight clothing is the norm. On safari avoid
brightly coloured clothes they may alarm the
animals. Browns, beiges and
khaki are preferred. Short sleeve shirts/blouses
and shorts are deal, but pack a sweater: it can be
chilly in the early morning and in the Evening.
Wear a hat to avoid sunstroke and don’t forget a
swimsuit. Shoes should be sensible - walking
through the bush is not like strolling through
Hyde park and for climbing Kilimanjaro or Mount
Meru take thermal underwear, a rain jacket. good
Socks and sturdy boots. Short for women are
acceptable but not too short. Women should carry a
wrap to cover their legs in towns or villages as
revealing clothes can cause offence, especially in
Zanzibar and other Muslim areas. On the beach, and
within the confines of beach hotels, normal
swimmer is acceptable but nudity certainly is not
13:
WHAT TO TAKE
Don’t forget the camera, camcorder and binoculars
and take a torch for finding your way around your
camp at night. Stock up with replacement batteries
for all these goods. Take sunglasses, hat, sun
lotion, lip balm and some insect repellant. It is
better not to get stung even if you are taking
ant- malaria tablets. It’s best to take any
medicines required for the duration of the visit.
A spare pair of glasses or contact
lenses is also a good idea. Take plenty of films;
it is difficult to obtain outside the main
centres, while traveller's cheques can be
exchanged in cities and towns. Banking facilities
in remote areas are restricted, so take plenty of
cash. |
