Tanzania is a straightforward country to travel in, and the paperwork is simpler than most people expect. Requirements do change, so treat this as a preparation checklist and confirm the current detail with your embassy and travel clinic before you fly.
Entry and visas
Most nationalities need a tourist visa, available online in advance or on arrival at Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports. Your passport should have at least six months' validity and blank pages.
Applying online ahead of travel avoids the arrivals queue after a long flight, which is worth the small effort.
Health preparation
A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from or transiting a country with risk of transmission. Routine vaccinations should be current, and a travel clinic will usually discuss typhoid, hepatitis A and tetanus.
Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for safari and coastal areas. Combine it with repellent, long sleeves at dusk and the mosquito nets provided in camps.
Insurance and medical access
Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is essential — not because safari is dangerous, but because remote areas are remote. We can arrange flying-doctor cover for your trip dates.
Safety on safari and in town
On game drives, safety is about behaviour: stay seated, remain in the vehicle unless your guide says otherwise, and follow camp escort rules after dark. In Arusha, Stone Town and Dar es Salaam, ordinary city sense applies.
- Never walk unaccompanied in camp at night
- Keep a photo of your passport and insurance stored offline
- Carry small US dollar notes issued after 2009 for tips and extras
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Inspired by: Visas, vaccinations and safety for Tanzania
