Before Departure to Tanzania and Zanzibar
Read about passports, visas, vaccinations and the practicalities
Tanzania and Zanzibar is an adventurous holiday destination with a fascinating nature that is not found anywhere else in the world – not even in the rest of Africa. Travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar will take you on magnificent discoveries, and we guarantee that you will have a wealth of fantastic stories and stories to take home in your luggage.
On this page you will find all the practical information you need before you go on safari. The site contains, among other things, the topics: passports and visas, vaccinations as well as currency and language. We promise that you are well equipped for your trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar once you have read this.
Passport & Visa
There is a visa requirement in Tanzania, but visas are issued on normal tourist trips at the airport or on arrival at the border. That is, it is possible to be issued a tourist visa when traveling into the country.
Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the actual journey home – so remember to check the expiry date on your passport and pay attention to getting it renewed well in advance, if necessary. You must contact your local citizen service if you either need a temporary passport or a new one.
If you are very well traveled, remember that there must be blank pages for stamping visas in the passport.
Vaccination when traveling to Tanzania
When you travel to the big world, it is important that you check beforehand which vaccinations your trip requires. If you travel outside the temperate climate belt where Denmark is located, you will usually need vaccinations.
Tanzania is located in the tropical climate belt. Therefore, we also find some completely different animals and bacteria in Tanzania than here at home. Be sure to check with your own doctor, who can give you the correct information about which vaccinations you are recommended to receive before departure.
You can also contact an independent vaccination clinic through the Danish Doctors’ Vaccination Service , where you can also find more information about what types of vaccinations you should have, depending on how long you travel.
Currency in Tanzania and Zanzibar
According to zipcodesexplorer, Tanzania’s currency is called Tanzania Shilling. Bring US dollars in smaller banknotes, as these boats can be used along the way, but also exchanged for shillings in Tanzania. Shillings are usually used locally, while dollars are spent on tourist attractions.
Credit cards can be used at some hotels / lodges and at ATMs in major cities. However, we recommend that you exchange / withdraw Shilling at the airport. The currency rules in Zanzibar are exactly the same as in Tanzania.
Languages in Tanzania and Zanzibar
The official language of Tanzania and Zanzibar is Kiswahili or in everyday speech, Swahili. English, however, dominates in the Tanzanian business world. Likewise, English is widespread in the cities, where the public sector, and especially the educations, take place in English.
Many local tribes have their own language, which means that there are many small communities, with different cultures scattered around Tanzania. However, all children must learn Swahili when they start school. Swahili has elements from Arabic, English and German.
Luggage to Tanzania
The airlines have different rules for how much luggage you may bring. Therefore, you should always check the latest instructions on www.cph.dk before departure. If you are going on a safari flight, you must bring a maximum of 15 kg. luggage plus 5 kg. hand luggage.
As the checked luggage can rarely be delayed from time to time, it is always a good idea to bring any medicine, toothbrush, some clean clothes and sandals or similar in your hand luggage.
Electricity in Tanzania
In Tanzania there are 220 volts / 50 hertz as in Denmark, but be aware that there is not the same stability. Power outages can occur, which is why several hotels have emergency power. Feel free to bring a flashlight.
You must bring a multi-adapter, as in Tanzania you basically use the 3-pin English plugs. Read more under ” hotels, lodges and camps “. In some hotels there is only hot water for certain periods, so finally ask about this at the reception.
Telephony and internet in Tanzania
There is internet at many lodges and hotels. However, the connection is often slow and unstable. If you need to call from Denmark to Tanzania, you must press +255 in front of the number (for Kenya you must press +254) and from Tanzania / Kenya to Denmark it is +45.
In general, there is good mobile coverage, however, it is less good outside urban areas and quite sporadically in the national parks. If you travel to Zanzibar, the connection may also vary. Check current prices with your mobile phone company before departure.
Time difference between Tanzania and Denmark
The time difference from Denmark to Tanzania and Zanzibar is 2 hours as a starting point. As the travel destination is east of Denmark, you must present your watch when you arrive.
However, you must remember that both Tanzania and Zanzibar use Eastern Africa Time (EAT) throughout the year, and there will therefore only be a single hour time difference during Danish summer time, as we have already set our clock one hour ahead during our summer time.
