Faq

BEFORE ARRIVAL

VISA

A visa is required for entry into Tanzania.  Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of visit. Single entry visas cost US $50, multiple entry visas cost US $100 (multiple entry visas required for all U.S. citizens).

Visas can be obtained one of two ways:-

1) Recommended Method:  Online using Tanzania’s e-visa application form.  Allow at least two weeks for processing.  If applying online please see our Rocky Africa & Eco Experience e-visa page with answers to many of the questions on the application form.

2) Upon arrival in Tanzania at all international airports and border crossings.  Can be slow.  Allow at least 30 – 45 extra minutes for processing through the airport.  No photo required with this method; USD cash only accepted.

FLYING TO/FROM TANZANIA

Kilimanjaro International Airport is Tanzania’s gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and the other northern safari parks, as well as all Rocky Africa & Eco Experience adventures.  You will also fly out of Kilimanjaro unless you end your Tanzania trip on Zanzibar, where you will want your departure directly out of the Zanzibar Airport or the Dar es Salaam International Airport, which serves Tanzania’s capital city and a short hop from the island.

Major carriers that fly into Kilimanjaro are KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines.  KLM offers the most convenient connections when flying from North America and most of Europe.

Flying through Nairobi offers more international flight options, but requires an additional 1-hour flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro on Kenya Airways or Tanzania’s Precision Air.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND BAGGAGE WEIGHT LIMITS

Domestic flights within East Africa (Precision Air, Kenya Airways, RwandAir, etc.) allow a maximum of 23 kilos (50 pounds) per person. This may be waived when connecting from an international flight.

Charter flights to and from safari parks and Zanzibar (Coastal Aviation, Regional Air, ZanAir, SafariAirlink, etc.) limit luggage to 15 kilos (33 pounds) or 20 kilos (44 pounds) per person (check your particular carrier for weight limits).  Soft-sided bags only.  Please pack accordingly.

If you need to store some items while on safari or traveling in Tanzania, Rocky Africa & Eco Experience is happy to keep them safe for you and return them to you at the Kilimanjaro International Airport prior to your departure (extra fees may apply).

PLASTIC BAGS BAN IN TANZANIA

Tanzania bans all plastic bags (except Ziploc-type bags).  Upon arrival customs officers may look for the bags in your luggage and collect them for disposal (you will not be fined nor arrested!).

We at Rocky Africa & Eco Experience recommend you leave plastic bags at home and use reusable cotton or other material bags to hold items in your luggage.  If you use plastic bags to keep items dry or dust-free, replace them with durable waterproof camping bags (dry sacks).

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

To save the planet and our only home, we at Rocky Africa & Eco Experience believe that change comes from you and us. Together we can make a huge difference when we act responsibly.

Our guests have been using stainless-steel water bottles filled with our purified water for all their drinking water needs. And our Kilimanjaro climbers are all required to bring their own reusable bottles to carry their filtered water for drinking.

For Safari, we ask you to bring your own reusable water bottle.

You will be able to fill up your bottle with purified drinking water from the purification system installed in our safari vehicles and at every lodge and camp. Tanzania is moving away from its addiction to single-use plastic and the safari industry is leading the way as all lodges and camps, in lieu of doling out bottled water, are providing clean safe drinking water for all guests.

HEALTH 

DRINKING WATER

Do not drink water directly from taps in Tanzania (and do not use tap water for brushing teeth).  Drink only purified water offered by Rocky Africa & Eco Experience and lodges and camps, bottled water, or water that has been brought to a full rolling boil (for tea and coffee).

Water served in pitchers at all tourist lodges and camps, has been purified and is safe to drink.  All beverages served in bottles (soda, beer, etc.) are safe to drink.

FOOD

All food – both cooked and raw – prepared at tourist lodges and camps, tourist restaurants, Rocky Africa & Eco Experience’s camp cooks is safe to eat. Tanzania tourism providers prepare all food in a clean, hygienic manner.  Avoid eating food sold by street vendors and raw food at non-tourist establishments.

Remember always to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before eating.

ELECTRICITY

Tanzania uses 230 voltage AC. If you are bringing 120 voltage appliances you will need a converter as well as the proper plug adapter. Tanzanian outlets accommodate three-prong U.K. style plugs. Converter and adapter sets are available from most travel retailers.

All safari lodges and hotels have electricity, and tented camps run generators in the evening, but there can be outages, surges, or dimming at times.

Rocky Africa & Eco Experience carries solar chargers on Kilimanjaro that accept USB and all plug styles. Our safari vehicles have multiplug strips to receive all types of electrical plugs.

CURRENCY & CREDIT CARDS

The Tanzania Shilling (TZS) exchanges at approximately US $1=2351.98 TZS and €1=2596 TZS (February 2020). Tourism establishments accept both US dollars and Tanzanian shillings, but local shops and restaurants take only shillings.

ATMs are available in all large towns for withdrawing Tanzanian shillings from your home account; they generally offer the best exchange rate.  Currency exchange can be done at international airports, major hotels, local banks and bureau de change, found in all major cities.  Travelers checks are no longer accepted in Tanzania.

Credit cards are rarely accepted and may be used at only the large tourist hotels and bureau de change.  They incur a high fee.

Notify your bank and credit card company of your holiday vacation plans.

PHONES & INTERNET

Tanzania has an extensive cellular phone network for voice and data, though coverage is unavailable on parts of Kilimanjaro and large swaths of the safari parks.  You will need international roaming or an unlocked phone with a Tanzania SIM card.

Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and lodges and some permanent tented camps.

CULTURE

LANGUAGES

Swahili and English are the two official national languages. Swahili is spoken by all Tanzanians and is what you will hear most often. English is used in secondary and higher education and in tourism.

There are also more than 120 tribal languages still spoken in Tanzania, primarily in villages.  These are what most children learn at home as their first language.  You may hear the Chagga language spoken around Marangu Villages –  Kilimanjaro.

PHOTOGRAPHIC RESPECT

Always ask permission before taking photos of individuals or their private property.  Most people are happy to oblige.  In safari tourist areas, where you will see many Maasai dressed in traditional clothing, taking a photo is a commercial transaction, so make sure to negotiate a price in advance.

Taking photos of public spaces is fine, but it is forbidden to photograph military installations and highly unwise to photograph any government property (police stations, etc.) or industrial/technical facilities (cell phone towers, for example).  You may be subject to questioning and forced to delete your images.