Travel and Health Advice - Tanzania

Vaccinations
Visa
Money
Clothing
First Aid
Dive Equipment

Vaccinations

The following vaccinations are highly recommended for tourists visiting Tanzania:

Tetanus
Typhoid
Polio
Hepatitis A

Yellow fever (Yellow fever certificate may be required to enter Zanzibar from mainland Tanzania)

Malaria is still endemic and a malaria prophylaxis is highly recommended. Remember you generally need to start the prophylaxis 1 week before departure and need to continue it up to 4 weeks after returning from holiday. Please consult your GP or travel clinic for the different options.

Further information can be obtained from www.MASTA.org or www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk or www.traveldoctor.co.uk

Before travelling, always get the most up-to-date advice
from you GP or your nearest travel clinic

Visa

A visa is required for British passport holders (and most other European passports holders) and can be obtained from:

Postal address:
Tanzanian High Commission
3 Stratford Place
LONDON
W1C 1AF
Phone: (+44) 0207 491 3026
www.tanzania-online.gov.uk

Remember postal applications may take about one week to be processed

Money

Not many places in Tanzania except credit cards as yet, except from the bigger hotels (be aware of the massive surcharges), and cash points are sporadic. It is recommended to carry travellers cheques (preferably in US$) and some cash (either £ sterling or US$), which can both be changes easily into Tanzania Shillings at banks and bureau de change.

Clothing

Tanzania is a predominantly Muslim country. It is therefore recommended for men to wear long trousers and shirt and for women to cover their shoulders and legs when outside the main hotel areas, especially on the Swahili Coast.

Throughout the year, it is recommended to wear light tropical clothing during the day. Shades and a hat are also highly recommended. During their winter months (May – September) cool monsoon winds occur, especially in coastal areas. It is therefore recommended to bring a fleece or warm top for the evenings. Except for the monsoon period (April-June), waterproof clothing is not absolutely necessary.

The type of footwear to bring is dependent upon the type of holiday you book. Reef-type sandals are very practical, especially for beach-based holidays. Closed shoes (e.g. trainers or lightweight walking boots) are recommended for walking and safari activities and also to be worn at night.

For advice on avoiding mosquito bites, visit www.traveldoctor.co.uk.

First aid

It is recommended to carry a small first aid kit with the following items:

Headache remedies
Diarrhoea remedies
Anti-histamine cream (insect bites)
Re-hydration salts
Malaria prophylaxis

Some plasters & bandages
Iodine
Some sterile needles

Insect repellent (preferably DEET-based)
Mosquito net (impregnated with permethrin)
High factor sun cream

Lonely Planet has published a very useful booklet on Healthy Travel – Tanzania by Isabelle Young (only £3.99). For further details visit www.lonelyplanet.com.

Diving

Information on scuba-diving and staying healthy, including medical issues such as the choice of malaria prophylaxis and diving, can be found on www.traveldoctor.co.uk.

All dive centres used by Baobab provide good quality dive equipment. However, it is useful to bring your own mask, snorkel and fins, and if you have, your own dive computer.

If you want to bring your own dive equipment, a thin (3-5 mm) full wetsuit should be sufficient or possibly even a shorty (if you don’t feel the cold very quickly). Be aware that spares are difficult to get hold off.