Tanzania

Visa

No visa is required for stays of less than 3 months for citizens of Namibia, Romania, Rwanda, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and all commonwealth member states (except Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Nigeria, India.) A Tourist Visa on arrival costs US$50 or US$100 for a three-month single entry and a multiple entry visa (valid 3 to 12 months), respectively. Bring crisp USD cash for this. You will receive a stamp in your passport and a payment receipt. Holders of a U.S. passport can only obtain the multiple-entry visa. If on a tourist visa, visa duration can b…

The currency of Tanzania is known as the Tanzanian shilling, denoted by the symbol "TSh" or by "/=" or "/-" following the number (ISO code:TZS). There are five denominations of notes and four of coins in circulation in Tanzania:

By bus and mini-bus

]] The bus is the most common way to travel around in Tanzania. Most buses have a simple design, and the roads are poor, although 1st class air-con buses are available on the Dar-Moshi-Arusha route (Dar Express - ticket office on Libya Street downtown or office no. 45 at Ubungo). Nearly all buses go in and out of Dar es Salaam. The main bus station in Dar (where all buses go), Ubungo, is 8 km west of the city center. A number of the better "intercity buses" provide you with complimentary drinks and biscuits.

Swahili and English are the official languages of Tanzania. Swahili however is the dominant language of society, with English largely limited to commerce and higher education. Over 100 different languages are also spoken by individual ethnic groups, though Swahili is almost universally spoken across the country.

Theft

As in many impoverished countries, caution should always be exercised, particularly in tourist areas, such as Arusha, Stone Town (Zanzibar), and Dar es Salaam. Violent crime against foreigners is not uncommon, particularly against those walking alone at night, which is not recommended. Pickpocketing and con artists are also common. Pickpockets work crowded markets, like Kariakoo, and bus stations. Don't be fooled by small children who are often forced into a life of crime by older kids or parents -- never carry anything of value in your pockets and don't let expensive camera equipm…

Bottled water is cheap and widely available throughout the country. You shouldn't drink the tap water unless you have no other option, and it must either be filtered with a high quality filter and purifier or brought to a boil before consumption. Tests on tap water have found it contaminated with e-coli bacteria.

Keeping in touch while traveling in Tanzania is rarely a problem. You can get decent mobile phone reception even in some national parks.

Telephone calls

The "Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd" (TTCL) is the state owned telecom, operating all pay phones and landlines in Tanzania. As it is the case with most developing countries, telephone fixed-lines are not affordable for many ordinary people. However, the mobile network has blossomed throughout Africa in the past years, and this is…

In general, tourists should wear modest or conservative attire, especially in Zanzibar, which is a conservative Muslim society. Western women should not wear clothing that reveals too much skin. 'Kangas', brightly-colored wrap-around cloth, are affordable, available throughout the country, and can serve as a discreet covering.