Helpful Travel info for Tanzania

To Help With Your Packing

When you are packing, please remember our climate. You will be sending the bulk of your time outdoors.

Please note: Wild Animals do not react well to bright colors in the bush, particularly red. We suggest packing minimal bright colored clothing.

 

• Passport, insurance certificates & personal documentation, including some certified copies stored separately.
• US Dollars (Shillings best to withdraw/exchange in Tanzania)
• Camera and memory cards
• Proof of vaccinations
• Sunscreen (minimum Factor 30)
• Lip balm
• Sun hat
• Comfortable shoes
• Sandals/flip flops
• Personal torch & batteries
• Sunglasses
• If you wear glasses (or contacts) it is also advisable to bring a spare pair
• Lightweight waterproof jacket
• Fleece type pullover (it can get cold at night) and lightweight sweater
• Long sleeved shirts/blouses
• Short sleeved shirts or T-shirts, no low-cut shirts or shirts revealing shoulders or cleavage
• Trousers and long skirts (well-over knee)
• Shorts (knee length or below)
• Tracksuit pants
• Mosquito & insect repellent (50% deet) Mosquito net is not required
• Water bottle (1ltr Sigg bottles are best as they keep water relatively cool throughout the day)
• Daypack
• Waterproof & secure bag for documents & money
• Chargers – Tanzania uses British 3-pin plugs
• Toiletries
• Hand wipes & antibacterial gel
• Plastic bags/large Ziploc bags for storing things, or separating clean and dirty clothes in your back pack
• Personal medical first aid & hygiene kit
• Malaria tablets
• Diarrhea, anti-histamines & headache tablets
• Snacks from home
• Cards and games
• Books / e-reader
• A Swahili phrasebook
• A positive attitude!

VISA REQUIREMENTS

Please note: Arranging your visa is your responsibility and the information we provide is to serve as a guideline only. Do always check with your Embassy for advice if you are unsure.

On arrival, you will need to purchase a Business Visa for US$250 (or US$300 for US passport holders). To obtain this visa you will need an invitation letter which will be supplied by your Destination Specialist. Please ensure you have this letter with you when arriving at the airport. You do not need any passport photos.

The immigration process has recently changed in Tanzania and so, you may find the immigration officers in the airport may try to tell you to get a tourist visa and then apply for a volunteer or business visa when you arrive at your project destination – this information is out of date. You must attain your business visa upon entry to the country. When at the airport, please show the officials your invitation letter and insist on getting a business visa then and there to avoid incurring further complications and expenses.

You should have a passport valid for at least six months after your arrival date in Tanzania, so please check the expiry date. It is advisable to bring a photocopy of your passport in case you lose the original.

If asked to give an address of where you will be staying in Tanzania, please state:

Impact Community Ltd, Umoja Street, Mdawi, Moshi, Tanzania.

Travel insurance

Prior to your trip you will need to arrange medical insurance which will give you full cover for any medical requirements which may arise during your trip, including cover for full air evacuation in the unlikely event that this is necessary. Your medical cover also needs to include repatriation. If you do not already have a company that you are happy to use to take out a policy with, we suggest World Nomads, who offer comprehensive medical and travel insurance. Please be sure to check your policy carefully to ensure that it does cover activities which you are likely to participate in.

Police clearance / background check requirement

You must please get a police clearance / criminal record check certificate

PLEASE NOTE: WITHOUT POLICE CLEARANCE, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE PROJECT. It is mandatory for all our volunteers to complete police checks prior to joining any one of our projects to ensure they have no criminal record. As a volunteer, regardless of project selection, you will come into contact with minors or vulnerable adults during your stay. We therefore feel that it is our responsibility to run a check on everyone volunteering with us in order to ensure the safety of the people and communities we work with. Depending on your nationality and the rules attached to your home country, there will be a small charge, either payable to African Impact or your local authority.

 

Please note that your police/criminal record check cannot be more than 6 months old when you start your volunteer program, so if you are booking more than 6 months in advance of your project start date, please wait to obtain this check.

 

If from the UK or US we can assist you with the process for a minimal fee. Please note it is required for all projects. For all other countries we have helpful contacts and usually experience. In addition, African Impact insists that volunteers and interns avoid any contact with drugs and any inappropriate activities relating to alcohol.

Vaccinations

Please consult your private doctor with regards to immunizations/vaccinations. Below are details of what is likely to be recommended.

 

Yellow Fever: A Yellow Fever vaccination and the certificate are obligatory for Tanzania despite what some people advise. You WILL NOT be allowed to enter the country without it.

Tetanus: Recommended

Polio: Recommended

Hepatitis A&B: Recommended

Tuberculosis:  Recommended

 

Malaria: We advise you to bring an ample supply of anti-malarial tablets for your entire time in Tanzania.  Ask your doctor to prescribe the best one available.  N.B. We do not recommend Larium (sometimes known to cause hallucinations) or Doxycycline (many people have bad reactions to the sun when they use this prophylactic).

A simple first aid kit will be available on site but we recommend you pack your own kit too.  There are doctors and clinics available locally for basic treatment.

You will need an adequate supply of mosquito repellent as well as the best sunscreen for the hot African sun – SPF 30 and above.  Also, please bring a hat and a water bottle with you. Even if the sky is overcast, the sun is strong enough to cause burning.

Many volunteers and interns get dehydrated during their time with us despite repeated assertions to drink lots of water. We do not want you to have to miss out on any of your experience here because you got sick as a result of dehydration, so please, please, drink lots of water!

Safety

We take your safety very seriously and on arrival, will give you a comprehensive talk on the do’s and don’ts around Tanzania. We pride ourselves on our safety record and give all our volunteers 24-hour support should you need it. It is unlikely you will have any problems during your stay, however, it is always wise to take necessary precautions as tourists are targets for pickpockets and thieves. It’s advisable to do some travel research on Moshi before visiting.

 

Some safety guidelines you should be aware of

 

• Avoid traveling alone, especially at night.
• Find out where the unsafe areas are and avoid them.
• When traveling keep all important documents & valuables in a safe place, like an inner hidden pocket or money belt.
• Carry only as much cash as you think you will need for the day.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry or watches.
• Be wary of people who seem too friendly too fast.
• Keep cameras out of sight. Always keep bags and purses in your sight.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times
• Know the phone numbers of the project team

We cannot stress enough the need for you to be security conscious whilst traveling in Africa.  Please do not bring unnecessary valuables along with you such as jewelry or expensive watches.  We also recommend that you photocopy all travel documents, including the photo page of your passport and keep them aside from the originals.

Listen to your project manager and respect the local rules and customs at all times!

Staying in touch with family & friends

You will be able to purchase a SIM card in Moshi once you arrive at the project (USD$1), which will allow you to use a local Tanzanian number during your time in Moshi (Your phone will need to be Tri-Band and unlocked from your home network – speak to your cellular provider before you leave to make sure). Alternatively you can enable international roaming by speaking to your cellular provider before you leave home. Generally, cell phone coverage is not a problem in the areas you will be in. Although there is no internet at the volunteer house, you can visit local internet cafes in town.

 

Address in Moshi:

Umoja Street, Mdawi, Moshi, Tanzania.

(Please note that we do not recommend sending Post / Parcels to Tanzania, as it can take up to 3 months for items to arrive into Tanzania).

Money 

How much spending money you need differs from person to person and depends on how much you shop, drink and eat besides the meals provided for you.

It is important that when deciding how much money you bring, you take into account what optional activities you anticipate doing. Activities greatly range in price, from budget-friendly to 5-star luxury. Think of your own budget before you come. As a rule of thumb, you should pay for small purchases in Tanzanian Shillings and large purchases in US Dollars. We have a great partnership with a local, well-respected travel company, and if you book a safari through us or them, you can pay with a card (VISA & MasterCard).

There are many ATM’s (VISA & MasterCard accepted) available in Moshi town that accept international cards as well as money changers. US Dollars, British Pounds and Euros will be the easiest to change (be aware that bills should be post 2006 and the higher the note, the better the rate).

We strongly advise against bringing travellers’ cheques.