Great Services Unlimited Adventure

General Information
Tanzania is among the few countries in the world endowed with such a vast range of tourist attractions. Tanzania has 13 national parks, 29 game reserves, 40 controlled conservation areas and marine parks that are located in the Northern and Southern parts of the country. More than 28 per cent of Tanzania’s land area of about one million square kilometers is covered with magnificent game reserves and national parks. Tanzania is also a home to Mt. Kilimanjaro commonly referred to as the Roof of Africa. The breath taking natural beauty of this second highest mountain in the world inspired the legendary author Ernest Hemingway to camp at its slopes and wrote one of his famous novels “Snows of Mt. Kilimanjaro.” The miles long silver sand beaches and the rich historical site of the spicy islands of Zanzibar are yet another attraction that Tanzania is blessed with.

Tanzanian Cities and Town centers

The city and town centers usually have markets which sell curios such as African drums, old brass and copper, carved chess sets, jewellery, and a specialty, large wooden salad bowls carved from a single piece of teak, mninga or ebony. Haggling is accepted, indeed often expected.

Shopping hours
Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1400-1800, Sat 0830-1230. Some shops open on Sunday.

Currency Information:

Currency
Tanzanian Shilling (TSh) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of TSh10,000, 5000, 1000, 500 and 200. Coins are in denominations of TSh200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1, and 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.

Currency exchange
Money may be changed at banks, authorized dealers and bureaux de change. A receipt should be obtained and kept until departure.

Credit & debit cards
Major credit cards are accepted in larger hotels. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other facilities which may be available.

Travellers cheques
May be cashed with authorized dealers or bureaux de change. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions
The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Tanzanian Shilling against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0830-1230 (some places are open until 1600), Sat 0830-1300.

Social Conventions
When meeting and parting, hands are always shaken; this applies throughout the country in both rural and urban areas. It is the convention to use the right hand, not the left, to shake hands or pass or receive anything. The standard greeting when addressing an individual is Jambo to which the reply is also Jambo. The greeting for a group is Hamjambo to which the reply is Hatujambo. People are delighted if visitors can greet them in Kiswahili. There is no fixed protocol to do with hospitality. Dress is smart and a good appearance is highly regarded. Suits and ties or safari suits are worn by men and suits or dresses by women. Ashtrays are usually an indication of permission for a visitor to smoke. Smoking is prohibited in cinemas and on public transport.

Photography: In some places, a charge will be levied on visitors wishing to take photographs; elsewhere a permit may be required.

Tipping
Not generally encouraged, though waiters and porters in tourist hotels and restaurants may expect to be tipped.
 

Dining

Most Hotels serve local Tanzanian food while the major hotels offer Western and other international food. There is a variety of good seafood such as prawns and lobsters and an abundance of tropical fruit such as coconuts, pawpaws, mangoes, pineapples and bananas. Table service is normal in restaurants. Coffee and tea are of high quality. Tanzania is a secular state and alcohol is not prohibited. A good lager, Safari, is produced locally, as is a popular gin called Konyagi, a chocolate and coconut liqueur called Afrikoko and a wine called Dodoma, which comes in red or rosé. Bars generally have counter service.

Nightlife
In Dar es Salaam and Arusha there are several nightclubs, cabarets and cinemas. Generally, the nightlife centers are in the top tourist hotels and restaurants.

Tanzania Travel info: The Classic Tours & Safaris would be happy to help you from its base in Arusha, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.

For more details on travel to Tanzania contact us