ZANZIBAR: Sometimes referred to as the Spice Island. Located some 30 kms off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. Technically an archipelago consisting of the larger island (known locally as Unguja) and the smaller island of Pemba (see MAP)
INTERNATIONAL AIR: Our tour is LAND ONLY and so tour guests will need to arrange for their own air tix into Zanzibar International Airport on Zanzibar.
We recommend KLM departing Amsterdam which flies direct into Kilimanjaro International Airport, near Arusha, Tanzania. From there, have your travel agent book you a connecting flight (eg. Precision Air) into Stonetown's Zanzibar International Airport. Fly540 is a regional airline that offers direct flights to Zanzibar from Nairobi, Mombasa, Arusha and from Dar es Salaam. Note: Z.I.A. Departure Tax is $30 U.S. per person.
PASSPORT/VISA: You will require a valid Passport per usual re: international travel. For your information, Tanzania requires that passport must be "valid for six months from date of entry". You should get your tourist visa from the nearest Tanzania Embassy or Consulate well in advance of the tour dates.
EMBASSY CONTACT DETAILS:
CANADA: Tanzania Embassy, Ottawa, Ontario
Visa Office Tel: 613-232-1509
Email:
Website: www.tzrepottawa.ca
USA: Tanzania Embassy, Washington, DC
Visa Office Tel: 202-884-1080
Email:
Website: www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org
UNITED KINGDOM: Tanzania Embassy, London, England
Visa Office Tel: 0207-569-1487
Email:
Website: www.tanzania-online.gov.uk
GERMANY: Tanzania Embassy, Berlin, Germany
Visa Office: Tel. 49- (0) 30-3030800
Email:
Website: www.tanzania-gov.de
ITALY: Villa Tanzania, Rome, Italy
Visa Office: Tel. 39-06-334-85801
Email:
Website: www.tanzania-gov.it
FRANCE: Tanzania Embassy, Paris, France
Visa Office: Tel. 33-1-537-06366
Email:
Website: www.amb-tanzanie.fr
VACCINATIONS/HEALTH: If coming in from an infected area, you will require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. Otherwise, simply take ordinary precautions re: international travel to Africa/Asia. We advise that you consult with a Travel Clinic or your own M.D. to make sure that you have all your shots up to date for East Africa travel. Don't forget your anti-malarial tabs. Recommended.
CURRENCY: Local currency on Zanzibar is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSH), approximate exchange rate: $1 = 1000 TSH. Hotel front desk or local bank will exchange dollars,pounds or Euros but you may choose to do this in advance. You will need some local money for meals out on your own, tips, etc. Please note that only some local shops and restaurants will accept major credit cards. However, there are ATM's in Stonetown and they will of course process cash advances,in shillings.
TIME ZONE: + 3 Hours GMT
CLIMATE: Tropical due to Zanzibar's proximity to the equator with an average of 7-8 hours of sunshine daily. The long rains ( mwaka ): March, April and May. Short rains: November/December.
ECO-ADVISORY: Tortoise shell and coral jewellery from street vendors comes from a fragile marine environment. Tour guests will be made aware of any alternatives that are more environmentally friendly.
PUBLIC DRESS: Visitors are asked to respect local Islamic norms regarding dress in public places. For men this means to always wear at least a t-shirt, along with their shorts.
For women, modest attire is expected covering shoulders with skirts below the knee. European-style topless bathing is not socially acceptable on Zanzibar.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Always a good idea to ask permission before taking pics of individuals or of private homes.
PRESCRIPTIONS, GIFTS, ETC: When travelling far from home it is always a good idea to bring spare prescriptions should you need them, in the event of loss. Indiscriminate gifts/money to children should not be encouraged as it can encourage begging. A donation of supplies to a local school might be one example of more appropriate gift-giving.
While in Africa, common sense applies to personal possessions - egs. cameras, jewellery, etc. A money belt under clothing is recommended and avoid showy jewellery that might generate unwanted attention, while out in public.
