Tanzania Travel Safety

Road safety

While better in larger centres, road conditions across the country are poor and road signs are often missing. For travel outside main cities, use a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Excessive speeds, driving habits, poor lighting, lack of vehicle maintenance, roaming wildlife and livestock, cyclists and pedestrians pose risks. Avoid driving unless you are familiar with local conditions. In the event of an accident, drive immediately to the nearest police station, if possible. Crowds tend to form around accidents and foreigners are extorted for money or assaulted (even when they are not at fault). Avoid travelling by road at night. Due to the potential for assault or robbery when stopped at a light at night, some drivers ignore traffic lights. This practice makes intersections dangerous at night.

Precautions

You should only travel with a reputable tour company. Avoid camping or travelling alone. When driving, remain on tourist routes and avoid remote areas. Leave personal belongings, including cash, passports and airline tickets, in a hotel safe or other secure location. Do not rent temporary accommodations from new acquaintances. Be sure to go through a reputable agency if looking for long-term accommodations in Tanzania. When travelling between cities, you should do so in a convoy, whenever possible. To minimize the risk, do not accept unsolicited offers of assistance or rides from new acquaintances or strangers. Home invasions, armed home robberies occur and foreigners' homes have been targeted by criminals. Always lock your doors and windows and use reinforced barriers wherever possible. Avoid travelling after dark. Avoid deserted beaches. Seek local advice on the security situation prior to visiting beaches.

Identification

You must carry photo identification, such as a copy of your passport, and be ready to present it to authorities upon request.

Hiking

If you are considering climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, carefully consider the inherent risks involved. It is important to investigate the numerous tour operators in order to find a reputable guide. People are seriously injured or killed on the mountain every year, and emergency assistance is severely limited. If you intend to climb never do so alone and always hire an experienced guide from a reputable company. Buy travel insurance that includes helicopter rescue and medical evacuation. Ensure that your physical condition is good enough to meet the challenges of your activity. Ensure that you are properly equipped and well informed about weather and other conditions that may pose a hazard. Inform a family member or friend of your itinerary, including when you expect to be back to camp. Know the symptoms of acute altitude sickness, which can be fatal. Obtain detailed information on trekking routes or ski slopes before setting out and do not venture off marked trails.

Public transportation

You should avoid travelling by bus, as buses are frequently involved in accidents that often result in fatalities.

Rail transportation

Rail service is limited and maintenance standards are low.

Marine transportation

There are regular ferries travelling between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Tanzanian ports are often frequented by persuasive ticket scalpers. Only use reputable ferry companies. If a ferry seems to be overloaded or unsafe, do not board it and make alternative travel arrangements. Vessels travelling between Zanzibar and Pemba, Tanga and Pemba, and Mafia and mainland Tanzania are less reliable and often overcrowded. PiracyPirate attacks occur in coastal waters and may occur further out at sea. Mariners should take appropriate precautions.

Taxis

Use only licensed taxis selected by a reputable hotel or restaurant, or one located at an official taxi stand. Avoid taking a taxi that has been hailed for you by a recent acquaintance. Always ask for identification before accepting transportation and check that the driver's ID matches the name of the car registration and taxi licence. A licensed taxi is a white car with a white (never yellow) licence plate, a coloured stripe running laterally on the side panels of the vehicle and a number located inside a circle on the passenger doors.

Women's safety

Women travelling alone may be subject to some forms of harassment and verbal abuse. Avoid dark or non-tourist areas at night. Instead try to be around larger crowds, whether they are fellow tourists or local citizens. In addition, don't flash money or valuables in public.

Crime

Violent and petty crime are common throughout the country. Exercise a high degree of caution, particularly in public places and popular tourist areas in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, such as:beaches hotels restaurants nightclubs and cinemas, shopping centres Avoid walking around at night. Tourists have been victims of assaults, including sexual assaults, at major bus, rail and ferry hubs in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. If you are the victim of an armed robbery, do not resist. Attackers could assault you for failing to comply or not complying quickly enough. Armed robbery, although rare, can also occur in parks and nature reserves, including the northern circuit in the vicinity of Serengeti National Park, Arusha and Ngorongoro national parks, and regions surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro where organized tours and independent travellers have been targeted. Exercise caution in and around Arusha, where armed robberies and carjackings have taken place. If you find yourself on less-travelled roads and trails, avoid stopping because armed robberies and carjackings may occur. Bag snatching from passing vehicles is very common when walking along the street, do not carry your bag with the strap across your body as you could be badly injured if a thief drives by and attempts to steal your bag. In Dar es Salaam, be particularly careful on Toure Drive (Msasani Peninsula), where muggings and attacks, including attacks on moving vehicles, have occurred. Travel near refugee camps in northwestern Tanzania, particularly in the region of Kigoma and to the west of Kagera bordering Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, is dangerous due to banditry. If you plan to travel to this region, hire private security for your protection. Express kidnappings, foreigners have been taken to ATMs and forced to withdraw funds from their account after accepting a ride from a stranger, a local taxi, ride share companies or a recent acquaintance. These incidents have most often occurred at ferry, bus and train terminals in Dar es Salaam.

Spiked food and drinks

Never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers. Be wary of accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances. These items may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery.

Terrorism

There is a threat of terrorism. Terrorist attacks could occur at any time. Targets could include government buildings, including schools places of worship airports and transportation hubs and public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners. Stay at hotels that have robust security measures. Keep in mind, however, that even the most secure locations cannot be considered completely free of risk. Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Culture

During the lunar month of Ramadan, use discretion when drinking, eating, and smoking in public between sunrise and sunset. In Zanzibar, Islamic practices and beliefs are particularly influential. Exercise common sense and discretion in dress and behaviour throughout Tanzania. Respect religious and social traditions to avoid offending local sensitivities. Visitors should dress conservatively. Women should cover their shoulders and refrain from wearing shorts.

LGBT

Homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania (including Zanzibar) and is not tolerated in Tanzania's conservative society. Public displays of homosexuality like holding hands or kissing in public places could lead to arrest and imprisonment.

Illegal or restricted activities

Alcohol is not sold in some parts of Zanzibar. Avoid consuming alcohol in those areas. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences. Possession of pornographic material is illegal. Photography of military installations is forbidden. Individuals have been detained and/or had their cameras and film confiscated for taking pictures of public structures and buildings, including hospitals, schools, bridges, industrial sites and airports. Always ask permission before photographing individuals.

Driving

Traffic drives on the left. An International Driving Permit is required and must be used along with your foreign driver's licence. Police roadblocks are common. If you are stopped by police, always cooperate and give proof of documentation requested of you. If you are asked to pay an on-the-spot fine for a traffic violation, ask to travel to the nearest police station to file a report and to contact your embassy or consulate in Tanzania. Always ask for an official receipt if paid fine.