Africa
Highlights - Essential Info - History - Hotels
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do require a visa for entry into Tanzania/Zanzibar and you should have a full passport with at least six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. The current cost of a single entry visa from the Tanzanian High Commission is £38 and remains valid for up to 3 months.
Please note that World Odyssey offers an express visa service for all our destinations. Non-British passport holders should check their visa requirements with their local Embassy or High Commission. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter Tanzania/Zanzibar if you arrive from or via an infected country. Please note that Immigration regulations can change at very short notice, so we would strongly recommend that you carry a Yellow Fever certificate when travelling to Tanzania regardless of where you have travelled from.There are no other mandatory vaccinations required although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meningococcal Meningitis are recommended. Malaria is present in many parts of Tanzania and it is therefore essential that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention.
There are no other mandatory vaccinations required although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Meningitis and Hepatitis A are generally recommended. Malaria does exist in Zanzibar, as well as in other parts of Tanzania and it is therefore essential that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line before travelling
Time - GMT + 3 hours (+ 2 hours during British Summer Time)
Money - The currency is the Tanzania Shilling.
Travellers’ cheques and foreign currency can be exchanged at most commercial banks and hotels. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is widespread in most of the larger hotels although quite a high charge is sometimes levied for their use so an alternative payment source such as cash or travellers cheques is sensible.
Flights - There are daily flights to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Mombasa and Arusha.
Climate - a rough guide
Although hotter and more humid on account of its coastal location, the weather in Zanzibar is very similar to most of mainland Tanzania and follows the same pattern of four main seasons as described below:
DECEMBER - MARCH Although the sea breeze does help to keep the temperature down, this is when the island is at its hottest with clear days and pleasantly warm nights. On average, daytime temperatures rise to around 90F and then dip slightly to a balmy 73F at night. This is the season when the light north-easterly 'kaskazi' monsoon wind blows, bringing calmer water and gentle currents. There is usually little rain during this period, but there can sometimes be some showers and the humidity can increase significantly at times.
APRIL - MAY Temperatures dip slightly during these months, but this is the main rainy season and the storms can be heavy. At their peak they can last for several days at a time, but more typically for only an hour or two before the sun comes out again.
JUNE - OCTOBER This is the coolest and driest time of the year although daytime temperatures remain high averaging 85F or so. Night time temperatures fall, but still tend to hover around a very pleasant 65F. As September and October approach, so it starts to warm up again prior to the short rains in November. This is the season when the stronger south-easterly 'kuzi' monsoon wind blows and can sometimes bring seaweed onto some eastern beaches. There is generally little rain during this period, particularly from late June to early September.
NOVEMBER sees a rise in temperatures as the hot and dry season approaches, but this is also the time of the short rains which can last into early December. Any storms that occur are generally short, sharp and very sporadic.
When to go - It is possible to visit Zanzibar throughout the year although the drier months from June to October and December to March with generally hot days and clear skies are really the best times to visit. During the long rains of April and May the weather can be quite overcast and humid with heavy rain at times.
|
Zanzibar |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
87/ |
89/ |
88/ |
86/ |
85/ |
84/ |
84/ |
84/ |
86/ |
87/ |
88/ |
88/ |
|
Rain (in) |
2.8 |
2.7 |
4.6 |
12.3 |
9.5 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
2.9 |
7.0 |
4.1 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
