TRAVEL INFO
HEALTH:
There are no legally required vaccinations for Zanzibar. Only tourists, who book Safaris in Tanzania Parks, are advised to undergo a malaria preventive treatment.
VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
Italian citizens are required with a passport, valid for a period of at least six months from the date of their departure. Almost all visitors require a compulsory visa, which can be obtained on arrival, at the airport, at a cost of $50 USD. Alternatively, Italian citizens can obtain the visa at the Tanzanian Consulate in Milan (02/58307126). Another $38 USD exit-tax is to be paid when leaving Zanzibar at the local Government. That requirement may change any time so that it is advisable to check prior to your departure and to prepare the US dollars in advance not to loose money with the change.
TIME DIFFERENCE:
One hour in the advance of Italy during daylight saving time, two hours during solar time. Just like Tanzania, Zanzibar is three hours in the advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+3).
CURRENCY:
The official currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSH), divided in cents. 1 Euro is about 1500 Shillings. The Euro is generally accepted but US Dollars are recommended for the best rates of exchange.
LANGUAGE:
The official language is Ki-swahili, which is spoken by everyone in Zanzibar and in most East Africa, even in some areas of Congo. English is also spoken and, in most tourist places, Italian is also spoken.
CLIMATE:
Zanzibar is a few degrees South of the Equator and enjoys a tropical climate that is largely dominated by two Indian Ocean monsoons. The “Kaskazi” winds are from the North-East and occur in the winter months, from December to March, bringing the short rains and the weather is generally hot and dry with little rainfall. The “Kusi” winds are from the South-East and occur from April to November. The long rains arrive in April and last until late May every year. June through October is mild, dry, breezy and there is little rainfall. November is generally the driest month. The average annual temperature is 29° (80F) and the maximum average is 32.5° (91F).
Zanzibar experiences ideal holiday weather for most of the year with the exception of May because of the long rains. Zanzibar is a tropical island so the climate can suddenly change: it may happen that if it rains in town in the West, it can be sunny in the East, there can also be a refreshing short rain for five minutes and then you can get a suntan again under a hot sun and a clear sky.
                                                                         SAFARIS INFO
The internal flight has a reduced baggage allowance of 15kg + hand luggage. We recommend to prepare a smaller suitcase for the safari and to leave the exceeding luggage to our local Staff who will care to let you find it at your hotel on coming back to Zanzibar. The dress code during the safari is comfortable shoes and long trousers. For the evenings, considering the temperature range, it is advisable to bring a warm sweater. Tourists who book a safari in Tanzania Parks, are recommended to undergo a malaria preventive treatment. Bus drivers and local guides welcome tips.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: Because of the huge climate changing, we do not recommend a trip to Zanzibar to children under 6 years old and a safari in Tanzania to children under 12 years old. However, each parent know as personal experience the children at home and during travels, so we just recommend as a general advice.