Is Tanzania Safe for Safari in 2024 / 2025 ? : Let’s commence with reviewing what the rest of the world thinks about Tanzania. As a matter of fact, Tanzania ranks as the safest travel destination on the continent, according to the global peace index it stands as the safest place to live in and even as tourist. The tourist number has surged into 1.5M in 2022, a 64% increase from the COVID-19 hit of the year 2021. That solidifies the extent of trust that the world has to Tanzania but also explains the natural and cultural beauty that keeps calling new people back and returns the “glued-old-ones-once” more time.
How safe are safaris in Tanzania?
Tanzania prides itself for the rich culture that is very welcoming and calm adopting the famous “Hakuna Matata” say. While in Tanzania are likely to be identified as “an mzungu” loosely translating as a white man! And this is not a racial naming but a cool way to identify a visitor that is pleasant to be associated with, aligning with the Tanzania’s famous say “Mgeni aje, mwenyeji apone” meaning a visitor’s appearance is a host’s relief! If you learn a few Swahili greetings words to throw at them while they call “Mzungu”, you will win their hearts and earn one of the classic big smiles!
Are there tribal or ethnic conflicts in Tanzania?
Tanzania has more than 120 distinct tribes and different ethnic groups that live harmoniously with each other. They may identify each other by tribe name just like how they would identify a foreigner by “Mzungu” but this doesn’t mean anything in the line of tribalism or any sort of animosity amongst themselves. For Tanzanians, it’s first the “Tanzania” that matter than individual tribes. Beside that, all the tribes in their numbers have a common belief of treating each other as equals and uniting and helping each other towards the struggle to earn a daily bread and raising kids. Unlike some countries in the zone, Tanzania doesn’t have specific areas where a certain tribe or religion is given priority than the other, Tanzanian neighbors envy them for their togetherness and ability to embrace what they have as a nation first before their individual differences.
Any political Chaos?
Tanzania is a multiparty country that has the main ruling party and several other opposition parties and even though election years heat up really hard amongst the rivals, there is usually a safety “the Utanzania” that blankets all the rivalry and limits any form of violence against each other. Political debates are usually open and every one is welcome to have an opinion making it one of the strongest democracies. There has always been peaceful power transition, even after a tragedy of loosing a president while in power.
What should I do to ensure safety?
As a tourist while in busy cities like Dar es Salaam it safe to avoid petty crimes, just like any other city in the rest of the world. Dar es salaam is populated, the bus stands and the markets are specifically overcrowded, while exploring the diversity and appreciating the various ways people struggle to make a living, its important that you beware of pick pocketing and grabbing.
(But how??….) well here is how:
First and foremost, always book your trip through a very well trusted travel agent or tour operator. This is vital because then you can have an assured safe accommodation and safe options for navigating the city.
Also, in most hotels there are safe at the reception where your passport, valuable jewelries, visas and other things of utmost importance to you that don’t need to be carried around can be stored. Your phone and camera are certainly as valuable but we know you might want to capture some memories while on a city tour, carry them with care and only take them out when sure of your surrounding away from possible snatches.
Public transport is fairly safe, but not exactly the most convenient for a tourist not used to a hassle. They are usually very packed and you may need to squeeze yourself through to get into a standing space. Always try and ask for a private taxi, an online taxi. You may want to hop into one of the daladala or rapid transport one time, just for the adventure and experience’s sake.
Health safety tips!
First things first, it is a requirement that you show a full vaccination certificate for covid-19 or a recent PCR negative test result. Alongside the Covid-19 clearance, you will have to have the usual vaccine shots, namely the yellow fever, hep A and typhoid. In addition to that, Tanzania being a tropical country, it is one of the Malaria endemic countries, so the Malaria prophylaxis tabs is inevitable on top of the mosquito sprays and smear that are encouraged for all those who do outdoor activities.
Food and water?!
Even though the local thrive well with drinking the tap water, it’s not advised for you to do the same! You will have to always use bottle water, fortunately readily available! To save the environment, a reusable bottle would work perfectly when you get a big gallon at you accommodation and use it in bottle ounces once you are out!
Its always tempting to try new local food! Totally logical! And yes, you can! Only be sure to use your discretion on the hygiene around where you want to try the food from. Your local guide would know clean spots that serve local food. Always try it while hot to minimize the chances!
What if I am a solo woman traveler?!
Don’t you worry! Safety wise you are as safe as any other tourist and you basically need to abide by the same safety rules. Expense wise, usually a solo traveler may incur costs more than travelling in a group. It’s best to ask if there is a group doing similar activities so that you can blend in!
Tanzania is a very conservative society with a culture deeply influenced by religion and modest dressing, its best to avoid too revealing clothes, and always carry a piece of a cloth in case you are in your loose outfits and you happen to pass across a mosque or in Zanzibar streets.
