Tanzania Travel Information

Tanzania's peoples and regions

The Swahili coast, from Tanga through Dar es Salaam to Kilwa and Zanzibar, has for many centuries been part of Indian Ocean trade, and Swahili culture blends African, Arab and Asian influences in its language, architecture, music and food. Inland, communities have followed very different ways of life.

In the north, the Maasai are semi-nomadic pastoralists known for their cattle herding, beadwork and red shukas. Around Mount Kilimanjaro, the Chagga are known for farming on the mountain's fertile slopes, including coffee and bananas. Near Lake Eyasi, the Hadzabe, who traditionally hunt and gather, and the Datoga, who are herders and skilled blacksmiths, live alongside farming neighbours. The Sukuma, found south of Lake Victoria, are often cited as Tanzania's largest ethnic group; the Haya farm the fertile lands west of the lake; and the Makonde of the south-east are celebrated for their woodcarving.

• Names here are only a small sample of many communities.
• Most people live and work in modern ways, and traditional dress is not worn by everyone every day.
• No group is uniform; ask your guide about the people you are meeting.

Tanzania's modern story is often told in a few steps. Swahili coast trade connected the region to Arabia, Persia and India for many centuries, and Zanzibar became an important trading and clove growing centre. German rule began in the late nineteenth century, and after the First World War the mainland came under British administration. Tanganyika became independent in 1961, Zanzibar's revolution followed in January 1964, and the two joined in April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

Julius Nyerere, the first president, promoted national unity, Swahili as a shared language and the policy of ujamaa, or familyhood, which many Tanzanians credit with building a sense of common identity even as people debate its economic results. This history is a reason why Tanzania is widely seen as peaceful and why Swahili is spoken across ethnic lines.

Pace of life and pole pole

You will hear pole pole (slowly, slowly) often, especially on Kilimanjaro, but it is also a way of life. Meals, meetings and transport can take longer than visitors expect, and plans may shift with weather, road conditions or wildlife. Patience is respected, and visible irritation rarely helps.

Time is often more flexible in social settings than in business or on tours, where your guide will keep to a schedule. Allow buffer time for travel days, and treat delays as part of the experience.

Dress and modesty

Dress is relaxed on safari, where practical, neutral clothing is best. In towns, villages and especially on Zanzibar and the coast, local people dress modestly and visitors are expected to do the same. As a general guide, cover shoulders and knees, and avoid very short shorts, low necklines and see-through clothing. Women may find a light scarf or kanga useful, and men should wear a shirt away from the beach.

The Zanzibar dress code matters most in Stone Town and in villages. Swimwear is for beaches and hotel pools only, and topless sunbathing is not acceptable anywhere. If you plan to visit a mosque or a village, carry a long skirt, trousers or scarf in your day bag. What to wear in Tanzania is, in short, comfortable, clean and modest in public.

Religion, mosques and churches

Christians and Muslims are the two largest religious groups, and traditional beliefs are also practised, sometimes alongside them. Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, and the mainland coast has many Muslim communities, while Christianity is widespread in the highlands and the interior. Religion is a normal part of everyday conversation, and many people will ask politely about yours.

If you wish to visit a mosque or church, ask first and wait for permission. Remove your shoes before entering, dress modestly, and keep your voice low. Some mosques do not admit non-Muslims, or only outside prayer times, and the call to prayer may be broadcast several times a day. Avoid walking in front of people who are praying. Respectful curiosity is welcome; mockery is not.

Children, giving and begging

Children will often greet you with a cheerful wave and a shout of jambo, and some may ask for sweets, pens or money. Please do not hand these out. Giving encourages children to approach vehicles and tourists instead of attending school, and sweets harm teeth in places with limited dental care. A smile and a greeting is a better gift.

If you want to help, support a school, clinic or community project through a reputable channel, such as a registered organisation or a project your guide can vouch for, rather than giving directly in the street. Giving to adults who beg is a personal choice, but a donation to a recognised local charity usually reaches people more effectively.

Eating and hospitality

Hospitality is a source of pride. If you are invited to a home, you may be offered tea, soft drinks or a meal, and refusing everything can seem unkind; accepting a little, or explaining politely that you are full, is understood. Wash your hands before eating, which is often done with a jug and basin, and eat with the right hand if food is shared from a common plate. Ugali, rice, beans, grilled meat and stews are common, and many meals are shared.

Say thank you (asante) to your host, and avoid pointing the soles of your feet at others. If you have dietary needs or allergies, tell us before you travel and remind your host at the table.

Public displays of affection, laws and attitudes

Public affection is limited in Tanzania. Holding hands is common among friends of the same sex, but kissing and close embraces between any couple are best avoided in public, and are especially noticed away from tourist beaches.

Practical information: same-sex relationships are illegal in Tanzania, and open displays of affection by any couple are best avoided. Attitudes in many communities are conservative. We state this plainly so every traveller can make informed decisions; we welcome all guests, and we will do what we can to help you travel comfortably.

Alcohol, drugs and sensitive topics

Alcohol is available in hotels, lodges and bars, but is not drunk by everyone, and is less visible on Zanzibar and the coast. Drink in moderation, never in front of a mosque or in religious areas, and avoid public drunkenness. Drugs are strictly illegal in Tanzania, penalties are severe, and you should never carry anything for another person.

In conversation, be careful with politics, religion and criticism of national leaders. Tanzanians are often happy to talk about football, family, food and travel. Listen more than you opine, and avoid comparing communities. Do not photograph military or police sites, airports, bridges or government buildings.

Swahili and English: what is actually spoken

Swahili is the language of schools, markets, radio, parliament and daily life across Tanzania. Most Tanzanians speak it, and for many it is a second language learned alongside the mother tongue of their family. Along the coast and on Zanzibar it is the first language of many people, and the purest Swahili is often said to be heard there. Exact figures vary by source, so treat any percentage you read as an estimate.

English is an official language and is taught in secondary schools, but how well it is spoken varies a great deal. Safari guides, hotel and camp staff, tour operators and many shopkeepers in tourist areas speak good English, and some guides also speak German, French, Italian, Spanish or Japanese. Away from tourist areas, in small villages and on local buses, you will meet far fewer English speakers, and a few Swahili words will carry you a long way.

Why Swahili matters, and how people respond when you try

Swahili is a language of courtesy. Conversations start with long greetings, and skipping them can feel abrupt. When a visitor opens with jambo or habari and gets the reply right, people often light up, laugh kindly at mistakes and offer a little help with the next word. Nobody expects fluency. Effort is what is noticed.

There are practical benefits too. Learning to say hello properly, say thank you and ask a price politely tends to lead to friendlier exchanges in markets and villages. On a Kilimanjaro trek your crew will sing, joke and teach you the words of the songs, and a traveller who joins in becomes part of the team rather than a customer.

Pronunciation basics and a gentle word on grammar

Swahili is written the way it sounds, which makes it friendlier than English. There are five pure vowels: a as in father, e as in the first part of day, i as in machine, o as in or, and u as in food. Each vowel is pronounced every time, so a word like kiboko has three clear syllables, kee-BOH-ko. In almost every word the stress falls on the second to last syllable, so you say ah-SAHN-tay and hah-BAH-ree, not AH-sante.

Some consonants are blended in a way that feels unusual at first. In words such as nyama (meat), nyati (buffalo) and nyumbu (wildebeest) the ny sounds like the ny in canyon. Words such as mti (tree) and mto (river) begin with a soft hum before the consonant, so you can think of m-TEE and m-TOH. Ng' with an apostrophe, as in ng'ombe (cow), is the sound at the end of the English word singer.

Grammar can wait, but one idea is worth knowing because it explains why Swahili words change shape. Nouns belong to noun classes, and the beginning of a noun, its prefix, shows the class. Words for people usually begin with m or wa (mtu, one person; watu, people), and many things and languages begin with ki or vi (kitabu, book; vitabu, books; Kiswahili, the Swahili language). The adjectives and verbs then agree with the noun, which is why you hear so many similar sounds in one sentence. You do not need to master this; spotting the pattern simply makes the language feel less random.

Local languages beyond Swahili

Tanzania has well over a hundred languages. On safari you will meet Maa, the language of the Maasai, and in the Kilimanjaro region you will hear Chagga. Sukuma is spoken by the largest ethnic group, around Lake Victoria, while Haya, Hehe, Gogo, Nyakyusa and many more belong to their own regions. Most people speak their mother tongue at home, Swahili with other Tanzanians and English in school or business. A few words in Maa or Chagga from a guide who shares them are a delightful bonus, but Swahili is the language that every Tanzanian shares, so it is the right one to learn.

Tanzanian food culture in a nutshell

Food in Tanzania is social. A meal is shared from central dishes, guests are served first and refusing a second helping politely is part of the dance. Hospitality is a point of pride, so if you are invited into a home you will almost certainly be fed, and it is kind to accept at least a little. Breakfast is often tea and a snack such as mandazi, lunch is the main meal for many people, and dinner is lighter or the same again, depending on the household.

Regional variety is large. Chagga cooks near Kilimanjaro are known for bananas stewed with meat, Sukuma and other lake communities for fresh tilapia and Nile perch, the Maasai for milk and meat, and Swahili cooks on the coast for pilau, biryani, coconut curries and grilled seafood. Because ingredients are mostly local and seasonal, freshness is common, and the best meals are often the simplest.

Common dishes in more detail

Nyama choma, which simply means roasted meat, is the national weekend ritual. Goat is the favourite and the best cuts are chosen from the butcher's hook, then grilled slowly over charcoal. It arrives chopped on a wooden board with a pile of salt, a dish of kachumbari (a fresh salad of tomato, onion and chilli) and sides of ugali or fried bananas. Eat with your fingers and a cold drink, and take your time.

Pilau is the dish of celebrations on the coast and inland. Rice is cooked in meat stock with whole spices, giving a deep brown colour and warm fragrance. Biryani is its more elaborate cousin, with layers of masala-marinated meat, potato and rice. Mchemsho is a hearty boiled stew; supu is a clear spiced soup; mishkaki are skewers that are grilled until charred at the edges.

For breakfast and snacks, look for mandazi, chapati, sambusa and chipsi mayai. Urojo is a street soup that rewards curiosity: it is tangy, spicy, crunchy and soft all at once. Samaki, fish, is best eaten near water, where it is caught the same day.

What to eat in Zanzibar

Zanzibar's food is the clearest expression of the Swahili coast: Arab, Indian, Persian, African and Portuguese influences meeting around spices. The island was once known as the Spice Island, and cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, black pepper and cardamom are still grown and used everywhere. Coconut features in curries, rice, bread, sweets and drinks, and seafood arrives fresh from the fishing boats each morning.

Zanzibar mix, locally urojo, is a signature dish, but also try octopus, often grilled or curried in coconut, grilled fish and prawns with spiced marinades, and coconut bread called mkate wa kumimina. Chapati and mandazi are served warm in the morning, and the island is known for sweet treats that use coconut and cardamom.

The evening street food markets in Stone Town are a highlight. At Forodhani Gardens, an open air waterfront market, vendors grill seafood and skewers, make fresh sugarcane juice and serve Zanzibar pizza, a stuffed, pan fried parcel of egg, meat or vegetables and cheese. Go hungry, go early while the grills are fresh, choose busy stalls and pay as you go. Many visitors treat it as the best meal of their stay.

Drinks: chai, coffee, juice and local beer

Chai, tea, is the national drink. It is usually brewed with milk and plenty of sugar, and often flavoured with ginger, cardamom or cinnamon. Ask for chai bila sukari if you prefer it unsweetened. Coffee is grown in the Kilimanjaro foothills around Moshi, in the Mbeya highlands and in Kagera. Tanzanian coffee from Kilimanjaro and Mbeya has a bright, fruity acidity and is excellent when freshly roasted. Local coffee served on the roadside is often thick, sweet and strong, sometimes spiced.

Fresh juices are everywhere: mango, passion fruit, pineapple, watermelon, sugarcane and the coconut water of a fresh madafu opened on the spot. Ask for no ice if you are unsure of the water. Bottled water is sold everywhere and is the safest choice; always check the seal is intact. Sodas are popular, especially the local ginger beers.

Tanzania has several well known local beers, brewed to a light lager style, and a tradition of spirits made from banana, sorghum and sugarcane. Bars and grill houses are social places, and a cold beer with nyama choma is a ritual. Moderation is wise, particularly at altitude and in the heat, and strong home-brewed spirits are best avoided as quality is not controlled. Wine is available in tourist lodges and restaurants but is more expensive than beer.

Food on safari

On safari, meals are an important part of the day. In lodges and permanent camps you can expect a breakfast of eggs, fruit, bread and pastries, a lunch buffet or three course meal and a three course dinner, often with local dishes alongside international ones. Lunch is often served at the lodge or as a picnic box when you are on a long game drive, with sandwiches, fruit, a boiled egg, juice and a snack. In mobile tented camps, a cook prepares meals over a fire or gas stove, and the quality is regularly a delight.

Portions are generous, fresh vegetables and fruit are served at most meals and tea and coffee are available throughout the day. Hot drinks before an early game drive are a ritual. Menus are usually set, so tell us your dietary needs when you enquire so that each lodge and camp can prepare in advance.

Food on Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro meals are cooked by a trekking cook who travels with the crew and prepares food at each camp. Expect hot porridge or eggs for breakfast, a packed or hot lunch, afternoon tea with popcorn or biscuits, and a hot, filling dinner of soup, rice or pasta, vegetables and a stew. The menu is designed to be easy to digest and rich in carbohydrates, which helps at altitude.

Appetite can fall as you climb, so eating even when you do not feel like it is important, and drinking plenty of boiled, treated water is a part of good acclimatisation. Your guide will encourage you to drink three to four litres a day. Bring a few favourite snacks from home such as nuts or energy bars, because familiar flavours help when your appetite wanes. Vegetarian, vegan and other options can be arranged if the cook knows in advance.

Street food and water safety

Street food is one of the joys of Tanzania, and most visitors enjoy it without difficulty. A few sensible habits help. Choose busy stalls with a high turnover of customers, where food is cooked fresh in front of you and served piping hot. Be cautious with raw salads, pre-cut fruit and anything that has been sitting in the sun. Peel fruit yourself, wash your hands before you eat, and carry hand sanitiser for the moments when there is no water.

Drink bottled or treated water only, check the seal on bottles, and be careful with ice, which may be made from untreated water. Smart lodges and camps use filtered water for ice and cooking, and your guide will tell you what is safe. Brush your teeth with bottled or treated water if you have a sensitive stomach. For vaccinations, travel health, water treatment options and the rest of our general health guidance, please see the preparation section of Travel Essentials, and speak to a travel clinic about your own situation.

Markets, fruit and farm visits

A local market is one of the best places to understand Tanzanian food. Piles of tomatoes, onions and chillies sit beside heaps of cassava, plantains, mangoes, avocados, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple and oranges. Prices are lower than in shops and the fruit is often exceptional. Greet the seller, ask the price with hii ni bei gani, and bargain gently if it is a craft or souvenir stall. Fruit and vegetable stalls usually have fair, fixed prices.

Coffee and tea farm visits are popular additions near Moshi and Arusha. You can walk through shaded plantations, see how cherries are picked, pulped, dried and roasted over a fire, grind beans by hand and taste a cup brewed on the spot. Spice tours in Zanzibar show cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and lemongrass growing, and end with a tasting of fruit and spiced tea. They make memorable half day activities and the coffee and spices are good gifts to take home.

Tipping at restaurants and paying for meals

Tipping at restaurants is appreciated but not compulsory. A service charge is sometimes included, so check the bill first. If it is not, rounding up or leaving around ten per cent for good service is customary in tourist restaurants. Street stalls and small local places do not expect a tip, though rounding up small change is a kind gesture. Cash in Tanzanian shillings is the easiest way to pay for street food and market purchases, while larger restaurants often accept cards. Carry small notes, because change can be hard to find.

Staying connected: mobile networks and the Tanzania SIM card

Mobile coverage in Tanzania is good in towns and along main roads, and patchy or absent in remote parts of the national parks and on Kilimanjaro. The mobile networks most commonly used are Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo (now operating as Yas) and Halotel. Vodacom and Airtel generally have the widest coverage for visitors, and either is a sensible choice if you plan to buy a local SIM.

A Tanzania SIM card must be registered before it will work, and registration requires your passport and a fingerprint or photograph taken at the point of sale. Buy from an official shop of the network, or from a registered agent at the airport or in town, rather than from a street seller. Bring your passport with you on the day, and allow 20 to 30 minutes. Your phone must be unlocked to accept a local SIM.

An eSIM for Tanzania is a simpler alternative if your phone supports it. Many travel eSIM providers sell Tanzania data plans that you can install before you fly, so that you land with mobile data already working. Check that your phone model supports eSIM and that the plan covers Tanzania, and remember that an eSIM usually gives you data only, with a foreign number for calls.

• Wifi is available in most towns, and in many lodges and camps, though speeds can be slow and the signal is often limited to the main building.
• Inside the parks, mobile coverage in the national parks comes and goes. Do not rely on being reachable at all times, and tell family that a quiet day on safari is normal.
• On Kilimanjaro, signal is intermittent on the lower slopes and unreliable higher up. Treat the mountain as a chance to disconnect.
• Carry a power bank. Charging points in tents and vehicles can be limited, and a charged phone doubles as a camera, torch and alarm clock.

Road conditions and why we recommend a driver

Traffic in Tanzania drives on the left, as in the United Kingdom. Main roads between the big towns are generally paved, but distances are long, and a journey that looks short on a map can take most of a day. Away from the main routes, roads are often dirt tracks that turn to mud in the rains and to fine dust in the dry months.

Livestock, pedestrians, bicycles, trucks overtaking on bends and unlit vehicles after dark are all part of everyday road conditions in Tanzania. For that reason we advise against night driving, and our itineraries are planned so that transfers happen in daylight. We also recommend a professional driver rather than self-drive: an experienced driver knows the road conditions, handles police checkpoints calmly, reads the weather, and lets you look at the scenery instead of the road.

If you do choose to hire a car, you will need your home licence and usually an international driving permit, and you should check the insurance carefully. Park road rules and speed limits also apply, and wildlife has the right of way.

Markets, bargaining etiquette and money in daily life

Markets are the best place to meet people and to find genuine local goods. Maasai markets in and around Arusha sell beadwork, blankets and carvings, and the central markets in Moshi, Arusha and Stone Town sell everything from fruit to fabric. Browse slowly, greet vendors politely with a simple 'Jambo' or 'Habari', and do not feel obliged to buy.

Bargaining etiquette is straightforward. Offer roughly half to two thirds of the first price, smile, and be ready to move up gradually. Never bargain for something unless you really want it, and never agree a price and then walk away. If the seller will not meet your price, thank them and leave without any fuss. Fixed-price shops and supermarkets do not bargain, and nor do restaurants.

For money in daily life, cash in Tanzanian shillings is still the most useful for small purchases, market stalls, taxis and tips. Many local people use mobile money, which is a phone-based payment system, and you will see its signs everywhere, though it needs a registered local SIM. ATMs are common in towns but rare in rural areas, so draw cash while you are in a city. Our Payments section covers cards, US dollars and tipping in detail, so we do not repeat it here.

Scams, touts and fake guides in Arusha

Arusha is the gateway to the northern safari circuit, and like any busy tourist hub it has people who approach visitors on the street. Touts and fake guides may claim to be from your hotel, or to know a better price, and unofficial tours sold on the pavement are a common source of disappointment and lost money.

The simplest defence is to book your safari in advance with a company you have checked, and to ask your hotel about anything else. Never hand over cash on the street for a tour, never go anywhere with someone who has only just met you, and treat 'a special price today only' with caution. A polite 'No, thank you' and keeping on walking is usually enough.

• Ask your hotel to recommend a taxi, a restaurant or a guide for day trips.
• Do not follow anyone who says your hotel or tour is closed or has moved.
• Be wary of anyone who asks for money to 'register' you for a tour or national park.
• If you feel uncomfortable, step into a shop, hotel or restaurant and ask for help.

Zanzibar practicalities

Zanzibar is mostly Muslim and Stone Town is a conservative, living city. Wear modest clothing in Stone Town, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep swimwear for the beach and hotel pool. Away from resort areas, local women and men dress modestly, and respectful dress is appreciated.

The sea on the east coast has dramatic tides, and at low tide the water can retreat hundreds of metres, which affects swimming and boat departures. Ask your hotel for the tide times. Beach boys and touts selling tours, shells and massages are a feature of busy beaches; a calm 'No, thank you' works, and a firm but friendly manner is far better than anger.

Ferries between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar are frequent, but book a reputable operator, arrive early with your passport, and keep your bags with you. During Ramadan in Zanzibar, many local restaurants close or open late in the day. Eat and drink discreetly in public during daylight hours, and the visit will still be a rewarding one.

Photography etiquette: photographing people

The first rule of photography etiquette in Tanzania is simple: ask permission before photographing people. A smile and a gesture towards your camera is usually enough, and a quick 'Naomba picha?' (may I take a photo?) is warmly received. If the answer is no, accept it politely and put the camera away. Many people do not want to be photographed, for religious, cultural or personal reasons, and a photograph is never worth causing offence.

Ask permission in particular when photographing Maasai and Hadzabe communities. Some people will ask for a small payment, and that is their right, since their image and their time have value. Agree the price before you take any photograph, never after, and ask your guide to help with the conversation. A cultural visit that is arranged openly, with a fee that goes to the village, is better for everyone than a rushed snapshot from a car window.

Do not photograph people in distress, such as an accident, a sick person or someone grieving. Be gentle with children, and see the section on children and photography below. Respect religious sites: ask before photographing inside a mosque, church or shrine, dress modestly, and do not photograph people while they pray.

• Ask first, and accept a refusal with a smile.
• Agree any payment before you photograph, not afterwards.
• Offer to show people the picture on your screen. It often turns a transaction into a conversation.
• Never photograph military, government buildings, airports, bridges or police. It is restricted and can lead to your camera being confiscated or questions being asked.

Drones: rules in Tanzania

The drone rules in Tanzania are strict, and visitors often misunderstand them. A permit is required to fly a drone in the country, and drones are restricted or prohibited in national parks and conservation areas, because they disturb wildlife, other visitors and nesting birds. Customs officers may ask about a drone at the airport and can hold it.

Our advice is straightforward: do not bring a drone unless you have arranged a permit well in advance, and do not fly without written permission from the relevant authority. Never assume a lodge or a guide can authorise a flight. Rules change, so check the current position before you travel. Most travellers find that their best aerial perspective comes from a balloon flight or a small aircraft transfer instead.

Primate viewing rules

If your trip includes chimpanzees or other primates, the rules are tighter, because apes share many illnesses with us. Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania, in places such as Mahale and Gombe, follows strict primate viewing rules: a minimum distance of about 10 metres, small groups, a limited hour with the animals, and no eating or drinking in their presence.

Masks are generally required, and people who are unwell with a cold, cough or stomach illness must not trek. Be honest with your guide if you feel ill, as an infection passed to chimpanzees can be serious. Keep your voice low, do not point or stare directly, and never run or touch them. If a chimpanzee approaches, stay calm and step back slowly.

Responsible and ethical travel

Responsible tourism in Tanzania is mostly a matter of small, steady choices. Tanzania has a ban on plastic bags, so do not pack them and do not carry them into the country; security may remove them. Bring a refillable water bottle, and ask your lodge whether it provides filtered water so that you can avoid buying single-use bottles. Choose reef-safe sunscreen in Zanzibar and on any snorkelling trip, because some ingredients harm coral.

Support community tourism where it is real: village walks, craft cooperatives and cultural visits that are arranged openly, with the income shared. Buy local goods and food, eat at locally owned restaurants, and choose companies that pay fair wages and treat their crew well. Tipping crew fairly is part of this, and our Payments section gives the usual guidance.

Avoid exploitative animal encounters, such as cub petting, walking with captive predators, or any attraction where animals are chained or made to perform. If an encounter looks too good to be true, it usually is. Respect local culture, learn a few words of Swahili, and dress with care when you leave the lodge.

On carbon, we prefer to be honest. Long-haul flights have a real climate cost, and carbon offsetting is not a perfect answer. Offsetting through a credible scheme, flying less often but staying longer, and choosing lodges that run on solar power can help, but none of these cancels out the flight. Think of the trip as something worth the cost, and spend it well while you are here.

Conservation basics: parks, conservation areas and conservancies

Tanzania protects a large share of its land. National parks, such as Serengeti, Tarangire and Kilimanjaro, are managed mainly for wildlife and tourism, and people do not live inside them. Conservation areas, such as Ngorongoro, allow people, livestock and wildlife to share the land under managed rules. Community conservancies and wildlife management areas are managed by local communities, who earn income from tourism and have a stake in protecting the animals.

Poaching remains a threat, driven by demand for ivory, horn and other wildlife products. This is why we ask you not to buy anything made from wild animals, however attractive or cheap, and to report offers to your guide. Every purchase of illegal goods feeds the trade. Park fees and conservancy fees, paid openly, are one of the most direct ways tourism supports conservation.

Social media etiquette and children

Posting responsibly matters. Think before you share your photographs: you may be able to avoid geotagging sensitive wildlife, such as rhinos, nests and dens, because exact locations can help poachers and cause crowding. Many conservationists recommend posting a general area, or posting after you have left. Avoid selfies with wild animals, and do not share images that show people in poor light or without permission.

Children and photography needs particular care. Always ask a parent or guardian before photographing a child, do not give sweets or money to children for a photograph, and be careful about posting images of children online, whether they are local or your own. Visiting children should be taught the same rules: quiet voices, no feeding animals, and respect for people they meet.