Budget for Tanzania with a safari (page 2 of 3)

That’ll give you the chance to see two sides—nice! But if you’re calling yourself old at 50, what should I say at 60? 😄

That’ll give you the chance to do both sides, which is great. But if you’re old at 50, what should I say at 60? 😄

That you’re even older :-D

Hi Amandine, Back from my trip, I just came across this discussion a bit late.

I think your plan is doable if, for example, you limit yourself to a 3-day safari (4 nights?) in Tarangire, which is really beautiful, and stay just at the park entrance if the lodges inside are too expensive. Then, fly to Zanzibar. Aim for the east coast. You’ll find plenty of accommodation options on Booking. In Zanzibar, you can do 1 or 2 excursions from your hotel by talking to the "beach boys" (bring dollars). Fly back from Zanzibar.

Alternative, less mass tourism: the small island of Mafia, across from Dar, still a bit authentic and absolutely stunning. Beauty, relaxation, and amazing marine life.

That’s all!

Have a great holiday!

Just a little clarification: to get to Mafia Island, you’ll either take a small propeller plane from Dar Es Salaam or a boat, but the departure is from the southern coast.

It’s a really beautiful island, but very quiet. If she’s looking for crowds and excitement, Zanzibar is a better bet.

Hello! I know, I’ve done it. Flight with Coastal.

Actually, I know both islands.

We stayed at Juani Beach Bungalow for very reasonable prices. Right by the sea, and we took a boat excursion to see sharks, if I remember correctly.

Hi Chris

In Zanzibar you can do 1 or 2 excursions from your hotel by talking to the "beach boys" (bring dollars).

Why dollars and not Tanzanian Shillings? I thought it was more advantageous.

David

I’ll chime in. Locals prefer dollars, so you can exchange them based on the rate. It’s more convenient to exchange into TZS.

Locals prefer dollars, to exchange them based on the rate. It's more convenient to exchange in TZS

Uh ...

What do you mean by "It's more convenient to exchange in TZS"? Is it easier to exchange dollars into TZS?

Hello again! I’ve done both (several trips).

I withdrew shillings (from ATMs) for small expenses (markets, a few restaurants, souvenirs, etc.), but people offering excursions (or taxis) asked for dollars. We could negotiate, though. I guess they can resell the dollars at a better rate on the black market. And dollars will be accepted if they leave the country, but not shillings.

Sorry, it's more practical to pay in TZS. Otherwise, you can't really use TZS anywhere else but there.

Yeah, that’s right. If you have leftover shillings, you can’t really do anything with them.

If you have leftover dollars and you travel a bit, no problem using them. That’s my case! I always keep some dollars at home for future trips to different continents!

You can exchange euros; dollars aren’t essential

I never exchange money! And there are still countries where euros don’t exactly spark excitement.

No big deal. I just shared what I usually do, that’s all. To each their own habits!

Of course, I was just sharing some info!

No need to fight :-)

To sum up if I understood correctly:

- You can pay for everything in dollars, with the advantage of being able to use them almost anywhere in the world if you have any left.

- Shillings (via exchange or ATMs) can easily be used for small amounts (markets, a few restaurants, souvenirs, etc.). For excursions or taxis, Tanzanians prefer dollars (*).

- You can bring euros, but you’ll need to convert them into dollars or shillings.

(*) This ties into another discussion on a different forum that mentioned prices in dollars were higher than in shillings (at restaurants, there’s a menu with prices in TZS and another in $).

But no one’s fighting over it! I spent 6 months of my life in Tanzania 2 years ago. It’s way more practical to pay in TZS—you’ll come out ahead. Watch out—EVERYTHING is negotiable, but the *mzungu* (white folks) are spotted a mile away with our money!!!

But no one fights back!

I had put a smiley ":-)" that wasn't converted to 🙂 because your exchanges were a bit like ping-pong 😉

It's more practical to pay in TZS; you'll come out ahead. Watch out—EVERYTHING is negotiable, but the *mzungu* (white people) are spotted from a mile away with our money!!!

That’s what I took away.

Thanks!

David

Hi, Just to clarify a few things, you should know that Mafia is Zanzibar because Zanzibar isn’t a single island but an archipelago made up of Pemba in the north, Unguja (mistakenly called Zanzibar), and Mafia in the south. Personally, I really loved Pemba, but that was 15 years ago. I doubt anyone’s still interested, but I can dig up the different amounts I paid during that three-week trip or the one I took 10 years ago. If that’s the case, let me know, and I’ll look for them.

Hi Aline, we’d like to do almost the same trip as you—Tanzania and Zanzibar for 21 days at the end of August 2025. Could you share your tips and trip details with me? We’re looking for a local guide for the Tanzania safari part. Best regards, Dominique