Travel Documents to Carry in Tanzania: A Complete Checklist

Once you are in Tanzania, you will show your documents more often than you might expect: at airports, park gates, hotels, ferry terminals and when buying a SIM card. Having the right paperwork organized and easy to reach saves time and stress.

This is the document checklist we share with guests before they travel, along with tips for keeping everything safe and backed up.

Essential documents

These are the documents you should carry with you, in your hand luggage, throughout your trip.

• Your passport, valid for at least six months beyond your stay.
• Your printed e-visa grant notice.
• Your yellow fever certificate, if your route requires one.
• Travel insurance policy details, including the emergency phone number.
• Zanzibar inbound insurance confirmation if you are visiting the islands.
• Flight tickets and your safari or tour confirmation.

Useful extras

Some extra documents are handy to have. Bring a list of emergency contacts, including your operator's local number and your embassy's details. Carry a copy of any prescriptions and a list of medications, especially if you bring prescription drugs in your luggage. Families should carry birth certificates and consent letters where relevant.

If you plan to drive, check whether you need an international driving permit, although most safari travelers are driven by their guide.

Copies and digital backups

Make two sets of photocopies of your passport bio-data page, visa, insurance and yellow card. Keep one set in your main luggage and leave another with someone at home. Store scans in secure cloud storage or an encrypted folder you can access offline on your phone.

If your passport is lost or stolen, these copies will help your embassy issue emergency travel documents more quickly.

It is also worth emailing your itinerary, insurance policy and copies of key documents to yourself and to a trusted family member. If you register your trip with your government's traveler enrollment service where one exists, your embassy will be able to contact you more easily in an emergency. Keep a spare passport photo or two, which can speed up replacement documents.

Keeping documents safe

Use a slim document pouch or money belt worn under clothing in busy places such as airports, markets and ferry terminals. Many lodges have room safes, which are a good place for your passport when you are not traveling between locations.

On game drives, keep documents in a zipped bag inside the vehicle rather than loose on the seat, as dust and the occasional shower can damage paper. A plastic bag is not an option, given Tanzania's ban on plastic carrier bags, so a reusable waterproof pouch works well.

When you will be asked for documents

Expect to show your passport at airports and ferry terminals, including when traveling between the mainland and Zanzibar. Hotels and lodges commonly record passport details at check-in, and SIM card registration requires your passport. Keep your documents within easy reach on travel days so these checks go quickly. Park entry is usually handled by your guide, but have your passport available in case details need confirming at the gate.