If you’re dreaming of a Serengeti safari, planning to climb Kilimanjaro, or booking a Zanzibar beach getaway, your travel budget just increased by $44. Tanzania has announced that all foreign visitors will soon be required to purchase mandatory travel insurance before entry.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Before Your Next Tanzania Trip:
- Pay $44 online: You must buy travel insurance before arriving in Tanzania
- Valid for 92 days: Covers your entire safari, Kilimanjaro climb, or beach holiday
- No airport purchase: Must be bought online at least 24 hours before travel
- Keep proof ready: Immigration will check your insurance documents
This isn’t optional travel insurance you can skip, it’s a government requirement that will be checked at immigration. Without it, you won’t be allowed into the country, no matter how much you’ve already spent on flights, hotels, or safari bookings.
The good news? This $44 fee might actually save you money if something goes wrong during your trip. But first, you need to understand exactly what you’re paying for and how it affects your travel plans.
What Your $44 Actually Buys
Your mandatory insurance covers 92 days in Tanzania and includes more than basic medical coverage. Here’s exactly what you’re protected against:
Medical emergencies: Hospital visits, doctor consultations, prescription medications, and emergency dental work. If you get altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro or food poisoning on safari, you’re covered without paying upfront.
Medical repatriation: If you need to be flown home for medical treatment, the insurance handles the costs. These flights can cost $15,000-50,000, making your $44 fee look like a bargain.
Personal accidents: Coverage for injuries during activities like safari game drives, mountain climbing, or water sports.
Baggage protection: Compensation for delayed, stolen, or lost luggage common issues when connecting through multiple airports to reach Tanzania.
Legal expenses and third-party liability: Protection if you accidentally damage property or need legal assistance.
Unlike travel insurance you might buy from your home country, this coverage is designed specifically for Tanzania’s healthcare system and includes direct billing with local hospitals.
How This Affects Your Travel Planning
You can’t buy this at the airport. The insurance must be purchased online before your trip, with proof required at immigration. This means adding another step to your pre-travel checklist, similar to applying for a visa.
Your existing travel insurance doesn’t count. Even if you have comprehensive travel insurance from your home country, you still must purchase Tanzania’s mandatory coverage. Think of it as a supplementary policy specifically for Tanzania.
Regional travelers get a break. If you’re visiting from other East African Community countries (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan) or Southern African Development Community nations, you’re exempt from this requirement.
Budget impact varies by trip length. For a week-long safari, $44 adds about $6 per day to your costs. For a full 92-day adventure across Tanzania, it’s less than 50 cents per day.
No renewals available. If you’re planning to stay longer than 92 days, you’ll need to purchase a new policy. The insurance cannot be extended or renewed.
What This Means for Popular Tanzania Activities
Safari trips: Your game drives, camping, and lodge stays are covered. If a vehicle breaks down in the Serengeti and you need emergency evacuation, the insurance handles it.
Kilimanjaro climbing: Mountain rescue, altitude sickness treatment, and emergency evacuation from the mountain are included. This is significant, as specialized mountain rescue can cost thousands.
Zanzibar beaches: Water sports injuries, diving accidents, and medical care on the islands are covered. Since Zanzibar already requires this insurance (since October 2024), mainland visitors will now have the same protection.
Cultural tours and city visits: Medical care in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, or other cities is included, as well as protection against theft or accidents during urban exploration.
Business travel: The coverage applies whether you’re visiting for tourism or business, making it relevant for conferences, meetings, or work assignments.
Comparing Costs: Is $44 Worth It?
Consider what you’d pay for similar coverage from international insurers:
Standard travel insurance for a Tanzania trip typically costs $50-150 depending on your age, trip length, and coverage level. Tanzania’s $44 fee falls on the lower end but focuses specifically on essential protections.
Medical evacuation insurance alone can cost $100-300 for specialized coverage. Since Tanzania’s policy includes medical repatriation, you’re getting significant value.
Safari-specific insurance often costs extra because of the remote locations and adventure activities. Tanzania’s policy covers these automatically.
Hospital costs in Tanzania for foreigners can range from $100-500 per day for basic care, with emergency procedures costing thousands. The mandatory insurance eliminates upfront payments.
The mandatory nature means you can’t opt out, but the coverage level suggests you’re getting reasonable value for the fee.
When This Takes Effect and What You Need to Do
Tanzania’s Finance Minister announced this policy during the 2025/26 budget presentation, but implementation requires parliamentary approval. Based on the announcement timeline, expect this requirement to begin sometime in 2026.
Start planning now: Even though implementation is months away, factor this $44 fee into your Tanzania travel budget. If you’re booking a 2026 trip, include this cost in your planning.
Watch for updates: The exact purchase process, website, and implementation date will be announced as the policy moves through Tanzania’s legislative process.
Don’t double-insure unnecessarily: While you’ll still need your regular travel insurance for flights, cancellations, and pre-trip coverage, you can potentially reduce medical coverage since Tanzania will provide that.
Consider trip timing: If you’re planning multiple East African countries, you might want to visit Tanzania when this insurance requirement isn’t yet active, though the policy aims to enhance visitor protection.
Check exemptions: Verify whether your nationality qualifies for exemptions under East African Community or Southern African Development Community agreements.
Why Two Different Insurance Policies? Understanding Tanzania vs. Zanzibar
Before diving into the double payment issue, here’s what many travelers don’t realize: Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania operate as separate governments under one country. This isn’t just administrative complexity it’s why you’re dealing with two different insurance requirements.
The Political Reality:
- Tanzania mainland (Tanganyika): Governed from Dodoma, uses National Insurance Corporation (NIC)
- Zanzibar archipelago: Semi-autonomous region with its own government, uses Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC)
- One country, two systems: Similar to how Hong Kong operates within China
Why this matters for travelers:
- Different entry requirements (Zanzibar can set its own tourism policies)
- Separate insurance companies and systems
- Different implementation timelines (Zanzibar started in October 2024, mainland coming 2026)
- No automatic coordination between the two systems
The practical impact: When you fly into Kilimanjaro Airport for safari and later take a domestic flight to Zanzibar, you’re technically entering a different administrative region with its own rules even though you never left “Tanzania.”
The Double Payment Problem: What About Zanzibar?
Here’s the elephant in the room that many travelers are missing: If you’re visiting both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, you’ll likely pay $88 total, $44 for each region.
Based on current information, the two insurance policies appear to be separate:
Zanzibar insurance (already required since October 2024): Must be purchased from Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) and is mandatory for entering Zanzibar, even if you already have mainland Tanzania coverage.
Mainland Tanzania insurance (coming 2026): Will be a separate requirement through the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and private partnerships.
The confusing part: One source indicates that Zanzibar’s ZIC policy “gives 92 days worth of cover (and includes the mainland, even though Tanzania does not require” this coverage yet. However, multiple sources confirm that “it is indeed mandatory to purchase this ZIC insurance for Zanzibar, even if you have your own travel insurance that covers Tanzania and Zanzibar.”
What this means for your trip planning:
- Safari + Zanzibar combo: Budget for potentially $88 in insurance fees ($44 each)
- Mainland only: Just the new $44 Tanzania fee when implemented
- Zanzibar only: Just the existing $44 Zanzibar fee
The uncertainty factor: It’s unclear whether Tanzania’s mainland policy will recognize existing Zanzibar coverage or require separate purchase. This critical detail hasn’t been clarified in the policy announcement.
Bottom line: Until official clarification, budget for separate fees if visiting both regions. Your African dream trip just got potentially $88 more expensive, but the peace of mind and protection these policies provide may justify the cost especially if you consider what emergency medical evacuation from remote safari locations would cost without coverage.
