Visa and Money Matters
Passport and Visa
If you already have a passport, make sure it’s valid for the duration of the trip and AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AFTER YOU DEPART ON YOUR TRIP! As of last summer, U.S. citizens do not need a visa for travel to Kenya. Visas are required for travel in Tanzania. A visa for Tanzania visa can be purchased in advance by downloading an application from Travel Visa. For the most up-to-date information visit Project Visa.
Alternatively, one can also simply purchase a visa at the Kenya- Tanzania border crossing- both at the airport and overland ports of entry). A cash payment of $50 is needed- U.S. currency only.
Make two photocopies of all your most important travel documents (passport, health cards, other ID and credit cards). Leave one copy in a safe place and separate location as you travel, such as your hotel room. Leave the second set with a close relative or good friend in case of an emergency. Consider scanning these documents into a digital file that you can store over email or on a small USB flash drive that can be easily carried on a small digital storage device such as amemory USB flash drive. Remember that at hotels and lodges we will have access to computers and the Internet.
Currency Matters
All basic trip expenses will be covered including transportation, food, and lodging. Gifts, curios, alcohol and other personal expenses are not included. We recommend that you also take some dollars cash and spare travelers checks for maximum flexibility. The recommend amount is $500 in traveler’s checks and a minimum of $300 (3x’s 100) cash. American Express, Thomas Cook, and Citibank check are the most widely used and their offices generally offer instant replacement in the event of loss or theft. Keep records of check numbers and the original bill of sale in a safe, separate place. Replacement is much quicker if you produce this information.
There is an American Express agent in Mombasa. Credit Cards, American Express, Diner’s Club, Visa, and MasterCard, are all widely accepted. You must use your pin to obtain access to ATMs with your cards so please record and keep you pin numbers in a safe place.
Before your trip, determine which credit cards you would like to use during the trip. For the sake of security, bring only these cards with you. Please remember to notify your credit card company of your travel beforehand as they may block access to your card if they suspect theft. It is also a good idea to jot down credit card customer service numbers in the case of loss or theft and keep them with your photocopied document papers. Alert the card companies that you will be using these cards in a foreign country. They will ask for the exact dates of your trip and all the countries that will be visited, so have this information ready. Carry a hard copy of the phone numbers of all the companies associated with the cards you will be using. These are important in case of questions or emergencies. Track all of your purchases in detail and get a receipt for each purchase. These will be vital in case your card number is lost or stolen. Call the companies again after your trip to ensure they close your card to foreign use.
Tipping
Although many of our hotels and lodges include a service charge that is pre-paid in your deposit, it is still a nice customary gesture to tip for good service. The recommended figures on tipping are as follows:
- Hotel porters: $1-$2
- Waiters/Waitresses: $1-$2
- Drivers (a daily tip rate at the end of the trip will be discussed and determined).
Note: You should only tip if you are satisfied with the services rendered!
Bargaining
Many purchases involve some degree of bargaining (outside of formal store and gift shops). This is always the case with things bought from a market, street stall, or craft shops. In East Africa, commodities are looked upon as being worth what their owners can get for them. You are expected to bargain. Remember to have a good time with this business engagement bargain- it’s part of the fun!
In most cases bargaining is conducted in a friendly, sometimes exaggeratedly extroverted manner. Some generally accepted rules: It’s important to know when to bargin: many merchants enjoy bartering and make their living off tourists, but in some situations, attempting to haggle is rude. Customs vary by country and region, but some general tips apply. If taxis do not use meters, then you can and should work out a price before driving off. In other situations, it’s best to observe those around you; if they are bargaining, you can too. Usually, merchandise without a labeled price is fair game, but sometimes you can bargain for tagged merchandise as well. If you’re not sure, ask “Is that your lowest price?†or inquire about discounts. The following tips will help you cut deals against even the most hardened hawkers:
Start low (try starting at half the stated price). Never feel guilty offering what seems to be a ridiculously low price, as many merchants automatically quote prices that are several times too high.
Try to do some initial research: decide what you want to pay or what others have told you they’ve paid. If the shopkeeper is unwilling to lower their price it means others have paid more in the past. In most cases, you have similar luck with another vendor nearby. Don’t be concerned about moving on if you do not reach an agreed upon fair price. You will quickly find that street bargaining is an excellent experiment in economics and diplomacy! After visiting four or five stalls you will quickly learn what the market will bear and you relative position within it (most will even shopkeepers borrow and lend each other merchandize publicly).
Use your poker face. The less your face betrays your interest in the item, the better. Coming back again and again to admire a trinket is a good way to ensure that you’ll overpay. Stay cool, and don’t be afraid to point out flaws in workmanship or design.
Do your homework. Check the quality of the item you’re buying, staying on guard for false documents, and determine how much it should cost. If you can’t tell, you can try to watch other customers to gauge what is appropriate. Before you start haggling, decide on a maximum and target price to keep from paying too much.
Come prepared with bills in small denominations. If you tell a vendor that you can’t pay more than a certain price because you don’t have the money with you, then you’ll need to produce bills that add up to the right amount—you won’t be receiving change.
Barganing with more than one person always leads to a lower price. Have a friend pretend to discourage you from your purchase—if you seem reluctant, the merchant will drop the price to interest you again. Try to bring a local or native-speaking friend: if these people don’t appear to be tourists, vendors may slash prices more readily.
Refuse any vendor or driver who bargains rudely; don’t hesitate to move on to another vendor if one will not be reasonable. Turn away slowly with a smile and a “thank you†upon hearing a ridiculous price—the price may plummet.
Don’t bargain for sport. Keep in mind that starting to bargain without an intention to buy is a major faux pas. Agreeing on a price and declining it is also poor form.
Current Currency Exchange Rates (Feb. 2007)
Conversion Table: USD to TZS (Interbank rate)
Time period: 12/01/07 to 02/19/08.
Average (19 days): 1178 High: 1160 Low: 1122
Daily averages:
02/01/2008,1194.51 02/02/2008,1192.99 02/03/2008,1198.50 02/04/2008,1194.51 02/05/2008,1183.25 02/06/2008,1183.49 02/07/2008,1179.11 02/08/2008,1183.30 02/09/2008,1172.90 02/10/2008,1171.70 02/11/2008,1171.70 02/12/2008,1172.51 02/13/2008,1171.57 02/14/2008,1174.15 02/15/2008,1175.51 02/16/2008,1166.91 02/17/2008,1163.80 02/18/2008,1163.40 02/19/2008,1168.57