Food and water safety in Tanzania

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Quick summary

  • Tap water in Tanzania is not recommended for drinking
  • Bottled and filtered water is widely available across all destinations
  • Food safety is high across lodges, camps and hotels that cater to international travelers
  • Street food carries more risk but is generally fine with basic common sense

Water

Tap water in Tanzania is not recommended for drinking. Bottled water is widely available and provided as standard across all lodges, safari camps and hotels that we work with. On Kilimanjaro, your crew will provide boiled and filtered water throughout the climb. There is no reason to ever be without safe drinking water on a well organised trip.

Food

The food safety picture in Tanzania is much more straightforward than most travelers expect. Across the lodges, tented camps and hotels that cater to international visitors, food is prepared to a high standard and dietary requirements are accommodated with advance notice. On Kilimanjaro, meals are cooked fresh daily by trained mountain chefs. In Zanzibar, the dining scene ranges from local Swahili cuisine to high end international restaurants.

If you venture into local markets or try street food, basic common sense applies. Freshly cooked food served hot is generally fine. Raw vegetables washed in tap water and unpeeled fruit are worth being more careful with.

A note from Dakik

Food and water concerns are one of the most common things travelers worry about before arriving in Tanzania. In practice, it is rarely an issue on a well organised trip, and Tanzania has a food culture genuinely worth exploring. With a little awareness you will eat very well here.