Don’t be Ignorant Traveler in East Africa!
We thought to put together some do’s and dont’s in East Africa so you save yourself potential embarrassment.
- First of all, you will have to get used to the fact that many people on general, dont have sense of personal space. Women like touching and admiring hair, specially if you have natural long hair, while men like to gently or less gently grab your hand during conversation. Dont take it personal or sign of harassment, its just their culture.
- Greetings are important to people, try to learn some basic Swahili greetings.
- On the beaches is not allowed to bathe topless and although there is no dress code is best to keep it simple and modest. (wearing long pants or long skirts)
- Homosexuality is not welcome, so dont publicly show any same sex affections.
- No expression of affection between straight couples
- During ramadan, the holy month, do not eat, smoke or drink alcohol nor water in public.
- In hotels with muslim management alcohol is prohibited but not in resorts.
- Bargaining on markets and local shops is expected but have reasonable limits, unless you want to insult the vendors. Its best to ask a local before shopping about the prices, so you can negotiate later.
- Some men show friendship by holding hands.
- Maasai people find it taboo to talk about unborn babies, so dont ask pregnant Maasai women about the unborn child.
- You will be called Mzungu – it is swahili meaning for foreigner. Staring to foreigners is totally acceptable, so is calling them Mzungu.
- Swahili Time is a little bit different than the time we know. In Swahili time, day has 12 hours and night 12 hours, which can confuse travellers. Day starts with sunrise and night starts with sunset. When arranging transport or any appointments in Tanzania, make sure you confirm the time in order to avoid confusion and delays.
- Driving in East Africa is on the left side.
- There is no such thing as full bus. There is always a place for more. Try taking dalla dalla /matatus/ and you will see!
- People on general are very religious and christians attend every Sunday a mass. You will be oftentimes asked about your religious views.
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It is prohibited to illegally remove wildlife products from Tanzania, remove corals, shells or to export products made from rhino, elephant or sea turtle derivatives.
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It is not permitted to photograph the president or any other military objects without prior permission.
- Show respect when photographing people, ask for permission first. Some will be happy to pose, some will reject you and others will let you take photos for small tip.
- Yes, stories about corrupted cops are true! Corrupted cops are reality in Africa. If you are self driving and you are white, expect to be stopped even for no reason. We are not saying all cops are dirty but probably there will come time when you will have to pay small sum of money just to let you go.
- Mob justice exists. If you are mugged on the street, or pickpockets steal something from you, dont make panic like its the end of the world as locals might start beating them till death or severe injuries.
These are helpful recommendations on a region I feel attracted to but don’t have visited so far, maybe just because of lack of knowledge. I will definitely go back to it, once before I plan a trip to East Africa. Some things seem to be the same as in other parts of the world, but some things seem to be unique like the time definitions. Very interesting to learn…
East Africa is so high up my bucket list. Thanks for the useful tips!
i´m not planning any trips to east africa yet. but your tips are very helpul. and i might need them someday 🙂
Great article! Just got back from Africa (Zanzibar, Victoria Falls, and South Africa) and this would have really come in handy beforehand haha. We definitely learned the meaning of “Africa time”…more like a time frame haha. It took lots of patience. Its such a different culture over there and i fell in love with it! Cant wait to return!
Your post reminded me of how much I enjoyed every single trip to Africa. Yes, there are cultural differences, but as long as you are polite and open to new experiences, it’s a wonderful region to visit. We’ll be back! Thanks for the tips.
It’s fascinating to see the differences between various cultures and what is considered acceptable and not. There’s a few things on this list that would make me crazy! (ie. Hair touching!) But I do agree that it’s important to be aware and flexible when you’re in a foreign country.
That’s really interesting! The term for foreigner reminded me of Ghana – I forget the word now but they would basically say ‘white person/man’ at us haha. And the hair thing – SO true! I always had my hair stroked and touched – at first it was a bit weird but I got used to it. I had braids done with extensions in Ghana and the woman was just amazed at my hair, it was quite amusing!
🙂 Looks like there is a word for a white person in each African language:)
I have heard that Mzungu is not exactly a flattering word. I’ve heard it’s meaning is something like ‘one who aimlessly walks around’. Preferably I’d rather be called mgeni,” which means foreigner, and also guest.
But reality is, tourists are mostly called Mzungu. Thats why i am always happy to hear someone calling me dada:)
Mzungu is not insulting at all! It translates to ‘one from England’. England is Uingereza/Uzunguni in Swahili hence Mzungu is Someone from England. Though the word is used to describe any white person but it is definately NOT
Actually mzungu means a white person… we love wazungu (in plural).
As stated by Samuel above. Mzungu is a term used to refer to any white person. Not an insult at all.
Hi… Am Kenyan. Just a clarification, mzungu means white person and am sorry you might fund it offensive but no offense is intended.
Please note the term “Mzungu” refers only to a ‘white person’ in Kiswahili. It is not a catch-all phrase for ALL foreginers. The word ” Mageni” signifies a visitor, both local and from abroad, and is more apt. [ from a Kenyan]
I am aware of that, although my asian friends were called Mzungu ,at least in Tanzania;)
I found “Your hurry is not my worry.” This means time has no meaning. A 10 am appointment may mean 2 pm or not at all…unless they choose otherwise..money involvement.
Loud music into the late hours is normal.
Church services can last a minimum of three to several hours.
It is rude to talk and eat. Eating fast is expected. Once you put your head up you are considered finished.
Showing open anger and frustration is not common in public. It is usually responded with silence or “So sorry”
Hi Carolyn, thanks for your additions. I totally agree, the only church service I attended once lasted from 9 am to 3 pm! It was exhausting:)
Neat list as reminders of how things can be different – thanks! I have enjoyed my visits to Tanzania and have never been offended by being called Mzungu. It’s only an insult if you let it be one 😉
I was enjoying your article till you mentioned the cops…. unfortunately getting stopped is an everyday occurrence for some black in America’s