Zanzibar's Mandatory Travel Insurance and Your Safari
What Zanzibar's mandatory entry insurance costs and how to buy it, how it works with mainland Tanzania's rule from 1 October 2026, and why a Mikumi safari still needs your own cover.
If you are visiting Zanzibar, there is a government requirement to deal with before you arrive: mandatory inbound travel insurance. It is simple to sort out, and since 1 October 2026 mainland Tanzania has its own version, which matters for anyone planning a Mikumi day trip: you buy one policy, for the place you land first, and it is still not safari cover.
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Here is what you need to know, with the safari side made clear.
What it is
Since 1 October 2024, every non-resident visitor to Zanzibar has been required to hold inbound travel insurance issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). The scheme is now well established and enforced at the border. You can be refused entry without it, so it is not optional.
The essentials, as published in 2026:
- Cost: $44 per adult and $22 for children aged 3 to 17. The youngest children are covered free (most sources put the cut-off at under 3, a few at under 2).
- Validity: 92 days from the day you arrive in Zanzibar.
- Coverage: emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation, with some cover for accidents and travel disruption.
- Who needs it: all non-resident visitors arriving by air or sea, children included. It is required even if you already hold your own comprehensive travel insurance.
The part that matters for your safari
On a Mikumi day trip you fly from Zanzibar to mainland Tanzania and back the same day. Since 1 October 2026 the mainland has its own mandatory inbound insurance, set by Government Notice No. 256 of 2026: $44 per person, valid for up to 92 days, and sold by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) to visitors who land on the mainland first.
You do not need to buy that one as well. The UK Foreign Office puts it plainly: “You only need to buy insurance for your first port of entry, either mainland Tanzania or Zanzibar.” NIC says the same about Zanzibar arrivals: a visitor who entered through Zanzibar with valid cover there can travel on to the mainland without buying the mandatory insurance again. So if you land in Zanzibar, the ZIC policy is the only government policy you need, including on the day at Mikumi. Keep the certificate or QR code on your phone on safari day.
The rule settles entry, not cover. Neither government policy is designed as safari insurance, and the ZIC policy’s published scope is emergency medical care, evacuation and repatriation. For the flight, the game drive and the knock-on costs if weather disrupts your plans, you are relying on your own travel insurance.
That is why a safari day-tripper needs both: the ZIC policy to get into Zanzibar (it also meets the mainland rule), and a comprehensive personal policy that covers you on the flight and on the mainland.
Why you still need your own travel insurance
The mandatory Zanzibar policy is narrow by design. It exists so that visitors can get emergency medical care without burdening local services. It was never meant to be a full travel insurance policy, and it leaves real gaps:
- Not safari cover, the big one for safari-goers: it meets the entry rules on both sides of the channel, and that is all it is designed to do
- Limited scope for trip cancellation, missed connections, and lost or delayed baggage
- Coverage limits that may fall short of a serious medical evacuation
- Light-aircraft and adventure-activity cover, which your own policy needs to handle
Your own comprehensive travel insurance is what covers the safari day itself, the flight, and the knock-on costs if a weather cancellation disrupts your onward travel. See Free Cancellation and What Happens if Weather Grounds Your Flight. Before you travel, check that your personal policy covers Tanzania with the mainland included, light-aircraft flights, and safari activities. None of the safari listings on this site include travel insurance in the price, which is one of the costs our cost breakdown adds back in.
How to buy the mandatory insurance
The process is simple, but use the official channel:
- Go to the official Zanzibar tourism portal, visitzanzibar.go.tz. Use only this site. Copycat and unofficial sites circulate around schemes like this, so avoid anything that is not the official government portal.
- Enter your details, making sure the spelling matches your passport exactly, and select the individual, family or group option.
- Pay the fee.
- You will receive a receipt and a QR code by email. Keep it where you can reach it.
- Show the QR code at immigration on arrival, alongside your visa. It is checked at both the airport and the ferry terminal.
Buy it in advance, not on arrival. Guidance suggests buying at least a few days before you travel, and the time you sort out your visa is a sensible moment to do it. Buying online avoids the queues, and the risk of a system outage at an airport kiosk leaving you stuck at immigration.
Who’s exempt
The requirement applies to non-resident visitors. Residents are exempt, and the youngest children are covered free and do not need a paid policy. Age brackets and any other exemption categories are set by the authorities and can change, so check the official portal for the current position if your situation is unusual.
Common problems to avoid
- Using an unofficial website. Only visitzanzibar.go.tz. Anything else risks losing your money on a worthless document.
- Mismatched passport details. The name and passport number on your policy must match your passport exactly, or you may hit problems at immigration.
- Wrong dates. Double-check your arrival and departure dates when you buy.
- Leaving it to the last minute. Buy a few days ahead so any payment or system problem can be fixed before you fly.
- Treating it as safari insurance. It gets you through the entry rules; your own policy covers the safari. This is the one to remember.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need this insurance if I already have my own travel insurance? Yes. It is a government entry requirement and is mandatory whatever other insurance you hold.
Does the mandatory Zanzibar insurance cover my Mikumi safari? It covers the entry rule: since 1 October 2026 a ZIC policy bought for Zanzibar also satisfies mainland Tanzania’s insurance requirement, so you do not buy a second policy for the day trip. It is not safari cover, though. The flight and the game drive need your own comprehensive travel insurance.
Do I need mainland Tanzania’s new insurance for a Mikumi day trip? Not if you arrived in Zanzibar first and hold the ZIC policy. The UK Foreign Office and NIC both say you buy the mandatory insurance once, for your first port of entry.
How much does it cost? $44 per adult and $22 for children aged 3 to 17, with the youngest children covered free, as published in 2026.
Where do I buy it? Only through the official portal, visitzanzibar.go.tz. Avoid any other website.
When is it checked? At immigration on arrival, at both the airport and the ferry terminal, using the QR code you receive when you buy it.
Can I buy it on arrival? Sometimes, at airport kiosks, but buying online in advance is strongly advised to avoid queues and system problems that could delay your entry.
Ready to book the day across the channel? Every safari we list carries free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Compare them all.
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