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Can you wear blue in Tanzania?

Wear neutral or khaki-colored clothing instead of dark blue or black, which tends to draw tsetse flies. Sunglasses, insect repellant, sunscreen, and wide-brimmed hats are essential. It's recommended that you wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites after dusk.



While you can physically wear blue in Tanzania, it is strongly advised that you avoid wearing dark blue or black, especially if you are going on a safari in areas like the Serengeti or Tarangire. This is because these specific dark colors are a primary attractant for tsetse flies, which are large, biting insects common in East Africa. Tsetse flies have a painful sting that can cause significant welts and, in some cases, transmit African Sleeping Sickness. Scientists believe these flies are attracted to dark colors because they mimic the shadows or hides of large animals like buffalo. In fact, many tsetse fly traps used by rangers are made of bright blue and black fabric to lure them in. To stay comfortable and safe, safari veterans recommend wearing "safari colors"—muted earth tones like khaki, olive green, beige, or light grey. These colors not only keep you cooler in the sun and help you blend into the landscape to avoid startling wildlife, but they are also much less attractive to the biting flies and mosquitoes that congregate in the bush.

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Tanzania is a country of mixed beliefs including Christianity and Islam, as well as a number of other conservative traditions and faiths. In Tanzania, modesty is the ideal and thus shorts and miniskirts as well as very tight clothing is considered inappropriate and quite provocative.

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Be aware of your surroundings. Do not leave your food or drink unattended. Stay alert in all locations, especially those frequented by Westerners. Avoid public displays of affection particularly between same-sex couples.

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Keep it simple with a smile, a hello, and a handshake. There's no need to rush this; the pace of life is much slower and emphasis on community and people is paramount.

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Wear neutral or khaki-colored clothing instead of dark blue or black, which tends to draw tsetse flies. Sunglasses, insect repellant, sunscreen, and wide-brimmed hats are essential. It's recommended that you wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites after dusk.

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Travellers should therefore not wear shorts or miniskirts in public places including markets and religious places, but can wear them while in the hotel, in swimming pool areas, as well as on game drives in national parks and reserves in Tanzania.

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Safaris are casual, so bringing fancy items to wear to dinner is unnecessary. Still, I like to change into something a little nicer for the evening. Because it was chilly and I was trying to avoid bug bites, I always wore long pants in the evening, typically pairing those with a long-sleeved shirt and my sweater wrap.

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Avoid bright colours like white and red and dark colours like black and blue as this can attract Tsetse flies. Keep it simple with layered clothing that you don't mind getting dirty and bring a woolly hat and gloves for those chilly morning game drives.

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Black clothes attract mosquitos and other insects. Additionally, trekking around the jungle under the Amazonian sun, wearing black clothes, will leave you tired and exhausted.

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Resembling a regular house fly, the tsetse fly is a species of biting insect native to Africa. They not only have a painful 'bite', but have also been known to transmit the thus far incurable African Sleeping Sickness.

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You should also bring a pair of lightweight, durable, waterproof shoes dependent on your activity and flip flops or sandals for use around the camp or in the shower. If your weight allowance is not maxed out, bring extra clothing to avoid laundry while on safari.

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