How Does ATMs & Cash Work in Tanzania?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Africa & Oceania
1The Quick Answer
CRDB and NMB ATMs in Arusha and Dar es Salaam reliably accept foreign cards, but cash — especially USD — is essential as ATMs are absent in national parks.
2What You Need to Know
CRDB Bank, NMB Bank, and Standard Chartered Tanzania are the most reliable ATM networks for foreign Visa and Mastercard withdrawals in the major cities. National parks including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro have no ATMs whatsoever — all park fees, tips, and additional purchases must be covered with cash you carry in. USD is widely accepted alongside TZS for tipping and large transactions; crisp, post-2009 USD notes in good condition are preferred and pre-2009 notes are often refused. In Zanzibar, ATMs are available in Stone Town but can run out of cash during peak season. Always carry a cash reserve before heading to remote areas.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Withdraw a generous TZS and USD cash supply in Arusha before entering any northern circuit national park — assume you will have no ATM access for the duration of your safari.
- 2Inform your bank of your travel dates before departure to prevent cards being blocked on first use at a Tanzanian ATM.
- 3USD notes must be post-2009 issue and in perfect undamaged condition — take new bills from your bank at home and keep them flat and clean.
Important Warning
Many Tanzanian ATMs have low withdrawal limits per transaction (around TZS 400,000–500,000, roughly USD 150–200) — you may need multiple transactions at different machines to get sufficient cash before a safari.
How does this compare?
ATMs & Cash rules in nearby and similar countries:
Standard Bank, ABSA, FNB, and Nedbank ATMs accept foreign cards; only use ATMs inside banks or malls during business hours to avoid robbery.
Contactless card payment is universal in New Zealand — cash is rarely needed, but ATMs from major banks accept foreign cards.
Carry USD cash — resorts are mostly card-friendly but local islands and smaller guesthouses often require cash, and ATMs are scarce outside Malé.
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