Money and budgeting
To get up to date exchange rates, consult the website of the Bank of Tanzania: www.bot-tz.org. In Arusha money and traveller’s cheques can be exchanged at banks and Bureaux de Change. There are ATM cash dispensing machines which accept Visa cards and Master cards at Barclays bank, NBC Bank and CRDB bank in Arusha, and NBC Bank in Karatu, and these are often working. There is no bank at Haydom. We advise you to bring dollars for the housing, safari and climbing trips from home. Bring enough cash to Haydom for your intended stay and trips as it is difficult to get local currency in Haydom. Traveller’s cheques are of no use here.
When you don’t want to travel with so much money, you can also transfer the money for the guest house to the following account: Haydom Lutheran Hospital, account number: 2801.09.50947, SWIFT code: AASPNO22, Sparebanken SOR, Mandal, Norway.
The lack of a bank at Haydom causes us some difficulties in financial dealings, and we ask for your understanding in this. Particularly:
- We request that any bills at Haydom should be settled in cash or bank transfer. Credit cards are of no use at Haydom.
- We regret that we can exchange foreign currency only in emergencies, at a fixed local rate
- You are advised to budget for the following expenses while at Haydom, and also take into account any other plans you may have after you leave:
o HLH guest house and meals bills
o Local shopping
o Travelling
o Permit expenses
o Organized trips and safari’s
o Other
- It is possible to pay your expenditures on the guesthouse by transferring money to one of our Norwegian bank accounts.
- Pay individually for bottled water, soft drinks etc.
- Internet, telephone: prices displayed in administration and Library internet café.
- Payments may be made in US Dollars or the equivalent in Tanzanian shillings.
- Personal use of Hospital Vehicle TZS 800 per km (US 70c) (if available).
Please make payment in the Accounts Department (Hazina) on the ground floor of the Administration building.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Mobile phones
There are several mobile phone networks in Tanzania.
At Haydom the following networks are available: ZAIN (CELTEL), TIGO and VODACOM.
You can purchase a Sim card and payment vouchers for prepaid calls quite easily and cheaply in Arusha, and usually at Haydom. However it is a good idea to have a mobile phone for the journey to Haydom, in case you need to contact us.
You can use a Tanzanian Sim card in your own mobile phone, but only if it has been “unlocked” from your usual network.
If you use your own mobile connection from Europe this is expensive, and advisable only in emergencies.