Tanzania Currency

Tanzania Currency

It's that gorgeous, red-and-blue checked fabric that catches your eye more than anything else. Shuka, your guide says. You stare transfixed, as he explains the history of this traditional Maasai pattern. Your small group had travelled for ten days through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, having an experience of a lifetime, and this is your last day before returning to Arusha for your flight home. You're stopped at a Maasai market for some shopping. The merchant is radiant when you approach her, and she places your hand upon the soft fabric. You melt. This blanket is different; it's brilliant. Settling on a price, you reach for shillings and realize you barely have any left. In Arusha, everyone had gone to the ATM except you. You thought you had withdrawn enough shillings but now you're out. Luckily your group pools some cash and your walk away with this brilliant shuka over your shoulder, smiling but wishing you had been a bit more money-savvy from the start.

The official Tanzanian currency is the Tanzanian Shilling. We have coins for 50, 100, 200 and 500 shillings; and notes for 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10,000 shillings. The US Dollar is widely used, but may not be accepted in some establishments i.e. 2006 backwards. It is also important to note that most businesses that do accept US currency will not do so if it is torn or wrinkled. Notes must not be older than 2006, as local businesses will automatically reject these due to a past counterfeiting problem.