Fees · Destination Guide
Tide-led coral diving, village islands and seasonal whale sharks
Key fee: Mafia Island Marine Park adult entrance
TZS 54,280 for non-East-African visitors above 16 (Big Blu 2026-27 sheet); some properties quote USD $23.60
per adult per day
Confirm these fees before you book so your operator plan and day budget match what you will pay onsite.
There is a meaningful distinction between official national entry/insurance requirements, Mafia Island Marine Park fees and operator/community excursion charges. Marine-park tariff pages are not fully public on the authority's login-gated portal, so the rates below are 2026-27 operator quotations rather than a live authoritative checkout quote. Big Blu rates lists TZS 54,280 per day for non-East-African visitors above 16, while Pole Pole quotes USD $23.60 per person per day. Both require direct reconfirmation of age, nationality, residency, daily count and park zone. Park payments are described as card-only at Utende. Some accommodations also apply a 1 percent tourism development levy; ask what is included in the quoted room rate.
| Fee | Amount | Applies to | Where to pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mafia Island Marine Park adult entrance | TZS 54,280 for non-East-African visitors above 16 (Big Blu 2026-27 sheet); some properties quote USD $23.60 per adult per day Daily; actual chargeable stay/day count needs park confirmation | Visitors staying or undertaking activities within the chargeable marine-park area | Mafia Island Marine Park gate near Utende; card payment reported; https://billing.marineparks.go.tz/visitor/login | Bring passport/qualifying ID for category rates. This fee is separate from dive boats, lodging, visa, insurance and some village fees. Other sheets express the quoted rate as USD $20 plus VAT. Do not treat this as a fixed universal national tourism tax. |
| Marine Park child, student and resident categories | Example Big Blu 2026-27 schedule: 5-15 non-East-African TZS 27,140; under 5 free; other local/resident/student categories vary Daily according to park's visitor category rules | Eligible children, residents, East African visitors or students | Park gate or MPRU visitor booking system | Do not infer which amount applies to a person exactly age 16, or accept a student rate without acceptable ID. Confirm official classification before payment. |
| Tourism Development Levy on eligible lodging | 1% of room tariff reported under the current lodging levy regime; confirm whether included Applicable qualifying lodging nights or accommodation charges | Relevant registered accommodation; not an island entry permit | Paid or collected through the accommodation according to its booking terms | A local lodge explicitly states 1% of net accommodation; older local rate sheets still print USD $1.50 per guest per night. Avoid conflating different tax eras and ask for the current itemized invoice. Local lodge. |
| Tanzania tourism visa, where required | Official guide: Ordinary Visa USD $50; US-passport tourist Multiple Visa USD $100 Nationality and visa class dependent; Ordinary generally up to 90 days, Multiple up to one year | Foreign passport holders who require a visa; exceptions and special categories apply | Where to pay | Government immigration requirements override travel-blog advice. A visa approval notice does not guarantee admission at the border. |
| Mandatory inbound insurance (new October 2026) | TZS equivalent to USD $44 per foreign adult per NIC mainland policy, subject to exemptions Up to 92 days per NIC policy conditions | Applicable foreign arrivals to the United Republic of Tanzania, depending on first point of entry and exemptions | NIC if first entering mainland: https://inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz; ZIC if first entering via Zanzibar | Effective October 1, 2026 on mainland, separate from private health, dive medicine and evacuation cover. Check NIC/ZIC policy rules and EAC/SADC resident exemption details. |
| Chole Island guided/community visit | Operator-reported community contribution USD $4 to USD $5, generally in addition to boat/guide Per person/visit where collected; provider terms vary | Selected Chole village and heritage walks | Through verified guide/operator and community visitor process | Big Blu prints a USD $4 community contribution excluded from its tour price; Butiama mentions USD $5. Amount and allocation are not an official MPRU-wide tariff. Verify on the day. |
| Juani Kua ruins/lagoon village contribution | Big Blu 2026-27 excursion sheet quotes USD $4 community fee excluded; other guide rates may differ Per excursion as applicable | Kua/Juani guided heritage excursions where required | With local authorized guide/host | Historic structures and conservation lands may have additional access restrictions. Never enter a sensitive or closed site merely because an operator lists it. |
| Examples of 2026-27 optional activity prices | Big Blu quotes USD $90 double-tank boat dive, USD $20 Chole Bay snorkel and USD $70 seasonal whale-shark snorkel Published operator schedule 15 Jun 2026 through 31 Mar 2027; not live availability | Relevant booked excursion; qualification and minimum group conditions vary | Directly through dive operator | Marine-park daily fee and some gear/community surcharges excluded. Whale-shark boat trips operate on seasonal, weather-dependent windows with no sighting guarantee. |
Fee
Daily; actual chargeable stay/day count needs park confirmation
Bring passport/qualifying ID for category rates. This fee is separate from dive boats, lodging, visa, insurance and some village fees. Other sheets express the quoted rate as USD $20 plus VAT. Do not treat this as a fixed universal national tourism tax.
Daily according to park's visitor category rules
Do not infer which amount applies to a person exactly age 16, or accept a student rate without acceptable ID. Confirm official classification before payment.
Applicable qualifying lodging nights or accommodation charges
A local lodge explicitly states 1% of net accommodation; older local rate sheets still print USD $1.50 per guest per night. Avoid conflating different tax eras and ask for the current itemized invoice. Local lodge.
Nationality and visa class dependent; Ordinary generally up to 90 days, Multiple up to one year
Government immigration requirements override travel-blog advice. A visa approval notice does not guarantee admission at the border.
Up to 92 days per NIC policy conditions
Effective October 1, 2026 on mainland, separate from private health, dive medicine and evacuation cover. Check NIC/ZIC policy rules and EAC/SADC resident exemption details.
Per person/visit where collected; provider terms vary
Big Blu prints a USD $4 community contribution excluded from its tour price; Butiama mentions USD $5. Amount and allocation are not an official MPRU-wide tariff. Verify on the day.
Per excursion as applicable
Historic structures and conservation lands may have additional access restrictions. Never enter a sensitive or closed site merely because an operator lists it.
Published operator schedule 15 Jun 2026 through 31 Mar 2027; not live availability
Marine-park daily fee and some gear/community surcharges excluded. Whale-shark boat trips operate on seasonal, weather-dependent windows with no sighting guarantee.