Tanzania Travel Tips: The 5 Ultimate Hangover Remedies for Zanzibar & Beyond

Love Tanzanian Food? Don’t Let a Hangover Steal the Spotlight

Tanzania is a dream for food lovers, from grilled lobster on the Zanzibar beaches to roasted meat by Mount Kilimanjaro. But nothing ruins those flavors faster than a stubborn hangover.

My dream vacations always involve a cold drink on a hot day at the beach. So, when I moved to Tanzania, I thought I was in heaven. Living walking distance from the beach in Dar es Salaam meant one thing: there was always a friend calling with a sundowner plan. However, one thing I learned quickly is that hangovers in Tanzania can be brutal.

Even without consuming alcohol, I was walking around half-dehydrated at any given time due to the heat. The region’s temperature fluctuates between 27.6°C (81.7°F) to 30.9°C (87.6°F), but what really pulls the rug out from under you is the humidity. One Saturday night spent with cold beers and rounds of shots was a quick trip to dehydration and a nasty hangover.

Tanzania is so hot, even the sun is sweating!

The truth is, the heat here is no joke. Even the breeze feels like it’s been sitting in the sun a little too long. With beach sundowners by the Indian Ocean, and the easy temptation of an ice-cold Kilimanjaro beer, it’s no surprise that travelers in Tanzania sometimes overdo it. Before you let a big night spoil your appetite for Tanzania’s incredible cuisine, here are the five best hangover cures to keep you beach-ready, safari-sharp, and hungry for more.

After 5 years of personal research, here’s five Tanzanian food-as-hangover-solutions that worked for me.

1. Zanzibar mix (Urojo)

Urojo is a Zanzibar food that most tourists don’t know about. I can’t even tell you what they put in the broth but trust me, it does the trick for hangovers. It basically seems to pull your stomach out of its funk and rebalance your insides.

• Urujo is often sold on tables on off the beaten-track street corners. In Stone Town Zanzibar, look behind the huge baobab near the ferry, or in an alley to the right of the Fort. In Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar mix is sold at Coco Beach in Oyster Bay.
• For less than $1 you get a full dish of soup with beef and bhajias and some crunchy stuff.
• You can also get mshikaki (beef skewers) to add protein.

Insider tip:Try Zanzibar mix (urojo) from several different places. I find that each vendor has a slightly different recipe.

2. Coconut

Fresh coconut is sold everywhere along the Tanzanian coast, from bike baskets on street corners in Dar es Salaam to roadside carts in Zanzibar. Coconut water (madafu) is the most accessible hangover remedy and very affordable at less than $1. I used to be one of those people who found the taste less than desirable, but after moving to Tanzania, I realized the magic of coconut water for hangovers.

• It’s full of potassium
• It tastes better than water.
• While coconut water is refreshing at any temperature, stick one in the fridge before your night out for a perfect cold drink in the morning.

Insider tip: After you finish the coconut water, ask the coconut seller to scrape out the inside coconut meat as an extra treat.

3. Chicken soup

When someone wrote that chicken soup is good for the soul, I always wonder if they ever thought of Tanzania. Chicken soup (supu ya kuku) is the ultimate traditional breakfast food of Dar es Salaam, and perfect for hangovers.

• The hot soup will make you sweat out your sins of the night before.
• The chapati on the side is the right amount of carb plus grease to fill you up.
• The chicken is always local, so while it’s a bit tough, it is worth the fight to chew just for the protein to give you energy during the heat of the day.

Insider tip: My favorite place in Dar es Salaam for “kuku soup” is Jackies in Masaki on the peninsula.

4. Stoney Tangawizi + Chips Mayai

Coca Cola hit the jackpot with this East African softie. Stoney Tangawizi is perfection in a bottle:

• A strong ginger flavor to ease any indigestion
• More sugar than a Fanta
• Plenty of bubbles to settle your stomach

This fizzy soda pairs well with chips mayai, a greasy omelet made with French Fries (chips). You can make it at home easily or find it at local restaurants throughout the day and night.

Insider tip: Take a bottle of Tangawizi with you on Zanzibar boat parties; I find that it’s good for seasickness.

5. Konyagi & tonic + Cassava

I know, alcohol to cure a hangover is generally a bad idea, but this remedy works. Konyagi is a local gin, packaged in an unusual-shaped glass bottle with a man flexing on it. You can find it sold in liquor stores, behind the bar, and often in little corner stores in Tanzanian mainland (but not in Zanzibar stores).

• The gin smooths out the hangover while the fizz of the tonic calms the stomach
• Add a ton of ice and lime juice to get water and Vitamin C into your system
• One drink will help you nap long enough to finish the hangover from the night before and wake up in time for sundowners. Cheers to that.

I enjoy Konyagi & tonic with either cassava crisps or roasted cassava (muhogo). Cassava has a very subtle flavor, easy for an iffy stomach, and you can also get the option of cassava with a sprinkle of spicy paprika.

Insider tip: Do like the locals do: Lie the Konyagi bottle down flat on the table instead of placing it upright.

Ready to Feel Human Again?

Use these tips and you’ll bounce back quickly, because Tanzania’s food and coastline are far too good to miss. These proven cures will make sure you’re ready for the next beach day, spice market wander, or safari drive in no time.

Key takeaways for your Tanzania travel:

• Drink water. This is pretty obvious, and while it’s always recommended globally, you really need to increase your water intake while on vacation in Tanzania and Zanzibar.
• Increase your sodium and potassium to rehydrate: In addition to coconut water, it’s easy to find green leafy vegetables, like mchicha, and fruit like oranges and watermelons to replace electrolytes naturally.
• Try the local mocktails: Tanzania has a large Muslim population, and many bars have a decent mocktail list as well as an extensive selection of fresh juices.

And one final insider tip: If someone suggests a “dawa,” just know: this “medicine” is really a lime-sugar-vodka shortcut to tomorrow’s hangover.

Curious to know more about what to eat and drink in Tanzania? Check out our Jiranileo Tanzania destination page for a downloadable guide to eating in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. Happy travels!