If you are planning to travel to Tanzania, Below are some of the general information and tips you may need to know before traveling. For detailed information on Safari Holiday, Mountain Climbing or Beach holiday; feel free to Contact any of our holiday exports.
For all foreigners traveling to Tanzania require a visa (except from Nationals of East African Partner States), in order to acquire a Tanzanian visa, you need at least 6 months valid passport with at least one unused page for endorsement , two application forms, application fee (varies from $ 50), two passport size photograph and a safari itinerary.
Visa application can be done at your local Tanzanian embassy or upon arrival on any of the Tanzanian entry points, Check out with your local Tanzanian embassy if they do accept postal visa applications. At the entry point, visa payments can be done in local currency or equivalent amount in Dollas, Euros, GBP and Swiss Francs.
For onwards travelers planning to visit neighboring countries like Kenya and Uganda, you can purchase your visa, either from your local embassy or at the point of entry for about $ 50. Note: currently the east African countries are negociating on a single Visa for east African countries, so very soon you will only require a single visa to travel to various countries in east Africa.
There are no compulsory vaccinations required to visit Tanzania unless you are arriving from an area known to have Yellow Fever or other outbreaks, then you will be required to have a vaccination. For general health, it’s advisable to visit your personal doctor for proper information on which vaccine to take, we highly advice our clients to have an anti-malaria vaccine or tablets.
it’s not compulsory to have an insurance cover, but it’s good to have one just in case (especially for families and the elderly).
Tanzania is made up of mixed societies with majority being conservative; courtesy and good manners are advised especially in the rural areas and Islamic strong holds. For photographers, always ask permission before taking a picture of the local people.
In general it’s good to pack light casual wear , with a couple of shorts, T-shirts, light shoes/sandals to wear during the day and long sleeve T-shirts / shirts, trousers, a light jacket for the evenings. For more information on what to pack for a wildlife safari, refer to our Safari holiday section and for beach holiday refer on our Beach holiday section.
Tipping for good service in major places in Tanzania is customary although not a must, it's a good gesture of appreciation. In some hotels they add a service charge onto your bill that serve as tip to service given, so it’s good to check on the bill or ask before giving a tip.
Tanzania experiences more or less stable climate throughout the year; with long rainy season in mid-March to June and the short rains in October to December. The days are usually sunny and the nights are relatively cool except the coastal area that is humid throughout days and nights.
The temperature during the dry season (summer) would vary between 20°C to 34°C and the wet season (winter) between 18°C to 29°C. For more details on when is the best time for Safari or beach holiday, refer to our wildlife Safari page and Beach holiday for detailed information.
Tanzanian national currency is the Tanzania shilling; other major curries like USD, Euros and pounds are also widely used. Please note that due to the number of fake notes in circulation, US Dollar note printed before 2003 are not accepted in Tanzania (try carry notes printed after 2006).
There are several Banks and ATMs services in all major traveling destinations where Visa/master/American express cards are accepted. Currency exchange can be done at any local bank, bureau de change and in some authorized hotels.
Dar es Salaam International Airport (DAR) and Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) are the main airports in Tanzania, DAR is located about 12 Km southwest of Dar es Salaam city center and JRO is located 40 Km east of Arusha town and 30Km west of Mount Kilimanjaro. Both the airports serves as the main flight hubs for international flights in Tanzania.
Arusha Airport is a small airport located about 7km from the Arusha town center; it is mostly used for internal and private chartered flights to destinations such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and pemba Island
Other major airports include Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar, Dodoma Airport, Pemba Airport in Pemba island, Mbeya Airport, Mwanza Airport, Tanga Airport and Kigoma Airport; these are small airports, used by local flights and other smaller private jets and helicopters.
Road transfers from airports to hotels or to major destinations in Tanzania can be done in private mini buses, vans, taxis or hire private cars. For Safari game drives, due to the rough terrains; we recommend to use the 4WD cars with large sliding windows and a pop-up roof for viewing wildlife and the beautiful landscapes.
For local flights, airport transfers, Safari road drives or further information on transport; Contact our transport department.
International Flights
Local Flights
Tanzanian electricity supply is 240V with three pin plugs, the time difference is +3 GMT.
