Visiting Tanzania? What an adventure!
Tanzania is one of the most incredible and diverse countries on planet earth (we should know!), but as a tourist, it can be a tricky country to navigate and there’s a lot you’ll wish you knew before you get here. That’s why our list of essential Tanzania travel tips is not only a must-have, it’s a must-save so that you’re 100% prepared from the moment you step off the plane (or cross the border, if that’s how you’re doing it!).
We’re a Tanzanian-owned company, but we know how it feels to be a tourist in a place you’re new to, and that’s why we want to help. Our list of essential tips is designed to be EVERYTHING you need to navigate Tanzania as a beginner, and really make it that unforgettable trip you’ll be talking about for years to come.
Let’s get into it!
โจ Planning a trip to Tanzania? We recommend you start with this 2 week itinerary and guide from That Travel!
Table of Contents
Essential Tanzania travel tips
1. Getting to Tanzania: where to fly to
There are two main ways to get to Tanzania from elsewhere: flying and overland. If arriving by air, the easiest airports to fly into are:
โ Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) – this is the airport we recommend to fly into for your safari trips! Typically, this is the airport most visitors will use for the safari parks, as it’s about 1 hour away from Arusha, the city you’ll usually stay in before a safari.
โ Zanzibar (ZNZ) – obviously the main airport for Zanzibar island
โ Dar es Salaam (DAR) – this is another big international hub, however it is not very close to the well-visited tourist areas. You can take a 2 hour ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar and it’s nice and easy ride, so this is a viable airport if you are going to Zanzibar and can’t get flights there
You can also easily fly to Nairobi if you’ll be in the Northern side of Tanzania, as it’s pretty easy to get from Kenya to Tanzania.
โ Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) – Nairobi is also a good option and you have a much wider choice of direct flights.
2. How to overland to Tanzania
You can very easily overland from Kenya to Tanzania and it might save you money. A Kenyan transit visa is reasonable in price (usually $20, but you need to apply here through the official website), which you can use if you spend less than 3 days in Kenya. Pre-book your bus from Nairobi to Arusha (Use 12Go or Busbud to compare prices) and away you go!
The trip takes around 6 hours (including the border stop) and is usually quite easy, as the drivers will tell you exactly what to do with your bags. If you keep your eyes peeled out of the windows, you might see some safari animals, like giraffes, on the side of the road.
Coming from other countries to Tanzania isn’t generally difficult either, though you may need to be patient with East African buses.
3. A Tanzanian e-visa is not essential but recommended
Around 160 countries can now apply for an online visa or do not need a visa at all for Tanzania. You can find the list of countries which cannot apply for the online visa here. Many nationalities can also get a visa on arrival, but we recommend to apply for a Tanzanian e-visa as it will save you a lot of stress and time on arrival. Apply around 2 months in advance so that you are well prepared, but don’t apply earlier than this or your visa won’t be valid for travel.
Typically, visitors are granted 30 days entry, though this is relatively easy to extend to 90 days. You need to visit a consulate in person to extend (but they have them in most towns). If you’re having trouble with your Tanzanian e-visa (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), I made a full guide to help out first timers (and return visitors!), which you can read here.
4. Check you have all the other documents you’ll need
Everyone knows you need a visa to enter Tanzania, but you need some other things too! Here are all of the documents you need:
๐ Your passport with at least one spare page
๐ Your visa but you usually need to have it printed. If you are arriving overland, you definitely need a printed version of your visa*, and they do usually ask for it at the airport too.
๐ A yellow fever certificate – not every customs officer will ask for this but it does happen, especially when overlanding
๐ฉบ ZIC medical insurance – this is specific to Zanzibar. You need to apply for this here to enter the island, whether coming via sea or air.
*There is a print station at the Nairobi-Arusha border, most Tanzanian airports and most other borders too, but they are usually chargeable. I would recommend still to have it printed to save you a lot of time and potential hassle!
Don’t skip printing your visa or leave any of the other documents behind, as it could result in you being denied entry to Tanzania!
5. A little Swahili goes a long way
A misconception we hear often about Tanzania is that ‘everybody speaks English’. This is actually not true at all in Tanzania! A lot of people do of course speak English (mostly people working in the tourism industry), but there are plenty of local shop keepers and restaurant owners (especially the older generation) who only speak Swahili and/or their own tribal language.
Of course, if you’re only going to Zanzibar and the safari parks, then you might not need much Swahili, but Tanzanian people really do value and appreciate the effort if you can learn a few words and phrases. It’s really not a difficult language, and a little goes a long way, especially greetings.
6. The ‘best time to visit’ really varies
‘High season’ (in other words, dry season) in Tanzania is between September and October and while that’s a wonderful time to visit Tanzania, it’s certainly not the only time. The migration happens at this time of year, but the migration actually happens throughout the Serengeti all year!
January – February and November – December – these are generally hot, dry months in Tanzania and make up part of their short rainy season. That means you can expect rainy spells at certain times of day, especially in November and December, but that the rain shouldn’t generally get in the way of your trip! Calving season for wildebeest is in January and February, so it’s a great time to visit.
March – May – this is Tanzania’s rainiest season and it is quite wet, especially in Arusha and Zanzibar. You can expect fairly torrential downpour most evenings, but the day time is usually quite dry! Safari is, however, really nice during this season as it’s very green, and you have a great chance of seeing lots of babies!
June – October – Tanzania’s long, dry season and a great time to visit. Weather is generally dry and rain is rare.
Bear in mind it’s also a huge country and the weather really does vary throughout. The North East (Arusha and Kilimanjaro area) is generally cooler and sometimes wetter, the North West (safari parks and Lake Natron) can be very hot, but also wet in wet season, the South is generally much hotter and drier than the rest of the country.
If I had to pick a time to visit Tanzania? I’d go in January for the wildebeest calving.
7. Pick an ethical safari provider that cares about wildlife and people!
Safaris are our jam and we love them. They’re the reason a lot of people choose to visit Tanzania, however it’s ever more important to make sure we are experiencing safaris in a way that benefits both Tanzania’s amazing wildlife and its diverse array of people. Whether you decide you travel with us or not, we highly recommend investing in a company that has considered the following:
๐ฐ Fair wages. Many guides in Tanzania are sadly still not paid fairly and this may incentivise them to act unethically in the hope of getting higher tips, such as driving off paths to get closer to wildlife, chasing wildlife or disturbing wildlife’s natural behaviour for photographs. It’s not necessarily that more expensive companies are best, but it’s good to choose ones that are supporting guides on fair wages so they don’t do this. We pay our guides the highest living wage in Tanzania (and of course cover all of their expenses!), and we reassess it annually to ensure we never undercut them or force them to rely on tips.
โก Community displacement. The Maasai and other Indigenous communities in Tanzania have often been displaced from ancestral lands like Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Loliondo district to make way for ‘conservation projects’ and high end hotels. The Maasai conserve and steward these lands very well by themselves and it’s not fair to remove them in the name of conservation. For this reason, we try to avoid foreign owned hotels, especially those built on Maasai land (where possible) and we support and stay with Maasai communities and other tribes wherever we can.
๐ Tourism leakage. Many safari companies are not owned by Tanzanian people in Tanzania, and it’s often international billionaires who profit most. Choosing a local company can help keep your money within the country and benefitting the people who need it most. Tanzania Local Safaris is a Tanzanian-owned company, keeping as much of our profits as possible within Tanzania. We have a 100% Tanzanian team on the ground, with only one member of staff (Emma, our sales advisor) not based in Tanzania.
โ Environmental concerns. Besides the behaviour disturbing wildlife, which often crops up because of unfair wages, there have been some serious environmental concerns in Tanzania lately. This is not least because of the building of an airport in the Serengeti (sure to pollute the area and cause issues for the wildlife), but also because of the same underpaid guides blocking migration routes (wildebeest etc) to help tourists get better photos. Our guides are all fully educated on how to interact ethically with the wildlife and keep our trips as sustainable as possible.
Choose a company doing the right thing, and educate yourself on how to handle unethical safari practices before you book.
8. Safari and Zanzibar are great, but there’s more!
Tanzania really has some amazing places that so few international tourists visit, because they stick to the main tourist areas of Zanzibar and the safari parks. Of course, Zanzibar and the safaris are amazing – that’s why they’re popular! But if you visit a few other areas, your reward will be some truly fantastic and unique finds, such as:
๐๏ธImpressive mountains – choose from magnificent Kilimanjaro (the most popular but also the most expensive), Mount Meru, Ol Doinyo Lengai (a very difficult hike near the safari parks), the Usambara range and many others besides.
๐คฟDiving and snorkelling – everyone knows about Zanzibar but Tanzania’s snorkelling and diving goes far beyond this. On the elusive Mafia island for example, you can see incredible underwater life, including sometimes whale sharks. Please always ensure your tour provider is ethical, not feeding the whale sharks and allowing them enough space.
๐๏ธAncient ruins – Tanzania has plenty! Perhaps the most famous of these are in Kilwa down South, but there are also ruins in Tanga and near Singida
๐ Lakes – Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and lots of others to choose from! All beautiful, especially at sunset.
๐ฆChimpanzees – though you won’t currently find gorillas in Tanzania, did you know they have chimps?! Read all about my amazing experience in Gombe Stream National Park here.
9. The public transport network is extensive
Though Tanzania is massive, we have a surprisingly great public transport network. You don’t need to fly everywhere! The bus network is extensive and we even have trains in certain areas of the country too. We also have a pretty reliable ferry network going in and out of Zanzibar, which isn’t too difficult to navigate.
What I love even more is that you can now book most buses in advance online, which makes things so much easier. Check 12Go or Busbud to compare and book the buses you need there, plus you get all of the information (departure point, estimated duration, bus company) in advance so it’s really simple. Love it.
10. Budget travel is possible
People are often surprised by how ‘expensive’ Tanzania is, but it absolutely can be done on a budget!
The areas of Tanzania that tourists tend to visit are pricey and unfortunately, those prices are usually quite inaccessible to local communities. Why? Because most safari parks (sadly) are owned by wealthy foreigners, who understand the premium they can charge for beautiful accommodation in a very unique area of the world. This is also the case for a lot of the resorts in Zanzibar.
Tanzania Local Safaris tend to stick to locally (Tanzanian) owned accommodation for exactly that reason. SOME might be a little different from the style of the internationally-owned hotels and safari lodges. perhaps a little more basic, but no less hospitable and delicious. That said, we also find luxury and mid-range Tanzanian-owned accommodation. The best way to get the price you want is to speak to us directly and be honest about your budget, that way we can help you find exactly the price you’re willing to pay.
11. Staying safe in Tanzania
Tanzania is generally a safe country, and most people are friendly and welcoming towards tourists, however as with anywhere, you’ll want to take some sensible precautions.
๐ Avoid being out after dark in cities. Of course, this varies from place to place, but we recommend that tourists do not wander around cities at night. It’s easy to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, so if you want to go outside, ask one of our guides to help you out.
๐ Watch your belongings in busy areas. This is not exclusive to Tanzania and is just to protect you against pickpockets. Likewise, as a tourist, it’s not wise to wear flashy jewellery or show off expensive tech, but again, this is very normal in most parts of the world.
๐ค๐ฝ Just say no firmly if you don’t want to be hassled. In cities like Arusha/Dar es Salaam/Zanzibar City, you might be approached as people try to sell you tours. This is generally harmless but it is usually best either to ignore it completely or just say ‘no thank you’ (hapana asante in Swahili). If they become very insistent, you can walk into a shop and wait for a while to try and shake them off.
๐ฉบ Take out travel insurance. You will always regret not having it way more than you’ll regret spending the money. I like SafetyWing, which is a pay as you go affordable options, or World Nomads, who are really comprehensive.
12. Don’t skip Tanzanian food
Tanzanian culture is incredibly hospitable, and you’ll quickly discover that people are always keen to make sure you’ve eaten. Being offered food is a huge part of daily life, and thankfully Tanzanian cuisine is absolutely delicious. In fact, Swahili food is one of East Africa’s most underrated culinary traditions. Here are some dishes you shouldn’t miss:
Vitumbua, nusu keki and maandazi
These popular snacks are all variations of fried dough and sweet treats. Perfect with a cup of chai, they’re sold across the country and well worth trying.
Maindi
One of Tanzania’s most popular street foods. Simply grilled corn on the cob, but somehow it tastes far better than it has any right to. You’ll find vendors selling it almost everywhere.
Urojo
A speciality of Zanzibar, urojo is a rich soup made with potatoes, spices and a tangy mango flavour. It may sound unusual, but it’s packed with flavour and is a must-try while on the island.
Mishkaki
Tanzania’s answer to a barbecue skewer. These grilled meat kebabs are commonly made with goat or beef and are a favourite snack across the country.
Chapati and chai
A classic Tanzanian breakfast. Fresh chapati served alongside sweet, milky chai is a morning staple, and you’ll spot it on breakfast menus throughout the country.
Wali maharage
Beans and rice is a simple but satisfying dish found across East Africa. In Swahili, wali means rice, and it can also be served with a variety of accompaniments, such as kuku (chicken), samaki (fish) or ng’ombe (beef).
Njegere
A hearty dish made from green peas and lentils, often cooked with spices and coconut. While it may seem like a strange time, it’s commonly eaten with chai and chapati for breakfast, although you’ll find it served at lunch too.
Food is an important part of Tanzanian culture, so I’d encourage you to be adventurous and try as many local dishes as possible. This is especially true in Zanzibar, where African, Arab, Indian and Persian influences have created one of the most diverse and flavourful food cultures in East Africa.
13. Consider the dress code: be respectful
Tanzania is predominantly a Christian country, but we also have a large Muslim population, particularly in the South and in Zanzibar. As a country, we see a lot of tourists and we are generally very accepting and understanding of a lot of tourist cultures, but it’s really important to respect the local culture too. Tanzanian dress is generally quite conservative, so tourists can show respect by not dressing in revealing clothing.
This is especially problematic in Zanzibar, and there have even been cases of locals there having to put up signs asking tourists to dress more respectfully. Zanzibar has many beaches, so people often think they can dress however they want even in cities, but this is not OK.
What’s interesting is Zanzibar actually does have a proper dress code, you can find out more about it here!
14. Pack wisely
As mentioned above, Tanzania is a HUGE country, much bigger than many people realise, and therefore you not only have the diversity of religion to think of, but also the diversity of weather! The climate can really vary from North to South, particularly between Arusha and Kilimanjaro (Tanzania’s coolest regions) and Zanzibar (hot and tropical!).
Not only that but if you’re taking a safari in Tanzania, then you might need different clothes again, including neutral coloured clothing, with long sleeves and legs that keeps out the mosquitoes and tsetse flies.
I would recommend a range of clothing, including layers, light clothing, warm clothing and clothing that covers you up! A capsule wardrobe is usually a life saver for this kind of thing.
15. Timekeeping is questionable in Tanzania
Tanzania really subscribes to Tanzania Flexible Time, the so-called TFT! It’s not a case of being rude. In Tanzania, we actually do tell time a little differently. In Swahili, there are actually 12 morning hours, and 12 evening hours. The ‘first hour’ of the morning (saa moja) begins at 7am, and the first hour of the evening (a little confusingly, also called saa moja) is at 7pm. Time run in hours, rather than in minutes, and as long as something happens within an hour or so of when it was scheduled, there’s no real cause for concern.
It may be difficult to acclimatise to this when it comes to things like public transport, which you have to turn up for on time, but it might leave later than expected. Don’t worry though, our tours are always as punctual as they can be!
All I’ll say is: it get easier with practice! The Tanzanian motto, pole pole (poh-lay poh-lay) or ‘slowly slowly’ is ever-relevant.
16. Tip appropriately
Tipping isn’t a cultural norm in Tanzania but it has become standard procedure in the tourist industry. The way you tip might be slightly different depending on where you are and what you’re doing.
๐ฆ On safari. It is appropriate and helpful to tip your guide. Many guides factor in tipping as part of their daily wages, because it has become so commonplace within the tourism industry, and besides which, they usually do an excellent job. Around $10 per guide per person per day is appropriate if you thought they did a good job.
๐ฝ In restaurants. It’s not common to tip in local restaurants (though expensive tourist restaurants might expect it), but servers and wait staff will always appreciate you rounding up the bill if they did a good job.
๐ Porters and other small services – a small tip is expected in hotels, but if people are just helping you on and off things like buses with bags, they don’t expect anything. Of course, any tips are usually gratefully received.
17. Take out local currency
In the safari parks and some shops in Zanzibar, you can use Euro or US Dollars, but you will definitely get a poor exchange rate and you will end up saving a lot of money if you use the local currency, Tanzanian shillings, instead. Additionally, dollars can be hard for Tanzanians to exchange, so they are often quite particular about which ones they accept (no damage at all, must be post-2009, no wear and tear and often no folds). In other words, it’s just a lot easier to have shillings.
1000 TZS is worth around 40 cents (USD) or 30p (GBP). You can use foreign cards to withdraw from ATMs, but pre-warn your bank (as sometimes your bank may block your card otherwise). You can also exchange EUR and USD in some banks in Tanzania, like NMB and Stanbic. If you are arriving into Arusha, I recommend the NMB just by Shoprite supermarket, which makes it really easy (just one form to fill out) and the staff speak English. In Zanzibar there is an NMB and an EXIM near the ferry port – both work.
18. Choose the right bug spray
The best bug spray we have seen is a citronella-based spray called incognito – it work unbelievably well. I’ve also used them in other areas around the world and they’ve always been brilliant. I’ve tried most of their products, but the ones I do think are really worth getting for your trip are: the standard insect repellent spray, the zap-ease bite relief mini gun and the mineral sunscreen. You can use code THTRAVEL15 to get 15% off.
For some reason, DEET-based sprays don’t work great on Tanzanian mosquitoes, so I recommend incognito instead.
You can take a look at all three of those here and get 15% off with code THTRAVEL15. I’ve recommended them to a lot of people so far and everyone has ended up loving them so thank me later!
19. Get two SIM cards
You can pick up a local SIM quite easily in Tanzania, and we do recommend to do so, Vodacom is best Most airports have SIM card desks, or you can get SIMs outside of the airport in Vodacom shops.
On top of that, we recommend to get a Holafly eSIM, which will give you unlimited data. This is great to have data everywhere, even in very remote areas like Lake Natron, the safari parks etc. I’d definitely recommend giving them a try.
If you want to give Holafly a try, use code THATTRAVEL for 5% off.
20. Think carefully about anti-malarials
Tanzania is a malaria zone, so you do need to take anti-malarials with you. Most hotels will provide mosquito nets as well for an extra layer of safety. Malaria is very rarely found in the north of Tanzania now, but it is quite common further south and in Zanzibar. There are three main types – please always consult a professional before purchasing!
Malarone – this is the most commonly recommended anti-malarial, as it has the fewest side effects.
Doxycycline – it’s very effective against malaria and relatively inexpensive, however it does have a few side effects. For example, it should be taken with food, as it can make you sick (unless you have a tolerance for oxycyline which is a common acne medication) and can make you sensitive to alcohol and harsh sunlight. I’ve not had too many issues, I just suncream up and make sure to take it with food!
Lariam (mefloquine) – this is another commonly recommended anti-malarial, however I prefer to avoid it as it has some wild side effects, including hallucinogenic dreams!
You also may need some vaccinations, such as yellow fever. You can check which vaccinations you need here or with your doctor.
Our Tanzania must-haves
If you skipped to the end, here’s what I wouldn’t skip for Tanzania:
๐ Get your e-visa here, this is the official site, so don’t risk being scammed and getting it elsewhere. Make sure you print your visa before you travel. Check if you need a yellow fever certificate for travel too!
๐ฉบ You need ZIC (a compulsory medical insurance) to travel to Zanzibar and you can book it here. This doesn’t cover you for many medical issues though, so make sure you also get separate travel medical insurance for yourself – I use SafetyWing or WorldNomads.
๐ It’s easy to pre-book buses in Tanzania: compare prices via 12Go or Busbud, which makes it significantly easier than booking in person or on the day of travel
๐ฆ Be sure to choose an ethical safari provider to make sure your money is actually reaching local communities and that the wildlife viewings will be ethical. Get in touch for your quote today!
๐ธ Make sure you get local currency in advance as you’ll need it!
๐ฆ A good bug spray is essential – we recommend incognito. Get 15% off with code THTRAVEL15.
๐คณ๐ฝ Get a local SIM with vodacom but we also recommend Holafly eSIM for unlimited data while I’m travelling. Get 5% off with code THATTRAVEL.
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