Once you have thought of Tanzania, you have to think of safari. There is a good reason for this - the country is home to some of the most renowned and spectacular national parks in the world. This includes parks like Serengeti and Kilimanjaro - filled with an immense diversity of animals and plants. Tanzania was founded in 1964 when the countries of Zanzibar and Tanganyika were united. Today the country is a well-kept travel destination for those who are especially interested in hiking, climbing and natural majesty.
Find your travel arrangement to Tanzania here
Region and City Guides
Region:
City:
Facts
Local name
Tanzania
Capital
Dar es Salaam (Dodoma is the administrative capital officially, but the transfer from Dar es Salaam has not finished yet)
Size
945,087 km2
Principal Languages
Swahili and English
Principal Religion
Christianity and Islam
Inhabitants
35,306,000
Government
Republic
Geography
Tanzania is in Eastern Africa, facing the Indian Ocean. The country borders on Kenya and Uganda in the north, on Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and on Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique in the south. The islands off the coast, Pemba and Zanzibar, are also part of the republic of Tanzania.
Travel preparation
Best time to visit
The normal tourist season is in January and February when the warm and dry weather is the most agreeable. If you come to see the wildlife of the savannah, the dry season is not the time to visit because many of the animals will have travelled to Kenya then.
Literature
Lonely Planet Tanzania, Zanzibar & Pemba
Local conditions
Weight and Measures
The following weights and measures are used in Tanzania:
Length: metres
Weight: kilos
The old Imperial units of measure - yards, pounds and gallons - are still used in some places.
Length: metres
Weight: kilos
The old Imperial units of measure - yards, pounds and gallons - are still used in some places.
Photography
If you want to take picture of the locals you should always ask in advance to prevent insulting the Masai or other tribe peoples. On a safari the best time to take pictures is either early in the morning or in the late afternoon with a good long lens.
Drinking water
Water from the tap should not be consumed unless it has been boiled and filtered. Bottled water can be bought in most shops and in hotels.
Electricity
The following power source is used in Tanzania:
240 Volts AC, 50 Hz
240 Volts AC, 50 Hz
Behaviour
On the coast and on Zanzibar most people are Muslim. Therefore visitors should always dress properly in clothing that covers shoulders and knees. It is unacceptable to be topless or to swim naked.
Business Hours
Shops are open form 9:00 to 18:00 (Monday - Friday) and from 8:30 to 12:30 (Saturday). Some shops are closed during lunch.
Banks are open from 8:30 to 12:30 (Monday - Friday) and from 8:30 to 13:30 (Saturday).
Banks are open from 8:30 to 12:30 (Monday - Friday) and from 8:30 to 13:30 (Saturday).
Food and drink
Most hotels serve local food while the big chain hotels also have Western food on the menu. Usually there is a big selection of seafood such as prawns and lobster. Tropical fruit is another item which is usually included in the meals in the shape of coconuts, Paw-Paw fruit, mango, pineapple and bananas. Tanzania also offers a number of delicious alcoholic drinks, among these is the lager beer Safari, the local gin Konyagi, the coconut/chocolate liqueur Afrikoko and Dodoma wine.
Disabled travellers
The conditions for disabled travellers are not very good in Tanzania. Before you decide you should check with your travel agent if there are hotels with facilities.
Holidays
New Year's day: 1 January
The Revolution of Zanzibar Day: 12 January
Union Day: 26 April
Labor Day: 1 May
Farmers' Day: 7 July
Independence Day: 9 December
Christmas Day: 25 December
Holidays that can be moved
Good Friday: March or April
Easter Monday: March or April
The Revolution of Zanzibar Day: 12 January
Union Day: 26 April
Labor Day: 1 May
Farmers' Day: 7 July
Independence Day: 9 December
Christmas Day: 25 December
Holidays that can be moved
Good Friday: March or April
Easter Monday: March or April
Accommodation / Hotel
There are many different forms of accommodation in Tanzania. There is the possibility of spending the night in luxurious Hotel rooms, in safari huts close to nature or in simple camping sites with hardly any facilities. It is important to be aware that the rooms are in great demand, especially during the peak season which lasts from mid-December till the end of March.
Book your Hotel in Tanzania here
Book your Hotel in Tanzania here
Camping
There are many camping sites in Tanzania. Some have standard facilities with sinks, toilets, bivouacs and fire wood while others are more simple. If the camping site is situated in a national park it is necessary to get permission before camping and taking pictures. It is recommended to check out prices and rules before arriving in one of these camping sites.
The hotels in Tanzania are anything from very good and expensive to cheap with a minimum of facilities. Even when the Hotel rooms are expensive, there is often the possibility that two people share a single room. This will not happen in the big hotels. The cheapest hotels are almost always full, but luckily new ones are under construction (on Zanzibar - among other places) .
Bed og breakfast or guesthouse
Guesthouses in Tanzania, which are often extensions to local bars or restaurants, are a cheap form of accommodation. But it is a good idea to keep an eye on your belongings, as they are always in danger of being stolen. This form of accommodation can not be booked ahead and the prices are generally higher in the cities.
Hostels
Hostels can be found in the national parks of Lake Manyara and Serengeti. Furthermore there are YMCA hostels in Dar es Salaam and Moshi and a YWCA hostel in Dar es Salaam, which accommodates women and couples.
Other Accommodation
The Tanzanian tourist agency hire out the so-called Wildlife Lodges, which are nice, well-equipped lodges placed in the national parks.
Local transport
Getting around in Tanzania is usually cheap, unless you rent a car. There is the possibility of travelling the country by bus, train and airplane, but it is important to be aware that safety is not always top priority. This is especially true of the buses, which also have a tendency to breakdown.
Planes
Tanzania has three big, international airports. They are: Dar es Salaam International (DAR), Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), and Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ). Buses and taxis take passengers to other destinations from all of these airports. Usually the big national parks have small run-ways for private airplanes. The national flight company, Air Tanzania, and a number of private companies fly national Flights all over the country.
Bus
The State Travel Service ensures that there are cheap bus connections which cover most of the country. Unfortunately the buses are characterized by poor comfort, unreliability and frequent breakdowns. The worst times to take the buses are at the end of the month and during the rainy-season - when they are particularly crowded.
Trains
Tanzania Railway Corporation is responsible for the trains, which operate between all large towns and cities. There are three different classes, all at fair prices, but tourists should stick to first and second class - which have beds in the compartments.
Taxi
Dar es Salaam is the only place which has set fares per kilometer. In all other cities it is necessary to negotiate the price before the ride begins in order to not be cheated. Taxi drivers expect a ten percent tip.
car rental
There are not many possibilities of renting a car in Tanzania, and if you do rent a car, it is often fairly expensive. Despite the freedom that a car will give you, it is rarely worth the trouble. Organized safaris are often much better.
Boat or Ferry
There are speed boats which operate between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar daily. The trip takes about two-three hours each way, and there is also the possibility of continuing from Zanzibar to Pemba. There are also steamers on Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika .
Special conditions
A safari can be embarked upon in a lot of different ways. If you are up for trying something different than the average jeep-safari, there is also the possibility of going on a balloon-safari, a camel-safari, an elephant-safari, a horse-safari and a walking-safari. The last mentioned kind only takes place in private reserves as safari on foot is forbidden in the public parks.
Region and City Guides
Region
• Mt. KIlimanjaro
• Ngorongoro National Park
• Serengeti National Park
• The Coast of Tanzania
• Zanzibar
• Ngorongoro National Park
• Serengeti National Park
• The Coast of Tanzania
• Zanzibar
City
