Tanzania Travel Information

Tanzania boasts some of the most impressive national parks in Africa, 503 miles of palm-fringed coastline with white sandy beaches, and the snow-capped Mt Kilimanjaro. But, the jewel in this crown is the Serengeti – a vast savannah home to the wildebeest migration.

So we get why you want to come visit! To help you plan your trip, here’s some useful travel information:

Climate:

Tanzania can be visited all year round. The coastal areas are hot and tropical, while it’s cooler and more temperate in the Northwestern highlands. We have two rainy seasons known as the ‘short’ and ‘long’ rains. The short rains are between October through to December. The long rains are in between March to June. If you are climbing Mt Kilimanjaro remember that temperatures drop below zero so bring suitable clothing. It can also get chilly at the Ngorongoro crater and on early morning game drives.

Electricity:

Tanzania uses the 3 pin ‘British’ plug. Our power outlets use 220-240V, 50Hz.

Language:

English is widely spoken though it can be useful to know a bit of Swahili. Here’s some useful phrases:

Karibu: Welcome.
Habari/Hujambo: Hello.
Habari?/Habari yako?: How are you?
Nzuri: Good. Standard reply to how are you.
Samahani: Sorry.
Asante: Thank you.
Chakula: Food.
Rafiki: Friend.
Hapana: No.
Ndio: Yes.

Malaria:

Malaria is prevalent throughout the country so speak to your doctor before you come.

Mobile / Cell phones:

There are four mobile providers in Tanzania: Zain, Zantel, Vodacom, and Tigo; all of which offer roaming services.

Money:

Our currency is known as the Tanzanian shilling. You can check the current exchange rate here.

Banks in Tanzania are open from 9am until 3.30pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am until 11am on Saturdays.

You can widely use Mastercard and Visa throughout the country, with ATMs available in most major cities.

Traveller’s cheques are not generally accepted.

Time:

+3 GMT. With its position close to the equator, days are roughly equal in length with sunrise at around 6.30 and sunset at 18.45.

Visa /Passport:

With the exception of a few countries, everybody entering Tanzania is required to have a tourist visa. These are available upon arrival though you will need to have two free adjacent pages in your passport. Entry requirements and further visa information can be found here.

The visa costs $50 USD for non-US citizens and $100 for US citizens. This needs to be paid in USD as other currencies are not accepted.

Your passport needs to have at least six months validity.