Know Before a Tanzania Safari

Travel Tips for Tanzania Safaris We love and breathe providing our customers with honest advise and outstanding safari experiences at Go2Africa. Our Africa Safari Specialists are permanently stationed in Africa, have considerable first-hand knowledge of the areas they suggest, and are extensively traveled. They evaluate new hotels, experiences, and activities on a regular basis to […]

Feb 19, 2023

Travel Tips for Tanzania Safaris
We love and breathe providing our customers with honest advise and outstanding safari experiences at Go2Africa. Our Africa Safari Specialists are permanently stationed in Africa, have considerable first-hand knowledge of the areas they suggest, and are extensively traveled. They evaluate new hotels, experiences, and activities on a regular basis to guarantee that they fulfill our customers’ expectations.

Nothing beats current, relevant travel information from someone who’s been there.

Tanzania Safari Planning Suggestions
Arrange your trip carefully: whether you want to visit the Wildebeest Migration or experience the greatest beach weather in Zanzibar, make sure your plan corresponds to your travel desires.
Book early for peak season: Tanzania’s popular safari sites and well-located camps near Wildebeest Migration hotspots sell out quickly, often a year in advance.
Pick your activities: Although morning and afternoon game drives are normal safari activities, excursions like as night game drives, guided bush walks, and hot-air balloon safaris are only permitted in particular locations or camps.
Anticipate more tourists during peak season: Tanzania’s heavyweight national parks, such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire, may draw a large number of visitors from June to October. If you want to avoid crowds while still enjoying superb game watching, consider going during the low or Green Season (about November to March).
If exclusivity is what you want, come to one of Tanzania’s private reserves. The accommodation is excellent, the wildlife viewing is on par with the larger parks, and additional safari activities (see number 3) are sometimes available.

Spending and Money

Tanzania’s currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, although we recommend only using US dollars – and only in cash: credit cards and traveler’s cheques (while accepted in most businesses) carry transaction fees. ATMs may be available in Tanzania’s main towns and cities, but not in the country’s national parks and wildlife reserves.

Remember that US dollar notes issued before to 2006 are not accepted in Tanzania.

Tipping lodge employees and drivers/guides for excellent service is typical on a Tanzania safari, but first check to see whether a service fee has been added to your bill. Tipping is always optional and is added to the fee indicated by your operator. The amount varies based on the size of your party, the degree of luxury of the safari, and if you believed the work was done extremely well. While visiting Tanzania’s main cities, a 10% gratuity is common in restaurants and pubs where a service fee is not included.

See our blog for detailed tipping recommendations, or contact one of our Africa Safari Specialists for assistance.

Tanzania’s Weather
Tanzanian Seasons: Heavy Rains
Short Rainfall
Long dry months are followed by short dry months.
November to December April to May June to October
January to March
Temperatures on Average
72–81°F\s22–27°C
81–86°F
27–30°C
70–81°F\s21–27°C
84°F\s29°C
When to Leave

What to Bring

Throughout the year, light casual attire in sensible, neutral colors and a warm jacket for nighttime game drives are a safe pick when packing for your Tanzania safari. Our Africa Safari Guide has extra information on what to bring for a safari.

In order to respect Muslim cultural values, ladies visiting Zanzibar should dress modestly in the major cities. T-shirts with sleeves, long skirts, and capri pants are often better choices than tank tops and shorts. Beachwear and swimming suits are permitted on beaches and at resorts.

Etiquette

Tanzania has a strong religious belief system, with Christianity and Islam dominant. The majority of Muslims reside on the coast and in Zanzibar; tourists should be conscious of the conservative atmosphere of these sites, particularly Stone Town, and dress and behave appropriately.

Tanzanians are known for their friendliness and harmony; yet, it is polite to seek permission before photographing individuals.

Flights and Transportation in Tanzania

Important International Airports
Tanzania’s second international airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, serves the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara. Therefore, charter flights to these safari sites must be transferred to adjacent Arusha Airport. Foreign aircraft often arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport late in the day, necessitating an overnight stay in Arusha.

Tanzania’s largest airport, Dar-es-Salaam International Airport, serves as a gateway to the Indian Ocean coast and Zanzibar, as well as Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous) and Ruaha National Park.

Arusha Airport, the entrance to northern Tanzania’s safari airstrips, is about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Did you know that you can book flights with Go2Africa? Please visit our Flights page for additional information and commonly asked questions.

Safari Automobiles
In Tanzania, guided road transfers and wildlife drives are performed in covered 4×4 vehicles with large windows and pop-up roofs, while tourists to sites such as Mahale will enjoy a boat trip across Lake Tanganyika. Since most safari sites have substantial road networks, closed cars are the standard while making long-distance road transfers in Tanzania between airstrips, camps, and lodges. A closed 4×4 game drive vehicle typically includes three rows of seats and a pop-up roof hatch that can be lifted for viewing and photographing wildlife.

Passport and Visa Requirements

A visa is required for almost all travelers to Tanzania. To determine the entrance requirements for Tanzania and to organize the appropriate permits and visas, you must contact the relevant issuing agencies in advance (preferably, many months in advance). We highly advise all customers coming in Tanzania through Kilimanjaro International Airport to secure their visas online at the Tanzania Immigration Service before to arrival. E-visas might take up to three weeks to process.

Travelers to Tanzania must have a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date of travel.

More on Tanzania

Economy and History
Tanzanian history is, in many ways, the history of humanity. Fossils discovered in Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most important archaeological sites, indicate that hominids had lived in Tanzania for over 2 million years. European and Arabian traders, missionaries, and slavers followed Iron Age migrations from West Africa, and by the mid-1800s, Zanzibar had become the center of the East African slave trade. After being colonized by the Germans and later the British, mainland Tanganyika gained independence peacefully in 1961. Tanzania became a modern state with the acquisition of Zanzibar in 1964.

Tanzania’s economy is dominated by agriculture, which employs 75% of the workforce and accounts for half of the country’s GDP despite being rich in mineral resources and natural gas. Tanzania’s most important exports are gold, coffee, tea, and cotton. Nonetheless, tourism is the country’s largest foreign currency earner, with its significance growing year after year.

Culture and People
The African population is made up of some of Tanzania’s 120 ethnic groups, as well as a considerable number of Asians, Arabs, and Europeans. Despite this diversity of identities, Tanzania has long cultivated a peaceful national culture based on a subtle but powerful social code of civility and respect. The official languages are English and Swahili.

Wildlife and the Environment
Tanzania’s vast central plateau is surrounded on the west by Africa’s great lakes, on the north by mountains (including Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak), and on the east by the Indian Ocean. The majority of the nation is grassland, open woodland, and savannah, although there are considerable pockets of rainforest in distant mountain ranges.

Tanzania is one of the continent’s finest game watching spots, home to 20% of Africa’s huge animals. More over a quarter of the nation is dedicated to conservation, and numerous Tanzanian wildlife reserves are among the largest in the world. The majority of tourists go to northern Tanzania, which has the most well-known and accessible wildlife reserves. But, it is in south and central Tanzania that you will discover vast, nearly unexplored savannah and rainforest areas that provide truly off-the-beaten-path safaris.

About the Author

We are a group of passionate avid travelers showcasing the beauty of Africa to the rest of the World. We arrange unforgettable Tanzania experiences to the most thrilling destinations of Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Arusha, and beyond. We are interested in ensuring you have an in-depth connection with nature whenever you visit Africa with us.

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