Tanzania

Tanzania is a country of iconic safaris, towering mountains, and tropical islands. Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater offer world-famous wildlife experiences, with vast herds and dramatic landscapes. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, challenges trekkers with its snowy summit. Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town and spice plantations blend Swahili, Arab, and European influences, while its beaches are perfect for relaxing after an adventure. Dar es Salaam, the main city, buzzes with markets and coastal life. With its rich cultures, big game safaris, and warm Indian Ocean waters, Tanzania is a dream for both explorers and those seeking a slower pace.

Tanzania is a giant slice of East Africa where epic safaris, snowcapped mountains, spice islands, and ancient cultures collide. Most travelers come for the Northern Safari Circuit, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire, where wildlife sightings feel like scenes from a nature documentary. Others come to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, or to relax on the spice-scented beaches of Zanzibar. Beyond the tourist hotspots, you’ll find lesser-known gems like Ruaha National Park, Mahale Mountains for chimp tracking, and the historic Swahili towns along the coast. Tanzania is wild, vast, and diverse, a place that feels both familiar and endlessly surprising.

There are some great beaches and islands, and a rich cultural heritage to explore, but expect a bumpy ride to get to them. Traveling in Tanzania ranges from budget-friendly to luxury, depending on your style. You can camp in national parks for a few dollars a night or stay in luxury lodges that cost hundreds. Food is straightforward and tasty: ugali (maize porridge), grilled meats, coconut stews, and lots of fresh fruit. In places like Arusha and Zanzibar, you’ll find international options, but elsewhere it’s local dishes and simple cafes.

Getting around can be slow. Domestic flights are common for covering big distances between parks and islands. Buses, dala-dalas (shared minibuses), and private taxis are common for local travel. Car rentals are possible but tricky outside major cities. Swahili and English are widely spoken, especially in tourist areas. Tanzania is safe for travelers, though petty theft can happen in cities, common sense precautions go a long way.

Why Go to Tanzania?

• The Serengeti and the Great Migration: Witness one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles as millions of wildebeest and zebras move across the plains.
• Ngorongoro Crater’s Wildlife Bowl: Explore a giant volcanic caldera packed with lions, elephants, hippos, and even rhinos.
• Mount Kilimanjaro: Trek Africa’s highest peak, whether to the snowy summit or just partway up its scenic lower slopes.
• Zanzibar’s Beaches and Stone Town: Wander the spice-scented alleys of Stone Town, then relax on turquoise beaches like Nungwi or Paje.
• Ruaha and Selous for Offbeat Safaris: Experience wild, uncrowded parks where you might have lions or elephants all to yourself.
• Chimp Trekking in Mahale Mountains: Hike through jungle to see wild chimpanzees along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
• Swahili Culture and Island Life: Explore ancient trading towns, colorful markets, and traditional dhow harbors along the Indian Ocean coast.

Who Might Not Enjoy Tanzania?

• Travelers Seeking High-End Urban Comfort: While Tanzania has luxury safari lodges and resorts on Zanzibar, its cities like Dar es Salaam and Arusha are hectic, crowded, and lacking in polished, high-end urban experiences. Public services can be basic, and traffic congestion is common.

• Budget Backpackers Unwilling to Compromise: Tanzania can be budget-friendly, but safaris, national park fees, and reliable transportation are costly. Travelers on very tight budgets may find themselves limited to basic accommodations and long, uncomfortable bus journeys.

• Visitors Hoping for Independent Safari Travel: National parks require entrance fees, licensed guides, and often organized tours. Self-driving safaris are rare and complicated, making independent wildlife exploration expensive or impractical.

• Strict Vegetarians or Vegans: Traditional Tanzanian cuisine relies heavily on meat and fish, and while fruit and vegetables are abundant, fully plant-based meals require effort to find, particularly outside major tourist areas.

• Travelers Who Dislike Long Travel Times: Tanzania is a big country. Getting between safari parks, coastal towns, and islands often involves long drives or costly domestic flights. Travel days can be tiring and slow.

• Those Expecting Seamless Internet or Modern Conveniences: Outside major hotels and urban areas, internet access can be slow, unreliable, or unavailable. ATMs and card payments aren’t always dependable, and power outages happen.

• Party-Oriented Tourists: While Zanzibar and a few beach towns offer nightlife, most of Tanzania is laid-back and traditional. Outside resort areas, nightlife options are minimal.

• Travelers Who Struggle with Heat or Rough Conditions: Tanzania is hot year-round, especially inland. Safari conditions (dust, heat, basic tent camps) or tropical humidity on the coast may be physically challenging for some.

Highlights

Serengeti National Park: whisper it quietly in Kenya, but the Serengeti is surely the finest wildlife park in Africa; you’ll see all the biggies here, and more.

Ngorongoro Crater: basically a massive hole that is the size of Crete, and with 25,000 large animals, you’ll get just about as close as you want.

Zanzibar: after a dusty safari, the lure of the lazy spice island of Zanzibar is strong, with its old town and great beaches.

Dar es Salaam: a pleasant city with a good museum and the Arabic and Indian feel of the downtown area is enchanting.

Bagamoyo: David Livingstone I presume? Well not quite, but his body did rest in the tiny chapel here on its way to London. The mosque dates to the 18th century.

Makonde Plateau: few tourists venture to the Mozambique border, but this is where the famous makonde carvings originate, and an interesting area to visit.

Safari: the main reason for a trip to Tanzania, and you’d have to have ridiculous expectations to be disappointed. Unforgettable, stunning, amazing … you get the picture.

Climbing/trekking: for the energetic, a trek/climb to the peak of Africa’s highest mountain is a great experience, but you’ll need a beach break after it.

Water sports: if you can drag yourself from lazing on the beach, there is great scuba and snorkeling potential around Zanzibar and Mafia islands, with good coral reefs.

Big game fishing: fishing trips from the island of Mafia are popular, with big catches guaranteed. September to March is the best time. Zanzibar Spice tour: a chap called Mr Mitu has been running spice tours here since the year dot; a wealth of knowledge and bad jokes, but it’s a must do here.

Travel in Africa generally has more risks that come with it than travel in other places, with malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, typhoid, cholera and AIDS all present. Take precautions, even if that means sleeping head-to-foot in clothes - the mosquitoes here are pretty resourceful. The tap water is okay for washing in, but not much else, so use the bottled stuff for drinking, brushing teeth and cleaning vegetables. Take care when walking around the cities late at night, and if you’re camping, take extra care; elephants are usually pretty good at avoiding tents, but they have been known to knock a few trees over.