Tanzania

When to Visit Tanzania?

The best time to visit Tanzania is in the dry season from late June to late October, which is the optimal period to visit all the places we will be recommending here, from the safaris of Northern Tanzania to Kilimanjaro to the coasts of Zanzibar.

During this period, the safaris are teeming with wildlife, often congregating around water holes due to high temperatures, making them much easier to track down and spot.

The period also coincides with the annual Great Wildebeest Migration, one of the greatest wildlife shows in the world, and you will be able to witness it if you align your visit carefully.

If you are planning to climb Kilimanjaro, this period is also great, as the temperature is a little more manageable and you won't see as many rainy days as in other periods. This makes it much more comfortable. And trust me, you are going to need all the comfort you can get up there.

For Zanzibar, you will also see fewer rainy days during this period, which will allow you to really enjoy what you are there to enjoy: its stunning beaches.

All in all, if you are planning to spend more than 10 days in Tanzania, visiting all the great attractions of the country, I highly recommend visiting between June and October for the best experience.

How to Get to Tanzania?

For this itinerary, we will be starting our journey by climbing Kilimanjaro so that we can rest afterward, doing safaris and relaxing by the coast of Zanzibar at the end of the trip. So, the best place to start your journey is in Arusha, and the closest international airport is Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).

Even if you decide not to climb Kilimanjaro and go straight to the safaris, you will still have to get to Arusha, which is a travel hub for safaris. Therefore, you will still have to fly into JRO to start your journey.

From the US, there are a few airlines connecting big US cities to Kilimanjaro Airport with only one transit, such as Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Swiss, and Kenya Airways, that you can book with.

From Europe, KLM has a direct flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro Airport, which takes about 8 hours. Alternatively, you can fly from other big cities in Europe like London or Frankfurt via Qatar, KLM, or Kenya Airways with one transit in Doha, Amsterdam, and Nairobi respectively.

From Asia, the fastest way to get to Tanzania is to fly from any big city in Asia to Kilimanjaro Airport via Qatar, where you will only have to transit once in Doha. The journey should take no more than 17 hours.

From Africa, you can get to Tanzania by flying to Kilimanjaro Airport via airlines like Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, which operate a direct route from their headquarters city directly to Kilimanjaro Airport.

To find a cheap flight to Tanzania, I would recommend that you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest routes and schedules so you can compare and pick the best one.

How to Get Around Tanzania?

By Tours: Most of the places we will be traveling are best done with an organized tour, especially all the national parks in Northern Tanzania. The roads in national parks are all gravel roads, and the safari tours often use proper 4WD safari jeeps to take clients around.

It is the easiest and fastest way to get around these remote parts of the country, and I wouldn't recommend doing it any other way unless you know how to drive 4WD and know your way around the national parks very well.

For Kilimanjaro, you will also have to go on an organized tour as you are prohibited from hiking independently without a local tour company accompanying you. Therefore, you shouldn't have to worry about transportation for Kilimanjaro.

For Zanzibar, we will be going independent, and you will likely need other modes of transportation (listed below) to get around the island.

By Plane: Since most of the itinerary takes place in Northern Tanzania, you will only need to travel long distances when you want to go from Northern Tanzania to Zanzibar, and the best way to do that is to take a domestic flight from Arusha to Zanzibar airport.

There are many domestic airlines that fly this route, such as Air Tanzania, Auric Air, and Precision Air, so you should have no trouble finding one. I prefer Precision Air as they have the best track record, but they are also the most expensive.

The flight from Arusha to Zanzibar should take no more than 2 hours and should cost around 100 USD, which is pretty cheap, considering the amount of headaches you have to go through if you want to take the bus inland.

By Bus: For other places not on the usual tourist routes, you can take the bus. However, keep in mind that roads in Tanzania, like most in Africa, are horrendous and in poor condition. Therefore, it will likely take longer than you might think it should take.

Most buses are often simple and basic, but for popular routes like Dar Es Salaam to Arusha to Moshi, Dar Express offers first-class tickets in their air-con buses for a premium price.

Buses in Tanzania aren't as comfortable as those in Southeast Asia or Europe, so I would only recommend traveling by bus if you are an avid traveler and are looking for the cheapest way to get around, regardless of comfort.

By Taxis: Private taxis are a great way to get around short distances in cities, like getting from the airport to your accommodation (if your safari tour company isn't picking you up). However, be sure to negotiate and agree upon the price before getting in.

By Tuk-Tuks/Boda Boda: This is a cheaper alternative to taxis for traveling short distances. Tuk-tuks in Tanzania are often found in Zanzibar, and they are the same as the ones you see in India.

For the rest of Tanzania, you will find more Boda Boda, which is a motorcycle taxi that often congregates around street corners, and they can take you around the city for cheap. They drive pretty fast, though, so make sure to hold on to something when you get on one.

By Renting a Car: Last but not least, you can rent a car to get around places like Zanzibar, which will allow you to visit more places at your leisure. However, keep in mind that the roads in Tanzania can be horrible. I would only recommend this option if you are comfortable driving in a developing country.

You also have to be aware of corrupt traffic police while driving, as they are notorious for extorting drivers, not just tourists. I was extorted for more than 50 USD for speeding in Zanzibar. Apparently, the speed limit outside of urban areas is 60 km/hr, and I had to bribe my way out of it.

It's definitely not easy to rent a car and drive oneself in Africa, but if one is short on time and would like to get the most out of places like Zanzibar, renting a car is the only way to do it.

How Much Does It Cost to Travel To Tanzania?

With this 10-day to 2-week itinerary for Tanzania, we can calculate approximately how much money it will cost to travel to Tanzania as follows:

Accommodation: You will have to pay for around 4 nights of accommodation in Zanzibar, while the rest will be included in your tour company. Therefore, you can expect to pay around 230,300 TZS (100 USD) for accommodation in Tanzania.

Food: Food costs about 15,000 TZS (6.5 USD) in Tanzania on average, so you can expect to pay around 150,000 TZS (65 USD) for this itinerary.

Transportation: Since most of the transportation will be handled by your tour company, you will only be paying for a domestic flight from Arusha to Zanzibar, which costs about 100 USD. You will also be renting a car for 2 days to drive around Zanzibar, which should cost approximately 80 USD + 20 USD for gas. So, in total, you will be paying 460,600 TZS (200 USD) for transportation.

Activities: Now, the most expensive part of your itinerary will be the tours you will be going on for a safari trip in Serengeti and a hiking trip on Kilimanjaro. For a 4-day Serengeti itinerary, it will cost you about 800 USD, while an optional 6-day trip to the top of Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route will cost about 1,500 USD.

Without Kilimanjaro, you can expect to pay around 1,842,800 TZS (800 USD) for 10 days' worth of activities in Tanzania. With Kilimanjaro, it will cost you around 5,298,050 TZS (2,300 USD) for 15 days' worth of activities in Tanzania.

Total Budget for 10 days in Tanzania: 2,683,577.50 TZS (1,165 USD)

Total Budget for 10 days + 5 days on Kilimanjaro in Tanzania: 6,138,827.50 TZS (2,665 USD)

Is It Safe in Tanzania?

Since you will be under the supervision of your tour company for safaris and Kilimanjaro, your safety is their top priority, so there isn't much to worry about here.

For safaris, just make sure you exercise certain precautions, like not putting your hands out the windows when there are predators around or interacting with them in any way other than taking photos.

For Kilimanjaro, make sure you are well-equipped for the cold and remind yourself to stay hydrated at all times, and go slowly. High altitude sickness is the most important thing you will have to worry about when hiking Kilimanjaro, known for its punishing acclimatization profile.

For Zanzibar, you will have to watch out for 2 things. One is the seafood scammers at Forodhani Street Food Market, where they will charge you an outrageous price like 50 USD for a few seafood sticks. Go for food stalls that have prices clearly labeled on their menus instead, and you should be fine.

Secondly, if you are planning to drive in Zanzibar, be sure to stick to the 60 km/hr speed limit to avoid getting flagged by corrupt traffic police, who may extort as much as 100 USD from you if you go above the speed limit, even by a little bit.

Other than that, people are very nice throughout the country. Tanzania gets a lot of tourists annually, so they are quite fond of tourists, and you should have no trouble traveling around here as long as you exercise precautions like you would when you travel anywhere else.

Which tourist SIM card is best for Tanzania?

There are 3 major carriers in Tanzania: Vodacom, Tigo, and Airtel. All of them have varying prices and coverage. Vodacom has the most coverage and the price to match, Tigo is the second, and Airtel is the third.

I personally used Vodacom bought from an official Vodacom shop in between Terminal 2 and 3 at Dar Es Salaam Airport, and it has worked wonders all over Tanzania, even at some of the camps on Kilimanjaro!

There are many data bundles you can choose from, ranging from 500 MB for 7 days at 3000 TZS, all the way to 50 GB for 30 days at 95,000 TZS. I bought a 10 GB for 30 days at 35,000 TZS (15 USD), and I still had plenty of data left after 20 days in Tanzania.

For more information about Tanzania's local SIM card: Tanzania's Prepaid Data SIM Card.

Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, make sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling. This will allow you to bypass any local Internet censorship you may encounter while in Tanzania.

What to Pack for Tanzania?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Tanzania:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.