Travel Tips
Tanzania-is an East African country known for its vast wilderness areas. They include the plains of Serengeti National Park, a safari mecca populated by the “big five” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), and Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa’s highest mountain. Offshore lie the tropical islands of Zanzibar, with Arabic influences, and Mafia, with a marine park home to whale sharks and coral reefs.
Trip Planning: The planning stage of your trip can be instrumental in its success and an enjoyable part of the experience itself. You have a world of options...and plenty to consider.
Entry and Exit formalities: Visitors must hold a passport valid for at least six months & beyond at the time of entering the country. Some nationalities can obtain visa on arrival and for nationalities who requires visa please refer to the Tanzanian consulate website: http://www.tanbizdubai.com
Transportation: Figuring out how to get around is one of your biggest pre-trip decisions. Get our holiday expert best advice on deciding between your options.
Based on your trip itinerary, our experts will help you choose wisely. You'll also find a wealth of practical travel tips.
Money: Use your money wisely. Know the best time to use cash or card — and how to avoid unnecessary fees either way — as well as tipping etiquette.
Phones and Technology: Phones and other smart devices can be huge time-savers...or expensive distractions. Get our tips for making the best use of technology during your trip, and for calling home with or without your own phone.
Packing Light: On your trip you'll meet two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wish they had.
Sleeping and Eating: Your hotel and restaurant choices can be a matter-of-face chore…or they can provide rich opportunities to connect with locals and their culture.
Health & Hygiene: Take comfort: Doctors, hospitals, launderettes, and bathrooms aren’t that different. Dealing with them can even be part of the fun of travel.
Sightseeing & Activities: Once you're on the ground, the real fun begins…but it pays to have a thoughtful plan. Our experts will help you get oriented to your surroundings, use your sightseeing hours wisely, and find your way off the beaten path.
Things to see & do:
Masai Mara National Reserve-is 1510 sq km of open rolling grasslands that extend northward from Tanzania's Serengeti. It reaches its pinnacle every July and August when over a million wildebeest and herd animals migrate here in search of lush grass, only to turn south for greener pastures in October and November.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area-Although most famed for its wildlife-filled centrepiece, Ngorongoro Crater, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in Tanzania’s north is a wonderful destination in its own right, with rugged, scenic trekking and terrain varying from steep escarpments and grassy ridges to dense forests and volcanic peaks. There are no set routes, which makes for many possibilities. These include an overnight hike taking in the grassy summit and shallow crater of Olmoti peak and the breathtakingly beautiful crater lake of Empakaai; a day-hike up Makarot peak (3130m), complete with grasslands and wide views; and, a five-day walk from the northern edge of Ngorongoro Crater via lake-filled Empakaai Crater to the summit of the still-active Ol Doinyo Lengai, just outside the NCA’s boundaries. There is no infrastructure, and for overnight hikes most people use donkeys or vehicle support to carry water and supplies.
Zanzibar-The very name brings to mind salty sea breezes that carry the taste of exotic spices. Floating in electric blue waters off the east coast of Tanzania, this island has become synonymous with divine honeymoon hideaways. So wide is the appeal of this beach paradise that few people ever pause to consider that there might be more to Tanzanian beach life.
Wildlife-People come to East Africa to see the Big Five. But how about turtles lumbering up moonlit beaches? Rainbow clouds of tropical fish? Or teeth-gnashing sharks and flocks of gaudy birds? With world-class diving, a fantastic roll call of birds and a couple of marine national parks (Mnazi Bay-Ruvula Estuary Marine Park and Mafia Island Marine Park), coastal Tanzania is no slouch in the wildlife department.
Mahale Mountains National Park-In addition to being one of the best places in the world for up-close encounters with chimpanzees, Mahale Mountains National Park, nestled on the Lake Tanganyikan shoreline in western Tanzania, is absolutely stunning. Forested mountains cascade down to the lake shore, the mist-covered peak of Mount Nkungwe rises up in the background and crystal-clear waters teeming with fish lap against white sand coves.
Mount Nkungwe-The brooding peak of 2462m-high Mount Nkungwe is eminently climbable and makes a fine adventure. Depending on the time of year, you may need to hack your way through high grass and brush for part of the climb, but the remoteness and the stillness are wonderful. Elephants, giraffes and even lions wander around the eastern slopes of the mountain, and it is essential to be accompanied by an armed guide, although encounters with these animals are rare.
Katavi National Park- A 40km south of Mpanda in Tanzania. The best feature of this scarcely known and rarely visited national park is the series of mud baths along the Katuma River, where Katavi's 4000 hippos pack together like seal colonies during the height of the dry season. There's a lot of action under such crowded conditions, including territorial males engaging in dramatic bloody battles on a daily basis.
Mount Kilimanjaro-Part hike, part slog and part high-altitude trek, the journey to the peak of this iconic mountain -- the world's tallest free-standing volcano -- lures thousands of trekkers each year. Beginning amid lush stands of banana on Kilimanjaro's heavily cultivated lower slopes, the climb continues up through dense, dripping rainforest to alpine meadows and crosses a barren lunar landscape to the twin summits of Kibo and Mawenzi. The final stage -- the ascent up a steep, slippery scree slope -- typically begins around midnight, culminating with sunrise views from the summit over the plains far below. Kilimanjaro's cold, wet conditions and its altitude (5896m) make trekking here a serious undertaking. To aid acclimatization, plan on at least a seven day round trip for a summit attempt.
Mount Meru-Often lost in the shadow of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, 4566m-high Meru -- Tanzania's second-highest peak – also offers a highly scenic trek to the top. The ascent route starts in grassland and lush forest on the mountain's lower slopes, rising up through picturesque glades and finishing with a dramatic and exhilarating walk along the knife edge of volcanic Meru's crater rim. Meru is smaller than Kilimanjaro, and a trek can be done comfortably in four days, three nights. However, do not underestimate the mountain: its steepness, sheer drop-offs on the final ascent and the effects of altitude make it an almost equally challenging climb. Mount Meru is part of Arusha National Park, and all climbers must be accompanied by a park ranger, which can be arranged at the entry gate.
Udzungwa Mountains-Rushing waterfalls, steep slopes, 10 species of primates and a wealth of unique bird and plant species are the highlights of hiking in the seldom-visited Udzungwa Mountains, located about a six hour's drive southwest of Dar es Salaam. Infrastructure is rudimentary (you will need to bring your own tent and supplies), and the trail network is limited. But the night-time symphony of forest insects, the burbling of streams and views down over the Kilombero plains make up for the hassle. Despite relatively easy access (the main park gate is just 60km south of the highway along a decent road), the Udzungwas remain very much off the beaten path, and hikers will often have trails to themselves. Recommended hikes include the two-night, three-day climb up Mwanihana Peak (2080m) and the challenging six-day trail to Luhombero Peak (2579m), the highest point in the park.
Kitulo National Park-Tanzania's southwestern corner is this gem of a park, full of flower-clad meadows and secluded valleys. It is especially famed for the more than 40 species of orchids that carpet its grassy expanses, together with irises, aloes, geraniums and many more. The December to April rainy season, when the park explodes in a profusion of colour, is the best time to visit. But even during the dry months of June through September, wildflowers dot the meadows and shades of blue and violet blanket hills that roll into the horizon. The closest major town to Kitulo is Mbeya, about 90km to the west, where you can organise transport up to the 2600m Kitulo Plateau and the park entry gate.
Kilwa Kisiwani-The small island of Kilwa Kisiwani, located about 300km south of Dar es Salaam, was once the seat of sultans and the centre of a vast trading network that linked the old Shona kingdoms and gold fields of Zimbabwe with Persia, India and China. Sail on a dhow from the mainland to the Unesco World Heritage Site, and explore the well-preserved ruins of one of the most significant groups of Swahili buildings on the East African coast. The buildings date from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and some have been beautifully rehabilitated. The 15th-century Great Mosque, once the largest mosque in the region, has still-intact columns and graceful vaulted roofing. Nearby is a well-preserved smaller mosque, also dating to the early 15th century.
Mafia Archipelago-is an ideal destination for relaxing and getting acquainted with the Swahili coast. Stroll along sandy lanes through coconut palms on the main island of Mafia. Explore tiny Chole Island, with its atmospheric 19th-century ruins and the wonderful Chole Mjini Eco-Lodge. Take a dhow across to Jibondo – an island famed for its boat builders -- or to lush Juani, with ruins, water birds and green turtle nesting sites. Or sail out for a morning of snorkelling around Mange, a pristine sandbank populated only by sand crabs and water birds and surrounded by clear, aqua waters.
Rubondo Island National Park-Fish eagles circle overhead. Herons and storks wade in the shallows. Sitatungas hide among the reeds and small waves lap gently on the sand. Rubondo Island, nestled in the southwestern corner of Lake Victoria, is one of Tanzania's least-visited national parks and also one of its most tranquil. Spend days bird watching, walking and hippo- and croc-spotting. At night, listen as a symphony of insects, bats and other night creatures fills the star-studded darkness.
Pangani-Sleepy Pangani town may not look like much today. But, in its mid 19th-century heyday, it was a terminus of the caravan route from Lake Tanganyika, a major export point for slaves and ivory, and one of the largest ports between the city of Bagamoyo and Mombasa, Kenya. In the old part of town, near the Pangani River, a few buildings from the German colonial era and old houses of Indian traders bear cobwebbed witness to this part of history. In addition to its historical appeal, Pangani is a convenient jumping-off point for many other nearby attractions. Fine, palm-fringed beaches run for kilometres north and south of town. Zanzibar Island, visible on clear days across the channel, is a short flight or boat ride away, and Saadani National Park, a two-hour's drive south, makes for an easy overnight excursion. An hour's drive north of Pangani are the Tongoni ruins, which include the largest collection of Shirazi pillar-style tombs (most dating to the 14th or 15th centuries) on the East African coast
