Travel to Tanzania

Tanzania’s magnificent national parks and natural areas are among the best in Africa. Serengeti’s savannahs often appear almost endless with the huge rock and rock ledges as the only variation in the flat landscape. The scattered rocks are actually remnants of the bedrock that have almost been eroded away. Around these eroded remains, life is simmering. Lions and leopards find pleasant shade during the day, sun-warmed rocks during the cold nights and a perfect view of their entire hunting area. Visit campingship for Tanzania Feel the Pulse Of the African Wilderness.

See trips to Tanzania

Population: 54 mill.

Capital: Dodoma

Language: Kiswahili

Tanzania shares national anthem with South Africa and Zimbabwe? It is a version in Swahili called “Mungu Ibariki Africa” ​​(God Bless Africa) and was written by Enock Sontonga.

Is the Serengeti on the UNESCO World Heritage List? The Serengeti has the world’s largest concentration of large game.

Safari in Tanzania

Below Africa’s roof, East Africa ‘s largest country is expanding with 54 million inhabitants. Dormant lion families emerging from the morning mist on the Serengeti plains, hyenas waiting to be clawed in an easy prey, a virile zebra stallion with a harem of mares grazing in the short grass. The Serengeti has the largest concentration of large game, not only in Tanzania but throughout the world. On an area twice the size of Danish Zealand and whose northern tip becomes the Masai Mara in Kenya , one million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras move every day, accompanied by countless predators further up the food chain.

It may be advisable to spend your safari holiday in the Ngorongorocrat, located near the Serengeti. Here, landrovers climbs down the steep crater walls, while what at first glance looks like small black dots turn into thousands of grazing zebras and white-bearded wildebeests. Within a radius of 22 kilometers are virtually all the savannah animals and here you have good opportunities to experience The Big Five in a short time: lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and leopards. Lake Manyara also has plenty of wildlife. The beautiful soda lake, which is framed by mahogany trees, acacias, marshland and hot springs, is especially known for its bird life and its tree-climbing lions. But there are also hippos, buffaloes and giraffes.

Kilimanjaro

For those who like physical challenges, fantastic views and achievements with great boasting potential, Kilimanjaro is a perfect choice. On the way up to Africa’s highest mountain, every step is an effort. The cold bites like needles in the skin, the glaciers sparkle and the only sound that accompanies the steps are scattered landslides further ahead. From the icy cold at the top of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar’s spice bazaars, coral reefs and the sun-burnt savannah feel infinitely far away. But they are not. And the view is worth all the effort.

Other attractions in Tanzania

Tanzania has the world’s longest freshwater lake, Lake Tanganyika, which is 677 km long and 50 km wide. Off the coast of Tanzania lies the small exotic island of Zanzibar, from where the monsoon wind brings with it fragrant scents to every little nook and cranny. At the Darajani Market in Zanzibar’s capital Stonetown, you can bargain on everything that grows wild on the old slave island: nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cloves and vanilla but also zanzibar apples, grapefruit, coconuts, mango, passion fruit and much more. Just like the coast of Kenya, the island creates the perfect setting for a relaxing and sunny end to a safari trip. Coral reefs, pearly white beaches, rare colobus monkeys in the Jozani Forest, dolphin safaris along the island’s south coast and dramatic stories of the slave trader Tippu Tip, who had over 10,000 slaves under him,

Facts about Tanzania

Below you will find practical information in connection with trips to Tanzania. Read about tips, electricity and the internet, among other things.

  • Language: Kiswahili
  • Capital: Dodoma
  • Population: 54 million
  • Religion: Islam and Christianity
  • Currency: Tanzania shilling
  • Surface: 947 300 km2

Worth knowing

Time difference

The time difference between Sweden and Tanzania can vary depending on whether Sweden has summer or winter time:

Summer time: +1 hour
Winter time: +2 hours

Electricity

In Tanzania, 220-250 volts are used and the sockets often have three square pins (just like in the UK). Therefore, it is necessary to bring an adapter if you want to use a charger or electrical equipment with Swedish plugs. The adapter can be purchased in major Tanzanian cities and can often be borrowed / rented at hotels and lodges.

At safari lodges and camps, there is often only electricity between 5 and 10 in the morning and again between about 18 and 23 in the evening.

Currency and credit cards

In Tanzania, the Tanzanian shilling (TZS) is used at 100 cents. It is possible to exchange most currencies in Tanzania, but in many places the exchange rate is bad for the Swedish krona. Therefore, it is better to exchange money at home or bring currency in US dollars.

It can be difficult to withdraw money with a credit card, but the conditions are constantly changing and credit cards are becoming more widespread. There are ATMs in the larger cities, but they do not always work. Most major lodges and souvenir shops accept credit cards.

Tip

During our travels, you will come into contact with another country’s customs and usages. With this comes customs you may not like or are used to, such as tips. The drinking system is much more organized in many countries than we are used to from home. Among other things, local guides, drivers and safari guides / rangers expect to get tips because the salary in the service industry is often adjusted accordingly. We enter a sum in our travel program so that you can include it in your budget even before the trip. The price of the trip does not include personal tips as this is an individual decision. The drinking system is part of the culture you choose to visit and should therefore be respected. For safety’s sake, we would like to emphasize that, of course, tipping is highly voluntary.

Telephone and internet

Tanzania’s international country code is +255. To make a call from Tanzania, enter 000 and then the country code and the number you want to call. Mobile phone coverage may vary depending on where in Tanzania you are. Find out about your mobile carrier’s coverage.

Most hotels in the larger cities have internet access as well as some of the larger safari lodges / camps. At lodges and camps, the connection can be unreliable and somewhat expensive.

Food and drinks

The food is well cooked in both lodges and hotels, and stomach problems are rare. Water can not be drunk from the tap in Tanzania and it is recommended that you buy bottled water.

Dress

Remember to take on a safari trip:

  • Light shoes and / or sandals for safari excursions and good hiking shoes for hiking safaris
  • Lightweight cotton clothing, even with long sleeves / legs (as protection from the sun), preferably in safari-friendly colors
  • Cap or sun hat
  • Wool sweater or fleece sweater for morning and evening safaris
  • Wind and rainproof jacket
  • Swimwear (there are swimming pools at several safari lodges)
  • Binoculars
  • Sunscreen
  • Mosquito spray

We can recommend khaki or sand colored clothing or dark clothes. Feel free to avoid strong colors.

Climate and weather in Tanzania

Here you can get an overview of the climate and weather in Tanzania. Read about the weather in Dar es Salaam or on the popular island of Zanzibar.

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN CHRISTMAS AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Dar es Salaam
Daytime temperature 32 32 32 31 30 29 29 29 30 31 31 32
Night temperature 24 23 23 22 21 19 18 18 18 20 21 23
Precipitation (mm) 76 55 138 254 198 43 26 24 23 69 126 118
Mwanza
Daytime temperature 28 28 29 28 28 28 28 29 29 29 28 27
Night temperature 18 18 18 18 18 16 15 16 17 18 18 18
Precipitation (mm) 104 109 140 168 73 21 12 21 23 86 157 139
Zanzibar
Daytime temperature 32 33 32 30 29 29 29 29 30 31 31 31
Night temperature 23 23 23 24 23 22 21 20 20 21 22 23
Precipitation (mm) 10 5 12 17 15 5 5 6 5 7 13 13

Throughout Tanzania, the climate is tropical, although there are large geographical differences in the country. For example, precipitation is between 400 – 2000 mm annually, spread over two rainy periods – most rain falls on the coast and in the highlands, while it is relatively dry on the central plateau. For the whole country, however, it is true that there is a lot of sun all year round.

Travel to Tanzania