A complete guide to planning your adventure holiday in Tanzania

It is easiest to talk about when not to go to Tanzania. The major rainy season is from early April to late    May, and the short rains are in November. These months have the fewest   visitors. Rain or snow

 can  be expected every day, but not the entire day. July and August are the busiest months.

TANZANIA SAFARI

The best time to see the migration in Tanzania is often January-March and June-August. The migration in Kenya is often best September-October. You will see an abundance of wildlife all year round.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO

Kilimanjaro is climbable all year round. The best months to climb are December-March, and September-October, which are the   warmest and driest months. The next best are July and August, but they   are colder. Rain and snow may be encountered any time of the year! 

Temperatures range from 75-85 degrees F (25-30  degrees C) at the foot of the   mountain and 0 degrees F (-15 degrees C) on top plus wind chill. Lower   down, it can be wet and humid, but higher  up, there can be snow. The   mountain is most picturesque right after the  main rainy season with  the   snow still visible.

It is usually clear in the mornings and in the evenings, but clouds move in late morning sometimes bringing rain or snow in the afternoon. Views of the summit can be seen earlier in the morning and also at sunset. At nighttime,   you will see the lights of Moshi and Arusha below you, and, of course,     the spectacular Southern Cross constellation in the sky. Mt. Meru  can  be seen in the distance.

At the equator, the time of sunrise and sunset do not vary significantly from one season to another. Sunrise will   be around 6:30am and sunset will be around 6:30pm. This is the land of  “early to bed and early to rise”

Great news: for the vast majority of travelers to this beautiful country, you do not need this vaccine! According  to the World Health Organization’s classification, Tanzania    currently  poses a low risk of yellow fever. If you reside in a  country   with no  risk of yellow fever, then you do not need the yellow  fever   vaccine as  part of your necessary travel vaccinations. 

Yellow     fever is a viral disease spread through mosquito bites. Symptoms of     yellow fever typically take 3 to 6 days to develop and can include     fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Yellow Fever is serious,   with   around 15% of people who get yellow fever develop a serious or     life-threatening illness.

As    Tanzania is  safe from yellow fever, if you are directly traveling  from   Europe or  the United States, there are no yellow fever vaccine    requirements.
 

Proof     of yellow fever vaccination is only required upon arrival if you are     traveling from a country with a risk of the virus. This list  currently    does not include any country in Europe and the United  States. (View the full list of Yellow Fever high-risk countries).

An     important note, however. If you’re transiting through one of the    yellow  fever high-risk countries for a period of 12 hours or more,  you   will be  required to receive the yellow fever vaccination. If this  is   the case  on your trip to Tanzania, we strongly advise seeing your    doctor and  checking your Tanzania vaccination requirements with a    healthcare  professional before traveling.

The    yellow fever vaccination is given as a  single dose and should be administered at least 10 days before  entering a high-risk yellow fever country. A single dose is capable  of providing life protection against the yellow fever virus so make  sure you receive proof of vaccination from your doctor or health  professional. If you are  required to receive a yellow fever vaccine  before traveling, you will  also need to show  your  proof of  vaccination upon arrival in Tanzania. 

Should your doctor recommend against the vaccine due to underlying health issues or other health-related factors, you can still travel to Tanzania  with an official letter from the doctor. Showing it to the immigration officer upon arrival would waive the requirement, and your trip will go on as planned.

Tanzania  is the land of extremes. It is situated 600 feet (or 200 meters) above  sea level and contains both the tallest mountain in Africa and the  second deepest lake in the world. That’s right, Kilimanjaro, which is  measured at 19,340 feet (or 5,895 meters), lives in this country.

The world’s second deepest lake is Lake Tanganyika, which measures 4,710 feet (or 1,436 meters). The gold medal goes to  Lake Baikal in Russia which measures 5,387 feet (or 1,642 meters),  creating a large gap between first and second place.

But just because these are the most famous parts of the country, doesn’t mean they are the only joys you can experience.

In  1964 he mainland called Tanganyika and the islands called Zanzibar  unified. It was at this point that the United Republic of Tanzania was  born.

The  merger wasn’t possible  until both countries became independent from the British. Tanganyika  reached independence in 1961, while Zanzibar only  managed the feat in  January 1964. 3 months later, Tanzania became united.

The  country of Tanzania is known as “the Cradle of Mankind” as it holds the  oldest human fossils in the world. With 120 different indigenous groups  in the country, and very little emigration or colonial settlement in  their history, Tanzania has kept a lot of its original history intact.

There   are two official languages in Tanzania – English, and Swahili.  Although English is spoken by many people in the country, it is only  taught in higher education. Swahili is taught in the first 7 years of  education and continues until the end of a pupil’s schooling.

Because  the country is so vast and diverse in culture, there are many  unofficial  languages spoken by the locals too. For example, many of the  120 ethnic groups have their own language, and due to Asian influences  Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Gujarati have become popular.

The   concept of kin and family is critical to Tanzania’s culture. No matter   the struggle or inconvenience, family matters and occasions are given   the highest priority. The transport system in Tanzania has much to be  desired, but that won’t stop a family member from arriving for a  celebration.

Art and history are  also extremely important in Tanzania’s culture. Storytelling through  dance and speech creates the  majority of entertainment. And because  scientists from around the world  sturdy human ancestry in Tanzania  soil, the concept of history and nature are woven into one.

Tanzania  is a country surrounded by wildlife, beaches, archaeological  discoveries, and a culture largely untainted by globalization.

We   will go into detail about the things you can do while visiting this  unique country, but the main reason to spend time in Tanzania is to   explore the untouched world.

Many  places like Katavi, contain wilderness that hasn’t been destroyed by  progress or time. It is the  ultimate escape from a fast-paced life.

Tanzania has two seasons –   wet and dry. The rainy season starts near the end of October and   continues until January. It picks up again from March to June. Between   these bouts of rain, is the dry season.

Visiting  in the dry  season (February, then July till September), means climbing  mountains in  a safe condition, and exploring areas in the beautiful  sun of 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). The roads will be  easier to  drive on and the wildlife will be around waterholes making  them easier  to spot.

However, if  you want to see large movements of animals, you can also do this during  the rainy season. The rain makes the  wildlife happy, while the  grassland will be colorful and luscious. You  will develop the best  photos and see a large variety of creatures. The experience will also be  at its cheapest with fewer crowds to contend with.

There   are areas that can’t be reached in the rainy season, but the whole  northern circuit will normally be accessible throughout the year.

Yes. To travel to Tanzania,  you will need a passport, a return ticket, and a single-entry tourist  visa. 

The passport should be valid for at least 6 months before your arrival date, but the visa can be obtained at the airport too.

Although  you can wait until the last minute to receive your visa, this can cause  delays. We advise applying for the visa in advance to avoid any raised  prices and long waiting times with the immigration  officers.

There  are tons of things to do in Tanzania, but they all come down to three  things – exploring the wilderness, finding wild animals, and discovering  the culture of the area.

The   Big 5 is a tick box exercise that lets you see the most iconic animals   in Africa. Going on Big 5 safaris means searching for the African  Lion, the African Elephant, the African Leopard, the Rhinoceros, and the  Cape  Buffalo.

Although these  creatures are large, they can be extremely difficult to spot in the  wild. The goal becomes even more  difficult due to illegal poachers  reducing the numbers of the population. However, hiring a Big 5 tour  guide can show you the best  places to find these extraordinary animals.

The   great migration is the iconic trek made by thousands of wildebeest to  cross the lands of Africa. It has been watched millions of times through   hundreds of documentaries, but there is nothing like seeing a surreal   experience in real life.

The  wildebeest migration is the largest mammal migration in the world, and  you can see the spectical in the Serengeti National Park.

Mount  Kilimanjaro National Park is unlike the other national parks in   Tanzania. You won’t find a lot of wildlife on this tour, instead, the  attraction is climbing Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.

Even if you don’t reach the summit, the view of the wilderness below is a sight for the gods.

To  make sure you  don’t get charged extra for using your phone abroad, you  should buy a  sim card locally. These sims will have better wifi and  signal  connections, and they will be cheaper due to their expected use  in the  country.

We recommend  choosing Vodacom, Airtel, or Tigo. Airtel  is a budget brand and has the  worst network of the three, but they will  be cheaper than your foreign  sim. Tigo has a good connection at a  reasonable price. Vodacom has the  best network connection but comes at a  cost. If you can afford it,  definitely buy a Vodacom sim card.

Only  carry the essentials you need for the  day. If you lose your passport  or your visa, you can land in big trouble  trying to leave the country.

On  the other hand, don’t leave your  hotel room without sunscreen and  mosquito spray. These sprays will  become your best friend as the heat  beats down on you.

This   is more general advice than Tanzania specifically. Only take what you   need for hiking, lounging, and swimming at the beach. You can buy more   clothes when you arrive, and you can wash them at your hotel. Instead,   save your bag room for gifts and souvenirs.

The  lighter you pack  the less you have to pay for travel too. To make the  most of the  savings, buy disposable products when you arrive. Shampoo,  travel  toothpaste, and other small needed toiletries can be bought  anywhere  near your hotel, so don’t waste travel space.