11 Tanzania Travel Tips To Help Your Trip Run Smoothly

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I didn’t really know much about Tanzania before I visited, but I wanted to share some of my Tanzania travel tips for anyone visiting, that I know would have helped me.

For many people, travel is about finding somewhere to relax and see somewhere new. For me it’s about trying new experiences. Sometimes that means pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. That’s what Tanzania was for me.

Where is Tanzania?

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. Known for its mountains and wildlife, it’s a place filled with incredibly friendly people. Tanzania is a not an affluent country, so you will see a lot of poverty. However the country is also proud of the increasing ability to provide almost universal primary level education for both boys and girls.

Tanzania is just south of Kenya, another country synonymous with wildlife viewing. Some people may find a way to work both countries into their itinerary, or neighboring countries of Rwanda or Uganda.

Tanzania has over 800-miles of stunning coastline including some fantastic white sand beaches and the bluest sea you might ever see.

Tanzania Travel Tips – Vaccinations/medication

There are a few vaccines which you should really get as additional protection, however typically none that are mandatory. The big one people always wonder about, especially when traveling around Africa, is the Yellow Fever vaccine.

If you are traveling directly to Tanzania and not visiting any other African country you likely don’t need Yellow Fever vaccine. However, if you visit a “high risk” Yellow Fever country prior to Tanzania you will need to show your vaccine proof. This includes if you’re coming in from Kenya.

Other vaccines to consider include Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid as well as being up to date with all your other childhood vaccines. Make sure you are also up to date on your Tetanus booster (typically due every 10 years).

On top of that you may want to consider malaria medication. I visited during the dry season and didn’t see more than one mosquito my entire trip. Which is odd as I usually attract them like a magnet. I took malaria medication with me but ended up not using it.

TOP TRAVEL TIP: Don’t rely solely on medical advice here or from other travelers, please consult a medical professional to discuss your options based on your own country’s requirements and your medical history.

Is Tanzania safe to travel to?

Like anywhere in the world, exercising a certain degree of caution is recommended. Despite a lot of African countries getting a bad rep, I never felt unsafe in Tanzania.

Tanzania relies on tourism. It’s two biggest money makers, Kilimanjaro trekkers and safari-goers, are huge business. The last thing the government wants is for those tourists to feel unsafe. Therefore while you may see some petty crime (as you might also in big cities around the world), overall Tanzania isn’t dangerous.

I recommend you don’t flash your cash or expensive belongings around too much. We kept our phones and expensive jewelry out of sight as we were advised. See below for more tips on staying safe in Tanzania.

What can I do in Tanzania?

There’s so much to do in this fascinating country, however there are a few BIG things which typically draw visitors here.

The first is Kilimanjaro. Tanzania is home to Africa’s tallest mountain, and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. To stand on the top of Kilimanjaro is to stand on the “roof of Africa”. It doesn’t get much cooler (literally) than that. The hike is not an easy one, and not super cheap either. Read a review of my climb here.

Another big draw to Tanzania are the incredible safari options. Tanzania’s wildlife includes the Big 5 as well as a multitude of all your favorite Lion King characters. Nothing will prepare you for seeing a herd of elephants passing in front of you, or a lioness stalking an oblivious gazelle mere feet away while on a Tanzanian safari.

After these two adrenaline-inducing activities it might be time to slow it down a bit. Head to the coast and spend some time relaxing on Tanzania’s famous island, Zanzibar. Tropical weather on beautiful beaches and a colorful history including being the birthplace of Freddie Mercury.

Whatever you choose to do in Tanzania you will not leave disappointed. It’s an experience you won’t forget, with some of the friendliest, most genuine people you can hope to encounter on your travels.

Top Tanzania Travel Tips

While Tanzania sure sounds like a paradise you want to be a part of, there are of course some things to consider ahead of your travels. Things in Africa rarely run like clockwork, but there are some things you can do to help your trip be a little smoother.

EXCHANGE MONEY LOCALLY

There’s not much choice on this one as Tanzania’s currency cannot be imported or exported by anyone other than some East Africa nationals. Therefore you’ll want to exchange money locally once you arrive. The currency is the Shilling and 1 USD is approximately 2500 TZS.

I would avoid airports and instead go to a bank once you get to your first city/town. After arriving in Arusha ahead of my Kilimanjaro trek, my driver was kind enough to take me to a currency exchange place.

I also ended up just taking money out of a cash machine with my bank card, taking the small hit on the fee for ease of exchange.

HAVE CASH AVAILABLE

In some places you can use your card – many restaurants and larger stores. However there are a lot of local shops and services that either will only take cash, or heavily prefer it.

As well as some local currency (which will net you the best rate), US Dollars are also used in Tanzania. In fact, in tourist locations you will often only see USD pricing.

I would always ask for the price in Tanzanian Shillings and do a quick comparison. As a Canadian, USD was not the best rate for us and TZS often was a little better. Be prepared that some will only take USD so it’s a good idea to have a mix of currencies.

TOP TANZANIA TRAVEL TIP: $1 bills in USD are handy to have for small tips in restaurants, to hotel staff and drivers.

BARGAIN FOR YOUR PURCHASES

Some places will have set prices, however anytime you’re around a market or somewhere similar you will likely need to bargain. Almost anytime tourist souvenirs are involved means you will want to haggle. It’s exhausting, but necessary.

I’ve done a lot of bargaining in my day, and it doesn’t get any easier – especially when navigating a new currency and culture. But after being robbed blind by smiling souvenir sellers in Nairobi I was prepared to do what I needed to do in Tanzania.

Decide the top price you’re willing to pay before you start the process, and don’t be afraid to walk away. This might actually help your bargaining.

GET AN E-SIM CARD

Save on roaming rates and get a SIM card for your travels. My home cell phone plan charges around $15/day when using my phone abroad. On the flip side I can pay this and get enough data with a local SIM for a 2-4 week trip.

While I have often bought SIM cards at the airport upon arrival or in local stores when I travel, I recommend an e-SIM for ease.

I was able to purchase in advance and activate it immediately upon arrival. This really helps when you have transfers booked and may have to contact a driver.

TOP TANZANIA TRAVEL TIP: Check out the Airalo where you can purchase e-SIMs for a number of countries including Tanzania. I was able to get a 3GB 30-day e-SIM for only $11 USD.

TRY LOCAL FOOD

I found that many places in Tanzania, especially in hotels, focused a lot on International cuisine. I was a little sick of being presented with burgers and pizzas after traveling halfway around the world.

Make sure to check out some local food where you can. If there’s something new and different on the menu, give it a try. I had some delicious food once I knew where to look.

If in doubt, ask the locals. We found they were often happy to share their favorite restaurant or tell you about their favorite dish.

Fish and grilled meats are very popular as are curry-like dishes and rice. Try some ugali, maize based porridge-like dough that is often served with veggies or meat. I really enjoyed a local coconut maharage (spiced bean stew) for one of my meals.

PRE-BOOK TRANSFERS

I heard mixed things about taxis – mostly around meters not always being used, or many being unlicensed and just making up their own prices. Therefore I recommend booking transfers in advance or through your hotel to be on the safe side.

We had airport pickups and drop offs pre-arranged as well as a cross border transfers from Nairobi to Arusha.

The great thing about pre-booking transfers is that the drivers are usually a little more knowledgeable with English and are great resources for what you should see when visiting.

We made friends with our driver on the 5 hour journey from Nairobi. He wanted to treat us to a local beer so we took him for lunch, then we rounded out the day with a local football game. He organized a youth soccer team and invited us to watch them play which was a fantastic experience.

LEARN A LITTLE SWAHILI

A little goes a long way, and is very much appreciated. Learning to say hello (Jambo) or thank you (Asante) is at least basic decency to traveling anywhere in my opinion. But we also found locals were very willing to teach you a few Swahili words.

Hapana Asante (no, thank you) came in very useful in the markets when being pressured to buy things. And you won’t leave Tanzania without hearing Hakuna Matata (no worries) a million times.

Fun observation: Hakuna Matata might have an official translation of “There are no troubles” but I felt like a more apt translation was “S*#t’s gone sideways and there’s nothing you can do about it, so you might as well go with the flow”.

PACK APPROPRIATE CLOTHING

Being just south of the equator you’ll find a year round tropical climate in Tanzania. And it gets hot in Zanzibar and around the coast. Therefore you will need lots of loose, flowy, cooling clothing.

Linen clothing is a great way to keep the heat at bay, protect yourself from the insects, and respect local cultures at the same time.

I would advise against short skirts, strappy tops and tight fitted clothing. Neutral colors are also very good – stay away from black and dark blue as they attract the tsetse flies. Take it from me, they’ve got a nasty bite.

TOP TANZANIA TRAVEL TIP: If you’re climbing Kilimanjaro all of the above is in addition to your hiking gear, and cold weather gear for the range of temperatures you might see on the mountain. It can be anywhere from around 25°C to -25°C (77°F to -13°F).

TALK TO HOTELS ABOUT TOURS

If you’re hiking Kili or taking a safari, that’s the kind of thing you want to book in advance. But what about other tours?

Well, you can certainly book some of them in advance through Viator or GetYourGuide or something similar. But I also recommend talking to your hotel in advance or when you are there for other options.

When we were in Arusha our flight was delayed so we ended up with a whole extra day. We booked a driver for the day to show us the sights of Arusha. It was $30 for the day.

In Zanzibar, we wanted to spend more time looking around the island. The hotel organized a driver to spend the day taking us to some of the nicest spots and giving us a bit of a tour on the way.

GET YOUR VISA IN ADVANCE

Yes, you can often get your visa upon arrival (if you require one based on your passport). However, I recommend getting it in advance. It’s one less thing to worry about on arrival, but getting a visa on arrival might be more difficult depending on where you land or where you are coming from.

I got my visa in advance since I heard of some people having issues at smaller airports. Either not able to get it as easily, taking a long time, or being charged more. For me it was piece of mind since I arrived at a land crossing from Kenya and wasn’t sure what to expect there.

TOP TANZANIA TRAVEL TIP: When you start the e-visa application, complete it all in one go. I saved mine to go back to, which is where online reviews say problems occur. I got charged but the application didn’t go through. They didn’t respond to emails so I ended up putting it through again.

I got my first one refunded, however then both came through approved. My friend did hers all in one go and was approved with no issues. I had a solid week of panic wondering if I would get a visa, and that’s not how you want to start your trip.

BRING A GOOD CAMERA

Of all the Tanzania travel tips, this one might be the most important. The country is gorgeous, and there’s so much to see that whether you have a digital camera or just a good phone camera, you’ll want to use it to the max.

The views are amazing, and you’ll want to capture it all. But the animal encounters are what you really want to make sure you’re prepared for.

A good zoom lens, the ability to take clear and crisp shots. All incredibly important whether you see an lion hunting in the grass, or a giraffe sauntering across the horizon.

Most important Tanzania travel tips

I could go on and on about Tanzania. I loved my time there, and had an incredible experience whether I was climbing a mountain, on safari or relaxing on the beach. Having a few Tanzania travel tips to get you started isn’t a bad thing.

For me, this was my first trip to Africa. I knew nothing of what to expect but between safety, visas, travel health I wanted to make sure I was prepared.

What I wasn’t prepared for was how much I would fall in love with this fantastic country – and the people I met along the way.

As travel goes I felt very safe, and welcomed by everyone I encountered. Sure you’ll be given the tourist price for a few things and may choose to plan tours/transfers a little more than in other countries. But what you will get is an unbelievable experience that you won’t forget in Tanzania.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you visited Tanzania before? What are some Tanzania travel tips you would share?