The best time to visit Tanzania depends on what you want to do here, and what you want to avoid. Do you want to avoid the big crowds, do you want sunshine all day long?

There are two rain seasons in Tanzania. From March until May there is the 'long' rain season. In November and December we have the 'short' rain season.

Rain season sounds horrible, but the nice thing in East Africa is that it doesn't rain all day long. Some days it doesn't rain at all. Sometimes it can be even refreshing.

For safari, it can be interesting to follow the Serengeti wildebeest migration. After the short rain season in November and part of December the migration moves from Kenya to the southern plains of Ngorongoro and Serengeti. Most of the calves will be born around February. 

Around April they will start the great migration north. By May they will be around Moru Kopjes and the west of Seronera.

Around June the migration is around the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor.

In July and August they move more northwards. From August to October the herd will cross to Kenya.

But you can not depend on the behavior of animals and nature for a hundred percent. The climate changes have some impact on the rain season and thus the behavior of animals. 

If you want to avoid the big crowds, it is best to visit between March and May (considering that it might rain) or October to beginning of December.

For climbing we recommend to climb between end of June to September. It might be crowded because of high season, but the climate is more comfortable for climbers. Of course, you can choose any time of the year, according to your holiday plan.

If you want to go to the beach, we recommend to choose the dry seasons ;)

Tanzania offers a range of national parks with wildlife, but also beaches, hotels with swimming pools, short hikings and day trips. There is something for every family member waiting for you!

The way of dressing depends on the places you'll visit, and of course the weather.

When you visit a town or city, we recommend to wear trousers or a skirt that covers your knees. Some towns are quite conservative and they will appreciate this.

During safari it can be a bit different. Ngorongoro can be very cold, so we recommend to dress in several layers. The temperature will range during the day and with layers you can easily adjust to that.

When you go climbing one of the mountains, we will provide you with a specific packing list.

The currency used in Tanzania is Tanzanian Shilling (TZS).

It is possible to withdraw money (in the local currency) with your VISA or MasterCard. For example in Arusha there are plenty of ATM's that accept credit cards. Please make sure that your credit card is set to withdraw money outside your home country. If you plan to visit smaller towns, it is better to travel there with cash since it will be hard to find an ATM over there.
Banks are usually opened on weekdays until around 4pm, on Saturdays until 1pm, but ATM's are opened 24/7.

The bigger hotels and restaurants accept payment by card (VISA or MasterCard).

It can be useful to withdraw or change Tanzanian Shillings on arrival to pay in restaurants or buy smaller things during your stay in Tanzania. Local shops and restaurants usually don't accept dollars.

And of course, there are no ATM's in the middle of Serengeti or on Kilimanjaro ;) So it's better to travel with some cash. Take some smaller notes for tips and in case you want to buy some extra drinks or snacks during your safari.

If you travel with dollars, please make sure that the notes are no older than 2009. Many banks, exchange bureaus or companies won't accept notes older than 2009.

For Tanzania, no vaccinations are obligated, but some of them are strongly recommended (for example Hepatitis A).
If you plan to travel to Zanzibar, the yellow fever vaccination is obligated, especially when you travel from, or transfer in a country where yellow fever occurs.

We recommend to visit your personal doctor or a travel health clinic a few weeks before you leave. They can provide you with updated information about the necessary vaccinations and health precautions.

To enter Tanzania you need a tourist visa, depending on your home country. It is best to contact the Tanzanian embassy in your home country. 

A tourist visa costs $50 ($100 for U.S. citizens) and is valid for 90 days. You can get this visa on arrival at the airport. The easiest way is to pay it cash with a $50 note. It will be difficult to get change, and in some places smaller notes are not accepted.
It is possible to buy a visa online in advance through the website of Immigration (https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/) or through the embassy of Tanzania in your country.

Next to a visa, you also need an international passport. Make sure your passport is still valid for 6 months after the day of your arrival and that at least one page in your passport is empty for your visa stamp.

At this moment (December 2023)  there are no restrictions or regulations, but we advise to contact the health authorities of your country and the airline you're flying with to get the most up to date information. 

We try to keep you updated about the most recent information, but we can't held accountable if this information is incomplete or outdated. We advise you to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of you home country and the guidelines of the Tanzanian government. 

There are plenty of pharmacies in Tanzania where you can find most of the common medications. If you need your personal prescribed medication it is better to take enough. There is a chance that you might not find that specific medication here. 

It is allowed to travel with medication, but check with your airline if you need special documents for some medication. For some kinds of medication you need an approval letter of your doctor.

We advise you to take a health or travel insurance.

Yes, it is. The main rule is: don't do things that you wouldn't do at home and use your common sense. Keep an eye on your valuable things you travel with.  Ofcourse things can happen, just like any other place in the world.

It is necessary to take precautions against malaria.

We recommended to sleep under a mosquito net, use a mosquito repellent which contains DEET and take medication to protect you (mostly lariam or malarone). Contact your personal doctor for the best advice.

Most lodges and hotels will provide a mosquito net, but you can take your own if you want to be 100% sure.

Tanzania has a culture of tipping, as well on safari or during climbing for your guide, cook or drivers, as waiters in a restaurant.

There is no law on how much you should give, it depends on how satisfied you are with the service you got.

The sockets used in East Africa are the UK-type sockets, so bring an adapter if you are from anywhere else than the U.K. It is possible to find adapters here too, but you might not always have time to look for them if you leave for a safari straight from the airport.

It can be useful to bring a multi-plug adapter to charge more devices at once.

The electricity supply is 220V.

Electricity is not always reliable in Tanzania, sometime a power cut occurs. In this case a flashlight can be very useful.

The national language in Tanzania is Swahili, but many people speak English, as it is the second language.
It can be useful to learn some basic Swahili words though, as many people will appreciate it a lot!