Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa.
In terms of tourism, Tanzania is one of the most attractive countries in Africa, thanks to a relatively developed tourist infrastructure, a sufficient level of security, a variety of animal life and natural areas, and beach opportunities on the coast.
Tanzania is a country of amazing tourist opportunities. Travelers have the opportunity to combine different types of recreation: safaris, beach vacations, sightseeing, etc. Natural objects of the Great African Rift are located on the continental territory: lakes, volcanoes, craters. In terms of the number of national parks, the country is one of the leaders among African countries, while each recreation area is unique and unique. The islands of the Zanzibar archipelago offer all the charms of a beach holiday, diving, and various excursions. Every year, Tanzania becomes more and more attractive and accessible to tourists from all over the world.
Tanzania is located in the southern hemisphere a few degrees south of the equator. The central and main part of the country is formed by a large plateau lying at an altitude of 900 to 1800 meters above sea level.
The country borders Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the west, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique in the south. In the east, the coast of the country is washed by the Indian Ocean.
Tanzania is a country of geographical extremes, on its territory are located:
The state of Tanzania was formed in 1964 as a result of the merger of the British colonies of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, from which the name of the new country comes.
The population as of July 2002 was 37,187,939 people.
Religious beliefs in the continental part are Christians 30%, Muslims 35%, local beliefs 35%. On the Zanzibar archipelago, 99% are Muslims.
The country is a republic headed by a president. An important factor in the development of the country is the religious views of the president and persons holding central administrative positions.
Tanzania's climate varies from humid and hot in the lowlands, such as in Dar es Salaam, to hot days and cold nights in Arusha. There are no distinct seasons such as winter and summer, only the rainy season is marked. There are two rainy seasons in Tanzania: a short one from the end of October to the end of December (Mango Rains), and a long one from March to May.
Note: Many popular holiday destinations in Zanzibar and Mafia Island are closed during the long rainy season, and many national park excursions are not possible during this period due to soggy roads.
The temperature, depending on the season, varies from 20 to 35 or more degrees. Due to high humidity, it is not well tolerated by tourists.
Zanzibar is an archipelago that includes the islands of Unguya (Zanzibar itself), Pemba, Mafia and many smaller ones. Historically, the islands developed separately under Arab influence and still have autonomy within the country. Vacation in Zanzibar is primarily a traditional beach vacation on tropical islands with white coral sand and palm trees on the shores of the Indian Ocean, as well as accompanying entertainment such as diving or sailing on local boats - dhows to meet dolphins or sea turtles. The most interesting cultural component opens up for tourists on Ungui. Zanzibar's Stonetown Old Town includes traditional Arabic architecture with authentic door portals, evidence of the slave era, colonial and Christian influences, and other sites such as the birthplace of iconic singer Fred Mercury.
The east coast and southeast of Tanzania is a low-lying hot and humid coast of the country near the Indian Ocean. The region includes primarily the developed region around the de facto capital of Dar es Salaam. The city is the main air gateway to the country and offers many interesting sites to explore and even beach hotels, ideal for acclimatization before traveling around the country. To the north is the capital of the German colonial era - the city of Bagamoyo. Further north, the coast is devoid of tourist facilities, and to enjoy the wonderful scenery, you must visit the Usambara Mountains. The coast to the south of Dar es Salaam is an undeveloped area that is part of the Selous Reserve, which can only be visited by true extremes.
Northeastern Tanzania is the most interesting region of the country for safaris and wildlife viewing. The main national parks of the Northern Safari Circle are concentrated here, be it the steppe transboundary Serengeti National Park, or the local parks of Tarangire or Lake Manyara. Another feature that attracts tourists is the amazing scenery and geological features associated with tectonic activity at the site of the Great African Rift that runs through the region. This is the world-famous crater-caldera of Ngorongoro, with a closed biosystem, as well as the nearby Olduvai gorge. And of course, you can't help but see the majesty of the Kilimanjaro volcano in the dawn rays, and if you have free time and some preparation, you can even climb it. In these trips through the lands of the Maasai people, it is very likely that you will be able to visit their ethnographic villages and see the life of African warriors.
Northwestern Tanzania is the Tanzanian hinterland, which was located between the Great African Lakes of Tanganyika and Victoria. These lakes determine the minor tourist attraction of the region. Travelers can enjoy steamboat rides, bird life, aquatic life and other animals in the Rubondo Island National Park on Lake Victoria. Near Tanganyika, interesting national parks Gombe Stream National Park and Mahali Mountains, in which it is interesting to observe chimpanzees, as well as Katavi. This is real Africa, and the traveler has a unique chance to see it in its original form.
Central Tanzania is an area in the interior of the country from the coast, with a landscape in the form of flat plateaus and bush. There are two relatively large cities in the region - the nominal capital of Dodoma and the crossroads of Morogoro. There is nothing to do in the cities by and large, but if the traveler is taken to the quiet Dodoma, then here you can find the entire minimum set of entertainment and attractions, as well as view the panorama of the city from the Lion's Rock. Protected natural areas attract much more attention of travelers in the region. The Selous Game Reserve is an expensive destination for a small number of tourists, which guarantees the greatest immersion in nature. To the north of the Rufiji River, right in the middle of the bush, tent camps with minimal amenities are organized, and rare hunting is organized beyond the river. A satellite park of Selusa is located near Mikumi National Park.
The Southern Highlands is a sparsely populated area of the country in the southwestern part of Tanzania. The mountainous landscape is formed by the Eastern Rift. The surroundings of Iringa are attractive with amazing mountain shapes, as well as rock paintings. To the west of the city on the river of the same name is the second largest "wild" park Ruaha. To the east of Iringa, next to Selous, is the Udzungwa Mountain Park, with unique flora and endemic fauna. Closer to Malawi, the terrain is dominated by mountains of volcanic origin, lakes located in volcanic craters, and waterfalls. Among the Kipengere, Poroto and Livingstone mountains, there is a high-altitude meadow - the Garden of God, the Kitulo flower park.
Other interesting places
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Climbing the volcano accompanied by guides is arranged.
Bagamoyo is a city 75 km north of Dar es Salaam, a former capital of East Africa during German colonization and a center of the slave trade even earlier.
Pemba Island - an island 50 km north of Zanzibar, growing spices.
Mafia Island is a protected uninhabited island south of Zanzibar, excellent diving.
Stonetown (Stone City) of Zanzibar is the old part of the capital of the island, known since the 8th century as a center of international trade. Unique building of the city.
The ruins of Kilwa-Kisiwani and Songa-Manara are two islands off the coast of Tanzania 280 km south of Dar es Salaam, the islands were inhabited from the 9th to the 19th century, and the numerous ruins of palaces, mosques and fortresses are of interest.
Northern Circle Safari:
Southern Circle Safari:
Other national parks:
In Tanzania, left-hand traffic (similar to Great Britain, Japan, India, Australia and other countries). The car park is mostly worn out. For safety reasons, tourists are not recommended to drive themselves, especially when traveling long distances.
In addition to city taxis, there is a widely developed car rental network with a driver. This is especially relevant when renting SUV minibuses when going on safari or national parks. The payment mechanism is formed from the daily basic rate for a certain number of kilometers of mileage plus a rate for each additional kilometer of travel.
As a rule, 4x4 vehicles are allowed to enter national parks. These cars are also equipped with a roof that allows you to take photos and videos without leaving the car. When renting a motor vehicle, the condition of the car should be critically assessed, as serious breakdowns may occur under conditions of harsh operation.
When traveling on the roads of Tanzania, it is not accepted to give bribes to the police, branches thrown on the road warn of road accidents.
Motorways
There are two main roads in the country:
Taxi
Taxis are the optimal urban mode of transport from the point of view of availability-safety-speed. Taxi cars have white number plates, the fare is paid by agreement, you should not get into the car without determining the cost of the trip, you must bargain.
Another type of private carriage is dala-dala. This general word refers to quite a variety of types of local transport. In Dar es Salaam, these are closed scooters with two rear passenger seats, in Zanzibar they are trucks, the bodies of which are adapted for the transportation of passengers. Tourists are advised to use dala-dala only if absolutely necessary or for exotic purposes.
The official languages are Kiswahili, more commonly known as Swahili, and English (common in business, administration and higher education); in Zanzibar they speak mainly Arabic, in the interior of the country local adverbs are common. Tanzanians speak mainly Swahili, English is spoken by the educated part of the population and those involved in working with tourists.
The currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling (TSH). In Tanzania, they prefer to deal only with cash. As a currency for exchange, it is most profitable to bring US dollars. You can also bring euro cash in large bills as a currency for exchange. However, it is not recommended to use euros as a means of payment: when paying in euros, the digital value of the price will be the same as in US dollars.
It is possible to pay in dollars and euros on the street, in private shops, restaurants, although it is impractical. Payment in dollars is welcome in travel agencies, entry points to national parks, hotels, and large companies.
In Zanzibar, dollars are very important when dealing with foreigners. Prices are mainly in dollars, including ferry tickets between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, tourists are advised to pay in dollars for hotels on the island, although shillings will certainly be accepted as a form of payment. Shillings in Zanzibar are practically necessary for payment in small souvenir shops.
You can exchange currency in banks, street exchange offices, and most hotels.
It is possible to pay with a payment or credit card in a limited number of places: hotels, resorts, large travel agencies. It is futile to look for ATMs in remote areas of the country.
Traveler's checks are almost impossible to cash at most banks in Tanzania.
The vast majority of purchases are made in small stores and shops, large stores with fixed prices are present only in the capital and large cities. For all major trading institutions, the main rule is to bargain. Depending on the type of product, the price may be reduced several times.
Tanzania offers a wide selection of souvenirs and gifts, from magnets to antiques and semi-legal products from some species of animal. The following groups of goods have the greatest interest and distribution:
Clothing: t-shirts with Swahili inscriptions, national shirts, robes, hoodies, etc. - from 8 thousand (you should refrain from buying a t-shirt with the impolite nickname Mzungu - profuse, rascal, in modern interpretation white rich or person without skin).
Maasai blankets and fabrics: very practical and warm fabrics in bright colors, an excellent gift - 13-15 thousand shillings.
Paintings in the style of Tingatingu folk painting: the main subjects of animals or Maasai - from 20 thousand shillings.
Maconde ebony products: figurines of people, animals, masks, tree of life - from 10 thousand shillings.
Tanzanites are a type of zoisite mineral, aluminum and calcium silicate, which is mined only in Tanzania. It has a green, with chromium content, and an ultramarine/dark blue color, iridescent with crimson shades, with vanadium content, sometimes with ruby inclusions. The cost of high-quality stones, with a good cut and without voids, starts from $200 for 1 carat (this price is relevant for Tanzania).
Tanzanian tea and coffee - from 2 to 7 thousand shillings per package.
CD with national music - 5 thousand shillings.
Tanzania is a country of national parks and reserves, where the majority of African flora and fauna are concentrated. Safaris in protected natural areas can be divided into two main routes: the Northern Circle (Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara and Tarangire) and the Southern Circle (Selus, Mikumi and Ruaha). These routes do not include no less interesting, but much more difficult parks, such as Katavi and Gombe. Trips for tourists to the parks included in the list of main routes are organized by several local travel companies. When traveling around the Northern Circle, it is possible to visit Maasai villages.
Tour of Dar es Salaam visiting the National Museum, Nyumba ya Sanaa Art Gallery, Fish and Kariakoo Markets, Railway Station and Clock Tower, Askari Statue, Churches and Mosques.
The islands of Pemba, Mafia and Zanzibar are known for their excellent diving. On the shores of the Indian Ocean there is a wonderful beach holiday, equipped beaches in the capital and on the islands.
There are several historical centers of the slave trade in Tanzania, the most famous of which are Bagamoyo and Prison island.
Drinks
Restaurants and cafes serve good quality Tanzanian tea and coffee. It is worth ordering fresh juices from ordinary and exotic fruits, they will be especially tasty in season.
Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink based on sugar cane, somewhat similar to gin. It is produced only on the territory of Tanzania.
Krest is a local tonic produced by the Coca-Cola company. Interesting drinks with ginger and pepper.
Local beers "Kilimanjaro", "Serengeti", "Ndovu" and "Safari" are of very good quality.
The infrastructure for an active night life in big cities has been created, but when going to establishments of the specified profile, one must remember to be attentive and safe in the dark, both on the territory of the entertainment establishment and on the street after leaving the latter. Life in small towns freezes after dark because of the structure or lack of electricity.
Cellular coverage in populated areas and along major highways. In national parks, some operators are in several locations. For calls in the country, it is advisable to purchase a SIM card of a local operator. In addition, you should buy a card to top up your account, the tariffs are quite cheap.
Internet cafes in cities are quite easy to find. The country code is +255 (007 when calling from Kenya or Uganda). The country's Internet domain has the extension .tz
