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Tanzania

Travel Guide Tanzania

Breathtaking wildlife, diverse landscapes and numerous national parks - Tanzania has just about everything to offer that makes adventurers happy! The great nature and animal world and the hospitality of the locals contribute their part to the fact that it usually does not remain with only one visit. For nature enthusiasts Tanzania is the ideal destination. Due to the size of the country, you will be able to see different types of landscapes and wildlife. Learn more about Tanzania in our country information Tanzania.

Our trips to Tanzania:

Safari Guide Course Tanzania - Serengeti

Highlights in Tanzania

The Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site. It is known for its breathtaking wildlife with a large number of zebras, wildebeests and lions. Here you can go on a safari through the national park. The Serengeti is also home to many indigenous peoples - including the Maasai as one of the most famous.
Zanzibar is an island archipelago in the Indian Ocean. White sandy beaches and turquoise water await you here. In the capital of Zanzibar, you can explore the historic stone city. Different cultures from Africa, India, the Arab and Persian area meet here. After an extensive safari tour you can relax on the beaches of Zanzibar or discover the underwater wildlife on a dive.
Jozani is the largest area of virgin forest on Zanzibar and offers a glimpse of nature as it once covered the entire island. Jozani National Park is known for its Zanzibar colobus monkeys, an endangered species found only here. The forest is also home to other monkey species such as duiker, bushbabies and over 40 different bird species.

Geography of Tanzania

Tanzania has a land area of 947,303 km². The country borders Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. Tanzania is located on the east coast of Africa on the Indian Ocean. The coastline is 1,424 kilometers long. Many islands such as Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia belong to Tanzania.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 meters and part of it is in Tanzania. Lake Tanganyika is the lowest point in Africa and lies at 1,471 meters below sea level also in Tanzania. Three of Africa's largest lakes are partly in Tanzania: Lake Victoria, Lake Taganyika and Lake Nyasa.

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Geomorphology/Geology

Central Tanzania is a large plateau. The east coast is hot and humid, and the Zanzibar archipelago lies just offshore. Northeastern Tanzania consists of a mountainous region with Mount Meru, an active volcano, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Usambara and Pare Mountain ranges. To the west of Kilimanjaro lies the Gregorian Rift. At the foot of the rift are many salt lakes. The rift also includes the crater highlands, which include the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Ngorongoro Crater. To the west of the crater highlands is the Serengeti National Park. Southeast of the national park is the Oldupai Gorge area, where many of the oldest hominid fossils and artifacts have been found.

To the northeast is Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the source of the Nile River. Upstream from the Kalambo Waterfall, a 235-meter waterfall on the border with Zambia and Tanzania, is one of Africa's most important archaeological sites.

Travel Tipps and Trivia for Tanzania

Currency is the Tanzania Shilling (TZS). Credit cards as means of payment are mostly accepted in larger hotels, but sometimes only VISA. You should take enough cash (EUR/USD) with you. If you take dollar notes with you, you should note that banks and exchange offices usually only accept dollar notes with a minting date from 2006. The exchange of euros into local currency is limited to the major cities and certain hotels. Cash withdrawals with German EC cards are hardly possible at ATMs.
Car: There is left-hand traffic. The condition of the roads is usually quite good, in remote areas less so and there are severe potholes. Driving on expressways is a challenge due to unfamiliar and very different driving styles.
Train: Train travel is possible, but you should expect (at least) significant delays; many trains do not run on schedule.
Bus: To get to your destination cheaply, matatus are a good option. These are minibuses that connect many places in Tanzania. However, road conditions are sometimes poor and therefore travel times can be long.
Domestic flights: There are good flight connections between the cities of Dar es Salaam and Arusha and the regions of Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Zanzibar and Pemba.
- January 1: New Year
- January 12: Zanzibar Revolution Day
- April 26: Union Day
- May 1: Labor Day
- July 7: Saba Saba, Founding Day of the TANU party in Tanzania and Dar es salaam, International Fair Trade Day
- August 8: Farmers' Day
- 27 September: Milad un Nabi (birthday of the Prophet Mohammed)
- October 14: Nyerere Day, anniversary of the death of Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania
- 9 December: Independence Day
- December 25: Christmas
Additional holidays: End of Ramadan, Feast of Sacrifice
Do
- Since Tanzania is a conservative country, women and men should cover their shoulders and legs in public. Women can wear a kanga, a traditional colorful printed cloth that African women use as a head covering, skirt and sling.
Don't
- Tenderness in public should be avoided (kissing, touching, etc.).
- No greetings with the left hand, only with the right hand.
- Do not take plastic bags into the country.
- Do not take pictures of strangers on the street and in public, it is considered rude. You should always ask permission before taking a photo.
- Do not drink water from the tap or eat uncooked food.
- Do not eat ice cream.

Climate in Tanzania

The climate varies greatly in Tanzania. In the highlands, temperatures range from 10 to 20 degrees during cold and hot periods. In the rest of the country, temperatures rarely fall below 20 degrees. Between November and February are the hottest months, and the coldest period is between May and August. The average temperature is 20 degrees.

There are two rainy seasons in Tanzania: one between October to April and the other between October to December and March to May. The first is in southern, central and western Tanzania, the second in the north of Lake Victoria to the east to the coast.

Flora and Fauna in Tanzania

Tanzania's fauna and flora is very diverse and is home to about 20 percent of the species of mammals in Africa. 21 national parks, reserves, one nature reserve and three marine parks can be found in Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a World Heritage Site. In western Tanzania, Gombe Stream National Park, where Jane Goodall has been studying chimpanzee behavior since 1960. Tanzania has a great diversity of species: Serengeti National Park is home to white-bearded wildebeest, other cattle and zebras. Tanzania is home to 130 different species of amphibians and over 275 species of reptiles. Tanzania's wetlands are home to hippos, warthogs, elephants, crocodiles and many water birds such as flamingos.

In the north of the country, you will find Arusha National Park, which is home to elephants, leopards, giraffes, hyenas, blue monkeys and buffalo. Katavi National Park in the west is Tanzania's third largest national park. Here you will also find lions, antelopes and Nile crocodiles. Kilimanjaro National Park is climatically very cold and hot at the same time. The vegetation in the park includes dense mountain forests, mosses and lichens, and giant lobelia. Established in 1977, the park covers an area of 1,668 square kilometers and lies within the river and palustrine ecosystem.

The Serengeti National Park, the second largest in Tanzania, is the oldest and best known. It was established in 1951. The habitat, which borders Kenya and Lake Victoria to the west, is characterized by vast plains, savannahs, forested hills, large termite mounds, rivers and acacia forests. During the great wildebeest migration, about one million wildebeest migrate across the vast plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. Ruaha National Park is the largest in Tanzania, covering 20,226 square kilometers. The park consists of rugged, semi-arid bushveld, typical of central Tanzania in the Iringa region. The Ruaha River flows through the park. It is home to about 10,000 elephants, zebras, giraffes, impalas, waterbucks and other antelope species, cheetahs, striped and spotted hyenas, sable and roan antelopes, and large kudu with corkscrew horns (the park's emblem).

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Social Geography of Tanzania

Tanzania has a population of about 45 million. 44 percent of the population is under 15 years old. Most people live in the north on the coast. 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Dar es Salaam is the capital with about 4.4, million inhabitants and is located in central Tanzania. Tanzania's population consists of 125 different ethnic groups.
In 2021, Tanzania's GDP was an estimated USD 71 billion, according to the IMF. GDP per capita was USD 3,574. The Tanzanian economy is heavily based on agriculture, which accounted for 24.5% of GDP in 2013, supplied 85% of exports, and employed half of the workforce. The largest exports include gold (32%), tobacco (6%), coconuts (5%), and coffee (3.6%).
Tanzania is a one-party state in which the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party is in power. From its founding until 1992, it was the only legally authorized party in the country. This changed on July 1, 1992, when the constitution was amended. It has been in power since independence in 1961 and is the longest-ruling party in Africa. In November 2020, John Magufuli was again declared the winner for his second term as president. There was suspicion of electoral fraud. The National Election Commission announced that Magufuli received 84%, or about 12.5 million votes.

The situation in Tanzania is stable overall, despite inflation and price increases. However, demonstrations and violent clashes cannot be ruled out. According to the German Foreign Office, however, non-essential travel to the southern part of the Mtwara region (immediate border region with Mozambique) is discouraged for security reasons. Crime is relatively high throughout the country and has continued to rise since the beginning of 2023.