Have you decided to treat yourself to an adventure of a lifetime? Then you must have chosen to go to Tanzania. After all, experiencing Africa at its best has to start in this country! You do, however, need to prepare yourself, and learn a thing or two about what to expect when you actually get there.
It is why we are writing this guide, to make the whole preparation thing go smoothly. Read the rest of the article, and learn how to prepare, and what to expect when you get to this lovely country.
1. Start with Some Basic Info
If by some crazy chance, you do not know this already, Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa known for its natural beauty. The country has a rich history, with the first inhabitants appearing more than 20,000 years ago!
It is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. The country has almost 60 million inhabitants, and the population consists of many different tribes and cultures. Swahili is used as the national language and English is widely spoken in urban areas.
2. Visas
A lot of people planning to travel there need to obtain a Tanzania-visa. So, make sure you find information about whether you need it, whether you can obtain it upon arrival, or whether you need to get it done prior to your departure.
A lot about the visa issue can be found at the consulate and will depend on what country are you traveling from. Experienced travelers recommend bringing cash for visa expenses, upon arrival.
3. How to get there?
For some countries, this is a piece of cake, but depending on where you’re traveling from, it could be a hassle. Of course, visiting a local tour operator and buying a travel package can simplify things, but if you’re free-spirited and like to organize everything yourself, make sure you plan your flights and transfers right.
Due to the whole situation with the coronavirus and the currently not very good connection between Tanzania and some countries, a lot of people decided to take start their journey from the countries nearby. This can sometimes increase your overall travel budget, but once you get to the destination, you’ll realize that it was worth every penny.
Another option you can use if you’re going to the island of Zanzibar is a flight to Dar-es-Salaam and then a two-hour ferry to reach it, again, if this is your destination.
If you like this article so far, visit this blog post where we will give you some tips on how to make money while traveling.
4. When to travel?
The worst times to travel to this country are April and May due to a large amount of rain, the rest of the year is dominated by hot and even sultry weather, especially in December, January, and February.
5. Accommodation
Accommodation is varied, from hotels, and apartments to private rooms, as well as prices. Airbnb and Booking work without problems. Because of the corona, or because Tanzania was one of the few countries open to tourism, travelers have complained about how difficult was to find any kind of free accommodation.
They would book a day or two before and most of the accommodation units were already booked. Hence, it is important to ensure a place to stay as soon as you book your ticket, regardless of when you are traveling. You don’t want to end up on the street, do you?
6. Car and vehicle rentals
Both work fine but will depend on which part of the country are you planning to visit. One of the best options for exploring the island of Zanzibar is renting a car. The prices vary, but if it’s not the high season and if you haggle well, you can manage to negotiate and lower the prices down.
What you cannot drive without is a driver’s license for foreigners, which is issued by the rental car agency and costs 10 dollars. So, you don’t need an international driver’s license, you only have to get this one for foreign citizens.
What should be noted is that in Tanzania you drive on the left. The roads are paved between the settlements, but in some places, they are full of holes, through the villages they are unpaved.
You can also rent a scooter, the prices are around 20 dollars per day, but you can bargain down to 15 dollars.
As for traffic safety, you can expect the police to stop you at least once every day.
7. Food
The food is generally spicy, but reach in different fruits, out of which mango is the favorite among the locals. Seafood predominates on the island of Zanzibar. Various types of fish, crabs, lobsters, and shrimp at very affordable prices.
Food that is quite expensive in your country, you can get cheap here, so, for example, you can buy a lobster for around $ 9, a portion of octopus for $ 3.5, tuna steak for the same price as octopus…
Of course, there are also chicken, pizza, and veggie options… What you will definitely like is the large selection of fruits, of which in every bar, and restaurant prepare cocktails or smoothies.
These are some basic things, tips, or tricks that first-time visitors to Tanzania should be aware of. Most choose this country as their ideal destination because of the safari experience.
Safaris here are a great way to explore the country’s natural wonders and meet the people who live there. Their culture is a rich mix of African, Arab, Indian, and European influences. The people of this country are known for their kindness and hospitality, which makes them perfect hosts for tourists.
A safari experience in Tanzania begins with a visit to one of the country’s most popular national parks – the Ngorongoro Crater. There are many different routes you can take while on safari here, but if you want to see some wildlife then you should go in the morning or evening when they come out of their hiding places to feed or drink.
