Explore one of the safest countries in Africa, Tanzania, where you can tour its vast wilderness area for safari life and other lifetime adventure.
Recommended reading: Tanzania eVisa: A Step-by-Step Guide To Your Application
Tanzania officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania.
Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the north-east, where Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest and famous mountain in Africa is located. Three of Africa’s Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania.
To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the continent’s deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish. To the south lies Lake Malawi. The eastern shore is hot and humid, with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore. The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibar’s largest marine protected area.
The Kalambo Falls, located on the Kalambo River at the Zambian border, is the second-highest uninterrupted waterfall in Africa.
Tanzania which is one of the safest countries in Africa in term of GDP is a poor country but in terms of tourism, it is a rich country.
Being a major tour destination to lovers for honeymoon, trekkers, hikers and all travel related purpose, this guide will give you all the guides from visa to accommodation and your tour destinations whether you are traveling from the USA, Canada, UK, Ghana and what have you.
Entry Requirements to Tanzania
All international passengers to Tanzania must complete an online Health Survey within 24 hours of arrival. A separate Health Survey is required for Zanzibar. Further information on both Health Surveys is provided in the Tanzanian government’s travel guide here.
Fully vaccinated passengers are exempt from pre-departure testing requirements. Passengers will be required to present a valid vaccination certificate with a QR code for verification upon arrival. The only acceptable vaccines are those approved by the Ministry of Health of Tanzania and the WHO.
Passengers who are not fully vaccinated, or unvaccinated and those not eligible for vaccination due to their country policy, will be required to present a negative Covid 19 RT PCR (Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) or NAATs (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests) certificate with a QR code obtained within 72 hours before departure.
Passengers arriving from certain countries experiencing variants of interest and high Covid-19 case numbers are obliged to take a rapid antigen test on arrival in Tanzania, at their own expense (USD 10 for Tanzania Mainland).
If found positive, they will be tested with RT PCR for confirmation and will be required to self-isolate. The list of countries for which rapid antigen testing is required can be found on the office webste. Further details on rapid antigen testing requirements, including advance online booking, can be found in the Tanzanian government’s travel guide here.
Passengers who are not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated who arrive in Tanzania with no negative Covid 19 RT PCR certificate. For air transport and international marine vessels, they will be tested for Covid 19 using an RT PCR test at a cost of USD100 for Tanzania Mainland
For international regional and inland vessels, they will be tested using a rapid antigen test at a cost of USD 10. If found positive, a further RT PCR test will be administered at a cost of USD 50. For ground crossing, they will be tested by rapid antigen test at a cost of USD 10 and if found positive will be handled according to bilateral and joint border agreements.
Passengers in transit are exempt from both vaccination certificate and Covid 19 testing requirements unless stated otherwise by their travel operator or by the authorities in the country of their final destination.
Visa Information
A visa is a permission granted to a foreign visitor who intends to enter into Tanzania for the purpose of visit, tourism, leisure, holiday, business, health treatment, attending conference or any other related activities recognised by Laws of the country.
The e-ordinary visa is granted to foreign nationals for the purposes of visit, Leisure, Holiday, attending Conference as a participant, Humanitarian and charity activities, spouse visit and Family re-union, Health Treatment or any other purpose as may be determined by the issuing authority. Its validity is not exceeding three months for a single entry.
List of countries exempted from visa requirements include the following:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Anguilla
- Ashmore & Certie Island
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Belize
- Brunei
- British Virgin Island
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Botswana
- Cyprus
- Cayman Island
- Channel Island
- Cocoas Island
- Cook Island
- Christmas Island
- Dominica
- Falkland Island
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Grenada
- Guernsey
- Guyana
- Heard Island
- Hong Kong
- Isle of man
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Montserrat
- Malaysia
- Madagascar
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Macao
- Mozambique
- Nauru
- Naue Island
- Norfolk Island
- Namibia
- Papua new Guinea
- Rwanda
- Romania
- Ross Dependency
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Swaziland
- Solomon Island
- St. Kitts&Navis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vicent
- St. Helana
- South African Republic
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos
- Tokelan
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Requirements:
- Applicant’s valid passport. Applicant’s passport must be valid for six month and have some blank pages in the visa page.
- Payment of the visa fee; The appropriate visa to be paid by the applicant is found on the official website of the Tanzania Immigration Service.
- 1 passport size photo; The picture should be colored and taking within the current 3 months.
- Return ticket; The return ticket showing the routes and the traveling details of the applicant should be attached to the visa application documents. Affordable airlines to the destination can be booked from this site.
Download Visa Application Guidelines
| TYPES OF VISA | FEES (VISA FEES IN USD) |
| ORDINARY VISA | 50 |
| MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA | 100 |
| BUSINESS VISA | 250 |
| STUDENT VISA (Single 3 Months) | 50 |
| (Multiple 1 year) | 250 |
| (Research 6 Months-Multiple) | 300 |
| (Phd Student 1 year-Multiple) | 550 |
| TRANSIT VISA | 30 |
Applicants of Visa are strongly advised to apply for Visa through the Official Tanzania Immigration Services Website .
Applicant must ensure that his/her passport has a validity of at least six months and at least one unused visa page while making application;
Applicant is expected to apply for a right category of visa. If the applicant is not sure about the type of visa he requires, he is advised to seek guidance through the e-mail [email protected]
The Visa application will be processed within ten days, therefore applicants are strongly advised to observe the time frame while making their applications. Any application of Visa wrongly applied or which lacks sufficient attachment, may be rejected;
Any applicant of Visa is assumed to have read and agreed to the terms and conditions stipulated in the Disclaimer. Therefore, applicant is required to read it carefully before making payment. The Disclaimer is available at the end of each application of Visa;
No refund will be made in respect of any rejected visa application. The Tanzania Immigration Services Department may give or withhold reasons for rejection of Visa to the applicant. Visa regulations and conditions may be subject to change at any time without prior notification to the applicants.
Applicants whose nationals fall under Referral Visa category are not advised to book flight tickets or make payments for any reservations in Tanzania before they get approval for their Visa. Applicants of Referral Visa are advised to apply at least two months before their date of travel.
Applicants are required to review the List of countries (from our website) which fall under Referral Visa from time to time as there might be some changes. Stateless persons and Refugees who hold Vienna Convention documents are also required to obtain referral visa prior to coming to Tanzania.
How to Apply for a Visa Online
- Visit the Immigration Services Website ()
- Click “e-services” button;
- Select and click “e-Visa Application Form”;
- Fill all required details in the form;
- Upload and attach the applicant’s scanned relevant documents for the Visa;
- Then, the applicant will receive an e-mail message containing User Identification Number (that may be used to track the application online);
- After completion of filling an online visa application form, the applicant will have to pay for a for respective visa fee;
- Upon successful payment, the applicant will submit his application;
- Lastly, the applicant will receive a message of confirmation of his application being received.
Top Things To Do In Tanzania
Once you through with the visa processes, these are the top things to do in Tanzania.
Many know the East African country of Tanzania for the Great Migration at Serengeti National Park, but there’s so much history and wilderness within this diverse region it has plenty more to offer.
Around the country there are several national parks, home to the largest concentration of wildlife in Africa. On the coast are some of the world’s most riveting islands and warm waters, and under those waters is a world of oceanic wonder, filled with colors and depth.
In the cities, the buildings tell stories of battles and conquest, depression and victory. You’ll need a lifetime to explore it all, but as you start your journey, here is our list of top things to do in Tanzania.
Go hot-air ballooning in Serengeti National Park
Very little on earth speaks magic like surveying the endless plains of the Serengeti. The Maasai people have called this region home for centuries, and they have lived side by side with an extraordinary array of fauna and flora unlike anything else in the world.
At dawn, when the hot-air balloon is fired up, the sun surfaces slowly into view and the balloon rises to greet the color-streaked clouds and below thousands of antelopes, warthogs, zebras, lions, rhinos and elephants, wander about to start their day.
Summit Mt Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain and a thirst trap for adventure and hikers. There is truly nothing more exciting than making your summit at Uhuru Peak, which stands at 5895m (19341ft) on Kibo’s crater rim. The average summit duration is five days, although some routes may take a few days longer depending on terrain, foot traffic and stops to take in the scenery.
There are approximately eight possible routes to Uhuru Peak, Marangu and Rongai being the easier ones. Machame, Shira and Lemosho have proved to be more difficult, but there’s very little else that shouts victory quite like planting your feet on Africa’s highest point.
Spend the night in an underwater room off the coast of Pemba
The Manta Resort’s underwater room is a wooden structure anchored on the Indian Ocean floor, just off the coast of Pemba island. In the midst of calm cerulean waters, this edifice almost appears lonely as it seems to float at its own whim. But rest assured all is secure.
On the deck, you can catch the kisses of the sun by day and at night gaze into the eyes of a million stars. When you’re up to it, take the stairs down to a small modern bedroom surrounded by four glass walls, in which you’ll meet the majesty of the ocean. You’ll pay for the privilege, but it’s thrilling just thinking about what awaits as you sleep each night.
Go diving and snorkeling in Zanzibar
Zanzibar is Africa’s paradise, with warm sky-blue waters gently lapping shores of fine white sand that stretch for miles – the stuff dreams are made of. But wait until you explore what lies beneath.
Schools of colorful fish, frolicking bottlenose and spinner dolphins and majestic whale sharks deftly wander in and around the captivating, kaleidoscopic coral reef.
The waters around Mnemba Island and Kizimkazi Beach are the best places on the achipelago for aquatic adventure, although any of the numerous beaches offer wonderful opportunities. During low tide, you can walk to the Rock, but during high tide it becomes its own island, and a boat must bring you to its doors.
Enjoy a meal at the Rock in Zanzibar
The Rock is a quaint restaurant built upon a bed of stone on the ocean floor on Michamvi’s Pingwe Beach. In low tide, you can walk up the stairs and into to this small boutique of incredible flavors and aromas, but during high tide it becomes its own island, and a boat must bring you to its doors – hence its nickname, Tidal Island.
The Rock experience more than satiates your physical appetite, it elevates it. While European-inspired, everything on the menu is a fusion of local ingredients (seafood, fruit and vegetables) and sultry spices – the perfect mixture of Asian and African influences. The grilled lobster served with scarab potatoes and salad is heaven’s gift to mere mortals.
Swim with whale sharks on Mafia Island
Mafia Island is Tanzania’s best-kept secret. Like Zanzibar, it’s an archipelago, but it has little of the traffic that flows to Zanzibar’s Unguja Island.
Known as Whale Shark Island, it welcomes these gentle giants from October to March, offering exciting opportunities to grab your gear and hang out with them. The experience of swimming through the coral amidst smaller fish while sidling up to the world’s biggest fish is one you’ll cherish – although enormous, they’re faster than you think.
Eat your heart out at Forodhani Night Market in Zanzibar
Each day as the sun sets over the Forodhani Garden, the frenetic pace of everyday life on Zanzibar decelerates. In its place, chefs in white jackets and top hats set up stalls to create a medley of Tanzania’s finest street food.
The tables are laden with falafel, cutlets of tandoori chicken, nyama choma (roasted meat), sizzling skewers of octopus, fish and other seafood, spicy samosas and coconut bread. Try the Zanzibar pizza, which is really an omelet of fried eggs, dough and diced veggies. Wash it down with cool sugarcane juice.
Climb Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano
Ol Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano located on a continental rift zone in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Over the last century, there have been 16 eruptions with the last one recorded in 2021. Geologists stay fascinated with this volcano because it emits the coldest black lava on the planet (510°C/950°F), which forms a white rock when cooled.
Several avid mountaineers have climbed this mountain, and a few didn’t finish it because of the incredibly steep ascent, which takes about six hours. The views from the crater rim are breathtaking, however: on clear days, you can see Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru and the Serengeti.
Explore the history of slavery at the Slave Market exhibit in Zanzibar
From 1698 until 1897, Zanzibar was home to one of the world’s most notorious slave markets. Tippu Tip was this region’s most scandalous and wealthiest trader of enslaved people, and his house is now a museum open to the public.
The slave market exhibition begins with a journey to a sculpture of chained slaves – using the original chains – created by Clara Sörnäs, with help from students at Bagamoyo College. In 1873, after the abolition of the slave trade, missionaries built the Anglican Cathedral over the original slave market. Today you can explore two of the 15 dark, dank, cramped chambers that housed slaves underground.
Indulge in a luxe stay on Thanda Island
If you have money to burn, then make your stay off the Indian Ocean coast a luxurious one. Thanda is a private island dedicated to the conservation of marine life, where you can swim with whale sharks, go deep-sea fishing or dive in the largest protected marine reserve on the Indian Ocean.
Going all out? For several thousand dollars more, there’s a private helicopter to take you to the reserve, as well as a luxurious yacht for idyllic ocean delights.
Go back in time at the Oldupai Museum
Two million years ago in the Ngororngoro region some of the first human ancestors called this region home – and after Mary Leakey’s 1959 discovery of hominid fossils captured international news, it became known to the wider world as well.
On the fringe of Oldupai Gorge. It holds telltale remains of early life in East Africa, as well as outlining the area’s history. Godfrey Moita, the museum’s cultural heritage officer, will lead you on a journey filled with awe and wonder. You’ll also have a chance to see hominid footprints at least 1.6 million years old.
Spend a day with the Hadzabe people
Tanzania is home to more than 100 ethnic groups who offer cultural tours, including the widely known Maasai in the northern highlands, the Chagga in the Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru regions and the Hehe people of Iringa, in southern part of Tanzania.
The Hadzabe people live on the coast of Lake Eyasi, and are one of the last hunter-gatherer people of Africa, not unlike the San of Southern Africa (although no known connection exists).
A cultural explore from the Hadzabe tribe includes joining them on a game hunt, a frenzied yet rewarding activity in which the men go in search of bushmeat and the women gather roots and berries. A day offers non-voyeuristic insight into daily life, rituals, beliefs and ceremonies.
Thank you for reading.
Read also
25 Best Tanzania Foods to Satisfy Your Taste Buds
Meet The Beautiful Tanzania People From The Various Tribes
Tanzania Safari Tours: Explore 12 Of The Wild Wonders
Tanzania Serengeti: Exploring the African Safari
Discover the Best 10 Tanzania Beaches
Discover The Best Tanzania Resorts For A Luxurious Vacation
Tanzania Visa for US Citizens: All You Need to Know
12 Best Beaches In Ghana To Visit