Tanzania
Phone Code
+255
Capital
Dodoma
Population
65 Million
Native Name
Tanzania
Region
Africa
Eastern Africa
Timezone
East Africa Time
UTC+03:00
On This Page
Tanzania is an East African country on the Indian Ocean, home to the Serengeti's Great Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro — Africa's highest peak — as well as the Zanzibar archipelago just offshore. Most visitors need a visa, typically the e-visa applied for online before travel or visa on arrival at major airports, with a yellow fever certificate required for arrivals from endemic countries.
Tanzania Visa & Entry System
Tanzania requires a visa for most international visitors. The e-visa (USD 100, one-year multiple-entry) is applied for online before travel at the official immigration portal — upon approval you receive a "grant notice" by email to present at arrival. Visa on arrival is also available at Julius Nyerere (Dar es Salaam), Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports for single entry, though the e-visa is recommended for smoother processing. It is no longer possible to obtain a visa from the Tanzanian High Commission in London. Passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond arrival with one blank page. Only passports with M or F sex marker are accepted. Return or onward ticket and proof of funds required. Yellow fever certificate mandatory if arriving from endemic countries. Volunteer work is prohibited on a tourist visa — volunteers must obtain a Class C Residence Permit arranged through the Prime Minister's Office. Overstaying results in arrest, detention, fines and deportation. Zanzibar requires mandatory travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) for stays up to 92 days — other policies are not accepted. Currency declaration required for amounts exceeding USD 10,000. Non-residents cannot import or export Tanzanian Shillings.
Common Visa Types
E-Visa (Tourist/Business)
For tourism, wildlife safaris, Kilimanjaro climbing, Zanzibar, cultural visits and business. Apply online at the official immigration portal — USD 100 for one-year multiple-entry. Receive "grant notice" by email. Present at immigration with passport and supporting documents. Processing typically several business days. Yellow fever certificate required from endemic countries.
Visa on Arrival
For travellers who did not obtain the e-visa in advance. Available at Julius Nyerere (Dar es Salaam), Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports. Single entry only — multiple-entry not available on arrival. Bring passport, return ticket, accommodation proof and visa fee. Queues can be long; e-visa recommended.
Class C Residence Permit (Work/Volunteer)
For employment, volunteer work, NGO positions and long-term assignments. Volunteer work is prohibited on a tourist visa. Arranged through the Tanzanian Prime Minister's Office. Requires employment contract or placement letter, qualifications, police clearance and medical examination.
Essential Information for Tanzania Travellers
Tanzania delivers Africa's most complete safari experience. The Serengeti's Great Migration — over two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle moving in a continuous cycle between Tanzania and Kenya's Maasai Mara — is the headline draw, with calving season in the southern plains (January-March) and the dramatic Mara river crossings (June-September) as its two defining chapters. The Ngorongoro Crater concentrates the Big Five into a single self-contained caldera, while Tarangire's baobab forests and Ruaha's remote wilderness offer a quieter, less-visited alternative to the northern circuit. Mount Kilimanjaro, the world's tallest free-standing mountain, is reachable by non-technical trekking routes over five to nine days. Zanzibar transforms the trip entirely: Stone Town's UNESCO-listed old town, spice plantations and beaches along the east coast turn a wildlife-focused itinerary into a beach-and-culture one. Tanzania runs more expensive than Kenya for a comparable safari, but the parks feel wilder and considerably less crowded.
Discover Tanzania
The Great Migration doesn't stop for a fixed itinerary, so timing a Serengeti trip means aligning with where the herds actually are that month rather than a generic 'best time' answer. Calving season in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area (January to March) brings the highest predator action, with hundreds of thousands of wildebeest calves born within weeks and lions, cheetahs and hyenas working the newborns hard. By June the herds push north and west, and the June-to-September river crossings at the Mara and Grumeti — where crocodiles wait in the shallows — are the migration's most dramatic and most photographed chapter. Booking well ahead matters more for this than almost any other African safari: camps in the migration's current path fill up a year or more in advance for peak weeks.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Serengeti (Great Migration, Big Five, vast grasslands), Ngorongoro Crater (volcanic caldera concentrating all Big Five), Tarangire (baobab forests, elephant herds), Ruaha (Tanzania's largest park, remote, excellent predators), Nyerere/Selous (boat safari on the Rufiji River). Tanzania is where the safari experience feels most raw and wild.
Africa's highest peak (5,895 m) and the world's tallest free-standing mountain. Non-technical summit via Marangu, Machame, Lemosho or Rongai routes over 5-9 days. Altitude is the challenge, not technical climbing. Licensed guides and porters mandatory. The Machame ("Whiskey") route is the most popular; Lemosho offers the best acclimatisation profile.
Stone Town (UNESCO, carved doors, spice markets, rooftop restaurants), east coast beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa, Paje for kitesurfing), spice plantation tours, dolphin watching, Jozani Forest (red colobus monkeys), and centuries of Swahili, Omani, Portuguese and British trading history layered into one island.
Maasai and Hadzabe cultural encounters (the Hadzabe are one of the last hunter-gatherer peoples on earth), Swahili coastal culture on Zanzibar and Bagamoyo, Tingatinga art, the Makonde carving tradition, and Dar es Salaam's music scene (bongo flava). Tanzania's cultural diversity spans over 120 ethnic groups.
Zanzibar's white sand beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa, Paje), Mafia Island (whale shark swimming June-October, uncrowded diving), Pemba Island (pristine coral reefs), and the mainland coast near Pangani and Saadani (the only national park where beach meets bush). Kitesurfing at Paje is world-class.
Ruaha and Katavi national parks (remote, uncrowded, raw wilderness), Lake Tanganyika's chimpanzee tracking at Gombe and Mahale, the Usambara Mountains (hiking, colonial-era hill stations), and the Kondoa rock art sites (UNESCO, 1,500+ ancient paintings). For travellers who want Africa without the crowds.
Money & Currency
Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
Currency code: TZS
Practical Money Tips
USD Is the Safari Currency — Bring Clean Bills
Tanzania operates a dual-currency reality: the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) for everyday life and the US Dollar for the safari economy. National park fees, safari lodges, Kilimanjaro permits and many tourist services are priced and payable in USD. Bring clean, post-2006 US bills — older series and damaged notes are frequently refused by banks, exchange offices and park gates alike. Bring a mix of denominations: large bills (50s and 100s) get better exchange rates, but small bills (1s, 5s, 10s, 20s) are useful for tips and small payments.
Cards Work at Lodges — Cash Rules Everywhere Else
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at upmarket safari lodges, international hotels, and some restaurants in Dar es Salaam and Arusha. Contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay) work at a very limited number of modern terminals in Dar es Salaam — do not rely on them. Outside the tourist bubble — local restaurants, markets, public transport, smaller guesthouses, fuel stations and most of Zanzibar's Stone Town — cash is the only option. Always carry enough Shillings and USD for the day.
ATMs in Cities — Non-Existent in Safari Country
ATMs from CRDB, NMB, Stanbic and Standard Chartered are found in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Moshi, Mwanza, Zanzibar Town and other urban centres. Most accept Visa and Mastercard. Withdrawal limits are typically TZS 400,000-1,000,000 per transaction. In safari areas, national parks, Kilimanjaro and rural regions there are no ATMs — withdraw or exchange before heading out. Always decline dynamic currency conversion and withdraw in TZS.
M-Pesa (Vodacom) Works in Tanzania Too
Like neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania has a thriving mobile money ecosystem. M-Pesa (via Vodacom Tanzania) and Tigo Pesa are widely used. Foreign visitors can set up M-Pesa with a Vodacom SIM card (available at the airport, passport required). It is useful for paying smaller vendors, local restaurants, and some transport services. However, safari operators and national parks generally do not accept mobile money — they require USD cash or card. M-Pesa is more a convenience for daily life than a safari payment solution.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
Tanzania — Embassies worldwide
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Embassies in Tanzania
These foreign embassies and consulates are based here. Choose a mission to open its in-depth guide and contact details.
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Accredited missions for Tanzania
Yes, most nationalities need a visa. The e-visa, applied for online before travel, is the recommended route and gives one-year multiple-entry validity; visa on arrival is also available at Julius Nyerere, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airports but tends to involve longer queues.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for travellers arriving from a yellow-fever-endemic country. It's worth carrying the certificate even if your onward routing seems unlikely to trigger the check, since enforcement is strict.
Yes. Zanzibar requires mandatory travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) for stays of up to 92 days, and other international policies are not accepted for this specific requirement — it's issued separately from any travel insurance bought at home.
Planning a trip to Tanzania? Whether you need an e-visa for safari, help with Kilimanjaro permits, or guidance on Zanzibar entry requirements — get step-by-step support for your visa application.
Apply for your eVisaVisaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.