Tanzania FAQS
TANZANIA FAQS: Frequently Asked Questions
Answered!
1. When is the best time to Visit Tanzania for Safari?
Most travelers visit Tanzania to go on Safari, others climb mt Kilimanjaro and end up taking a break by relaxing in Zanzibar beaches. The beauty is you can experience a phenomenal safari in Tanzania any time of the year. To avoid rains and enjoy great warm weather we recommend travelling from January to mid-march or between June and October. Expect crowds.
Many people will choose when to Tanzania on safari based on want you want to see most, like the famous Great Migration of wildebeests & zebras, or the calving season when newborns arrive, or seeing of number big cats and large herds of elephants on safari. You may also think of going any month of year to avoid crowds.
Honestly every month is good enough for safari to spot big cats and wildlife, it’s just some months offer different animal experiences under different weather conditions in the country’s popular norther circuit national parks namely; Serengeti (home of great migration) Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire.
January to February offer calving. During this period, you see many young calves born, many visitors tend to come, parks are crowded, making it a peak season.
March to May offers lots of rains, lush green vegetation making it a bit challenging to spot animals but with less visitor crowds, however most accommodations offer discounts. It’s of peak.
June to October offer beautiful warm sunny weather which attracts animals to water holes, making it easy to spot wildlife. This attracts large crowds of visitors in most parks especially Ngorongoro and Serengeti. This is the ultimate peak season.
November to Mid-December is tends to be hot and humid, good for birdwatching and less crowds of visitors, making it off-peak.
2. When is best time of year for climbing Mt Kilimanjaro?
The clear skies and best climbing conditions occur starting from mid-December to mid-march. Others occur between mid-June to October. Remember climbing Kilimanjaro can take place all year round, however some months are better than others.
Kilimanjaro has a long rainy season between Mid-march to mid-June and a short rainy season between November and December. during this time temperatures are high and Its unpleasantly hot and humid.
Lastly expect the unexpected, around Kilimanjaro, it can rain anytime and it can snow at the summit any time. It’s a good idea to expect certain conditions but… our recommendation is that always come prepared for anything.
3. Is it safe to travel in Tanzania/ How safe is Tanzania?
Tanzania is a very safe country to visit and is definitely safe to live in. No incidents of terrorism have been reported in recent past. Above all the fact that tourism is a key resource for the country security and safety of visitors are a priority for the government of Tanzania. However, like many destinations, its common to find petty crimes, like pick pockets, bag snatching, stealing devices like phones and laptops – which can be best avoided by avoiding hotspots in cities with high population like Arusha and Dar es salaam and staying in your accommodation. On a personal level its best to keep your valuables out of sight in busy situations. You will enjoy Tanzania and stay safe during your time if you avoid travelling at night. It is helpful to use a reputable tour agency and keep to your itinerary.
4. How do I apply for a Tanzania Visa?
It is a normal practice to purchase a visa on arrival at airport or land border in Tanzania.
Passports and other documents accepted for entry must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the arrival date.
Visa can be obtained on arrival. Visa must be paid with card or notes of USD 50.- or USD 100.- Please note that Visitors not holding return/ onward tickets could be refused entry.
5. What vaccinations do I need for Tanzania?
Though not mandatory, it is important to have proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you're coming from a country with a known yellow fever epidemic. Children under 1 year of age and adults above 60 years of age are exempted.
That said, to ensure your health whilst travelling abroad you should have the following vaccinations: typhoid, TDP, varicella and Hepatitis A and B. If you're an adventurous eater, you might want to add cholera to the list.
Tanzania is in a malaria zone, that said, malaria isn't an issue in all parts of the country. But you might want to consider using anti-malaria medication.
WHO recommended type of prevention is referred to as: Type C (risk of P. falciparum malaria) - Mosquito-bite prevention plus atovaquone-proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis. Please contact your doctor to advise on appropriate antimalarial and dosage.
6. Covid 19 vaccinations
Vaccinated Travelers are required to present a valid vaccination certificate with QR code for verification upon arrival and nothing else.
Unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated passengers and those not eligible for vaccination due to their country policy will be required to present on arrival, a negative COVID-19 RT- PCR or NAATs certificate with QR code obtained within 72 hours before departure.
Travelers who do not have: - a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated; or- a negative COVID-19 NAAT or RT-PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point whose test certificate must have a QR code - are subject to a COVID-19 test upon arrival at their own expense and self-isolation at their own expense until they receive a negative test result.
Vaccines accepted are: AstraZeneca (SKBioscience), AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Covaxin, Covishield, Covovax, Janssen, Moderna (Spikevax), Nuvaxovid(Novavax), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik V.
7. Do I need travel insurance to travel to Tanzania?
Absolutely. It’s highly recommended that you take out travel insurance for a holiday to Tanzania with good medical insurance that includes cover for an emergency evacuation if needed. All passengers travelling with us are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every trip.