Tanzania: The Great Plains, Sanctuaries & Living Wilderness
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. It has a coastline on the Indian Ocean, Kilimanjaro in the north and three of the continent's great lakes on its borders: Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania. The islands joined the mainland in 1964 to form the United Republic, and they keep their own government for local affairs.
Most first safaris start in the north. The Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara are within a few hours' drive of Arusha. In the south, Nyerere, Ruaha and Mikumi are larger and quieter, and Mikumi is the easiest to reach from Dar es Salaam.
Wildlife is the reason most people come. The wildebeest migration moves through the Serengeti all year, with calving in the south from January to March and river crossings in the north from about July to October. Elephants gather in Tarangire in the dry months, and the crater floor holds black rhino.
Zanzibar is the beach half of the trip. A short flight links Arusha and the Serengeti airstrips with Zanzibar, and fast ferries cross from Dar es Salaam in about two hours. A common plan pairs four or five days on safari with a week by the sea.
TZ • Protected Sanctuary
Tanzania
East African Panorama
East African Panorama
East African Panorama
Living Wildlife Corridors & Indigenous Sanctuaries
Tanzania represents one of the world's most vital biodiversity strongholds. Through comprehensive conservation protocols and community partnerships, vast ecosystems remain contiguous, enabling the ancient rhythms of predator and prey to unfold without barrier.
From the dramatic fault lines of the Great Rift Valley to ancient baobab savannas and pristine coral coastlines, the territory transitions seamlessly between wilderness realms. Guided game drives, private walking trails with indigenous trackers, and low-impact eco-lodges ensure an intimate safari experience.
"Our custodianship goes beyond tourism; every national park tariff directly fuels community anti-poaching patrols, veterinary rapid response units, and indigenous land stewardship across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem."
Money, Plugs, Internet & Flights
Currency, Cards & Cash
US Dollars, local currency & credit cards
- ✓USD Mint Rule: US Dollar bills printed before 2013 are NOT accepted anywhere in Tanzania due to counterfeiting safeguards. Carry crisp, uncreased post-2013 series.
- ✓Tanzanian Shilling (TZS): Ideal for artisanal local markets, tips, and spice farm visits. Current pegged average is approx. 2,600 TZS per 1 USD.
- ✓Cards & Payments: Visa and Mastercard are accepted at premier safari lodges. A 3% to 5% standard bank surcharge is customary in remote bush camps.
- ✓ATM Access: ATMs are available in Arusha, Stone Town, and Dar es Salaam. No ATMs exist once inside national park gates.
Plugs, Sockets & Charging
Type G plugs, lodge solar & camera charging
- ✓Plug Standards: Primary sockets are British 3-pin rectangular standard (Type G) and Type D. 230V / 50Hz. Universal travel adapters are recommended.
- ✓Hybrid Solar Grids: Luxury tented camps run on advanced hybrid solar inverter banks. Power is silent and continuous for guest comfort.
- ✓CPAP Support: All contracted safari properties offer dedicated 24-hour continuous silent inverter power for guest CPAP machines upon advance notice.
Internet & SIM Cards
Local SIM cards, 4G coverage & lodge Wi-Fi
- ✓Cellular Networks: Leading networks are Vodacom and Airtel. Pre-activated local eSIMs or nano-SIM cards are arranged upon airport reception.
- ✓Bush Coverage: Central Serengeti (Seronera) provides reliable 4G LTE. Remote northern Mara riverbanks and southern Ndutu rely on lodge Wi-Fi.
- ✓Starlink Deployed: Over 90% of our portfolio lodges are now Starlink satellite enabled, delivering high-speed voice and video calling in the wild.
Flights & Getting Around
Bush airstrips, luggage rules & light aircraft
- ✓International Gateways: Kilimanjaro Int'l (JRO), Zanzibar Abeid Amani (ZNZ), and Dar es Salaam (DAR) connect daily to bush airstrips.
- ✓Bush Airstrips: Key airstrips include Seronera (SEU), Kogatende (KOT), Ndutu, Grumeti, and Manyara.
- ✓Luggage Limits: Charter flights utilize Cessna Grand Caravan 208Bs with a strict soft-sided duffel limit of 15kg (33 lbs) per passenger.
Best Time to Visit & Seasons
Dry Season & River Crossings
Peak wildlife observation window. Herds concentrate along the Mara and Grumeti rivers for dramatic crossings. Crisp nights and clear skies.
Calving Season (Ndutu Plains)
Southern Serengeti bursts into life as over 8,000 wildebeest calves are born daily. Exceptional big-cat density and cheetah pursuits.
Emerald Green Season
Long rains transform savannahs into lush emerald plains. Superb birding, dramatic skies, private uncrowded drives, and preferential lodge rates.
Coastal & Marine Window
Zanzibar and Pemba enjoy warm Indian Ocean waters (26°C–29°C) year-round. Optimal visibility for Mnemba Atoll reef diving and traditional dhow sailing.
Visa & Entry Requirements
Official entry rules for international travelers
Most visitors need a visa. Apply for the Tanzania eVisa before you travel at visa.immigration.go.tz. The single entry tourist visa costs USD 50 for most nationalities and USD 100 (multiple entry) for US citizens. The same visa covers Zanzibar.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival and have blank pages. The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania.
Travel insurance is mandatory at USD 44 per traveller; citizens of East African Community countries are exempt on the mainland. You buy one policy only, depending on where you first enter: if arriving on the mainland first, buy the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) policy at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz/apply; if arriving in Zanzibar first, buy the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) policy at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz. The two insurers recognise each other, so you are not charged twice when travelling between the mainland and Zanzibar.
Babies aged 0 to 2 are free and children aged 3 to 17 pay half price (USD 22). On Zanzibar, everyone pays (including East African Community citizens at USD 22). Checked on 16 October 2026.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date, with at least 2 blank pages.
Border officers require proof of your return or onward flight and safari lodge booking confirmations.
A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country on the Ministry of Health list (which includes Kenya and Uganda), or if you spent 12 hours or more in transit in one. Rwanda is not on the list.
The vaccine is a single dose and must be given at least 10 days before arrival. Without a valid certificate you may be refused entry, or vaccinated on arrival (USD 50 for foreigners) and kept under health observation for up to 10 days.
Travellers over 60, babies under 1 year and people with a certified medical reason are exempt.
Malaria is present in most of the country, including Zanzibar, so consult a travel clinic about tablets and use mosquito repellent after dark. Drink bottled or filtered water. Checked on 16 October 2026.
Every safari booking includes 100% emergency medical evacuation coverage by air ambulance across all parks.
Top Places to Visit in Tanzania
Handpicked national parks, reserves, and coastal retreats.
BEACH_ISLANDZanzibar
Zanzibar is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of mainland Tanzania. The main island, Unguja, is usually just called Zanzibar, and it is where we work. Pemba, the second island, is a quieter add-on. Zanzibar suits couples, families and groups who want warm sea, white sand and some history in the same week, and it works as the beach end of a safari trip. A normal day starts with breakfast near the sea, then a morning outing: a boat trip to see dolphins or snorkel, a walk through the old streets of Stone Town, or a visit to a spice farm. The afternoon is for the beach. Evenings are for grilled seafood, sunset cruises and music. The coast you choose changes the holiday. The north (Nungwi and Kendwa) has water you can swim in at any tide. The east (Paje, Jambiani, Matemwe, Michamvi) has tides that pull the sea far out at low water, which is good for kite surfing and walking the flats but not for a swim at every hour. The long rains fall from March to May, and some months bring seaweed to parts of the east coast. We run airport transfers, day tours and beach trips from Zanzibar airport, and we combine the island with Tanzania safaris. Pick your beach area below, then check the transfer and the tours that start there.
BEACH_ISLANDNungwi
Nungwi is at the northern tip of Zanzibar and is one of the island's most popular beaches. It suits couples and groups who want swimming at any tide, resorts, restaurants and sunset cruises in one place. Days are simple. Swim in the morning, take a dhow or boat trip, eat lunch by the sea and walk to the village or the point for sunset. Dhow building is still done on the beach. The trade-off is that it is busy. The village is lively, there are many hotels and you will meet other visitors. For something quieter, look at Matemwe or Jambiani. The sea is calm, which is why Nungwi is good for swimming rather than for kite surfing. Nungwi is far from the airport at the other end of the island (about 1 hour 15 minutes by road). We run the transfer, boat trips and sunset cruises from here. Kendwa is a short drive south.
CITY_CULTUREStone Town
Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the best place on the island for history and culture: narrow lanes, carved wooden doors, Swahili houses, old markets and the waterfront. Freddie Mercury was born here in 1946. Go in the afternoon. From about 3pm the heat drops and the streets get busy, and it is a good way to end a tour day. But plan your must-see stops before 5pm, because they close: the old slave market site, the main market (Darajani), Jaws Corner, Memories of Zanzibar (the souvenir emporium), the Catholic museum and the Anglican Church of Tanzania, the two Christian sites on the route. The trade-off is that the lanes are a maze, shops will invite you in, and the middle of the day is hot. A local guide saves time and explains what you are looking at. Cars cannot enter many streets, so we park at the edge and walk. Stone Town is 15 to 20 minutes from the airport and is the usual first or last stop on a trip. It joins well with Prison Island and the sandbank on one day: do Prison Island first, the sandbank second and Stone Town third.
BEACH_ISLANDKendwa
Kendwa is the beach just south of Nungwi, known for soft white sand, clear water and strong sunsets. It suits couples, groups and anyone who wants a lively beach with more to do than most of the island. Kendwa Rocks, the beach hotel, has a DJ playing music from daytime until evening. Then a band takes over and plays rock, with a projector next to the stage showing photos of wildlife and people's journeys. More water sports run here than on most other beaches. In the evening you will see Maasai dancers jumping and entertaining on the sand, and you can get your hair plaited in the Maasai small plait style if you want. The sunset dhow cruises leave from the beach. There are private and shared cruises of one to two hours. As the dhow goes out, a crew plays coastal Swahili songs on drums and percussion (tabla, dumbek, daff, shakers, zeze and bongo). A tray of fruit, nuts, cassava chips and chevda is served. The boat has a lower deck and an upper deck for photos and video. On the way back, close to shore, guests can jump from the dhow, swim, and climb back on before docking. You see other dhows and speed boats pass, and the water is clear enough to see the bottom. The trade-off is noise and crowds in the evening, so choose a hotel away from the beach bars if you want quiet. We run the transfer from the airport, the sunset cruises and trips to Mnemba from Kendwa.
BEACH_ISLANDPaje
Paje is on the south-east coast and is Zanzibar's kite surfing beach. It suits kite surfers, backpackers and travellers who want a relaxed beach town with cafes and a good mix of visitors. The day follows the tide and the wind. At low water the sea goes far out and you can walk the flats. At high water the lagoon fills and the kite surfers go out. The village has beach cafes, small shops and places to eat, and the pace is slow. The trade-off is that swimming depends on the tide, and seaweed can wash up in some months. If you want to swim at any hour, the north coast is easier. Paje is on the road to Jambiani and to Jozani Forest, so it is a good base for trips there. We run the airport transfer and the tours that start in Paje.
BEACH_ISLANDMatemwe
Matemwe is a quiet beach on the north-east coast and a good base for boat trips to Mnemba. It suits couples and divers who want a peaceful stay with the reef close by. Boats leave early for the reef. Most guests snorkel or dive, return for lunch, and spend the afternoon on the beach. Evenings are calm. The trade-off is that there is little nightlife and the tide goes out at low water. Come for quiet, not for a lively beach. Matemwe is a short boat ride from Mnemba. We run the airport transfer and the Mnemba trips from here.