Tanzania Holidays - Travel Guide, Travel & Travel Tips
Tanzania is located in East Africa, south of the equator. With an area of 945,087 m2, Tanzania is almost three times the size of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The mainland area of Tanganyika and the islands Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia form the United Republic of Tanzania.
Some of the most exciting places in Africa are in Tanzania.
Facts and figures for your Tanzania vacation
- Tanzania lies between the 1st and 12th degrees south latitude.
- Area: 945,087 km², of which the offshore islands of Zanzibar and Pemba account for 2,644 km²
- Population: approx. 49.25 million
- National languages: Kiswahili (official language), English (educational and lingua franca), Arabic and other regional languages
Religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, various natural religions. - Population density: approx. 43 inhabitants per km²
- Capital: Dodoma with 205,870 inhabitants
- License plate: EAT (Tanzania)
- International dialing code from Tanzania: 00255, to Europe: 003883, to Germany: 0049, to Austria: 0043, to Switzerland: 0041
- Form of government: Presidential republic (belonging to Tanzania)
- National Holidays: 26.04. Union Day, 01/12 revolution day
- Local currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
- Time zone: CET + 2h (GMT + 3h)
- Entry Requirements: Visa and valid passport
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam, often just called "Dar" colloquially, is the largest city in Tanzania with more than 4,364.541 (2012) million inhabitants. Although the city is by far the largest city in the country, inland Dodoma has been the official capital since 1974. However, the government as well as the diplomatic missions and international organizations continue to work from Dar es Salaam. The city still clearly shows which colonial masters had influence in the country at the time. German buildings are the Cathedral of St. Joseph (1898), the Azania Front Church (1902), the railway station and the old post office. In the Asian part of the city you will find Hindu temples and an Indian street. In addition, the city also offers a very beautiful botanical garden and a museum village, where traditional dances are regularly performed. When the sun goes down, residents head north to Dar, to Oyster Bay and Coco Beach to relax with cold drinks and unwind. Here you can have fresh seafood and cocktails served on the chic Msasani Peninsula and experience a breathtaking 180-degree view far out to sea at the Karambezi Café.
Zanzibar island
Unguja, known around the world as Zanzibar, is the new highlight in the Indian Ocean. The island is located approximately 40km from the Tanzanian mainland and is surrounded by various islands, the largest of which are Pemba, Mafia and Prison Island. In addition to the legendary cultivation of spices, which gave the island the name "Spice Island", Zanzibar is characterized by its Arabic past. Due to the unbeatable beauty of Zanzibar with its wonderful beaches and coral reefs, the island was the chosen residence of Arab sultans, who in turn shaped the island. Visit Stone Town with its many small streets and houses steeped in history. Zanzibar offers you great sights and activities, with the flair of a lonely island, far away from mass tourism.
Serengeti National Park
The famous national park, 15,000 km² in size, is a completely flat grass steppe between the Tanzanian highlands and the third largest lake in the world, Lake Victoria, which is also considered the second largest freshwater lake. It is one of the best protected animal habitats in the world. The word Serengeti comes from the Maasai (“siringit”) and means something like “where the land stretches out to infinity”.
This designation refers directly to the vast prairie that covers a third of Serengeti Park. It is Tanzania's largest and most famous park. It has the highest concentration of wildlife of any African country. Here you can find more than 2 million wildebeest, around 250,000 gazelles and 500,000 zebras, as well as a large number of lions. The annual migration of the wildebeest made Serengeti National Park famous and still attracts tourists from all over the world.
To accommodate this large number of tourists, numerous safari lodges were built around the park, allowing many locals to find work. For example, there is a beautiful hilltop lodge that offers visitors an ideal view of the Serengeti prairie.
There is another lodge to the southwest of the park, near the Nyarboro Hills. This is the only tourist development in the park itself. Another beautiful lodge is also found on a gently sloping hillside near the Grumeti River. It was purpose built to reflect the grand style of an English manor house and offers seven luxurious cottages.
Ngorongoro Crater National Park
Since 1978, the Ngorongoro Crater has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest closed crater basin (22 km² diameter) in the world and includes very different habitats such as open savannah, bush and heath landscapes. Its edges are about 600 m above the crater floor. On the crater floor you can find practically all animal species of the African savannah. Around 40,000 wild animals live here, and the variety on offer is unique in the world.
Mikumi National Park and Raha National Park
The Mikumi National Park forms the northern part of Africa's largest game reserve, the Selous Game Reserve, and has retained the originality that many other parks have already lost. The variety of animals is great: giraffes, zebras, various antelope and gazelle species, as well as wildebeest and cape buffalo and large herds of elephants can often be found.
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Tanzania and is famous for its many elephants and tree lions. Buffalo, rhino and many hippos also live here.
Mount Kilimanjaro
On the border of Tanzania, the highest mountain in Africa rises majestically from the Masai plains:
the snow-capped Kilimanjaro (5896 m). It is at times the highest free-standing mountain in the world that can also be climbed by non-professional mountaineers. So, discover the skeleton of the leopard that caused a stir in Hemingway's novel Snow on Kilimanjaro.
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is located in East Africa and is part of the states of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. With an area of 68,800 km2, it is the third largest lake in the world and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. Among other things, around 550 different species of fish live in the lake and the hippopotamus is also at home here.
Arrival information for your Tanzania vacation
Tanzania has four international airports: Julius K. Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam,
Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) between Arusha and Moshi, Mwanza International Airport (MWZ) and Zanzibar Kisauni International Airport (ZNZ). Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Blue Air, British Airways, Cityjet, Condor, easyJet, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Five Forty Aviation, FlyBE, Germanwings, Meridiana, Norwegian, Oman Air, Precision Air, RyanAir, Wizz Air, Swiss Airlines etc. International flights to Dar es Salaam. KLM, Kenya Airways and Condor, on the other hand, fly from Europe via Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar. From the big city metropolises (Dar es Salaam etc.) you can then take a plane with the local airlines (Fastjet, Air Tanzania, Precision Air etc.) to Zanzibar, Mwanza, Arusha, etc. The flights meet all international standards.
Ferries and hydrofoils operate daily in both directions between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. The main ferry company for this route is Azam Marine. Catamarans and speed boats can also be rented for the crossing.
In principle, island visitors also need the entrye a valid passport and visa.
Entry requirements for your Tanzania vacation
For entering Tanzania or Zanzibar needed you can get a visa, which can be purchased at the Tanzanian embassy or directly at the international airport or seaport in Tanzania for a fee of around €50. A valid passport is also required.
It is advisable to bring enough cash with you as local currency is only available from Barclays Bank in Stone Town. The exchange from Euros to Tanzanian Shillings is restricted to the big cities and some hotels. Since the population of Zanzibar is relatively poor, care should be taken not to display valuables in public. Walks in isolated areas and after dark should also be avoided as far as possible.
Yellow fever vaccination and malaria prophylaxis are recommended. Protection against mosquito bites is particularly important due to the risk of infection. The tap water on Zanzibar is not drinking water. Sunscreen all year round and rainwear during the rainy season are essential.
Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim state. The manners and customs of the country should always be respected. Clothing, for example, should not be too revealing.
Tanzania Travel Guides & Travel Tips – Diplomatic missions for your Tanzania vacation
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania (for Germany and Austria)
Eschenallee 11, 14050 Berlin (Charlottenburg, Westend) Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30-3030800
Fax: +49 (0)30-30308020
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania (for Switzerland)
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania
47 Avenue Blanc, CH-1201 Geneva
Fax: 022-732 8255
Phone: +49 022-731 8920
Fax: +49.22 732 8255
Diplomatic missions in Tanzania
German Embassy in Tanzania
Umoja House, Garden Ave. / Mirambo Street
PO Box 95 41, Dar es Salaam
Tel: 00255-22 211 7409-15
Fax: 00255-22 211 2944
Austrian Honorary Consulate General
Slipway Road, Msasani, Plot 1684/2
PO Box 105526, Dar es Salaam
Tel: 00255-222 601 492
Fax: 00255-222 601 503
Embassy of the Swiss Confederation
79, Kinondoni Road, PO Box 2454, Dar es Salaam
Tel: 00255-22 266 60 08/09
However, the provider assumes no liability for the correctness, completeness and topicality of the content provided.
English 
German