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Overview

The United Republic of Tanzania is located in Central East Africa being bordered by; Kenya and Uganda to the North; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West; Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the South; and the Indian Ocean on it’s Eastern borders.

Trips to Tanzania:

Biking Safari & Migration

Empakai to Lake Natron Trek & Migration

Kilimanjaro Machame route 7 days

The United Republic of Tanzania is composed of 26 regions. For the past 12 years, Dodoma has served as the capital city. However, prior to 1996, the coastal city of Dar es Salaam served as the capital, and today most governmental offices are located there. In addition, Dar es Salaam serves as the major seaport for the country and most land-locked neighboring countries.

Tanzania is known as one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth; fossil remains of humans and pre-human hominids have been found dating back over 2 million years. Travelers and merchants from the Persian Gulf and West Africa have visited the East African coast since early in the first millennium AD. Sultans moved into the capital city on Zanzibar in 1840, and this became the center for the Arab slave trade. In the late 19th Century, Imperial Germany conquered what is now known as Tanganyika, Rwanda, and Burundi. Post World War I, this area later became a British Mandate, except for Rwanda and Burundi, which were ceded to Belgium. In 1954, Julius Nyerere helped create the first sovereign political party in Tanganyika and British-administered Tanganyika became truly independent in 1961. During the Presidency, Tanganyika became socialist and all banks and large industries were nationalized. After the Zanzibar Revolution overthrew the Arab dynasty, the independent island of Zanzibar merged with mainland Tanganyika in 1964 to form the nation of Tanzania.

Tanzania is mountainous to the Northeast, where Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak is situated. To the North and West are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria (Africa’s largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa’s deepest lake). Central Tanzania comprises of a large plateau with plains and arable land. The Eastern shore is hot and humid, with the island of Zanzibar lying just offshore. Tanzania contains many large and ecologically significant wildlife parks including Serengeti National Park (famous for its Great Migration), Ngorongoro Crater (Africa’s great game-filled caldera), and the Selous Game Reserve (considered Africa’s largest game reserve).

Entry Requirements

Tanzania Visas are issued on arrival. CASH ONLY. US Citizens pay $100 per person / Other National $50 per person and these Visas can be arranged beforehand as well. A passport valid for six months after date of entry is required. Visitors must hold return/onward tickets and all documents required for their next destination.

Vaccinations

Tanzania requires proof of a valid Yellow Fever immunization certificate. (Immigration officials might force a visitor to get immunized, which is at an extra cost). Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, and Typhoid immunizations are recommended for all travelers. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended and you should consult your local doctor or physician to advise which malaria medication is best suited for you. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel

Weather

Arusha, Tanzania

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg High F 84 84 81 77 72 70 69 72 76 80 81 81
Avg Low F 50 51 53 57 52 48 49 48 47 51 51 50

Communication

Tanzania – country code +255. Most areas will have mobile access and Internet available. Some areas on safari may not have mobile access.

Electricity

Tanzania – Electrical current is 230 volts, 50Hz (Type D; electrical plug has three circular pins) (Type G; electrical plug has three flat prongs)

Travel Advisories

Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travelers’ cheques.  Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

Be sure to inform your credit card company as well as your bank you will travel internationally into Africa. This will eliminate any credit card holds for fraudulent activity.

Currency

Carrying cash, an ATM or traveler’s check card and also a credit card that can be used for cash advances in case of emergency is advisable. The best places to exchange money are normally bureau de change, which are fast, have longer hours and often give slightly better rates than banks. Local currency is Tanzanian Shillings (TSH), however most places accept USD. Better hotels, lodges, and camps will accept credit cards, however it is advised to withdraw cash when visiting remote areas and villages.

Government

Tanzania – is a unitary republic with a President as head of state

Religion

Tanzania – one third of the population is Muslim, another one third are Christians, and the remaining one third follow different religions

Ethnic Groups

Tanzania – about 120 peoples have been categorized into 5 ethnic groups distinguishable by their physical characteristics and languages. Approximately 95% of Tanzanians may be roughly classified as Bantu. Tribes range in membership from only a few thousand to the Sukuma tribe, which numbers more than 2 million. Other major tribes include the Nyamwezi, Makonde, Haya, and Chagga. The Luo, east of Lake Victoria, are the only people of Nilotic origin; the Maasai of the northern highlands are Nilo-Hamites. A very small number of Bushmen-like people are scattered throughout northern Tanzania, where small tribes of Cushitic origin also live. The inhabitants of Zanzibar and Pemba are chiefly descendants of mainland Africans or are of mixed African and Arab extraction. The remaining 1% of the populace is made up of non-Africans, including Arabs, Asians, and Europeans.

Languages

Tanzania – official language is Swahili with English being the de facto language used in the government and global economy. Most tribal languages are spoken first, then Swahili, and English in education.

Economy

Tanzania’s economy is mostly agriculture based. Tanzania has vast amounts of natural resources including gold, diamonds, coal, iron ore, uranium, nickel, chrome, tin, platinum, coltan, niobium and other minerals. It is the third-largest producer of gold in Africa after South Africa and Ghana. Tanzania is also known for the Tanzanite gemstones. Tanzania has dozens of beautiful national parks that generate income with a large tourism sector that plays a vital part in the economy. Prolonged drought during the early years of the 21st century has severely reduced electricity generation capacity (some 60 percent of Tanzania’s electricity supplies are generated by hydro-electric methods) During 2006, Tanzania suffered a crippling series of “load-shedding” or power rationing episodes caused by a shortfall of generated power, largely because of insufficient hydro-electric generation. Plans to increase gas- and coal-fueled generation capacity are likely to take some years to implement, and growth is forecast to be increased to seven per cent per year.

Climate

Tanzania has a tropical climate. The hottest period extends between November and February while the coldest period occurs between May and August. The climate is cool in high mountainous regions. Tanzania has two major rainfall regions. One is unimodal (December – April) and the other is bimodal (October -December and March – May). The former is experienced in southern, south-west, central and western parts of the country, and the latter is found to the north and northern coast. In the bimodal regime the March – May rains are referred to as the long rains or Masika, whereas the October – December rains are generally known as short rains or Vuli.