Tanzania is Africa’s visual masterpiece. It is a country of natural splendour, astounding wildlife, seductive beaches, charming ancient towns, archaeological sites and geological wonders.
Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, rises from lush, grassy plains and towers over the land. Its snow-capped peak is a sight to behold. Climbing Kilimanjaro is surprisingly easy and standing on the roof of Africa is a life-changing experience.
The ideal bush and beach destination, visitors can witness the mighty herds of the Great Migration thundering across the Serengeti plains and end their unforgettable safari with a serene beach holiday on Zanzibar, the intoxicatingly beautiful and exotic Spice Island.
THINGS TO KNOW
Air
International flights arrive at Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam both of which are linked well with regional hubs Nairobi and Addis Ababa. The main airlines that come in here are Kenya Airways, Qatar, Etihad, South African Airways, Emirates and Lufthansa. Air Tanzania has also reopened and starting to expand its reach in the region. Locally there are a number of local plane operators that generally use the Cessna Caravans and they have scheduled flights and links between all the National Parks and Islands
Visa and Yellow Fever
Most passports not from Africa require a Visa to enter Tanzania, For most passports the Visa is available at the port of entry and is a simple process however there are some passports that require the Visa to be done prior to travel so please check before as to what is required. Tanzania is not considered a yellow fever country and so this is not a requirement however I have been asked for this at the airports recently so it is a good idea to have this certificate anyway for travel here.
COVID
Tanzania was one of the countries that was very controversial in their response to COVID and for the most part maintained a business as usual approach, however this has now changed. They now require a COVID PCR test done no more than 72hours prior to arrival and a rapid test will also be done in the airport when you arrive which costs US$25.00 per person. For departures there are more testing centres being set up, but currently they all processed in Dar es Salaam but this will change to suit the new attitude to COVID. The only country that iis blocked for entry to Tanzania is India and for travellers that have passed through there within the last 14 days. In camps and hotels the usual COVD protocols of face masks, hand cleaning, social distance where possible and temperature checks are in place and have been for a long time now.
A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION
These two months are the short break between what is called the short and long rains. This is however getting less distinct as global warming and the general change in weather patterns. However although you should expect rain at this time it is generally quite isolated rain so you may miss it completely. This is the time of year that the migration moves into the Southern area of the Serengeti for the calving.
These are the months when the long rains happen and can make some of the parks inaccessible and you would be confined to the more all weather roads, so you should be careful what areas you choose to go on safari. The big advantage however is that it is very much the low season for Tanzanian safaris so you can have parks all to yourself, and at reduced prices.
These are the dry months and very popular times to be on safari in all the National Parks. The weather is great although it can be very cold in the mornings and evenings in the higher parks like Ngorongoro Crater. At this time of year the great migration is generally up in Northern Serenegti and Masaai Mara systems
These months are when the temperatures start to climb and the wildlife concentrates at the last available feeding and watering sites.October can be really hot during the day going towards the 40 degrees Celsius mark in some of the lower lying parks like The Selous Game Reserve but it does cool off at night time. At this time many species of tree start to flower and migratory birds start arriving and in November you should start to see the start of the short rains.
With the onset of the short rains at this time of year the temepratures drop, the bush goes green and the migration herds start moving South from the Mara down towards the Southern Serenegti, so its a great time to see the herds on the move should the rains come on time. An excellent time of year for the birders as many migratory birds have arrived and resident birds are in breeding plumages.
