How to get to Dar es salaam

There is really no right or wrong time to visit this beautiful country. The best time to go on a Tanzania safari depends entirely on what you want to see and experience: The major national parks like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire deliver superb year-round game viewing, but visitor numbers peak from about June to October when the country is at its driest. This period also coincides with the migration river crossings, however, all the parks offer amazing wildlife sightings at this time as vegetation is less dense. If you are looking for a tropical beach getaway to Tanzania’s coast, Zanzibar and other islands, the best time to visit is between June and March.

All our tours are tailor-made, so the total cost will depend on various factors, including but not limited to the duration of your stay, accommodation options, experiences, travel costs, and more. As a rough guideline, our Tanzania tours generally cost between $350 to $3,500 per person per night sharing and are dependent on service provider availability and seasonality. 

The Tanzanian Shilling is the local currency. However, USD is generally accepted, as long as the print is past 2007. Most places will also give you change in USD if you pay with that currency and the same for Shilling. Your tourism areas will also accept USD. You can use credit cards at most establishments as long as they have telecommunications signal. 

 Credit cards are also accepted at most properties with telecommunications signal, although it is better to have USD on-hand for leaving tips or shopping at smaller local markets, etc. Many vendors do not accept American Express, so rather travel with your Visa or MasterCard.

Extremely rich in age-old cultures, traditions and religious beliefs, Tanzania is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Tanzanians are known for being friendly and harmonious, with great respect for their fellow man (and woman) and, in particular, their elders.

Religious belief is strong in Tanzania, with Christianity and Islam as the most prominent. Most Muslims are in Zanzibar, but visitors should be aware of the conservative nature of these destinations and behave and dress accordingly. Women should always keep their knees and shoulders covered. 

T-shirts that cover the shoulders and shorts for women are acceptable (but not too short). Women should wear and carry a wrap to cover legs in the village and towns as revealing clothes can be offensive to locals, especially in Zanzibar and Muslim areas. On the beach and within the confines of beach hotels, normal swimwear (but no nudity) is acceptable.

Many Tanzanians are quite happy with visitors taking their picture. However, always ask permission first. Not only is it universally polite, but some ethnic groups in Tanzania believe that the flash of a camera will steal your soul. 

The system of public transport in Dar Es Salaam is good making travelling around Dar Es Salaam a relatively simple process. However one of the main problems associated with the city is traffic problems during rush hour which can make travelling around Dar Es Salaam extremely tiring.

TAXI

Taxis are the most expensive form of moving around the city; however with Uber and other car sharing companies opening in the city; prices are starting to fall. Taxis do not have meters and fares should be discussed beforehand. What you can do is ask for the price and then bargain your way to a better price. It is all about bargain in Dar es Salaam.

Don’t forget we can organise airport transfers with our trusted drivers at a set rate. This includes airport transfers.

DALLA DALLA

Dalla Dallas are privately owned minibuses which travel along set routes and are the main mode of public transport in Dar Es Salaam.

This is the cheapest way to travel but on comfort level, not so much especially during the peak hours of the day where there are a lot of people on route. First and last stops are shown in the front window, but routes vary, so confirm with the conductor that the driver is going to your destination.

 DART

The Dar Rapid Transit (DART) project in Dar es Salaam is gradually taking over old dalla-dalla routes. The Kimara–Kivukoni line of the new system runs express buses between the city centre and Ubungo (Tsh650, about 20 minutes), stopping en route at both Ubungo Bus Terminal and Ubungo-Sheikilango, and in the city centre at Kisutu St, Old Posta Transport Stand and Kivukoni. Purchase your ticket at any station in advance of boarding.

If the DART is handy for your destination we would definitely recommend taking over a dalla dalla.

 FERRY

The passenger and vehicle Kigamboni Ferry operates daily from early morning until late evening between Kivukoni Front and Kigamboni, just across the channel, and the gateway to Dar es Salaam’s southern beaches and especially to us at Kipepeo.

There is now a bridge which takes you to the city – but we still prefer the ferry.

 BAJAJ

Another recent addition to the transportation in Dar es Salaam is the bajaji. These are motorised tricycles known as Tuk Tuks in south east Asia. Although now not allowed in the city centre you will see them travelling all over Dar Es Salaam. They offer you the flexibility of a taxi but at a significantly lower price.

Purchasing your visa upon arrival is standard.

The tourist visa is valid for 90 days and the cost is $50 for foreigners, $100 for US citizens. That said, roughly 50 countries from around the world are exempt, including South Africa, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Brazil. For the full list of exemptions, please go here.

For those in need of a visa, note that you’ll be given an entry form on the plane to fill in. When you land, an immigration officer will look over your passport and entry card, then ask about your accommodation and departure date, before sending you to the cashier’s window.

Once the cashier receives your passport and payment, you’ll be asked to wait in a designated area. After processing, they’ll call your name, return your passport (visa stamp in place), and provide you with a receipt. Your new tourist visa is good for one year, but you can only stay in the country for 90 days at a time.

There are no mandatory vaccinations for entering Tanzania. The only exception is proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country with a known yellow fever epidemic.

That said, to ensure your health whilst travelling abroad you should have the following vaccinations: typhoid, TDP, varicella (unless you’ve had chicken pox), 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, as shown in the map below. That said, malaria isn’t an issue in all parts of the country. But you might want to consider using anti-malaria medication. If so, please order enough to be able to continue taking them seven days after returning home.

All good accommodations where mosquitoes are an issue provide you with netting around your bed.

Finally, your doctor may recommend a rabies shot – a series of two doses over a four-week period – if you plan on caving or working with animals.

Insect repellent and sunscreen

Please bring enough insect repellent and sunscreen for the trip. You’re heading to a country just south of the Equator, and so it can get very hot. It’s not easy to find insect repellent and sunscreen in Tanzania and, when you do, they’re pricey.

Whilst on safari, you need to protect yourself from tsetse flies. These flies can transmit African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness. It’s best to wear light-colour clothing; tsetse flies are attracted to dark colours, especially shades of blue. Unfortunately products containing DEET usually don’t discourage tsetse flies from biting, so try to find a natural insect repellent containing eucalyptus oil.

The official currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS). It’s illegal to purchase Tanzanian shillings outside of the country. Most tourist areas accept US dollars as payment (in fact, dollars are sometimes even preferred over the local currency). But please ensure your US dollars were issued after 2006, otherwise they won’t be accepted. Tipping in dollars is also welcomed.

There are ATMs in most cities and towns, but these can be unreliable. Don’t expect to find ATMs in national parks. There’s usually a withdrawal limit of TZS 400,000 (around $170) per transaction at ATMs, and please note that the withdrawal fee on foreign cards can be hefty.

If you want to exchange any Tanzanian shillings back into dollars at the end of your trip, this will need to be done before you leave the country.

The three international airports in Tanzania are in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar. There are many other airports, as well as airstrips, that one can use for travel within Tanzania.

Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam

This airport is on the east coast. It’s the biggest airport and you may need to fly here and then catch a connection to one of the smaller ones. This airport makes the most sense if you’re heading to west, central or southern Tanzania.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) near Arusha

JRO is just outside of Arusha, the main city of northern Tanzania. This is the ideal airport if you’re heading on a Northern Circuit safari or a Kilimanjaro climb. As you can see in the map below, it’s very close to Moshi, the closest town to Kilimanjaro National Park.

JRO is also the closest major airport to the large game reserves of the north like Serengeti National Park. That said, Tanzania is a big country and it will take a day to drive from JRO to the Serengeti, for instance, especially as much of the drive is on dirt roads that require four-wheel drive. You might like to consider flying to one of the various airstrips across northern Tanzania to reduce travel times.

Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume Airport (ZNZ) in Zanzibar

If you’re heading to the Zanzibar archipelago, then you want to fly into ZNZ on Unguja Island. If you’re heading to Zanzibar from elsewhere in Tanzania, then you could also use Pemba Airport (PMA) depending on your planned itinerary.

Zanzibar is famous for its beautiful, warm-water beaches, unique cultural history, beautiful game parks and wildlife, and water sports. We find that many like to fly there from Kilimanjaro International Airport after having completed a Kili climb in order to relax and unwind after their epic trek.

Fly into Kenya and drive south

Note that you could also choose to fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya, and then drive southwards for 800 km to reach the Tanzania border. This works well for those wanting to visit both Kenya and Tanzania.

Note that if you’re going to visit more than one nation in the region, you’ll probably want to obtain an East African visa over just a Tanzanian visa.