Know before you go

Most visitors need a visa to enter Tanzania. The e-visa is the simplest route: apply online in advance rather than waiting for a visa-on-arrival queue at the airport. Standard tourist e-visas run around $50 for most nationalities, though some nationalities, including US citizens, pay $100 for a multiple-entry visa. Check the official Tanzania Immigration portal for your specific passport before applying.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure date and have at least two blank pages for entry stamps. If arriving from, or transiting more than 12 hours through, a yellow fever risk country, you will need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival. Even travelers arriving directly from countries where it is not legally required are encouraged to get vaccinated anyway, since Tanzania itself is classified as a yellow fever risk zone.

If your trip includes Zanzibar, mandatory travel insurance has been required for all non-resident visitors since October 2024. It costs around $44 per adult, half price for children 3 to 17, and is free for children under 3. Regular travel insurance does not satisfy this requirement. It must be purchased through the official Visit Zanzibar portal.

Talk to a travel health clinic 4 to 6 weeks before departure.

• Yellow fever: required or strongly recommended depending on travel history. One dose provides lifelong protection.
• Malaria: Tanzania's safari regions, including Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara, carry low-to-moderate malaria risk. Antimalarial medication is strongly recommended for the full trip.
• Routine vaccinations: hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus should be up to date.
• Travel insurance: confirm it covers safari activities and medical evacuation.

Local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). US dollars are widely accepted for park fees and safari services. Bring bills printed after 2006 in clean condition. ATMs are reliable in Arusha and Moshi but not in the parks, so withdraw beforehand. Credit cards work at larger lodges but should not be relied on in rural areas.

Swahili is the national language. English is widely spoken in tourism, and guides speak English fluently.

East Africa Time is UTC+3 year-round, with no daylight saving. It is generally warm, with cooler mornings and evenings in the highlands.

SIM cards from Vodacom, Airtel and Tigo are available at the airport and in Arusha. Most lodges have WiFi. Remote camps may have limited signal.

Tipping is customary though not mandatory. Allow roughly $15-20 per day for your driver-guide, plus a smaller pooled daily amount for camp staff. Carry small USD bills.

The Northern Circuit parks have an excellent safety record. Standard urban precautions apply in Arusha and Dar es Salaam. Follow your guide's instructions around wildlife.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is the main gateway for the Northern Circuit. Travelers via Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport can take a short domestic flight onward. Zanzibar connects to Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam by direct flights under 90 minutes.

Pack neutral-colored clothing, layers for cold mornings and hot afternoons, comfortable closed-toe shoes, sun protection, insect repellent and your own binoculars. Read the full Packing List for the complete list.