Tanzania General Information

Quick Facts

Region: Africa

Population:
41,048,532

Religion:

About 45% of Tanzanians are Christians; Roman Catholicism is the largest denomination. Islam is the religion of about one-third of the people on the mainland and is dominant on Zanzibar. Less than one-fifth of the population follows traditional religions.

Language:

Swahili and English are the official languages of Tanzania, but many people continue to use the language of their ethnic group. Arabic is widely spoken on the coast.

Area (sq. km):
945,087 square meters

Time:

GMT +3

When to Travel

The relative height of much of the country results in a fairly temperate climate for most of the year, especially in the northern part of the country. Evenings can be quite cool, whilst daytime temperatures are pleasantly warm. The principal rainy season is April/May, whilst in November and early December, the ‘short’ rains bring showers in the early mornings and evenings. The hottest months are October to February; on the coast it is generally hot and humid. Ngorongoro Crater can be very cold at night and in the early morning.

Tanzania can be visited all year-round. When planning a trip to Tanzania, there are several factors to take into account, it all depends on what you are going there for. If you are looking for bird-life, January and February is the time to go to see large concentrations of bird life. The wildlife tends to head to the waterholes and rivers and the grasses are low, making spotting easier, however, this does coincide with the peak period, so you may not be the only one at the animal spotting. Things tend to quiet down from the end of March to May, this is the rainy season, where bright, sunny days are interspersed with tropical afternoon rains, some years the rains may not even come. In June it starts to get busy again and July and August are considered peak periods due to the dry season, when spotting animals is made easier due to the low grass.

Useful Travel Facts

Airports:

The major international airports are Kilimanjaro Airport, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Small airstrips in national parks and smaller towns service domestic services.

Telephone:

The international dialling code for Tanzania is +255.

Telephone calls, especially international ones, can be expensive when made from a hotel. We suggest you check the price first. If you have a mobile phone it should be a relatively simple procedure to arrange ‘global roaming’ with your service provider; however, charges are generally very high so be sure to check this option thoroughly. You should also check with your service provider to see if your mobile phone is compatible with the networks used in Africa. Alternatively local sim cards and pay-as-you-go credits are easily obtainable. Phone calls made from public telephone offices are generally your cheapest option.

Electricity:

The electricity supply in Africa is rated at 220 volts/50 cycles, and appliances requiring 240 volts will work normally. If you bring electrical appliances you should also bring an international adaptor. Round three pin plugs are the most common types in Africa. Tanzania has a G-type three-pin rectangular blade plug which is also used in Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Tanzania also has a D-type three-pin plug with round pins. This plug is also used in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Food:

The Tanzanian people eat a lot of meat. Many will have a local dish – ugali – as a side dish. Ugali is a staple made from maize or cassava flour that is eaten with a sauce usually containing meat or fish. A good lager, Safari, is produced locally, as is a popular gin called Konyagi.

Transport:

Tanzania is served by a number of airlines through its two major international airports, the Dar es Salaam International Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport. There is also an extensive rail system throughout Tanzania with all of the major centres – except Arusha – connected by rail. Road conditions can vary a great deal and many Tanzanian roads do not have sealed surfaces. We use custom built safari vehicles when travelling with Gecko’s.

Shopping:

Timber curios, soapstone sculptures, beadwork and Masai blankets and jewellery are offered for sale to travellers. Wildlife photogrpahic books and guides, maps and Swahili language phrase books are abundant in Arusha. A variety of paintings and screen printed cloths are also to be found. Some of the paintings on offer in Zanzibar are exceptional and completed using a distinct local style known as Tinga Tinga paintings. Locally hewn Tanzanite gems can also be purchased in Tanzania.

Visa: Australians, Americans, Canadians, British and New Zealanders currently require a visa for Tanzania. For all other nationalities please reconfirm your visa requirements with your travel agent. Care must be taken to ensure that your visa does not expire before your proposed date of entry to Tanzania (visas are usually valid for three months from the date of issue). It is recommended that visas should be obtained before departure. A visa fee of US$50 is charged to most foreign nationals. A visa fee of US$100 is charged for US citizens.

Further Reading

East Africa - Lonely Planet
Going Down River Road - Meja Mwangi
Flame Trees of Thika - Elspeth Huxley