The largest country in East Africa, Tanzania boasts the highest mountain on the continent, the exotic spice islands of historical Zanzibar, and the famous Serengeti National Park whose seemingly endless plains stage one of the greatest spectacles of animal behaviour, the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra followed by their predators.

The Great Rift Valley gives rise to the unique geological formations found in the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater and Mt Kilimanjaro. It is also home to the world's largest game reserve, the Selous, covering an area larger than Switzerland.

Tanzania is richly endowed with many animal and bird species and offers some of the finest game viewing on the continent. Dar-es-Salaam is the largest city, a hustling, bustling and surprisingly scenic tropical seaport that is a common starting point for trips into the country. A dusty safari into the vast wilderness is superbly complemented by time spent on the refreshing Zanzibar islands, with white palm-fringed beaches, beautiful coral gardens, and historic Stone Town - an exotic reminder of its days as a major spice and slave trade centre.

Tanzania is home to hundreds of different ethnic groups and cultures, from the red-clad herders of the Masai tribes on the Serengeti plains to the modestly veiled women of Zanzibar's Islamic Stone Town. The warmth and smiling faces of its friendly people will touch the heart of every traveller.

Time: GMT +3.

Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz. Square or round three-pin plugs are used.

Language: Kiswahili and English are the official languages. Several indigenous languages are also spoken.

Health: Travellers are advised to take medical advice at least three weeks before leaving for Tanzania. Most visitors will need vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever and polio. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate. There is a risk of malaria all year and most doctors will recommend medication. Sleeping sickness is a risk in the game parks and visitors should avoid bites by tsetse flies. HIV/Aids is a serious risk. Cholera outbreaks are common throughout the country and visitors are advised to drink bottled or sterilised water only. Medical services are available in Dar-es-Salaam and other main towns, but facilities and supplies are limited; visitors with particular requirements should take their own medicines. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised.

Tipping: Waiters in the better restaurants should be tipped around 10%. Guides, porters and cooks in the wildlife parks and on safari trips expect tips. The amount is discretionary according to standard of service and the number in your party.

Safety: As in other East African countries, the threat from terrorism is high and visitors should be cautious in public places and tourist sites and hotels, particularly in Zanzibar's Stone Town. The area bordering Burundi should be avoided. Street crime is a problem in Tanzania, especially in Dar-es-Salaam where tourists should be alert and cautious. Lonely beaches and footpaths are often targeted; women are particularly vulnerable to attacks. Visitors should leave valuables in their hotel safe and not carry too much cash on them at any time. Armed crime is on the increase and there have been serious attacks on foreigners in Arusha and on Pemba Island. In July a tourist bus was held up between Moshi and Arusha and the passengers robbed of their passports and valuables.

Customs: Visitors to Zanzibar should be aware that it is a predominantly Muslim area and a modest dress code, especially for women, should be respected when away from the beach and in public places. Topless sunbathing is a criminal offence.

Communications: The international country dialling code for Tanzania is +255. The outgoing code is 000, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 00027 for South Africa). Tanzania also has area codes. International calls made from rural areas may have to go through the operator. Mobile phones work in the main urban areas and Zanzibar; the network operators use GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Travellers should contact their service provider to ensure they have international roaming. Avoid making telephone calls from hotels; they can charge as much as $10 per minute. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Duty Free: Travellers to Tanzania do not have to pay duty on 250g tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars; alcoholic beverages up to 1 bottle; and 473ml perfume. Restrictions apply to firearms, plants and plant products and fruits.

Travellers are advised to take medical advice at least three weeks before leaving for Tanzania. Most visitors will need vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever and polio. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate. There is a risk of malaria all year and most doctors will recommend medication. Sleeping sickness is a risk in the game parks and visitors should avoid bites by tsetse flies. HIV/Aids is a serious risk. Cholera outbreaks are common throughout the country and visitors are advised to drink bottled or sterilised water only. Medical services are available in Dar-es-Salaam and other main towns, but facilities and supplies are limited; visitors with particular requirements should take their own medicines. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised.

Dar-es-Salaam International Airport (DAR)

Location: The airport is situated eight miles (13km) southwest of Dar-es-Salaam. Time: Local time is GMT +3. Contacts: Tel: +255 (0)51 844211/2. Transfer to the city: Taxis, usually unmetered, are available and take between 20 minutes and an hour to reach the city centre depending on the traffic. A shuttle bus service meets all flights and can take travellers to the city centre. Many hotels also provide transport on request. Car rental: Local car hire companies operate at the airport. Facilities: The airport has a Post Office, Bank, Bureau de Change, Restaurants, Cafeterias, Bars, VIP Lounge, Duty Free Shop, Newsagent/Tobacconist, Chemist Shop, Gift Shop, Travel Agent, and Tourist Help Desk. Parking: The airport has 150 short-term parking bays, and 50 long-term bays. Departure tax: None.

Tanzania Climate and Weather

Tanzania is hot throughout the year and is humid on the coast and dry on the central plateau. The heavy rains last from March to June and can make unsealed road travel difficult. The hot, dry weather in January and February attracts the most tourists. The best time to visit the Serengeti is from January to March when the grazers are calving and there are plenty of lion around, or to witness the wildebeest migration to and from Kenya which occurs at the onset of the dry season and again with the first rains, usually the beginning of June and mid-November. Zanzibar has a warm climate year-round and its coastal resorts are tempered by sea breezes. The island is best avoided in April and May, the rainy season.

Tanzania Currency

Money: The official unit of currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS) and there are no smaller denominations. The tourism industry prices everything in US Dollars and they are the preferred unit of currency. Major currencies can be exchanged in the larger towns. Foreign exchange bureaux in the main towns usually offer a better rate on travellers cheques than do the banks. ATMs are available in major cities only. Major lodges, some hotels and travel agents in urban areas accept credit cards, but these should not be relied on and can incur a 10% surcharge. Visitors must pay a $50 airport tax on arrival and a $30 tax on departure.

Rates subject to change at any time

Currency Exchange Rates
TZS 100.00 =	USD 0.08	GBP 0.05	CAD 0.10	AUD 0.11	ZAR 0.51	EUR 0.07	NZD 0.12

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Tanzania Passport & Visa Requirements

Entry requirements for Americans: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for Australians: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for South Africans: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Visa required, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry.
Passport/Visa Note: All visitors entering Tanzania require a visa. Visitors may obtain a visa on arrival at Dar-es-Salaam or Zanzibar airports for US$50, payable in cash. All visitors also require proof of sufficient funds and should hold documentation for their return or onward journey. Passports should be valid for at least six months from date of entry. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements

National Parks and Reserves

Tanzania boasts some of the world's most famous natural attractions, three of which are national parks in a country that offers outstanding opportunities for viewing wildlife in their natural habitat. Almost a quarter of the country is protected within a park or reserve and of these most tourists visit the ‘big three' in the north: the plains of the Serengeti, famous for the annual migration of about two million wildebeest; the adjacent Ngorongoro Conservation Area with the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater; and Mt Kilimanjaro National Park encompassing Africa's highest mountain. Other attractions, including the massive Selous Game Reserve in the south, can be difficult or expensive to get to, and are less visited as a result.

The word ‘safari' had its origins in Tanzania, a Kiswahili word meaning ‘journey', and there are unlimited safari options that can be tailor-made by any tour operator, with accommodation ranging from luxury lodges to camping. A journey by vehicle, foot, horseback or hot air balloon into prime game-viewing country is an experience not to be missed. The attractive town of Arusha is the main gateway to the parks and reserves in the north and is the best place from which to arrange a safari.

Serengeti National Park

Meaning ‘endless plains' in the Masai language, the Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest park and one of the world's best wildlife refuges, continuous with Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve to the north. The open plains are home to an estimated three million large mammals involved in seasonal migration, and together with the birds and smaller animals it has the largest concentration of wildlife in the world. The Serengeti is famous for the Great Migration, the most astounding occurrence in the animal kingdom that is known to humankind. During this time millions of hoofed animals, predominantly wildebeest, form one massive herd and leave the dry plains of Tanzania in search of greener grazing and water to the north. Bringing up the rear of the procession are the weak, the young and the crippled, followed closely by large numbers of vigilant predators, including lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. The season varies according to the rains, but the best time to witness the northward migration is usually from the beginning of June and again on their return in mid-November.

Telephone: 272 503 471; Opening time: Daily 6am to 6pm; Admission: US$50 (adults) and US$10 (children 5-16) for 24 hours, and US$40 per foreign registered vehicle; concessions apply to Tanzanian nationals

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Rising above the plains of the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a vast protected area that includes the important archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge, and its main attraction Ngorongoro Crater. Once the site of an active volcano, the crater was formed about two million years ago when its cone collapsed on itself and today the crater floor, supplied with permanent water and grazing and ringed with towering forested sides, serves as a natural cradle for an astounding abundance of wildlife. With an incredible width of 12 miles (20km) and a depth of 2,001ft (610m), the crater is the largest caldera in the world and is home to about 30,000 animals, including black rhino, buffalo, and large herds of zebra and wildebeest. There are also dense concentrations of predators attracted by the large variety of grazers, and prides of lion with magnificent black-maned males are one of the highlights. The lakes attract a rich variety of birdlife, including flamingos, and wallowing hippos, while some animals can be found surrounding the crater rim or on the forested slopes, such as giraffe and elephant. The views from the crater rim are spectacular and all the lodges are situated along its edge affording superb vistas over and into the crater. Access onto the crater floor is by four-wheel drive only and all vehicles must be accompanied by a game ranger.

Opening time: Daily 6am to 7pm

Mt Kilimanjaro National Park

Rising 19,341ft (5,895m) above the African plains, the magnificent solitary peak of Mt Kilimanjaro is the dominant feature of this national park, surrounded by a vast protected area. The lush rainforest on its lower slopes is home to a number of animals including elephant, buffalo, rhino, monkey and leopard. The dormant volcano is remarkable in many ways, not only for its snow-covered peaks and glaciers rising out of a humid equatorial jungle, but it is the highest freestanding mountain in the world, a huge cone unattached to a mountain range, and Africa's highest peak. The magnetism of its twin summits and slopes has attracted researchers, mountaineers, naturalists and adventurous travellers for years. It is the only mountain of its size that can be scaled by inexperienced hikers, although altitude sickness is common and can be fatal. There are six different routes up Mt Kilimanjaro with varying degrees of difficulty, and a wide range of organised treks and experienced guides available, but the easiest and most popular way to reach the summit is on the Marangu trail, which takes about five days staying in huts along the way. Views from the top are breathtaking, especially at dawn, and the sense of achievement experienced is incomparable. The best time to climb the mountain is between August and November.

Address: The Kilimanjaro National Park headquarters is situated at Marangu; Telephone: 272 503 471; Admission: US$60 (adults) and US$10 (children 10-16) for 24 hours, and US$40 per foreign registered vehicle; concessions apply to Tanzanian nationals

Zanzibar

Located about 22 miles (35km) off the east coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar is an archipelago consisting of the main island of Unguja (commonly known as Zanzibar), Pemba Island famous for its deep-sea fishing, and about 50 smaller surrounding islands and coral reefs.

Also known as 'Spice Island', Zanzibar evokes images of an exotic paradise with white palm-fringed beaches and turquoise coves, dreamy dhows with billowing white sails, and ancient Islamic ruins. It combines Arabic alleyways and historic monuments with coral reefs and excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities. Today's idyllic beach resorts belie the island's haunting history of slavery.

The island's varied history has brought with it seafarers, explorers and traders, and it became a major centre for the slave industry. Its heyday was during the 19th century, when the island became the world's leading producer of cloves; its plantations still produce more than 50 different spices and fruit, and guided spice tours are a Zanzibar speciality.

For centuries Zanzibar has enticed those in search of business; today it remains an irresistible attraction for those seeking a heavenly beach holiday or an exploration into its exotic heritage - or a bit of both.

Stone Town

Zanzibar's Stone Town is a captivating place, built by Arab and Indian merchants in the 19th century from the island's coral stone. A walk through the disordered twisting of constricted alleys, past intricately-carved wooden doors and beneath ornate balconies, and with the lingering scent of spices in the air, takes one back in time to the days of a prosperous slave and spice industry. Decaying architecture, numerous mosques, a bathhouse and old fort, cool interior courtyards and lively markets are the remaining influence of the Persians and the Omani Arabs who established themselves as the ruling power here. Along the waterfront the Sultan's Palace and the immense Beit-el-Ajaib with its magnificent latticed woodcarving can be visited. The poignant ruins of the Old Slave Market are now occupied by the Church of Christ Anglican Cathedral, its altar on the site of the old whipping block that was used for over 60 years. A spice tour is a speciality of Zanzibar and guided tours take visitors on a walking and tasting tour of various spice and fruit plantations at the heart of the island.

Northern Beaches

There are many superb white beaches, warm waters and picturesque villages around Zanzibar ideal for those wanting to get away from the bustling town life, particularly along the northern east coast. Modestly veiled women make bright splashes of colour along white sandy stretches of beach, dhows with curved sails drift along close to shore and fisherman offer their fresh catches of the day to the simple seaside restaurants. Miles of pristine beaches are dotted with pockets of guesthouses, particularly around Kendwa and the fishing village of Nungwi, renowned for its tradition of boat building, and one of the most popular locations, particularly with a younger crowd. There is excellent diving and deep-sea fishing off the coast. One of the most beautiful and isolated beaches is at Matemwe. The small offshore island of Mnemba has a fine coral reef for some of the island's best diving.

Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town

Cape GraceHhotel, cape town South Africa