Roavina

Country guide

Tanzania

A photograph of Tanzania
Photograph · Giles Laurent · CC BY-SA 4.0

Protected land accounts for around 38 per cent of Tanzania's 947,303 km², held in 21 national parks and the reserves between them, so the country is planned as a set of distances rather than a set of towns. Kilimanjaro stands alone in the north at 5,895 m, the highest mountain in Africa. Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi each take a piece of the borders. Dodoma is the capital, but Dar es Salaam and its roughly 6.4 million people are the port and the commercial centre — and the crossing out of it reaches Zanzibar, semi-autonomous since the union of 26 April 1964.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information
Language spoken
Swahili and English
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+255
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type D and G · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

36 places match

Category

Historic monuments 11 Museums 9 Places of worship 3 Nature sites 8 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 1 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 1 Activities 3

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 23 1 to 2 hours 13

Interests

History 5 Art 0 Museums 2 Nature 1 Sea and beach 1 Viewpoints 0
  1. Stone Town Stone Town
    01 2 hours

    Stone Town

    Mji Mkongwe

    Stone Town, also called Mji Mkongwe, is the historic heart of Zanzibar City on Unguja Island, Tanzania.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  2. Old Slave Mart Old Slave Mart
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Old Slave Mart

    Old Slave Market

    The Old Slave Market, at the site now associated with Christ Church Cathedral in Mkunazini, is both an active Anglican cathedral and a place of historical remembrance in Stone Town.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  3. Old Fort of Zanzibar Old Fort of Zanzibar
    03 1 hr 30 min

    Old Fort of Zanzibar

    Old Fort

    Old Fort, also called Ngome Kongwe and Arab Fort, is a substantial coral-rag fortress on Stone Town’s waterfront. Omani Arabs built it after removing the Portuguese in the late seventeenth century, incorporating material from earlier Portuguese construction.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  4. Forodhani Park Forodhani Park
    04 1 hour

    Forodhani Park

    Forodhani Gardens is a public waterfront park in Stone Town, Zanzibar City. The open space faces the Indian Ocean and sits beside Old Fort and the House of Wonders, making it one of the historic quarter’s easiest meeting points.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  5. House of Wonders House of Wonders
    05 1 hr 30 min

    House of Wonders

    The House of Wonders, known locally as Beit al-Ajaib, stands as a ceremonial palace and former royal residence on Stone Town's waterfront.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  6. Palace Museum Palace Museum
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Palace Museum

    Sultan's Palace

    Palace Museum, known as Beit al-Sahel, occupies a former waterfront residence of Zanzibar’s sultan in Stone Town. The museum focuses on the Omani royal court and palace life during the nineteenth century.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  7. Darajani Market Darajani Market
    07 45 min

    Darajani Market

    Soko la Darajani

    Darajani Market, known locally as Soko la Darajani, is Zanzibar City's principal covered market and a vital commercial hub. It serves as the boundary between Stone Town's historic core and Ng'ambo, the newer part of the city.

    • Must see
    • Market
    • Zanzibar City
  8. Prison Island Prison Island
    08 1 hour

    Prison Island

    Changuu Island

    Prison Island, locally known as Changuu Island, sits offshore from Stone Town in Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  9. Old Dispensary Old Dispensary
    09 45 min

    Old Dispensary

    The Old Dispensary, also called Ithnasheri Dispensary, is a restored nineteenth-century building in Stone Town, Zanzibar City. Its ornate facade reflects Indian-influenced mercantile architecture and the commercial world created by Indian Ocean trade.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  10. Hamamni Persian Baths Hamamni Persian Baths
    10 45 min

    Hamamni Persian Baths

    Hamamni Persian Baths are a preserved nineteenth-century bath complex in Stone Town. The building reflects Persian and Omani influence on Zanzibar’s architecture and social life, and it lies within the Stone Town UNESCO World Heritage site.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  11. St. Joseph's Cathedral, Zanzibar St. Joseph's Cathedral, Zanzibar
    11 30 min

    St. Joseph's Cathedral, Zanzibar

    St. Joseph's Cathedral

    St. Joseph Roman Catholic Cathedral is a twin-spired Catholic church in Stone Town, Zanzibar City. It stands as the most prominent Roman Catholic landmark in the historic district and contributes significantly to the area's multi-faith skyline.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Zanzibar City
  12. Freddie Mercury Museum Freddie Mercury Museum
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Freddie Mercury Museum

    The Freddie Mercury Museum, also known as Mercury House, is a Stone Town attraction connected with Farrokh Bulsara, the Zanzibar-born musician who became Freddie Mercury.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  13. Malindi Mosque Malindi Mosque
    13 30 min

    Malindi Mosque

    Malindi Bamnara Mosque

    Malindi Mosque, also called Malindi Bamnara Mosque, is one of Stone Town’s oldest mosques in Zanzibar City. Its conical minaret is an unusual and memorable feature within the historic district.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Zanzibar City
  14. Mtoni Palace Ruins Mtoni Palace Ruins
    14 45 min

    Mtoni Palace Ruins

    Mtoni Palace Ruins, also called Magofu ya Kasri la Mtoni, preserve the remains of an early nineteenth-century waterfront palace north of Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  15. Maruhubi Palace Maruhubi Palace
    15 45 min

    Maruhubi Palace

    Maruhubi Palace Ruins are the remains of a nineteenth-century royal residence built for Sultan Barghash bin Said. The palace served primarily as a residence for the sultan’s harem and formed part of the architecture of Zanzibar’s sultanate era.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  16. Livingstone House Livingstone House
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Livingstone House

    Livingstone House, locally called Nyumba ya Livingstone, is a historic building on the northern approach to Zanzibar City. During the nineteenth century it served as both a palace and a mission house.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  17. Nakupenda Sandbank
    17 1 hour

    Nakupenda Sandbank

    Nakupenda Sandbank is a slender, shifting sandbar located off the coast of Zanzibar City, near Stone Town. It emerges from the Indian Ocean at low tide, creating a temporary island of pure white sand surrounded by turquoise water.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  18. Chumbe Island Coral Park Chumbe Island Coral Park
    18 1 hour

    Chumbe Island Coral Park

    Chumbe Island Coral Park is a private marine protected area and nature reserve located off the coast of Zanzibar City. It encompasses a coral rag forest and surrounding coral reef ecosystem.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  20. Kizimbani Spice Farms
    20 2 hours

    Kizimbani Spice Farms

    Kizimbani Spice Farms is a working agricultural area near Zanzibar City where visitors observe cultivation of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and other aromatic crops.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Zanzibar City
  21. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
    21 1 hour

    Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park

    Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is a protected area on Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago. It encompasses Jozani Forest, the largest remaining tract of indigenous forest on the island, alongside mangrove ecosystems and coastal waters.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  22. Princess Salme Museum Princess Salme Museum
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Princess Salme Museum

    Princess Salme Museum is a small heritage museum inside Emerson on Hurumzi, a historic hotel in Stone Town. It focuses on Sayyida Salme, a nineteenth-century Zanzibari princess whose memoirs offer an unusual woman’s perspective on royal life.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  23. Natural History Museum Natural History Museum
    23 1 hr 30 min

    Natural History Museum

    Zanzibar Natural History Museum occupies Beit el-Amani in Stone Town, the historic centre of Zanzibar City. The building’s name means House of Peace, and its architecture forms part of the quarter’s distinctive Swahili coastal heritage.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  24. Dhow Countries Music Academy
    24 1 hour

    Dhow Countries Music Academy

    Dhow Countries Music Academy, commonly called DCMA Zanzibar, is a music institution in Zanzibar City devoted to the musical traditions of the dhow countries around the western Indian Ocean.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Zanzibar City
  25. Tippu Tip's House Tippu Tip's House
    25 45 min

    Tippu Tip's House

    Tippu Tip's House is the historic residence of Hamed bin Mohammed al-Murjebi, the notorious nineteenth-century Zanzibari merchant whose trading empire spanned Central and East Africa.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  26. East Africa Slave Trade Exhibition
    26 1 hr 30 min

    East Africa Slave Trade Exhibition

    East Africa Slave Trade Exhibition is a heritage centre at the former Slave Market Site beside Christ Church Anglican Cathedral on Mkunazini Road in Stone Town, Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Zanzibar City
  27. Ijumaa Mosque Ijumaa Mosque
    27 30 min

    Ijumaa Mosque

    Ijumaa Mosque, also known as the Friday Mosque, is a living religious landmark in Stone Town, the historic heart of Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Zanzibar City
  28. Old Customs House Old Customs House
    28 45 min

    Old Customs House

    Old Customs House, known locally as Forodha ya Zamani, stands on the harbourfront of Stone Town in Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  29. Bharmal Building Bharmal Building
    29 45 min

    Bharmal Building

    Bharmal Building is a historic structure on Stone Town’s reclaimed civic edge in Zanzibar City. Its architecture belongs to the layered urban character created by Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  30. Ng'ambo Ng'ambo
    30 2 hours

    Ng'ambo

    Ng'ambo is the larger, modern half of Zanzibar City, located across the creek from the historic Stone Town. Its name means 'the other side' in Swahili, reflecting the historical social and physical division of the city.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Zanzibar City
  31. Michenzani Michenzani
    31 45 min

    Michenzani

    The Michenzani Apartment Blocks are a monumental housing ensemble in Zanzibar City, constructed with East German assistance following the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  32. Cheetah's Rock Cheetah's Rock
    32 45 min

    Cheetah's Rock

    Cheetah’s Rock is a wildlife rescue and education centre north of Zanzibar City. It combines conservation-focused care with guided animal encounters, giving travelers a structured way to learn about rescued wildlife.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Zanzibar City
  33. Bawe Island
    33 1 hour

    Bawe Island

    Kisiwa cha Bawe

    Bawe Island, known locally as Kisiwa cha Bawe, is a small island lying west of Stone Town in the Zanzibar Archipelago. It sits within the Menai Bay Conservation Area and offers coral reef environments and sandy beach areas.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  34. Chapwani Island
    34 1 hour

    Chapwani Island

    Kisiwa cha Chapwani

    Chapwani Island is a small island located near Zanzibar harbour, offering a compact natural and historical destination within reach of Zanzibar City.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City
  35. Menai Bay Conservation Area Menai Bay Conservation Area
    35 2 hours

    Menai Bay Conservation Area

    Hifadhi ya Ghuba ya Menai

    Menai Bay Conservation Area is a protected marine zone on the southwest coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Zanzibar City
  36. Kwale Island
    36 1 hour

    Kwale Island

    Kisiwa cha Kwale

    Kwale Island, known locally as Kisiwa cha Kwale, is a wooded island situated in Menai Bay southwest of Zanzibar City. It forms a central stop on excursion itineraries operating from the city into the protected marine area.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Zanzibar City

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Tanzania be?

Ten to fourteen days lets a first Tanzania itinerary combine one safari circuit with Zanzibar without turning every dawn into a transfer. Use Arusha for the northern parks or Dar es Salaam for the coast and southern routes; adding both safari circuits usually calls for a longer trip.

What entry documents are needed for Tanzania?

Tanzania Immigration, rather than a tour operator, should decide whether your passport needs an eVisa or another entry permission. Check the official portal for the permitted stay and required documents before buying inflexible flights, then recheck it before departure because nationality and purpose change the answer.

What is the best way to travel around Tanzania?

Long distances make transport choice part of the itinerary: scheduled or safari flights link remote park regions, road transfers join lodges within a circuit, and ferries serve Zanzibar. Confirm the named airstrip or port and its baggage rules, because a Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar connection is not interchangeable.

When is a practical time to visit Tanzania?

June through October suits many dry-season safari routes, while January and February can also work well in the north; Zanzibar and the southern parks follow their own rainfall patterns. Choose dates around the safari circuit or island stay that matters most instead of applying one weather label to the whole country.

What money and payment basics apply in Tanzania?

The Tanzanian shilling is the recorded currency. Cards may work at larger hotels, but park-route stops, small vendors and remote services can require cash; obtain it through a bank or authorised exchange and confirm whether lodge, transfer and conservation charges are quoted in TZS or another currency.

What practical safety details should I save for Tanzania?

Keep 112 saved for emergencies, and pack for Type D and G sockets at 230 V. This dataset has no verified nationwide tap-water statement, so water safety is Not recorded; ask the accommodation or responsible local authority at each stop, especially on safari and island legs.