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

11 places match
Clear all filters

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 10 1 to 2 hours 1

Interests

History 3 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 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 Dispensary Old Dispensary
    02 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
  3. Hamamni Persian Baths Hamamni Persian Baths
    03 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
  4. Mtoni Palace Ruins Mtoni Palace Ruins
    04 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
  5. Maruhubi Palace Maruhubi Palace
    05 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
  7. Tippu Tip's House Tippu Tip's House
    07 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
  8. Old Customs House Old Customs House
    08 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
  9. Bharmal Building Bharmal Building
    09 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
  10. Michenzani Michenzani
    10 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
  11. Cheetah's Rock Cheetah's Rock
    11 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

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.