Tanzania travel guides
Everything you need to plan Tanzania: a northern circuit safari timed to the Great Migration, a Kilimanjaro climb, Zanzibar's beaches, or all three. We explain how Tanzania's park fees really work and show the date we last checked them.
When to go, at a glance
Tanzania's regions have different seasons. Green is the best time, amber is mixed and red is wet or difficult.
Choose your month
January
Calving season on the southern Serengeti plains, dry spells and great climbing on Kilimanjaro.
- Serengeti (best)plus the Great Migration all year
- Ngorongoro and Tarangire (best)the rest of the northern circuit
- Kilimanjaro (best)climbing conditions
- Zanzibar (best)beaches and Stone Town
- Southern parks (mixed)Nyerere and Ruaha
Swipe sideways to see all 12 months →
| Region | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serengetiplus the Great Migration | Best | Best | Mixed | Wet or difficult | Mixed | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Mixed | Best |
| Ngorongoro and Tarangirenorthern circuit | Best | Best | Mixed | Wet or difficult | Mixed | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Mixed | Best |
| Kilimanjaroclimbing | Best | Best | Mixed | Wet or difficult | Wet or difficult | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Mixed | Mixed |
| Zanzibarbeaches | Best | Best | Mixed | Wet or difficult | Wet or difficult | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Mixed | Best |
| Southern parksNyerere, Ruaha | Mixed | Mixed | Wet or difficult | Wet or difficult | Wet or difficult | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Mixed | Mixed |
When to go
Month by month
Weather, festivals and the best places to go in each month.
Itineraries
Tanzania safari itineraries: 3, 5, 7 and 10 days
Every northern safari starts in Arusha. Three days covers Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater, five adds the Serengeti, seven is the classic northern circuit, and ten adds Zanzibar or the far north of the Serengeti.
Updated 16 October 2026
Tanzania safari and Zanzibar: how to plan a bush and beach trip
Safari first, then the beach: spend 5 to 7 days on the northern circuit and 3 to 5 nights on Zanzibar, with a direct flight from the Serengeti or Arusha. June to October and late December to February suit both.
Updated 16 October 2026
Tanzania trip planner: build a safari, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar route for your month
Pick your month, trip length and extras. The planner puts your Serengeti nights where the herds usually are that month, adds a Kilimanjaro climb or Zanzibar if you want them, warns about the rains and long drives, and builds a map, day by day plan and cost with park fees.
Updated 16 October 2026Places and things to do
Serengeti safari guide: which area, how long and how to get there
The Serengeti is about 14,750 square kilometres, so where you stay matters. Central Seronera is good all year for big cats, Ndutu for calving early in the year, the Western Corridor in June and the north for river crossings from July to October. Allow at least two or three nights.
Updated 16 October 2026
Ngorongoro Crater guide: fees, rules and how to plan your visit
The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcano about 600 metres deep, with around 25,000 large animals on its floor, including black rhinos. A visit costs the conservation area fee plus US$295 per vehicle, with a limit of about six hours on the crater floor.
Updated 16 October 2026
Tarangire and Lake Manyara: Tanzania's first safari stops
Tarangire is famous for big elephant herds and baobab trees, best from June to October. Lake Manyara is a smaller park of groundwater forest and lakeshore below the Rift Valley wall. Both are about two hours from Arusha and charge about US$59 a day.
Updated 16 October 2026
Zanzibar travel guide: Stone Town, beaches and things to do
Zanzibar combines Stone Town, a UNESCO listed Swahili town, with white beaches and coral reefs. Stay a night or two in Stone Town, then pick a beach by the tides: the north for swimming at any time, the east and south for quiet and kitesurfing.
Updated 16 October 2026
Arusha and Moshi: where to stay before a safari or Kilimanjaro
Stay in Arusha before a safari and Moshi before a Kilimanjaro climb. Both are about an hour from Kilimanjaro airport. Spare days can go on Arusha National Park, coffee farms, Materuni waterfalls or the Kikuletwa hot springs.
Updated 16 October 2026Wildlife and safaris
The Great Migration in Tanzania: where to see it month by month
The herds spend about ten months a year in Tanzania. Stay around Ndutu for calving in January and February, the Western Corridor in June, and the northern Serengeti near Kogatende for Mara River crossings from July to October.
Updated 16 October 2026
Southern Tanzania safaris: Nyerere, Ruaha and Mikumi
Southern Tanzania offers wild, uncrowded safaris with boat trips and walking safaris. Nyerere (formerly the Selous) is about 45 minutes by air from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar; Ruaha is remoter, with big lion prides. Go from June to October; many camps close in April and May.
Updated 16 October 2026Treks and routes
Climbing Kilimanjaro: routes, cost, best time and success rates
Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) is Africa's highest mountain and can be climbed without technical skills, but the altitude makes it hard. Choose a 7 or 8 day route such as Lemosho or Machame, climb from January to early March or June to October, and budget about US$2,500 to 4,500 with a reputable operator.
Updated 16 October 2026
Kilimanjaro routes compared: which one should you climb?
For most people the best Kilimanjaro routes are Lemosho (8 days) and Machame (7 days): beautiful, with good acclimatisation. Choose Marangu for huts, Rongai for the drier north side in the rains, and the Northern Circuit for the quietest climb and best success rates.
Updated 16 October 2026Costs and budgets
How much does a Tanzania safari cost? Prices, park fees and a calculator
Expect about US$250 to 350 per person per day for a budget camping safari, US$400 to 700 mid range and US$900 or more for luxury, including park fees. Fees alone add about US$150 a day in the Serengeti once the nightly concession fee is included.
Updated 16 October 2026
How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?
A 7 or 8 day climb with a reputable operator costs about US$2,500 to 4,500 per person, including about US$900 to 1,100 in park fees. Add about US$250 to 400 in tips, plus flights, visa, insurance and gear.
Updated 16 October 2026Camping or lodge safari in Tanzania: which should you choose?
A camping safari can cut costs by a third or more and puts you right in the parks, at public campsites with shared facilities. Lodges and tented camps cost more but bring comfort, better food and showers. Many travellers mix the two.
Updated 16 October 2026Practical tips
Tanzania visa and entry rules: e-Visa, compulsory insurance and yellow fever
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa (US$50, or US$100 for US citizens), best applied for online. Since 1 October 2026 every visitor must also buy the government's US$44 inbound travel insurance. Bring a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from Kenya or another risk country.
Updated 16 October 2026Is Tanzania safe to visit? Advisories and practical tips
Safaris, Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar holidays continue normally, but advisories are stricter than before: the US says reconsider travel since unrest after the October 2025 election. Avoid protests, take city precautions in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Stone Town, and stay away from the Mozambique border.
Updated 16 October 2026How to choose a Tanzania safari or Kilimanjaro operator
Check that the operator is licensed and a member of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO). For Kilimanjaro, choose a partner of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). Get a written quote listing park fees, the crater fee, vehicle, camps and group size.
Updated 16 October 2026
Tanzania safari packing list (with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar extras)
Pack light layers in neutral colours, a warm fleece for early drives and the cold Ngorongoro rim, binoculars and a soft bag if you fly. Leave plastic bags at home: they're banned. Kilimanjaro needs a separate cold weather kit.
Updated 16 October 2026Tanzania safari with kids: ages, routes and tips
Tanzania works well for families with children aged about six and over. Keep drives short with Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater, fly into the Serengeti, and finish on Zanzibar. Children under 5 enter parks free and ages 5 to 15 pay much lower fees.
Updated 16 October 2026Ready to compare tours?
See every multi-day tour in Tanzania side by side, or browse the sights worth planning a trip around.
Rather have a trip to Tanzania made just for you?
Answer a few quick questions and a local specialist will send you a free, no-obligation itinerary and price.