Tanzania became known to the world through explorers such as Dr Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley. They discovered the wonders of this amazing country and brought the news of the high mountains and vast lakes back to their homeland.
The swahili word Safari came to mean the adventure of a lifetime, a guided journey into some of the most spectacular natural places on the planet. But a trip to Tanzania is no longer the colossal undertaking it was in days gone by. Today’s visitors can choose from safaris undertaken by vehicle, on foot, on horseback … and even by hot air balloon.
The wilderness never fails to fascinate and there are more animals roaming on the plains of Serengeti alone than anywhere else in the world. So, whichever method you choose we can promise you a great safari.
Capital city: Dodoma
Commercial capital: Dar es Salaam
Official languages are Kiswahili and English.
The national currency is Tanzania shilling. You are recommended to come with USD or Euro and change them into Tsh at an official bureau of exchange when you arrive to Tanzania. You can draw Tsh from your Visa card in machines in the major cities such as Arusha, Moshi, Dar es Salaam and Stone town (Zanzibar).
Local time is GMT+3. Electric current is 220 volts AC50Hz.
The usual starting point for safaris is Arusha and the starting point for climbing Kilimanjaro is Moshi.
The Mainland covers 362,340 square kilometres and Zanzibar is 1660 square kilometres making a total of 364,000 square kilometres. East Africa’s largest country.
Tanzania lies immediately south of the Equator. It is bordered on the west by Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire, on the east by the Indian Ocean, on the north by Lake Victoria, Kenya and Uganda, to the southwest by Zambia, and to the south by Mozambique & Malawi.
The country is topographically varied. The coast consists of long sandy beaches protected by coral reefs. There are high grasslands and mountain ranges near the coast and to the south; from the north the Rift Valley branches east and west of Lake Victoria, and here there are several high volcanic peaks, notably Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895 m/19340 ft); skirting the south coast of the lake the immense Serengeti plain extends to the west. East of the plain the eastern branch of the Rift Valley runs southwards from northeast of Lake Victoria, containing a number of lakes; the western branch runs south down the west side of Lake Victoria and forms Lake Tanganyika and Lake Rukwa.
Tanzania’s climate is predominately tropical. Coastal areas are usually hot and humid, but on the beaches a sea breeze cools the air. The inland is drier and the temperature is pleasant all year around.
Tanzania has two rainy seasons: the long rains run from late March to June, and the short rains from November to January. The long rains fall in heavy downpours while the short rains tend to be much less severe. The hottest month of the year is February and the coldest is July.