Tanzania

Tanzania is East Africa at its best! Home to the vast plains of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater in the North for the ultimate safari, the spice island of Zanzibar in the east, famous for its white-sand beaches, and Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and one of the most iconic climbs in the world.

I would recommend spending 2 to 3 weeks in Tanzania depending on which of these 3 main activities you're looking to do. You can easily combine two of these into a two week trip. For example, I comfortably did a safari and relaxed on the beaches of Zanzibar in two weeks.

• Getting around
• Flights
• For safaris or Mt. Kilimanjaro, you'll want to fly into the Kilimanjaro (JRO) airport located in Northern Tanzania.
• Zanzibar has its own airport called Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ). Alternatively, you can fly into the largest city, Dar es Salaam and take a ferry to Zanzibar. However, I don't think this is worth the hassle as there are many cheap domestic flights
• Public Transport
• Long-distance buses — available for routes across the mainland of Tanzania. They're affordable and reliable. Dar Express is the premier operator and you can book in advance online
• Dala Dalas — these are the small shared minibuses used by locals on Zanzibar. They are as cheap and chaotic as you'd expect, with no fixed schedule and always crowded. Fun to ride one as an adventure
• Ridesharing — as of August 2025, Bolt is available in Tanzania. When I visited, I used taxis for long day trips. The drivers were honest and rides were affordable after some light negotiation
• Money — the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) is the official currency. US dollars are also widely used for safaris, park fees and hotels. Make sure to carry cash since you'll need it everywhere
• Food — due to its long history of being on key trade routes along the Indian Ocean, Tanzanian food is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine, which was a pleasant surprise. On Zanzibar, you'll get pilau and biryani rice, fresh chapati, grilled seafood and the island's famous spices. On the mainland, the food is more traditionally African with Ugali (a fluffy white corn meal) and Nyama Choma (grilled meat)
• Safety — as this was my first time in East Africa, I was a bit concerned about going to Tanzania. Personally, I had a very good experience with no issues and all the Tanzanians I met were extremely friendly. Generally, the country is considered one of the safest in East Africa and a good "beginner" country for exploring the region
• Backpacking Scene — I wasn't expecting many backpackers in Tanzania and there are nowhere near as many as Southeast Asia or Central America. However, the backpackers here had some of the most interesting stories from embarking on 9-month solo journeys through Africa, taking the infamous TAZARA Railway or working at NGOs. You'll definitely meet some memorable people who are a notch more adventurous than the rest of us
• Language — the native language is Swahili which is spoken all over East Africa. As a former British colony, English is widely spoken and used in tourism. I had no issues getting around at all

A safari in Africa is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Northern Tanzania is home to some of the best safaris in the world with the endless golden plains of the Serengeti and the wildlife-packed Ngorongoro Crater, home to some of the densest concentrations of animals on earth.

I would recommend setting aside 3–4 days in Tanzania to go on a safari. Time it for the Great Migration (roughly July–October) if you can, when millions of wildebeest and zebra move across the plains.

People often see safaris as a "rich person's" activity, but it can be done very affordably as well. Almost all safaris follow the same route, visit the same parks and even combine tours, so the difference in price comes down to lodging:

• Budget / Camping (~$250 - $500) — if you're fine sleeping in public campsites, this is the way to go. I chose this option with Wise Safari Tanzania and the experience was incredible. I thought it was cool to sleep under the stars with wild animals roaming around at night and have a bush dinner cooked by our guides
• Mid-Range (~$500 - $800) — this will provide you with the full safari lodge experience. At the higher end, you can get a private 4x4 vehicle and guide
• Luxury ($850 - $1,500+) — these are the super premium lodges you see on Instagram with pools, exclusive vehicles, and fly-in options

Bring plenty of cash since tour companies often make you pay up to 50% of the tour cost in cash. They typically take USD, but I had to withdraw a massive stack of Tanzanian Shillings to cover the difference. Tipping the guide and cook at the end is customary and expected, so budget for it separately from the tour price.

There are tons of different safaris that you can do. Here are some of the highlights in Tanzania that I visited to give you some inspiration:

• Spot the Big Five — it goes without saying that the holy grail of a safari experience is to spot the Big Five. This is the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. The rhino and the leopard are definitely hard to spot. There are tons of other cool animals to see including flamingos, warthogs, hippos and hyenas
• Serengeti National Park — the world's most iconic safari destination with flat golden plains dotted with acacia trees and covered with herds of animals. The Serengeti is home to every safari animal imaginable: lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hippos and vast herds of zebra and wildebeest
• Ngorongoro Crater — going on a safari inside a 20km-wide volcanic crater was unreal! The walls of the caldera act as a natural enclosure for an entire ecosystem, making it one of the highest wildlife densities in Africa. The first view from the Ngorongoro rim on the way in is staggering
• Maasai Villages — many tours include a stop at a Maasai village, known for the jumping dance ceremony and intricate beaded jewelry. I opted not to do it, but it's a worthwhile cultural experience if it appeals to you

In 2023, I did the standard northern-circuit safari, which lasted 3 days and 2 nights. It was a loop starting from Arusha, up through the highlands to the Serengeti, and then a day down inside the Ngorongoro Crater on the way back.

I did the budget camping version with a knowledgeable guide named Sylus in a shared 8-person Land Cruiser. It was hands-down the highlight of my time in Tanzania. You might be tempted to book a longer safari, but I felt like 3 days was the sweet spot since you already spend a lot of that time driving. Here's how the days actually broke down:

• Day 1 — Arusha to the Serengeti — an early pickup in Arusha, breakfast, and then the long drive up to the Ngorongoro rim viewpoint. The first look down into the crater is staggering. We passed Maasai villages herding goats along the road the whole way and had a family-style lunch at the Serengeti gate.
• We were barely inside the park before we found three lions sleeping under a tree. As the sun set over the plains, a ton of animals started to come out including elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, warthogs and huge herds of zebra. The sky started to turn different shades of pink, making for a beautiful sight! We spent the night at a bare-bones bush camp near Seronera in the central Serengeti
• Day 2 — Serengeti Game Drive & Ngorongoro Crater — the next day was a full day of game drives across the Serengeti. I was lucky enough to go during the Great Migration in October. We saw a pride of lions stalking a herd of well over 1,000 wildebeest and spotted four of the Big Five in a single day
• We drove back up to the crater rim for the night at Simba Campsite, which sits right on the edge overlooking the crater. Zebras wandered straight through the campsite overnight and I could hear them from inside my tent
• Day 3 — Ngorongoro Crater & back to Arusha — an early 5:45am start to descend into the Ngorongoro Crater through thick fog. The floor of the crater was packed, with impalas and zebras roaming the plains while flamingos and hippos crowded the lake. The morning ended in a mad rush of 20+ jeeps to see rhinos far off in the distance, rounding out the Big Five.
• The crater was genuinely my favorite part of the whole safari. There were so many different biomes packed into one caldera and almost no driving between sightings. We went back to Arusha for a final group lunch and the tour even took me back to the airport for my early evening flight

Zanzibar is a spice island in the Indian Ocean with an identity all its own, a place that feels completely unlike anywhere else in Africa. The historic Stone Town is a dense labyrinth of narrow alleyways, carved wooden doorways, mosques and spice markets that reflects centuries of Arab, Persian, Indian and Portuguese influence. The island was the center of the East African spice and slave trade for hundreds of years, and that history is visible in every corner of the old city.

Beyond Stone Town, the northern and eastern coasts have some of the most stunning beaches in the world, making Zanzibar a popular honeymoon destination. The beaches have powder-white sand, turquoise shallow water that stretches for miles and a warm Indian Ocean that's swimmable year round.

I would spend 2 to 3 days in Stone Town to explore the history and then another few days on one of Zanzibar's beaches to relax.

• Wander around Stone Town — Stone Town was one of the most unique towns that I've been to with a diverse set of influences over centuries. Admire the historic white buildings with intricate wooden doorways. Fun fact: Stone Town is mostly built out of coral cut from the seabed, which acts as a natural insulator in the tropical heat! Explore on your own or take a guided walking tour for more historical background
• Old Fort — a large coral stone fortress right in the center of Stone Town that is free to access. There isn't too much to see there besides the craft shops, a cafe and an open-air amphitheater that hosts live music in the evenings
• House of Wonders — the most striking building on the Stone Town waterfront, a grand white colonial palace with enormous carved doors, cast iron columns and wide verandas overlooking the seafront. It earned its name by being the first building in East Africa to have electricity and an elevator
• Old Dispensary — one of the most beautiful buildings in Stone Town with an ornate four-story facade covered in intricate carved woodwork, decorative green and white ironwork balconies that define Zanzibari architecture. It still functions as a community center today and is worth stopping to look at even just from the street
• Darajani Bazaar — visit Stone Town's main market to get a taste of daily life on the island. Stalls here sell everything from fresh fish, spices, tropical fruit, meat and vegetables. This is where locals actually shop, a stark contrast to the tourist-facing parts of Stone Town
• Locals jumping off the docks at sunset — every evening as the sun goes down, local boys gather at the old dhow harbor and spend the hour taking turns launching themselves off the dock into the water. Go to Forodhani Gardens around sunset to watch
• East Africa Slave Trade Exhibition — Zanzibar has a dark past as the gateway for the slave trade on the Indian Ocean. The Slave Market Memorial is a sobering reminder of this. Today, an Anglican Cathedral sits on the site of the former slave market. However, the underground holding cells are preserved and it is worth a stop to learn the history of the town
• Day Trips from Stone Town
• Spice Farm Tour — Zanzibar was once the world's largest producer of cloves and still earns the nickname "Spice Island" for good reason. A half-day tour at a working farm lets you taste and smell vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves growing straight from the source. You can book a formal tour online, or do what I did and grab a taxi driver to take you directly to Siso Spice Farm
• Prison Island (Changuu Island) — a 20 minute boat ride from Stone Town to a small coral island originally built as a prison that was never actually used as one. The main draw is a colony of giant Aldabra tortoises that roam freely around the island (some over 100 years old and weighing up to 250kg). The surrounding coral reef is great for snorkeling with clear, shallow water and plenty of fish. An easy half-day trip from Stone Town (book a tour here)
• Jozani Forest — Zanzibar's only national park, about 35km south of Stone Town. You can visit the endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey, a species found nowhere else on earth. The forest itself is beautiful with ancient mahogany trees and a mangrove boardwalk. It is a quick stop and easy to combine with a visit to the east coast beaches
• Relax on one of Zanzibar's world-famous beaches — there are many to choose from, all with a slightly different vibe. Here is an overview to help you decide:
• Paje — on the east coast of Zanzibar, lies the village of Paje, the backpacker and kitesurfing hotspot on the island. Paje sits on a wide beach that stretches for miles with white sand and clear blue water. It was gorgeous and has a laid-back village atmosphere with a bunch of sailboats and villagers roaming the beach
• I ended up staying here and absolutely loved it. My hostel (called Your Zanzibar Place) was a set of bungalows located right on the beach. It was very social and I met some interesting, adventurous backpackers there. Internet was also intermittent which is a good thing, making it a great place to disconnect for a few days
• Nungwi — the most popular beach area on the island with blindingly white sand and dramatic water colors. There is a wide range of accommodation and a lively bar and restaurant scene. It faces west for good sunsets
• Kendwa — located just south of Nungwi with calmer, clearer water and powdery white sand. It is widely considered the most beautiful beach on the island. More expensive and quieter than Nungwi, geared toward couples and honeymooners

• Forodhani Gardens Night Market — the perfect place to sample local Zanzibari food. Every night around sunset, tons of local vendors set up carts selling street food. Try the local favorite Urojo (a yellow potato soup with egg and crispy fritters), plus fresh grilled seafood and sugarcane juice
• Visit Mister Mango at his stall to try Zanzibari Pizza, a chapati stuffed with spiced minced meat, egg, cheese and vegetables. He was even featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown
• Lukmaan Swahili Restaurant — the best spot in Stone Town recommended by locals with Zanzibari curry, pilau, biryani and fresh chapati. Order several dishes and share with a friend. It was also surprisingly affordable for how busy the place gets

• Stone Town House (Stone Town) — a nice hostel walking distance from all the major attractions. The owner was very helpful and offers tours as well
• Your Zanzibar Place (Paje) — a beach hostel, consisting of a set of small bungalows right on the sand. It was very social with a restaurant and bar embedded in it. They operate on a tab system and the food included was amazing and affordable

Tanzania has so much more than just the parts I visited. Here are some other spots recommended by fellow travelers:

• Mount Kilimanjaro — the highest peak on the continent, known as the "Roof of Africa". Most people enjoy doing the multi-day treks with the Machame and Marangu routes being the most popular
• Nyerere National Park — a vast, wild and less-visited reserve in the south for boat safaris and a remoter experience
• Mafia Island — a quieter alternative to Zanzibar, with superb diving and the chance to swim with whale sharks