About Tanzania

Tanzania is a  a destination that excites us all but remains quite unknown to most of us so we hope with this blog post the iinerary and all other related blog posts will guide you and orientate you quite a bit in the planning of the trip!

Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania.

Zanzibar, the exotic island of Tanzania (or maybe not?)

Zanzibar is a rising travel destination, beloved for wedding trips and kite surfing lovers is truly a heaven on earth. Blue waters and all-white sand an unparalleled beauty scenery which contrasts in a strange and awkward way to the hard lives of the inhabitants of the island and the living conditions which  are really bad. Our feelings about the exotic Zanzibar island are mixed. If you re intrested to learn more about zanzibar island read our blog post!

What to do in Tanzania

There are many choices, among them: hiking Kilimanjaro, safari game drive at national parks, adventure in cities and villages, exotic Zanzibar, visit a village of Maasai, volunteering etc. Read three different itinerary options we recommend in our blog post depending on the time you have and your interests and create your journey from scratch!

Safari game drive in Tanzania’s National Parks

For our safari game driving experience we can write countless blog posts but we still will not be able to transfer you all of our feelings about the greatness of nature as we experienced it! What we’re going to tell you is that it’s a unique experience with absolute respect to nature and animals! Read in detail our thoughts, advice and everything about the national parks we chose to explore.

How to move in Tanzania

Tanzania is a huge country where travel is an issue that concerns us all quite specifically if you want to explore it like a lot…! Our options are as follows:

Plane

With several international airports and even more local ones it is very easy to reachable from the south to the north of the country within one hour or less! Air Companies like Air Tanzania, Precision Air  offer tickets from $50 per route e.g. from Dar El Salam to Kilimanjaro. Book your tickets online!

Bus

The bus is also a very widespread means of transport and you can easily reach for $20 and more from Dar El Salam to Arusha with companies such as Dar express. Book your tickets online!

Train

Train we didn’t try but there’s definitely one for some long asting adventures throughout the country! There’s an info page on internet, but to book your tickets you have to go to the station!

Ship

You’ll need to take a boat if you don’t choose the plane to go from the mainland to Zanzibar and back! Calculate from $35 and above for this specific route and be informed about the routes because they are limited per day.

Dala dala & Tuk tuk

Local minivans often open from top and back  can be found everywhere around the country and move affordably but not comfortably. There are dala dala stations but you can easily catch them both on the roa, just raise your hand and they will stop! Tuk tuk the classics and favorite known tricycles from Southeast Asia!

What to pack for a trip to Tanzania? – Travel Packing List for a trip to Tanzania

First of all, let us give you a really important piece of advice! Don’t go To Zanania with a suitcase, it’s only convenient for the backpack unless you’re comfortable enough and luxurious travelling  with private transfers! Check out our travel packing list for a trip to Tanzania that lasts two weeks, including camping, sea, hiking etc. You will find a useful travel packing list in our relevant blog post!

How much does a trip to Tanzania cost?

As you may understand the cost is indicative because it depends on the way you travel, the days of the trip and the type of traveller you are. There is room for everyone of course and we do not criticize any type of traveler just in case keep in mind that the prices below refer to “low to medium” budget backpacking trip (which means that the cost goes even lower). The cost is per person.

• Flights from Brussels with Turkish airlines and luggage 32 kg 350€
• Safari 5 days (including food lunch, breakfast entrances to the National Parks transfers and camping accommodation) $900 (prices vary depending on the choices and company)
• Food $10-15 per person a day with a beer (not for the safari days)
• Accommodation starts at $20 (we don’t recommend it), calculate at least $30 for a relatively comfortable stay (usually with a shared bathroom)
• Other transfers and entrances, e.g. in the waterfall areas you need to pay a small fee, also  if planning on taking a national flight calculate $50-70 a flight, bus $20 for long journeys, ship to Zanzibar 35-50 dollars. The local dala dala costs little, 500-2000 Tanzanian shillings which is less than 1.5€
• If anyone hikes Kilimanjaro, for example, a climb will cost you up from 250 usd to $5000.
• For souvenirs you will spend less. We preferred the masai market in Arusha and the locals in Zanzibar.
• Tips calculate a small amount
• Visa $50 (online)

Useful information

1. A visa is issued electronically prior to arrival in Tanzania and also applies to Zanzibar. If you are going to volunteer you may need to ask any further obligations.
2. We made local change at Kilimanjaro airport for the whole trip.
3. Internet card can be found almost everywhere eg at the airport and at local markets in obvious places.

Is a trip to Tanzania safe?

With absolute certainty our answer is yes! We didn’t feel not even for a second uncomfortable or dangerous at any point of our trip both in a city or a village we were visiting. People were everywhere kind and ready to help if needed!

Ngorongoro crater vista point

Useful words for your arrival in Tanzania

Mambo
Jambo
Poa
Karibu
Asante

Travel and volunteering

Did you know you could combine a trip with volunteering? How with very little money you will get back a lot richer than you started? In Tanzania there are wonderful projects both held by Greek organizations and by foreign ones, you can help on your own, of course, either by physical presence or through others! Sometimes you can even exchange your services for free accommodation (e.g. if you are a web developer you can build a website for a school so that they will be able to accept shipments and funding directly from interested parties). Read ways and information about volunteering in Tanzania in our blog post and proceed to do some practicing and undo the comfort of your everyday life! This time for Africa…

Karibu!

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Today we are presenting 2 a two-week itineraries to choose from, for your trip to Tanzania

2 Week travel itinerary in Tanzania No 1

• Starting at Dar El Salam (International Airport)
• A day at Dar El Salam
• Bus (e.g. with Dar express bus) to the north
• Stop for a two-day staying and hiking in Lushoto
• Three to four days on safari at the national parks
• A day in Arusha transfer with Dala dala to Moshi
• One to two days in Moshi
• Flight to Zanzibar City (e.g. with Air Tanzania)
• Five days volunteer project in project in the region
• Two days relaxing and touring the island

• 2 Week travel itinerary in Tanzania No 2

  • Starting at Kilimanjaro (International Airport)
  • Five days volunteer project in the region
  • Two days on safari at national parks
  • A one day Stay in Arusha
  • Transportation by Dala dala to Moshi
  • One day stay in Moshi
  • Bus to the south (e.g. Dar express bus)
  • Stop included accommodation in Lushoto (one or two days)
  • Bus to Dar El Salam
  • Accommodation in Dar El Salam
  • Ferry to Zanzibar
  • Relaxation and island tour

2 Week travel itinerary in Tanzania No 3

If you are a hiking enthusiast and you aim to climb Kilimanjaro you should be prepared for the below two things, first one is  to spare time to complete the route (7 days) and money (indicatively $5,000). So if you re planning to dedicate the first week at the area you must have Kilimanjaro Airport as your starting point and for the second week you can choose to go with the above itineraries  more or less.

What was our itinerary?

We started from Dar El Salam we flew to Arusha from where we explored the city of Arusha and we tried a safari game drive at the national parks of Serengeti, Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the villages of Masai, then we headed to Moshi overlooking Kilimanjaro africa’s tallest mountain, we explored and hiked in the area around Kilimanjaro, Materuni and Marangu waterfalls, we flew to Zanzibar where we explored the island and the village of Jambiani where we developed some contacts with the village primary school that lists nearly 900 children. We enjoyed the sun at Paje beach and came home with lots of thoughts about new projects!

What is certain is that we are talking about a huge country with unparalleled beauty and natural wealth! Read more about our safari game drive experience and everything you need to know to participate in a voluntary program or just help by all means you could possibly do so and create the ideal travel itinerary for you!

Enjoy!

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The big five animals are: lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant, puma

From Kenya to South Africa animal herds migrate from region to region depending on the time of year and the call of the nature in search of food, survival, mating and hunting! All this huge migration is a unique setting for every traveler and it is definitely worth experiencing at least once in your life!

From our personal experience of the safari game drive in four tanzanian national parks, we recommend to each one of you to try it! What we loved the most was the respectful way of the tour towards nature and animals! The truth is that we had no idea what to expect and while there was hesitation before going there, fortunately the experience is only positively valued and we share it with you below!

Safari tour in Tanzania – Game Drive Safari in Tanzania

The safari tour operator we chose is Mwewe Expeditions and the main reason is the excellent comments we had read online about the company and about the owner of Mwewe called Sariko. The initial impression was completely confirmed as professionalism was not lacking not for a minute, there was a very youthful lay out that made our safari game drive more adventurous and the whole 5 day itinerary was perfectly organized always according to the itinerary we had discussed!

Mwewe Expeditions is a locally family owned Company that operates professionally with an experienced team for over 13 years in tourism Industry in Tanzania. Whether you are honeymooners, family, solo or groups we can make your dreams turn into reality.

Their moto is “We guarantee the best experience ever, nature guaranteed”

To contact Sariko and set up your own itinerary you can contact via company’s site, Facebook or Instagram! Although he is always busy traveling on a safari game drive at north Tanzanian national parks, he responds rapidly.

Before we move on to the national parks we visited (you can of course choose more, less or different than those we chose depending on the time of year you are travelling ), the time we chose is the era of predators as we wanted to see a little action thing. Don’t forget, of course, that it is the natural environment of animals and not a show for the humans, so there is no guarantee of how much action you will see, how many animals or what time you will see them! This is, of course, the point of having a safari game drive, the game drive in the national park lasts all day and puts you in the process of constant vigilance in case you see any of the rare big five animals in action while seeing dozens and hundreds other animals migrate, guard their little ones, etc.

Serengeti National Park of Tanzania

The Serengeti National Park is a Tanzanian national park in the Serengeti ecosystem in the Mara and Simiyu regions. It is famous for its annual migration of over 1.5 million white-bearded (or brindled) wildebeest and 250,000 zebra and for its numerous Nile crocodile and honey badger

A vast intensity of greenery! Greener than we’ve ever seen before! This park has as much land as a small country and hosts millions of animals every year. In addition to elephant, zebra, gnous, sourcata, giraffe, hippopotamus, buffaloes, all kinds of antelope and lions you will meet (if you are lucky) cheetahs, pumas and many more species! An unforgettable image for us is that of the cheetahs sitting aristocraticly on tall trees carefree and relaxed by all danger!

Don’t worry about the food at the campsite where you re gonna overnight, as Sariko will make sure you have the best cook with you and you will all eat together at the restaurant areas with the rest of the campers or co travelers if you share the safari tour!

Ngorongoro National Park of Tanzania and Ngorongoro crater

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area  is a protected area and a World Heritage Site located 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera within the area. The conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro Division of the Arusha Region.

The 2009 Ngorogoro Wildlife Conservation Act placed new restrictions on human settlement and subsistence farming in the Crater, displacing Maasai pastoralists, most of whom had been relocated to Ngorongoro from their ancestral lands to the north when the British colonial government established Serengeti National Park in 1959.

Personally this was our favorite national park, because of the countless of animals we encountered and the unparalleled beauty! You are in the largest crater in the world in an indescribable setting that you have certainly never encountered before and you are in awe of nature unfolding before your eyes! Mothers, newborns, herds, predators all together in the same landscape!

The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres (2,000 feet) deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres (100 square miles).

If you stay at the campsite be sure you have isothermal clothes (see our list here) to withstand the cold and enjoy the stars in the evening up in the crystal clear night sky!

Extra hint: when you find yourself there, ask to find out where the name of the national park came from! The answer will surprise you!

Tarangire National Park of Tanzania

Tarangire National Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania after Ruaha, Serengeti, Mikumi, Katavi and Mkomazi. The national park is located in Manyara Region. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses through the park, being the only source of water for wild animals during dry seasons. During the dry season thousands of animals migrate to the Tarangire National Park from Manyara National Park.

This park includes all the animals mentioned above but the scenery and the route is very different and in addition here you will find the trees with the huge trunks calles Bao bab trees!

We ll never forget seeing an elephant into a hollow trunk of bao bab tree!

Arusha National Park of Tanzania

Arusha National Park covers Mount Meru, a prominent volcano with an elevation of 4566 m, in the Arusha Region of north eastern Tanzania. The park is small but varied with spectacular landscapes in three distinct areas. In the west, the Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River; the peak of Mount Meru lies on its rim. Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east is grassland. The shallow alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east have varying algal colours and are known for their wading birds.

The scenery complements a park with several unique pictures as here you will live more of the tropical part of Tanzania! You’ll be touring into the jungle, meeting monkeys, baboons, thousands of flamingos and the unique Columbus monkeys with the lovely and impressive hair (interesting fact the greek origin of the word Columbus – learn more at the museum you ll meet during the safari).

Watch our safari video on Youtube

Where to stay at the National Parks in Tanzania

For lodging inside the national parks there are two options. The first choice is to stay in a lodge, but keep in mind that due to the small number of lodges the price start from 150€ per person per night and not unfairly we would say comparing to the unique view of course and in general to the national park itself! The second choice is the one we chose and it is not other that our beloved camping under the stars! Campsites is the most common choice amongst travelers not only because of the price but mainly for the general experience it offers! The campsites are located inside the area of the national parks as well as the lodges, they are right next to the original villages of Maasai tribes and you will hear at night all nature sound including animals’ roaring or eating.  Unique unforgettable feeling!

If you decide to go on a safari tour in Tanzania and explore the extraordinary national parks in Tanzania you just go ahead and choose the best tour operator in the region, choose Mwewe Expeditions. Safari in Tanzania is an experience worth getting directly into your travel bucket list! You ll get the chance to connect with nature something that will fascinate you more than anything,  to witness the greatness of nature and admire closely the natural evolution, hunting and the coexistence of thousands of animals!

Hakuna Matata!

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We always visit villages and walk between houses, local shops, markets, fields etc, but during our trip to Tanzania and especially in Zanzibar we thought that we would do something different! We wanted to do something for other people, by helping them. So after a long search of several volunteering and crowdfunding programmes we contacted the school in jambiani village.

The village of Jambiani

Jambiani is one of the largest villages of Zanzibar and stretches over a large area of coastline,  to the west of the island. It is a beautiful village in terms of authenticity but it is very poor with no roads. Characteristic, is that there is no drinkable water. The locals have to walk (vehicles there are few) or cycle several kilometers, under an incredible heat, in order to procure water.

Arturo (Adam) a 18 years local told us that “You could die on the bike”…to bring water to your family!

If you visit the village don’t forget to walk all over the area. Try to communicate with the locals, they are very kind and smily! Watch how they grap the cocos from the trees, learn what they do with the algae and visit their houses. Ask a village boy, who might know English, to get you around or just look for Arturo!

Jambiani School

The truth is that in the search for points of contact we had some help from a Polish guy, who lives and works there. He also helped us to contact with the primary school of Jambiani village, where he volunteers as well. So our first contact with the school began. Unique experience, amazing images etched in our mind and our soul. Smily little children and admirable teachers try to do their best, in difficult conditions. With no infrustructure, no books, no places to do their lessons, no PCs… teachers try to transfer their knowledge! We have no word to describe what we saw, so you’d better see the photos we took with the school principal’s permission.

Nearly 900 kindergarten and high school children are housed there! Halls are full of children, many of them without desks (children just sit on the floor)! There also face problems in offering potable water to the children!

Jambiani school projects

School survival is very important for the local community. Its survival depends on needs that exist and are real, without any dose of exaggeration! Uniforms for students, tank for drinking water, walls painting, dining area, desks, books, notebooks, bags, PCs and many more!

How can you help?

• By Buying school supplies from Stone town (you will find small bookstores scattered in the city where you can buy notebooks) and donate them.
• To bring school supplies from your own country! Don’t worry about what to brind, because everything is precious!
• Try one of the infinite volunteer programs that exist and are already organized. In Jambiani there are African impact facilities. For example you can stay there and you could help them with projects that are already running.
• By making your “holidays” and simultaneously help the school by offering your extra time. You can teach them English, that will be very helpfull for their future!
• Send money to jambiani school or any other institution of your choice.
• Joining a crowdfunding campaign you know and trust (eg. wheeling2help).

Read more about the volunteer programs and do your search!

Why there? Certainly you can help people everywhere, even in your neighborhood. You can’t change the whole world, but you can definitely change a child’s life. It is not neccesary to offer a lot, just a simple children’s book, is enought. Jambiani school needs your help!!

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A few words about Zanzibar island

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres (16–31 mi) off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre is Stone Town, which is a World Heritage Site. Zanzibar’s main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism.

What to see and what to do in Zanzibar island

• Stone town (Market, slave memorial etc)
• Dala dala experience (from Stone town to Paje beach costs 2500 Tanzanian shillings or  under 2 euros while by taxi you ll gonna need at least $25)
• Prison island (bargain the price at about 3-5 usd there on site and don’t book prior traveling for $35)
• Paje beach (the most beautiful beach in our opinion)
• Jambiani village and beach
• Jambiani school visit and volunteer
• Jozani forest to see monkeys
• Butterfly forest
• Cuza caves
• Snorkel
• Kite surfing
• Rock restaurant (for a luxurious meal)
• See the tide going up and down (check out the times of the tide so that you get to enjoy the sea)
• Other beaches of the island (move around by Dala dala)
• Visit one of the near Islands

Watch our map on google earth and our video!

Where to eat in Zanzibar island?

1. Stone town Tamu (gelateria Italians for cheap pizza bites by an Italian owner)
2. Paje beach Bausinga (local restaurant with local food and fair prices)
3. Paje beach Chianti (European restaurant with touristic mood)
4. Rock restaurant (one of its kind, very pricey to our opinion)

How to get from Tanzania mainland to Zanzibar island?

There are two ways of getting around in Zanzibar, the one is of course by air via Zanzibar airport which is located just outside Stone town and the second one is by ferry from the beach of the mainland of Tanzania and Dar El Salam! There is no ideal way in terms of money because e.g. the plane ticket can cost $55 and the boat $35, but if you take a taxi to get you to the boat especially in case you are traveling late night, the cost exceeds the cost of the plane. Whenever you travel always  check both options and chose the best one for you!

Where to stay in Zanzibar island?

The options for staying are also many and affordable for all budgets. Luckily for everyone Zanzibar doesn’t even have so many all-inclusive hotels that really would spoil the aesthetics of the island! However, most of the accommodations are owned by European owners. We stayed in bungalows on Paje beach which was an excellent choice. In Stone town you could have plenty of cheap options to stay, we used a hostel, which had a fantastic view and was in the city center. Don’t forget, of course, that it is a poor island that does not have infrastructure even if you decide to stay someplace more expensive. Try understand the way of local living and do not expect it to be a dreamy vacation on a sun lounger (of course this is also available there, but you don’t have to make it all the way to Zanzibar to do that)! Don’t expect air conditioning unless you stay in a classic tourist hotel (which isn’t bad of course) and here comes our objection to the way we treat the exotic Zanzibar… and the way we westerners wanna experience the island!

Is Zanzibar an Exotic destination after all?

Zanzibar island is a wonderful island with blue waters and white sand! With wonderful pure and smiling people who have nothing to do with Western culture. It is not that  ok for all of us to go there and demand services and air conditioning while the average local of the island does not even have access to clean drinking water. We do not intent to judge but we really dont like seeing tourists waiting to live the dream of an exotic beach vacation demanding luxurious sun beds and cocktails (which are there for you of course… after all,  actually you can have anything you wish and require and the local employees are there to satisfy will pleasure the requirements that owners of the lodges mainly Europeans have already trained them to offer to the tourists) while only two meters further, in the village there is no clean water for the children!

So our point of view  is that yes, Zanzibar is an exotic dreamy destination because it is exotic naturally and not because we tourists imagine it as an exotic place! Zanzibar is a very pure place, with quiet and kind muslim people in religion, with their children living below any poverty standards but with a constant smile on their face and it is worth being respecting without any demands for all inclusive situations and demonstration of our western culture. Let’s leave some places evolve at their own pace and their own unique way, the copy paste thing and some dreaming of an exotic honeymoon trip two meters away from reality do not suit Zanzibar.

How much does a trip to Zanzibar island cost?

Assuming that airfares vary and cost about 400€ per person (we flew for 350€ per person from Brussels with Turkish airlines), a budget of 1400€ for two people for a week will offer you more than comfortable living! With food and beer at 20€ a day, cheap dala – dala travel, local restaurants with affordable food and accommodation for every budget we would say Zanzibar is a low budget destination! For lower budget travellers expect to spend 1200€ per two persons for a week with a plane ticket of 350€ per person, accommodation in hostels 250€, food 200€ and some money for transportation and  souvenirs.

So, is Zanzibar island an exotic destination you would like to visit? Of course it is! This goes without saying.. Visit Zanzibar, respect it, help it and love it for  what this place stands! After all, its beauty is so unique that it is generously given to you whether you stay in a hostel or a well-known all inclusive hotel. Its beauty is found in the simplicity of its people which you will get to feel once you visit one of its authentic villages for a real cultural experience!

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