Getting to Tanzania

Visitors can arrive in Tanzania either by air, road, rail or ferry.

Air

There are two international airports on mainland Tanzania and one international airport at Zanzibar. International flights serve Dar es Salaam (DAR), 13kms from the city centre and Kilimanjaro (JRO), 50kms from Arusha. Zanzibar (ZNZ) airport is 8kms from Kisauni.

Although Kilimanjaro International Airport is the most useful point of entry for tourists, it only offers two direct international flights, which are operated by KLM out of Amsterdam and Qatar Airways out of Doha; and two regional flights, which are operated by Ethiopian Airlines out of Addis Ababa and Rwandair out of Kigali.  Some of the airlines fly via Zanzibar depending on the time of year, two of them being Oman Air and Ethiopian Airlines.  Once passengers have landed in Tanzania, visitors who are flying to other destinations within the country will have to connect with a domestic airline.

Taxis rides into town can be arranged from the airport. Check what the going rate is before climbing into the taxi, which can be done at the entrance of the airport where rates are usually displayed. There is a regular Precision Air shuttle bus between Kilimanjaro and Arusha town, charging approximately US$10 per person.

Road

Visitors arriving in Tanzania by road will be crossing the border from one of its surrounding countries. Most Tanzaniana borders can be reached by minibuses from main towns, where passengers are dropped off to clear immigration, before walking across to catch another bus.

Due to the political unrest in Sudan very few overland truck companies now travel to East Africa from Europe. The more popular overland route is between Cape Town or Johannesburg to Nairobi.

For self drive visitors to Tanzania, please ensure that all vehicle documentation is in order and that you have enough cash to pay for vehicle insurance that will be required at the border. There are money changers at most borders, but be aware of con artists! It is also advisable to have police clearance on the vehicle that is being used.

From/To Kenya

The most popular crossing is between Nairobi and Arusha via Namanga border post. There is a twice daily Impala Shuttle bus that services this route, schedule as follows:

From Nairobi to Arusha

Parkside Hotel departing at 07.30hrs and 13.30hrs

Silver Springs departing at 07.45hrs and 13.45hrs

Nairobi Airport departing at 08.15hrs and 14.15hrs (on request only)

From Moshi/Arusha to Nairobi

Moshi Office (Opposite KNCU Building) departing at 06.30hrs and 11.00hrs

Impala Hotel in Arusha departing at 07.30hrs and 13.30hrs.

To book a ticket contact:

Arusha Office: Tel +255 27 2050001 - 8/9/10 Email: naura@nauraspringshotel.com

Moshi Office: Tel: +255 27 51786 Email: impala@kilinet.co.tz

Nairobi Booking Office: Tel: +254 020 2066892 Email: info@greenbuffalosafaris.com

An increasingly popular route between Kenya and Tanzania is from Mombasa to Tanga or Dar es Salaam.

From/To Uganda

The most direct route to Tanzania from Uganda is between Masaka and Bukoba which passes through Mutukula border post. If travelling to Arusha or Moshi, it will be quicker and more comfortable to travel via Kenya.

From/To Rwanda

There is only one road from Kigali to Tanzania which passes through Rusumu border post.

From/To Burundi

Minibuses go from Bujumbura to the immigration office a Nyanza Lac and on to the border.

From/To Congo

There are very few visitors travelling to Tanzania from Congo, and usually they pass through Burundi.

From/To Zambia

Tanzania can easily be reached by road, via Mbeya, which is the main gateway between East and southern Africa.

From/To Malawi

The main border post between Malawi and Tanzania is Karonga which can easily be reached by daily buses. There is a good guesthouse on the Tanzanian side of the border if you arrive there late in the day.

From/To Mozambique

The border crossing from Mozambique to Tanzania is Kilamba, which lies on the Rovuma River. There is a regular motorboat across the river at high tide. A bridge is to be constructed in the next few years.

Rail

The only rail that crosses the border is the Tazara Railway, running between Tanzania and Zambia. The railway runs a scheduled twice weekly train from/to Kapiri Mposhi/Dar es Salaam. The central line in Tanzania runs 1254kms between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika with branches to Mwanza, Singida and Mpanda. There is talk in the future of a railway between Tanzania and Kenya.

Ferry/Boat

Due to the various lakes and coastal towns in Tanzania, people are reliant on using ferries or boats for crossing waterways. In most cases, no pre booking is required, just turn up and by a ticket.

There are several daily ferries between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, with the most safest and reliable being run by Azam Marine Co. These ferries depart daily from both destinations at 0700hrs/0930hrs/1230hrs/1530hrs.  The departure times for other ferry operators change regularly, but there is usually a boat every hour or two. The price of a one way ticket ranges from US$20 to US$50, this is depending on which class of ticket you purchase. Azam Marine Co also offers ferries to/from Pemba Island on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but there are usually other daily ferries departing to Pemba. Cargo boats can also take passengers between Pemba and Tanga.

From Uganda, passage can be arranged across Lake Victoria by cargo boat from Port Bell to Mwanza's main port. Cargo boats sail a few times a week from Mwanza to Bukoba and daily to Ukerewa Island.

From Burundi the most straightforward option is the Lake Tanganyika ferry that docks in Kigoma. A weekly ferry from Mpulungu, northern Tanzania also crosses Lake Tanganyika to Kigoma.

There are weekly ferries on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) crossing over from Malawi to Mbamba Bay.