Step into the vast open plains inhabited by wildebeest, monkeys, antelopes, lions, cheetahs, crocs and gators, gazelle and wild birds and suddenly your flight to Tanzania was the last bit of human civilization you can remember.
Situated in East Africa, mainland Tanzania is bordered by Uganda and Kenya, Mozambique and Malawi, Zambia and Zaire, and Burundi and Rwanda. The India Ocean graces the coastline, and mountains steal the landscape view.
But most travelers book flights to Tanzania to witness one of the most amazing animal exhibitions in the world – the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebra, antelopes and more in Serengeti National Park. After the intensity of Animal Kingdom wears off, Tanzania visitors can make like marine life and lay away on the Zanzibar Islands. For a bit of human touch, head to historic Stone Town and take in a bit of history. Don’t skip over this African country because of its size or limited population – there is more to see in Tanzania than most places on earth. Finding a cheap flight to Tanzania can mean the experience of a lifetime.
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Tanzania’s climate varies quite a bit. It has a tropical climate along the coast and on the islands of Mafia, Pemba and Unguja with temperatures approaching 95 degrees F.In the central, northern and western parts of the country, the climate is temperate (small changes in temperature between seasons and rain year-round).There are two wet seasons, a long rainy season that lasts from mid-March to May, and a short rainy season that starts in November and runs until January.
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Peak Season:
Tanzania is a year-round destination and cheap flights to Tanzania are likely if you book in advance. Game viewing is excellent all year-round, but to witness the annual wildebeest migration during which millions of animals move from the Masai Mara in Kenya to the Serengeti in Tanzania, book flights to Tanzania between December and April. It is one of the wonders of the natural world and not to be missed.
For birdwatchers, Tanzania is an excellent location all year, but to really see the country at its best, visit from November through March when more than 150 species of birds migrate south.
Visit after the rainy seasons (June, February for example) to really see Tanzania’s flora at its most lush and glorious.
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Air Tanzania flies domestically to Dar Es Salaam, Mtwara , Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, Precision Air also offers domestic Tanzania flights. There are smaller charter airlines linking local airports and more out-of-the-way parts of the country.
There are two railway systems – the Tanzania Railway Corporation operates two lines, the central line from Dar es Salaam to Tabora and one to Tabora to Mwanza port on Lake Victoria. The Tanzania to Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) links Dar Es Salaam with various destinations.
Bus services are plentiful. Scandinavian and other lines provide good service throughout the country. Buses don’t move until they are full however so don’t take the timetables as gospel.
The quality of the roads varies greatly. If renting a car, a four-wheel drive is best albeit expensive.
To get to the islands off the coast of Tanzania including Zanzibar and Pemba, there are boat (including ferry, catamaran, hydrofoils, or dhow) and air services. Azam Marine, for example, offers passage from Dar Es Salaam/Zanzibar or Pemba/Zanzibar.
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- Bagamoyo is Tanzania’s oldest town, dating from the late-1700s. It was the capital of German East Africa and an important trading post – a slave-trading post. The name is poignant, in KiSwahili, it means “bury my heart” and refers to slavery. It was from here that slaves were shipped to Zanzibar, just an hour away, and then off around the world. There is much to see here including the beautiful beach; Kaole Ruins, two mosques and tombs, all built with coral stones, that remain from the 13th century; the Roman Catholic Mission, built in the 1800s; and more grimly the German Hanging Place.
- In Dar Es Salaam, the National Museum contains fossils from Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important prehistoric sites, considered the “cradle of mankind”. The outdoor National Village Museum houses 16 furnished traditional houses from every region in Tanzania. Artists sell their wares here and you can also catch a traditional performance at weekends and on public holidays.
- The Serengeti is a vast national park covering almost 11,500 square miles. It is from here, more specifically the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor that you can see the river crossing during the wildebeest migration. The most popular part of the park is Seronera, a small settlement, home to leopards and lions. Hot-air balloon safaris are popular here. And the huge Ngorongoro crater, a World Heritage Site, known as Africa’s Garden of Eden, is a must-see.
- Safari … The northern circuit boasts the biggies: Arusha National Park (boasts Mount Meru – good for hiking – and Momella Lakes, while Mount Kilimanjaro, is just 30 miles in the distance); Serengeti; Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park (has some of the highest population density of elephants anywhere in the country). The eastern circuit – easily accessible from Dar Es Salaam – includes Saadani National Park and Mikumi National Park (has the Big Five: cheetah, lion, elephant, buffalo, and rhino).
- In the west, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, Gombe Stream National Park, is synonymous with Jane Goodall, the primatologist who spent years studying the behavior of the chimpanzees. Guided walks are available.
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Dar Es Salaam International (DAR) is 8 miles southwest of the city.
Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is 31 miles from Arusha.
Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ) is 5 miles from Kisauni.
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All visitors entering Tanzania require a visa. Visitors may obtain a visa on arrival at Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar airports for $50, payable in cash. All visitors also require proof of sufficient funds and should hold documentation for their return or onward journey. Passports should be valid for at least six months from date of entry. Those arriving from an infected country must hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
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For U.S. citizens a visa is issued on arrival, and a passport valid for six months from date of entry is required.
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