Tanzania

Quick Facts

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Capital

Dodoma

Population

35,922,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Islam, Indigenous Beliefs, Christianity

Languages

Swahili, English

Calling Code

+255

Nationality

Local name

Introduction

Giraffe having a snack

© All Rights Reserved namfon

Sailors return from Zanzibar with tales of the heavy scent of cloves that can be smelt even before the island is visible on the horizon. Zanzibar, known alternatively as the Spice Island, has made its impression on the world for centuries, acting as a significant trading port for Arabs and Europeans alike. Now, in a smart political move that's had great ramifications for tourists, the island has joined forces with Tanganyika to form Tanzania. Travelling there never looked so good. The fine attractions of Zanzibar are packaged together with the mainland's equally impressive collection of crowd-drawers: Mt Kilimanjaro (Africa's tallest peak and arguably its most rewarding climb), Dar es Salaam (the capital and hub of cultural activity), Serengeti National Park (for East Africa's best safari) and the sensational Ngorongoro Crater. The range and frequency of Tanzania's highlights makes it one of your best bets for a great East African holiday.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

• Northwestern Tanzania includes the Serengeti and access to Lake Victoria.
• North Coast of Tanzania
• North Coast of Tanzania
• Central Tanzania is a vast grassland plateau
• Northern Highlands includes Africa's tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro
• Southern Highlands
• Southern Tanzania
• Western Tanzania includes Lake Tanganyika
• Southern Highlands
• Zanzibar, an island off Tanzania's coast in the Indian Ocean.

Cities

• Dar es Salaam - the biggest city
• Dodoma - the capital
• Arusha - gateway to the Kilimanjaro
• Moshi
• Mwanza
• Kigoma
• Tanga
• Mbeya
• Mtwara

Sights and Activities

Tanzania is one of the best countries in Africa to experience a real African safari and along with Kenya it probably is the best in East Africa. For more information about a safari in Tanzania check the safari article for more details about possibilities, costs and parks to choose from.

Serengeti National Park

Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, the Serengeti National Park is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing.

Ngorongoro Crater

After a good meal in Ngorongoro

© All Rights Reserved Utrecht

The Ngorongoro Crater with its steep walls of 610m has become a natural enclosure for a very wide variety of wildlife, including most of the species found in East Africa, except the giraffe. Aside from herds of zebra, gazelle and wildebeest, the crater is home to the "big five" of rhinoceros, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo, and is often an excellent chance to see wildlife.

Selous Game Reserve

The Selous Game Reserve is the second biggest game reserve of Africa and you can find wild dogs here as well, next to most large predators and large herds of elephants. It is the only place in Tanzania where you can join a guide for a walking safari.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Tanzania generally has a warm tropical climate with humid weather year round. Temperatures are generally around 30 degrees Celcius during the day and still above 20 degrees at night at most places around the coast and on Zanzibar as well as places more south and west. In the central and central north though conditions are somewhat different with temperatures during the day slightly lower during the cooler June to September period, but a bit higher in the hot December to February period. Night temperatures can drop below 10 degrees at night though during the cooler June to September period, mainly because of the altitude of places like Arusha and the capital Dodoma. The central parts of the country have a totally dry time during these months as well, whereas the coastal areas and Zanzibar never are entirely dry. Instead, they have a long wet season from March to May with April being the wettest month. It can rain for several days on end, whereas during the short wet period from late October to early December rain usually comes in late afternoon downpours. Note that some parts like the Ngorongoro Crater Rim and the higher parts of the Kilimanjaro mountain never get really hot.

Getting there

Plane

http://www.airtanzania.com|Air Tanzania]] is the national airline of the country and is based at Julius Nyerere International Airport near Dar es Salaam. It has a limited number of international flights, including Johannesburg, Moroni (Comoros) and Entebbe (Uganda). Several other airlines fly here directly, like KLM from Amsterdam, Emirates from Dubai, British Airways from London and Swiss from Zürich. Other destinations are mainly within Africa.
Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is probably of more importance to travellers as it is closer to the Kilimanjaro mountain and safari parks. There are direct flights from Amsterdam with KLM and Frankfurt with Condor. Other flights are mainly within the continent.

Train

Centrally located in Zambia, north of the capital Lusaka, Kapiri Mposhi is the starting point of a two nights trainride to Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian coast. From here you can travel further by boat or plane to the tropical island of spices, Zanzibar. This so called TAZARA Railway (Tanzania-Zambia Railway) operates scheduled services twice a week, leaving in both ends of the line on Tuesdays and Fridays around 16pm, arriving on Thursdays and Sundays at 9.30am in Zambia, but after noon in the other direction in Dar es Salaam.

By Car

By Bus

Buses connect Dar es Salaam with Lusaka in Zambia, taking almost 30 hours to cover the distance. Buses also travel several times a week between Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe in Malawi.

By Boat

There are boats across Lake Tanganyika to and from Zambia and across Lake Malawi to and from Malawi.

Getting around

Plane

Precision Air flies between Bukoba, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Musoma, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Tabora and Zanzibar. Air Tanzania has several flights as well between Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Mwanza.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

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