Getting in and around Tanzania

Getting in and around Tanzania | Tanzania Tours and Safari | Top Safari | TOP National Parks | Mount Kilimanjaro | Serengeti National Park

Most travelers will fly into Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, or Zanzibar. The national airline is ATC (Air Tanzania Corporation). ATC and Precision Air are the main providers of domestic flights and link most of the major towns in the country.

Car travel is probably the cheapest and most widely used mode of transportation in Tanzania. Roads serve the rural population effectively, and driving is a great way to pass through the countryside and visit the smaller villages.

The best and fastest, albeit pricey, way of traveling around the country is by plane. The has many small airports and airstrips that serve smaller towns; if you’re traveling on safari, you may have to plan to take a charter flight after landing at a bigger airport.

Main Aiports in Tanzania

Other Airports in Tanzania

Ferries Between Dar-es-salaam - Zanzibar and Pemba

Ferries offer an efficient (and exciting) way to travel the country’s coastline. Boats leave about every hour from Dar es Salaam and head toward the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. Ferries also run on Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Nyasa.

Dar-es-salaam to Zanzibar Map

Tazara Train - Dar-es-salaam to Kapiri Mposhi

There are two major rail lines: the TRC and the TAZARA. The TRC (Tanzania Railway Corporation) operates from Dar es Salaam to Tabora and branches off to either Kigoma or Mwanza. It also operates from Ruvu, branches to either Tanga or Moshi, and connects to the Kenyan railway system. The TAZARA (Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority) connects Dar es Salaam with Zambia.

The Tazara Train is a single railway that connects Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to New Kaprir-Mposhi, Zambia, running in both directions throughout the week. The trip is estimated to take around 45 hours but as with all travel, you can expect delays. And some up to total transit time of 60+ hours!

If you are traveling between Tanzania and Zambia, definitely give yourself this amazing opportunity to travel Africa by train. There is no doubt about it, a plane ride will save you time and energy but what it will cost you (besides more money) is this unforgettable experience. It’s been over two years since we took this incredible journey and we still talk about it today.

Traveling by train is one of the best ways to meet people, both locals and tourist, and Tazara is no exception. It is a whirlwind of emotions, mostly high, but some low. It’s a chance to see some of Africa’s untouched land, and if you’re lucky, some wildlife here and there. And last but not least (but certainly the most corny), it’s fun! And isn’t that what travel is all about?

Train Station in Dar-es-salaam

The Tazara Railway leaves Dar Es Salaam and rattles its once-grand carriages through the vast uninhabited Selous Game Reserve, treating its passengers to spotting giraffe, antelope, elephants, and zebra. Crossing the Great Ruaha River, it winds its way through swamps and valleys before climbing into rugged mountains and crossing a remarkable bridge perched 164 feet above the Mpanga River Valley. This journey ends in Zambia.

The food on Tazara Train

The food on Tazara isn't terrible, but it's also not great. We also highly recommend you bring extra water and snacks as we have heard lots of stories of the train running out of water and food during long delays (sometimes over 60 hours). The only thing Tazara ran out of during our trip were Safari beers (typical) but no worries, there were plenty of Kilis, Castles, and Mosis to quench everyones' thirsts.

The Station in Kapiri Mposhi

Both TAZARA Main stations are located outside the city centers. To access the TAZARA Dar es Salaam station from the city center you can either get a taxi or board the public buses. If you are heading to Lusaka, Zambia, there are buses at the New Kapiri Mposhi station that charges about 70 Kwacha to Intercity bus station where you can as well get a bus to Livingstone. New Kapiri Mposhi Station: Booking: Mr. Sinkala +260 966 529 753

There are different ways to get from A to B, within Cities :

# Local transport, called daladala; nowadays there are also safer but still crammed to capacity mini bus dala-dalas; cost betwee Tsh 400 to Tsh 1000 depending with where you are going, but, it will not be comfortable to consider this means of transport when you are from the airport.

#Taxis cost from International Airports can be between $20 – $100 Depending with where you go, you get a better price than if you get a taxi at the airport desk). It is not advisable to leave your luggage in the taxis if you stop for sightseeing. If you prefer to book your taxi via your hotel expect higher rates, they usually get a commission for bookings.

#The Tanzania version of Uber was recently launched in Dar-es-salaam! This service is available in Zanzibar and Dar-es-salaam, but not yet in other Cities of Tanzania.

# shuttle service: from $ 10 per person between airport and Cities/Town. When you get off the airport you can ask around for a Shuttle, if any, They will sometimes wait for few minutes for more people to fill in the seats.

# Rent a Cars in Tanzania: To rent a car in Tanzania, drivers usually need to be at least 18 years of age and have a valid domestic driver’s license printed in the Roman alphabet, however, an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) is an additional requirement.