🇹🇿

Tanzania

تنزانيا

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📖 Full guideLast updated: 22/07/2026🏞️ Nature & mountains 🧗 Adventure 🏖️ Beaches

The Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar in one country: dream safaris by morning, a turquoise ocean by evening — and in Zanzibar especially, Gulf visitors find a Muslim land where the adhan sounds and halal is the default.

ℹ️ General information

Capital: Dodoma

Language: Swahili and English

English among locals: Moderate

Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Time zone: UTC+03:00

🛂 Visa for Saudi passport

e-Visa — 90 days

An eVisa is mandatory for all nationalities including GCC (~$50 single entry, covering Zanzibar and the mainland together) via the official portal — approval usually takes a few days, so apply early. Visa on arrival exists at entry points but queues are long; the portal is safer. Passport valid 6 months.

Official source ↗

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🕓 Last officially verified: 05/08/2026

🗓️Best time to visit

June–October is the golden dry season: safari at its peak and Zanzibar mild — right through the Gulf summer. December–February is a fine second window. Avoid April–May (the long rains close some roads and hotels).

🕌 For the Muslim traveler

Halal food: In Zanzibar practically everything is halal — Stone Town's restaurants and the Forodhani night market need no questions. On the mainland, Swahili and Indian-Muslim restaurants abound in Dar and Arusha; safari lodges cater with confirmed advance notice.

Prayer places: Zanzibar has mosques in every lane, the adhan filling Stone Town. Central Dar has major mosques; Arusha and Moshi keep central ones too. Remote safari lodges: bring your mat and qibla app.

Friday is an official holiday: No

🌙Ramadan & Eid

Ramadan in Zanzibar is the full experience: public fasting, Forodhani iftars and taraweeh filling the lanes — tourist restaurants serve discreetly by day. The mainland observes less, but the mood lives in Muslim quarters.

🎭Culture tips

'Jambo' and 'karibu' open hearts — Swahili sounds familiar to Arab ears through its borrowed words. Haggling is native in markets (start at half). Ask before photographing people. The rhythm is slow — 'pole pole' is national philosophy, so don't rush it.

💳Cards & payments

Cash-first beyond hotels: crisp post-2009 dollars or shillings, with M-Pesa dominating locally. Cards work at hotels and resorts, often with 3–5% surcharges. ATMs exist in towns only — withdraw before remote coasts and safari.

📲Apps & internet

Uber and Bolt in Dar (Bolt appears patchily in Zanzibar). M-Pesa if you want to pay like a local. Google Maps is fine in cities, weaker rurally — download offline. WhatsApp is the lodge-and-driver channel.

🚗Driving there

Left-hand driving, uneven roads and unforgiving bus drivers — self-drive isn't advised for the unaccustomed; local drivers are relatively cheap and know the checkpoints and routes. An IDP is nominally required for rentals.

💵Tipping culture

$1–2 for porters, $5–10/day for safari-lodge staff, and $10–20/day for your safari guide — an entrenched norm.

📶SIM & eSIM

Vodacom is widest, then Airtel and Halotel — airport SIMs are quick and cheap (many GB for a few dollars) and Vodacom offers eSIM. Coverage is good in towns and Zanzibar, absent deep inside the parks.

🚇Getting around

Short domestic flights link Dar to Zanzibar (20 min) and the safari strips. The Dar–Zanzibar ferry runs ~2h (book official operators only). In cities, Uber and Bolt work in Dar; a car with driver is the standard for safari and comfortable transfers (arrange via lodges).

💰 Approximate cost

Zanzibar is mid-range: good lodges $60–150/night, resorts from $200, tourist meal $8–20. Safari is the big line: $200–500 per person per day all-in by tier. Shillings (~2,600/$) for markets, dollars across tourism.

ℹ️ Prices are approximate and subject to change

🛡️ Safety

Zanzibar and the northern safari circuit are broadly safe for visitors; the real caution is Dar es Salaam's bag-snatching and pickpocketing (don't walk at night with visible valuables or ride boda-bodas). In Zanzibar, dress considerately in villages. Avoid rural roads after dark.

⚠️ Key laws before you travel

Plastic bags are banned nationwide by law — confiscated at the airport, so carry none. Photographing bridges and government sites is prohibited. Drug penalties are harsh. In conservative Zanzibar, modest dress beyond the beach is due respect.

ℹ️ Laws change — verify with official sources; this is not legal advice.

💊 Restricted medications

Malaria is present — see your doctor about prophylaxis, use repellent and sleep under nets. Private hospitals are adequate in Dar and Zanzibar (major cases evacuate to Nairobi) — comprehensive travel insurance is necessity, not luxury. Carry full medication supplies with prescriptions.

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🆘 Emergency & your embassy

Emergency 112 or 999 (police, ambulance, fire)

Your embassy (🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia): طوارئ السعوديين بالخارج / Saudi emergencies abroad: 00966920033334 — الرقم الموحد للخدمات / services: 00966920011114 — أقرب سفارة وأرقامها المحلية / nearest mission & local numbers: saudiembassy.sa + تطبيق MOFA

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

👥The Gulf traveler experience there

An honest digest from Gulf travelers' experiences — community-maintained and continuously updated.

The historic Omani–Zanzibari bond makes Gulf visitors feel at home: Arab-descended families, Omani names, and genuine warmth toward Gulf guests. Direct summer flights from Doha, Dubai and Jeddah to Zanzibar. Just mind the universal tourist markup — negotiate with a smile.