Tanzania

People go to Tanzania for the ocean or for the summit. Most trips are built around one of two plans: a beach vacation in Zanzibar or a Kilimanjaro climb. The questions differ in each case. For the first, you need to work out which coast to stay on and when you can swim. For the second, you need to choose a route and a season and make sense of the park fees.

Most of the articles here are about Zanzibar. There is a general overview of the island: when to go, what to see and how much entry to the main sights costs. A separate piece answers everyday questions: what to pack, how to bargain and where you should not swim. Another article compares the island's beaches and shows where you can swim at any tide. On some beaches swimming depends on the tide, and that changes which spot you choose.

The second large group of articles covers hotels. We have put together a selection of top-category oceanfront hotels that operate on an "all-inclusive" basis. There is also a selection of hotels in Nungwi and Kendwa, where you can swim all day regardless of low tide. Two hotels are reviewed separately. For Meliá Zanzibar we explain what the "all-inclusive" package covers and who the hotel suits. For Fruit & Spice Wellness Zanzibar we describe the room categories and the villas with pools.

Mainland Tanzania is so far represented by a single article, on Kilimanjaro. It describes the climbing routes, the national park fees and the best time for the ascent. The article works as a first introduction to the subject: it shows which decisions you need to make before buying tickets. There are currently no guides to safaris or mainland cities in this section. We say so plainly, so that you do not look for what is not here.

Every article opens with a short conclusion: the key points are in the first paragraphs. Practical blocks follow: season, location, conditions, prices, restrictions. For every figure we give the source and the date it was checked. We verify prices and fees against the official websites of the parks and hotels. We name the downsides as clearly as the upsides: a beach where you cannot swim at low tide, or a hotel that will not suit everyone.

This section is useful for those who have already chosen Tanzania and are planning the trip day by day. It suits travelers who are choosing between Zanzibar's coasts, comparing hotels or preparing for the climb. If you are still picking a country and want general impressions, it will be less useful. There are no inspirational stories here. There is no reference guide to the country's history and culture either. What matters more to us is helping you make a specific decision.

We suggest starting with the overview article on Zanzibar: it helps you settle on a season and an overall plan. Then read the piece on beaches, because the tides affect your choice of area. After that, move on to the hotel selections and the reviews of individual hotels. The article on packing and bargaining is best read last, before you pack. If your goal is Kilimanjaro, go straight to the article on the climb: it stands on its own.

All articles about the island are gathered in the "Zanzibar" subsection. The section itself belongs to "Africa", which in turn is part of "Destinations". The "Egypt" and "Tunisia" sections sit on the same level. They will come in handy if you are comparing beach vacations in different countries of the continent and have not made a final decision yet.

The section will keep growing, and we update the finished articles regularly. Park fees, entry prices and hotel conditions change, so we recheck them against official sources and set a new verification date. We do not interpret visa, insurance and vaccination questions ourselves. Check the current requirements on the websites of the government authorities of Tanzania and of your own country. Before your trip, open the relevant article again and check the update date. That way your plan will rest on fresh data.