Tanzania Entry Requirements — Visa, Health, and What to Know Before You Fly

Tanzania entry is straightforward for most nationalities, but there are specific requirements — particularly around health documentation — that can cause problems at the border if missed. This guide covers what you actually need.

Passport Validity

Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from Tanzania. Immigration officers will refuse entry if this requirement is not met. Check the expiry date before booking flights.

You will also need at least two blank pages for entry stamps and visa stickers.

Visa Requirements

Citizens of most countries require a visa to enter Tanzania. There are two options:

eVisa (recommended)

Apply online at eservices.immigration.go.tz before travel. Processing typically takes 5-10 business days. Cost is $52 USD for most nationalities for a single-entry tourist visa valid for 90 days. Apply at least two weeks before travel to allow time for processing and any follow-up.

The eVisa is issued as a PDF document. Print it or have it available on your phone — immigration scans the QR code on arrival.

Visa on Arrival

Available at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), and major land border crossings. Payment is cash USD only — the $52 fee must be in clean, undamaged bills printed after 2006. Many travellers are caught short by this. If your bills are rejected at the window, the queue does not care.

The eVisa eliminates this risk entirely. Use it.

Visa Exemptions

Citizens of several East African Community member states and some other countries enter visa-free. Check the current list on the Tanzania Immigration Department website before assuming you qualify — the list changes.

Yellow Fever Vaccination

Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination if you are arriving from a yellow fever endemic country. This includes most of sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and South America. If you are flying from the UK, Europe, North America, or Australia directly, you are not required to show a yellow fever certificate to enter Tanzania.

However: if your routing includes a transit through a yellow fever country — even a brief layover — immigration may require the certificate. Check your full routing.

The yellow fever vaccine is valid for life. If you have had it previously, you only need your original yellow card (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis).

Malaria

Tanzania has malaria risk in most national park areas, including Serengeti, Tarangire, and the coastal zones. Ngorongoro Crater (at altitude) has lower risk but is not malaria-free. The standard approach:

• Take prescribed antimalarial medication — consult your GP or travel clinic at least 4-6 weeks before departure
• Use DEET-based insect repellent at dawn and dusk
• Sleep under a mosquito net (provided at all quality camps and lodges)
• Wear long sleeves and trousers during peak mosquito hours

Antimalarials are prescription-only in most countries. Do not leave this until the week before travel.

COVID-19 and Other Health Requirements

As of 2026, Tanzania has no COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements for entry. This can change — check the Tanzania Immigration Department website and your own government's travel advisory within two weeks of departure.

Travel Insurance

Tanzania does not require travel insurance for entry, but it is essential for any safari. Medical evacuation from a remote safari camp to Nairobi (the nearest major medical centre) can cost $15,600-$31,200. Any comprehensive travel insurance policy with medical evacuation cover protects against this. Verify your policy covers safari activities and confirm the medical evacuation limit before purchasing.

Currency and Cash

The Tanzanian shilling is the local currency but US dollars are accepted widely for tips, small purchases, and visa fees. Bring clean USD bills in denominations of $21, $52, and $104. Damaged or old bills (pre-2006) are frequently refused.

ATMs are available in Arusha and major towns but not at safari camps. Withdraw sufficient local currency and USD before departing Arusha.

Arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is the primary arrival point for Tanzania safari travellers. It is located approximately 50 kilometres west of Arusha — your Safaris Tanzania driver will meet you in the arrivals hall with a sign and transport you directly to Arusha, typically a 45-minute to 1-hour drive depending on traffic.

JRO is a relatively small international airport. Arrivals immigration is usually efficient, though queues can develop during peak hours. Have your passport, eVisa printout, yellow fever certificate (if required), and return flight ticket ready. Immigration officers may ask about your accommodation or tour operator — having your Safaris Tanzania booking confirmation accessible on your phone is useful here.

Currency exchange at JRO is available but the rates are not favourable. Withdraw Tanzanian shillings from the ATM in the arrivals hall or, preferably, wait until you reach Arusha where exchange rates are better. US dollars in clean bills are accepted at the airport for visa fees if you did not use the eVisa system.

Internal Flights and Domestic Routing

Most northern circuit safaris begin with a drive from Arusha to the national parks — typically 3-4 hours to Serengeti, 2 hours to Tarangire, and 2 hours to Ngorongoro. However, if you are combining Tanzania with a coastal destination (Zanzibar, for example) or have limited time, domestic flights within Tanzania are common.

Tanzania's domestic airline network connects Arusha to the Serengeti's smaller airstrips via small aircraft. These flights are spectacular — the views of the landscape from a small prop plane are genuinely memorable — but they involve weight restrictions (typically 15kg of luggage per person in soft bags) and operate on rough airstrips. Your Safaris Tanzania guide will coordinate all domestic flight logistics as part of a combined safari-coast itinerary.

For pure northern circuit safaris, we generally recommend ground transport from Arusha rather than domestic flights — the drive allows you to see the landscape transition from town to farmland to park, and it gives your guide time to brief you on the safari before you arrive at the first park gate.

Connecting Flights and Layovers

Most Tanzania safari travellers arrive via Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines), Nairobi (Kenya Airways or Air Tanzania), or Doha (Qatar Airways). If your itinerary involves a connection through an East African country, verify the yellow fever requirements for that transit country specifically — a transit through Nairobi or Addis Ababa may trigger the yellow fever certificate requirement even if you are not leaving the airport.

The most common routing error we see is travellers who have a valid yellow fever certificate for Tanzania but arrive via a country that Tanzania immigration considers yellow fever present — and then get turned away at the border. The Tanzania Immigration list of yellow fever risk countries is available on the Tanzania Immigration Department website. If your routing includes any African or South American transit point, check before you fly.

If you are booking international flights independently, feel free to WhatsApp +255 786 110 786 before finalising your routing — we can advise on the practical implications of different flight paths for your safari dates.

What Safaris Tanzania Handles

Safaris Tanzania arranges all park permits, camp bookings, and ground transport. We do not handle visas, flights, or travel insurance — these are your responsibility. Kassim will send a pre-departure checklist when you confirm your booking. WhatsApp +255 786 110 786 with any questions.