Road transport is the most common mode of transport in Tanzania, carrying over 90% of passengers and 75% of cargo in the country. The number of car passengers in Tanzania increased by 32%, from 8,750 in the second quarter of 2015 to 11,546 in the second quarter of 2016. The road network in Tanzania currently consists of 86,472 km of roads, of which 12,786 km are trunk roads, 21,105 km are regional roads and the remaining 52,581 km are district, urban and access roads. The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications of Tanzania, through the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), manages a national road network of about 33,891 km, comprising 12,786 km of trunk roads and 21,105 km of regional roads. Another network of urban, of district and access roads with a length of approximately 53,460 km is under the responsibility of the Regional Administration and Local Self-Government of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO-RALG). As of 2013, 19% of Tanzania’s national roads (6,439.29 km) and 2% of district roads (1,069.2 km) are paved.
Tolls in Tanzania
There are no toll roads in Tanzania. All roads are free to use.
Detailed map of highways in Tanzania
List of roads in Tanzania
National roads
| A7 | 419 km | Dar es Salaam – Iringa | Shalinze – Morogoro – Mikumi | Brukovana | |
| A14 | 315 km | Shalinze – Khorogoro | Segera – Tanga | Brukovana | Continues in Kenya to Mombasa |
| A19 | 620 km | Masasi – Mbamba Bay | Tunduru – Songea – Mbinga | Asphalted/Soil | Asphalted: Masasi – Ngomano road (56 km) and Namtumbo – Mbinga (168 km) |
| A23 | 117 km | Arusha – Holili | Moshi | Brukovana | Continues in Kenya to Woya |
| A104 | 1218 km | Tunduma- Namanga | Mbeya – Iringa – Dodoma – Kondoa – Arusha | Brukovana | Entire part of the Cairo-Cape Town highway, recently asphalted: Dodoma – Babati (257 km) |
| Handeni–Kiberashi–Chemba–Kwa Mtoro–Singida Road | 600 km | Handeni – Singida | Kiberashi, Chemba, Kwa Mthoro | Under development (no coverage) |
National roads in Tanzania
International roads
| Arusha–Kholili–Taveta–Voi road | 230 kilometers (143 miles) |
| Malindi–Bagamoyo highway | 460 kilometers (286 miles) |
| Kobero–Bugene–Mutukula–Kikagati road | 394 kilometers (245 miles) |
International roads in Tanzania
Driving a car by tourists in Tanzania
In Tanzania, foreign visitors are allowed to drive with a valid international driving license for six months. Foreign residents can also use their local valid driving license in Tanzania for six months after it has been validated by the local traffic authorities. Anyone who intends to stay in Tanzania for more than six months is required to obtain a Tanzania driving license.
Vehicles with foreign registration are allowed into Tanzania for 14 days. The term can last up to three months.
Car rental in Tanzania
To rent a small car in Tanzania you will pay an average of USD 39 per day. December is the cheapest month to rent a small car in Tanzania (~$37/day), while the most expensive month to rent the same type of car is April (~$45/day). In fact, December is about 8% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a small rental in Tanzania. Compared to other types of cars available for rent in Tanzania, renting a compact car will save you 38% on costs.
Why is there left-hand traffic in Tanzania
Traffic is carried out on the left in Tanzania, this is all left of Great Britain.
Seat belt use in Tanzania
Seat belts are mandatory for the driver and front seat passengers.
Drinking and driving in Tanzania
The permissible level of alcohol in the blood is 0.08%
Speed limits in Tanzania
The speed limit in cities is 50 km/h (31 mph), outside the city is 80 km/h (50 mph).
General rules of the road in Tanzania
Traffic rules in Tanzania in pdf format can be downloaded here
How to get to Kilimanjaro?
First, let’s decide how to get to Kilimanjaro. The easiest option is to use the services of Turkish airlines. However, this method will be more expensive. A more economical option is to fly in Nairobi with the airarabia company, then you will have to pay for a Kenyan visa, and finally take a bus to Tanzania for about 30 dollars.
If you don’t want to take the bus for a long time, then again, you can get on a plane in Nairobi and fly to Kilimanjaro Airport. However, there is another, and perhaps the cheapest way of all, to fly to Dar es Salaam with Emirates or Qatar Airways. And from there you will have to fly to Kilimanjaro airport.
Well, now that you have already arrived at the destination airport, it remains for you to find a travel agency in the nearest town of Moshi, which is directly accredited in the Kilimanjaro National Park. And, accordingly, to buy an excursion tour from them for about 1000 dollars. As a result, you will go to conquer the peak accompanied by a guide, porter and, if necessary, even a cook. Such an interesting trip usually takes 5 to 6 days. The best period for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is usually considered to be from December to February or from June to October.
Should you try to travel to Zanzibar on your own?
In Zanzibar, tourists are treated normally, there is no discrimination based on skin color (with rare exceptions). Every year, the flow of tourists to this island only increases, and therefore the local population is used to white tourists and perfectly understands that the more they come, the higher their income will be. The local population is friendly, even somewhat intrusive. Various services are offered at inflated prices, but if you know how to bargain, you can safely enter the discussion.
The length of the island is about 80 kilometers and there are two ways to move around its territory. The first is economic and it consists in traveling on local public transport, which is used by local residents. It is a small truck, in the bodies of which benches are installed. Despite the fact that travel in this transport is inexpensive, it is used only by local residents, since the safety of traffic leaves much to be desired, and few people want to risk their health on a distant African island. Therefore, tourists often prefer the second option – renting a car. There are several rental offices in Zanzibar where you can rent a good car for $40-$50 a day. Here you only need to take into account one nuance, that in addition to a driver’s license, to drive a car in Zanzibar, you need to issue such a document as a Permit.
In Zanzibar, traffic is on the left and all cars are right-hand drive, but given that the traffic is calm, it won’t take much time to adapt. If you do not plan to travel around the island a lot, you can limit yourself to a few taxi trips.
Unlike other resorts in the world, tourists in Zanzibar are often stopped by the local police and you need to be prepared for this first of all mentally. Most often they are stopped in order to find fault with something, and sometimes they directly ask for money (for Russian people, this situation is perfectly familiar, but Europeans are sure to be shocked).
Zanzibar is not a cheap destination, but there are plenty of accommodation options on the island. Tourists, who are used to saving on everything, stay with local residents and usually this pleasure costs from 10 dollars per person per day. Such accommodation will not please you with special comfort, but it will be useful for staying the night and getting to know the life of local residents. The cost of a room in a good hotel will be within 100 dollars (depending on the season).
Zanzibar is a region in which a certain political tension is almost always felt, with occasional demonstrations, clashes with the police and other conflicts. In this regard, try not to engage in political conversations with the local population and no longer participate in any rallies or demonstrations.
Despite all the benevolence of the local population, with the development of tourism on the island, the number of crimes began to increase, the victims of which are tourists most often. Robberies and armed attacks do not happen often, pickpockets, kidnappers, and swindlers are the most common. To avoid problems, you need to have a minimum amount of money and a photocopy with you. It is advisable to leave all decorations in the hotel, as it often causes the appearance of tourists and provokes criminals to commit a crime. Be that as it may, Zanzibar can be called a rather poor region, where the local population cannot boast of high incomes. If you decide to take credit cards with you, you should use them only in large hotels, otherwise there is a high probability of running into fraudsters who will deftly empty the card, and you will not be able to prove anything.
In addition to the dangers that come from people, we should not forget about various diseases. Either way, you are going to Africa, where the climate is completely different and often tourists who come to Zanzibar face serious problems related to acclimatization. There is a high risk of catching such diseases as malaria, cholera, hepatitis and others all year round on the island. Before the trip, it is advisable to consult with doctors about vaccination.