Hotels in Tanzania

Accommodation Guide to Tanzania

Tanzania has all different kinds of accommodation to suit a range of budgets, from the most basic of rooms with the bathroom comprising of nothing more than a bucket to wash yourself, to luxurious safari style lodges.

It is possible to camp in Tanzania and there are places where you can stay out in the wild, but with basic facilities. Camping is possible in national parks however, is not cheap and can cost around US$30 per person, per night, which is equivalent to what you would pay for the accommodation provided by the parks themselves. If you are looking for a unique experience, you can stay in what is known as a banda, which is a simple hut. Privately run campsites are cheper and cost around US$10 per person, per night. Unfortunately, you cannot just camp anywhere, if you want to camp outside of a designated camp ground, you should ask for permission to avoid any trouble. There is no camping on Zanzibar Island.

Hotels will often feature AC rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Guesthouses are a good option for budget conscious travelers and can be a good way to get to get know more of the culture of the country. Some guesthouses however will be very basic and sometimes dirty rooms.

Water can be in short supply during the dry season, so you may sometimes only be give a bucket to bathe with. You should be aware the Swahili word for hotel means a place to eat. It is more common to use the word guesti, as in guesthouse when talking about accommodation.

If you are planning on doing a safari and have a bigger budget, then a more upscale lodge is probably more your style. Many of the lodges offer all-inclusive deals. ‘Glamping’ is popular also with luxury style tent camps, but still have a wilderness feeling.

High Season is from around June to September, the weather is cool and dry, but hotel prices are high. Low season is around March to to May, during the rainy season. Some hotels even close during the period, but you others offer discounted prices.</p

Currency – Tanzanian shilling (Tsh)

Languages – Swahili, English

Useful websites:

Tanzania Tourist board – https://www.tanzaniatourism.go.tz