Travel to Kilimanjaro
Travel to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania has three major international airports; Kilimanjaro Airport, Dar es Salaam Airport and Zanzibar Airport. These are the major airports and the hubs for many airlines arriving from Africa and Europe. There are various domestic airports and airfields connecting all major towns and safari destinations, and to other destinations in Africa. travel to Tanzania
Depending on your arrival time you may have to overnight before catching your connecting flight to your first safari camp the next day.
International flights
We recommend to book your flights online in order to get the best rates. International airlines that fly to Dar es Salaam include KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Emirates,Qatar Airways, Oman Air,Turkish Airlines,South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Airways, Kenya Airways, Air Uganda, LAM Mozambique Airlines and Rwanda Air.
Domestic airlines & flights in Tanzania
Domestic flights can be booked with several domestic carriers as below list.
Our climbs originate in Moshi located at the base of the mountain to its south, at approximately 3,000 feet. Moshi is a short 45km drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport code: JRO). If you fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, we can arrange for transport from the airport to the hotel. Transfers are available at any time, including early morning or late evening, and take about 40 minutes.
Fast Facts About Tanzania
- Population: 53,481,000
- Capital: Dar es Salaam (administrative); 2,683,000—Dodoma (legislative); 155,000
- Area: 945,087 square kilometers (364,900 square miles)
- Language: Kiswahili, Kiungujo, English, Arabic, many local languages
- Religion: Christian, Muslim, indigenous beliefs
- Currency: Tanzanian shilling
- Life Expectancy: 54.2
- GDP per Capita: U.S. $867
- Literacy Percent: 78
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, includes the spice islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia and contains Africa’s highest point—Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 meters (19,340 feet). Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano, is snowcapped even though it is near the Equator. The African population consists of more than 120 ethnic groups.
- Tanzania is just a little bit more than twice the size of California.
- Over 120 languages are spoken in Tanzania. Most of these are Bantu languages, a category of over 535 languages and dialects that are spoken throughout Africa.
- Mpingo trees (a.k.a. Africa blackwood trees, commonly seen in Tanzania) are the most expensive hardwood tree in the world.
- The world’s earliest human skull was found in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
- Tanzania has the largest concentration of wildlife animals per square kilometer, with more than 4 million wild animals and representatives of 430 species and subspecies.
- Once upon a time, the ancestors of the wild elephants that live in Tanzania today didn’t roam on the land, they swam in the water! Dugongs were sea cows that lived in Tanzania in sheltered waters 55 million years ago. They grew about 3.5 meters in length and lived to be about 70 years old.
- Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania. At 19,341 feet above sea level, it is the largest mountain in Africa.
- Tanzania shares it national anthem with South Africa and Zimbabwe. It’s titled “Mungu Ibariki Afrika” (God Bless Africa) and was composed by Enock Sontonga.
- Tanzania is divided into 26 regions (mikoa), 21 on the mainland, 3 on Zanzibar Island and 2 on Pemba Island. These are further divided into 99 districts (wilaya)! That’s a lot of parts and pieces to divide a socialist country into. The stacks of paper must be huge.
- Tanzania is the home of the coconut crab. This crab, the largest crab in the world (and reportedly one of the most delicious), can be found on Chumbe Island of Zanzibar.
Tanganyika, a British-controlled UN trust territory, gained independence in 1961; and Zanzibar, a British protectorate with an Arab population, became independent in 1963. Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form Tanzania in 1964. Until resigning as president in 1985, independence leader Julius K. Nyerere guided two decades of socialism—adapted to the ujamaa policy of village farming. A multiparty system was established in 1992 after a constitutional amendment.
Some 80 percent of Tanzanians farm or fish at subsistence levels; in many areas tse-tse fly infestation hampers successful animal husbandry. Deteriorating roads and railways and high energy costs are major problems. The Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park are rich in wildlife, although poaching endangers some species. Tourism remains important. Dar es Salaam is the administrative capital, but Dodoma is the designated future capital and current home to Tanzania’s legislature.
Tanzania Economy
- Industry: Agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining
- Agriculture: Coffee, sisal, tea, cotton; cattle
- Exports: Gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton
Tanzania People & Culture
Tanzania’s population includes around 120 different African tribal groups. The largest group is the Sukuma, who live in the north-western part of the country, south of Lake Victoria.The country’s earliest people were hunters and gatherers, who inhabited the land as far back as 5000BC. Around 800AD, traders moved to the country from India, Arabia and Persia (present day Iran), creating a diverse mix of peoples and cultures. Today, about 90 percent of Tanzanians live in the rural areas and live off what they can grow on the land. In more recent years, however, people have started to migrate from the countryside to developing towns and cities.