Tanzanian plains with wildlife and Mount Kilimanjaro on the horizon

Travel information

Visa, flights & travel information for Tanzania

Everything you need to arrange before you fly out to climb Kilimanjaro — visas, airports, health, and the practical details that make arrival easy.

Before you fly

Getting to Tanzania is simpler than most climbers expect

For most travellers, the journey to Kilimanjaro comes down to three things: a tourist visa, a flight into the right airport, and a few health and travel basics sorted before you leave home.

This page walks you through each one. And once you land, we take over — every climber we host is met at the airport and looked after from arrival to departure.

Snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro above the Tanzanian plains

Visas

Your Tanzania tourist visa

Most visitors need a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. A number of nationalities are visa-exempt for stays of up to 90 days — everyone else applies online in advance or on arrival.

How to get your visa

Apply online (recommended). Use the official Tanzania Immigration eVisa portal at visa.immigration.go.tz. Approval usually takes around 7–10 working days, so apply at least 2–3 weeks before you travel.
Visa on arrival. Eligible nationalities can obtain a visa on landing at Kilimanjaro (JRO), Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar airports — but queues can be long, so an eVisa is smoother.
Referral visa. Citizens of some countries must have their application pre-approved by Tanzania Immigration before travel. If this applies to you, start early.

What you’ll need

A passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date, with blank pages
A return or onward ticket and proof of accommodation
A passport-style photo and the visa fee (card or cash)
A separate visa application for each child, even when travelling with parents

Ordinary single-entry tourist visaUS$50
Validity (single-entry)Up to 90 days
US citizens (multiple-entry, required)US$100
US multiple-entry validityUp to 12 months*
ZanzibarSame visa applies
Passport validity6+ months

*Each stay under the US multiple-entry visa is capped at 90 days. Visa fees and rules can change — always confirm the current requirements for your nationality on the official Tanzania Immigration portal (visa.immigration.go.tz) or with your nearest Tanzanian embassy before booking.

View above the clouds approaching Mount Kilimanjaro

Flights

Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

JRO sits between the towns of Arusha and Moshi and was built specifically to serve Kilimanjaro climbers and the northern safari circuit. It’s the closest and most convenient airport for your climb — the drive from JRO to Moshi takes about 45 minutes (up to 90 in heavy traffic or rain).

We collect every climber directly from JRO, so booking your international flights into this airport keeps your arrival simple.

International connections

Reach JRO via major hubs: Amsterdam (KLM), Doha (Qatar Airways), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines), and Nairobi (Kenya Airways). From the US, expect a one-stop route through one of these.

Alternative: Dar es Salaam (DAR)

A larger airport with more routes and sometimes cheaper fares, but far from the mountain. Connect on a short domestic flight to JRO (~1.5 hrs; Precision Air, Air Tanzania, Fastjet) or a long road transfer.

Adding Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a short flight from both JRO and Dar es Salaam — ideal before or after your climb. We coordinate the domestic flights and transfers so the whole trip connects seamlessly.

Health & entry

Health requirements & travel cover

None of this is complicated, but some of it needs sorting weeks before you fly. Visit a travel health clinic 6–8 weeks before departure for personalised advice.

Yellow fever

A vaccination certificate is required only if you’re arriving from — or have spent 12+ hours in transit in — a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Direct arrivals from most of Europe and North America don’t need one. Check your routing.

Malaria & vaccinations

Tanzania is a malaria region, so antimalarial medication is generally recommended — ask your doctor. Keep routine vaccinations up to date; a travel clinic may also suggest hepatitis A and typhoid.

Travel insurance

Essential, and it must cover high-altitude trekking up to 5,895m and emergency evacuation. Standard policies often exclude altitude — check the wording carefully before you buy.

Adding Zanzibar to your trip? Zanzibar requires all foreign non-residents to buy mandatory inbound travel insurance through the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (about US$44 per adult, valid up to 92 days) — this is required even if you already hold your own travel insurance. Confirm the current requirement before you travel.

Good to know

Practical details for Tanzania

Currency

Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). US dollars are widely accepted for tourism — bring newer notes and small bills for tips.

Language

Swahili is the national language; English is widely spoken in tourism, hotels, and by your guides.

Time zone

East Africa Time (GMT+3), all year round — no daylight saving changes.

Electricity

230V, UK-style Type D and G plugs. Bring a suitable adapter for charging on hotel nights.

Best time to climb

The dry seasons — January to mid-March and June to October — offer the clearest weather and best summit conditions.

Connectivity

Cheap local SIMs and hotel Wi-Fi in town; expect little to no signal high on the mountain — a good chance to switch off.

We handle the ground

Land at JRO — we take it from there

From your airport pickup to your pre-climb briefing and any safari or Zanzibar add-on, our team coordinates every transfer. Have a visa or travel question about your trip? We’re happy to help.

Ask us about your trip