TANZANIA · TRAVEL GUIDE
Key Facts
- Holidays Wednesday, 9 December; Friday, 25 December; Saturday, 26 December. No public holiday falls in November.
- Weather Above-average short rains are forecast into January 2027, driven by El Niño, a Pacific Ocean warming pattern.
- Entry costs Visa US$100; mandatory insurance worth US$44 on the mainland from Thursday, 1 October; Zanzibar has its own.
- US advisory Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, since mid-October 2026; embassy security alert issued Wednesday, 28 October.
- Football Africa Cup of Nations, Africa’s top football event: qualifiers Monday, 9 to Tuesday, 17 November.
Tanzania has three public holidays before the new year, and the rainy season shapes every safari and beach plan. Here is what a US visitor needs for November and December 2026.
- Zanzibar: an island group off the Tanzanian coast that runs many of its own affairs inside the Tanzanian union.
- Short rains: Tanzania’s October to December rainy season, called vuli in Swahili.
- El Niño: a warming of the Pacific Ocean that shifts rain patterns across the world.
- TANAPA: Tanzania National Parks Authority, the state agency that runs the main parks, including the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania has three public holidays left in 2026: Independence Day on Wednesday, 9 December, then Christmas and Boxing Day. Christmas falls on Friday, 25 December and Boxing Day on Saturday, 26 December.
The State Department rates Tanzania Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, and the US Embassy issued a security alert on Wednesday, 28 October. Entry costs a US citizen US$100 for the visa plus the shilling equivalent of US$44 for compulsory insurance.
The short rains also run into January 2027, with above-average rainfall forecast. This guide covers holidays, weather, safari and Zanzibar access, costs, safety and what is still unknown.
Tanzania Public Holidays in 2026 and Early 2027
The Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, the national stock market, publishes a list of Tanzania’s 2026 public holidays. It shows no holiday between Nyerere Day, named for the first president, on Wednesday, 14 October and Independence Day.
Independence Day on Wednesday, 9 December marks the end of British rule on the mainland in 1961. The Public Holidays Act lists it as Independence and Republic Day, so expect government offices and many businesses to close.
Christmas Day is Friday, 25 December and Boxing Day is Saturday, 26 December, both on the 2026 list. The Public Holidays Act gives a day in lieu for weekend holidays, but the list shows no such day.
New Year’s Day is Friday, 1 January 2027, and Zanzibar Revolution Day is Tuesday, 12 January 2027. The Public Holidays Act sets both dates.
Short Rains and the Safari and Zanzibar Season
The Tanzania Meteorological Authority, the national weather service, issued its October to December rainfall outlook on Tuesday, 18 August 2026. It expects mostly above-average to average rain, driven by a strong El Niño.
Rains were due to start in the first or second week of October in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha and Kilimanjaro. They are expected to end in January 2027, with a rise in rainfall expected in November.
The authority warns that floods may make wildlife move and can damage roads, bridges and railways. It advises regular infrastructure inspections and says heavy rain periods may bring floods and landslides.
The official Zanzibar tourism website calls June to October the best time to visit, in the dry season. TANAPA also names June to October as the best time for the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti.
TANAPA lists January and February as the calving season, when the herds give birth, and says nothing about November or December. No official migration timing is therefore given for the short-rains months.
Plan a wet-weather backup for any December trip, and ask operators about road, bridge and airstrip conditions before you pay. Keep deposits in US$ refundable where you can, because floods can cut routes at short notice.
Kilimanjaro and Serengeti Access
TANAPA said in late September 2026 that a wildfire had closed the Lemosho and Londorosi routes on Mount Kilimanjaro. Reports of a reopening in October could not be confirmed on a TANAPA page, so check route status before you book.
Ask your operator to confirm in writing that your chosen route is open before you fly. Mountain conditions can change at short notice in the rains.
TANAPA’s visitor guide says Arusha is the most common entry point, with regular flights to the Seronera airstrip in the Serengeti. It adds that a road safari may take seven to eight hours.
Park fees change by year, and the tariff file on the TANAPA site covers 2023/24 only. Ask your operator for the 2026/27 fee in writing before you pay.
Getting to Tanzania From the United States
A US citizen needs a passport valid for at least six months, with one blank page, the State Department says. Only passports with an M or F sex marker are accepted for entry.
Tourists need a one-year multiple-entry visa costing US$100, and can apply online for an e-visa before travel. The State Department says US citizens can also buy a tourist visa on arrival.
Visitors must present a round-trip ticket and be ready to show enough funds, the State Department says. A yellow fever certificate is needed if you arrive from a country with the disease, including after a 12-hour layover or longer.
Tanzania keeps UTC+3 all year, so it is eight hours ahead of New York from Sunday, 1 November. That is when US clocks go back.
No nonstop flight from the United States to Tanzania could be confirmed, so plan for at least one connection. The main gateways are Julius Nyerere International in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro International near Arusha and Abeid Amani Karume International in Zanzibar.
The State Department advises using the high-speed ferry to Zanzibar and buying tickets online or inside the ferry terminal. Tickets should show your name, travel date and class of travel.
Compulsory Travel Insurance
Government Notice No. 256 of 2026, the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, requires most foreigners entering mainland Tanzania to hold a policy. The finance minister signed it on 31 August 2026, and it was gazetted on Friday, 4 September.
The premium is the Tanzanian shilling equivalent of US$44, and the policy lasts up to 92 days with multiple entries. A foreigner without a valid policy shall be denied entry, but it can be bought before travel or at the entry point.
The regulations carry no start date, but a finance ministry notice, reported by travel-industry sources, set Thursday, 1 October 2026. The National Insurance Corporation, the state insurer, now calls the cover mandatory for every foreign visitor to the mainland.
The cover must include emergency medical treatment, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage. The National Insurance Corporation, or a partner insurer, must issue it.
Residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community states are outside the definition of foreigner. US visitors are not exempt.
Zanzibar has required its own cover from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, the island’s state insurer, since Tuesday, 1 October 2024. A Zanzibar government advisory dated Monday, 5 August 2024 gives up to 92 days of cover and states no price.
Events and Football Dates
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), Africa’s football governing body, runs the Africa Cup of Nations. Its qualifiers have matchdays three and four from Monday, 9 to Tuesday, 17 November 2026.
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda co-host the finals, which open on Saturday, 19 June 2027 and end on Saturday, 17 July 2027. The draw placed Tanzania in a qualifying group with Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Sauti za Busara music festival runs from Friday, 19 to Sunday, 21 March 2027 in Stone Town, Zanzibar, its organiser says. Early bird tickets are on sale, but the organiser’s page lists no prices.
For concerts, summits and trade fairs in the commercial capital, see the Rio Times guide to Dar es Salaam in November. No other November or December event for visitors could be confirmed with an organiser.
Safety and the US Advisory
The State Department now rates Tanzania Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, lowered from Level 3, Reconsider Travel, in mid-October 2026. The US Embassy in Tanzania lists crime, terrorism, health, unrest, arbitrary law enforcement and targeting of gay and lesbian people as risks.
The embassy issued a security alert on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, for the anniversary of the 29 October 2025 election violence. It warns of a possible heavy security response to gatherings, with roadblocks, checkpoints and internet blackouts, and tells Americans to avoid them.
On Tuesday, 9 December 2025, police banned planned Independence Day protests and deployed heavily. The government urged people to mark the day at home.
The State Department’s country page warns that immigration officers may deny entry to gay, lesbian and bisexual travelers, including in Zanzibar. It says those admitted may be targeted, harassed or charged with unrelated offenses.
Enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the State Department’s alert service for Americans abroad, before you travel. Keep copies of your passport, your visa grant notice and your insurance certificate.
What It Means for You
Book with flexible terms, because the short rains can close roads and the embassy warns of unrest. Budget about US$144 per adult for the visa and insurance before flights, ferries, park fees and tours.
If you travel around Wednesday, 9 December or Christmas, expect closed offices and heavier security, and avoid any crowd or protest. Buy the government insurance before departure and keep the certificate with your passport.
What Is Not Known
Tanzania’s own November fixtures, venues and kick-off times in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers were not confirmed. Ticket sales for the 2027 finals were not found either.
It is not known whether Monday, 28 December will be a day off, as the list shows no day in lieu. Plans for marking Independence Day on Wednesday, 9 December, and any protest calls, were not found.
The 2026/27 TANAPA park tariff and Kilimanjaro route status after the wildfire were not confirmed on official pages. Flight routes from the United States and the ferry fare from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar were not confirmed either.
The regulations list no children’s rate, and it is unclear whether one policy covers both the mainland and Zanzibar. The finance ministry notice setting the 1 October start could not be opened.
The exact date of the US advisory cut, reported as Friday, 16 October 2026, was not shown on official pages. The full Level 2 advisory text could not be opened, so its area-specific warnings are not listed here.
Related Coverage
Read the Rio Times Tanzania explained pillar and the guide to who runs Tanzania’s economy. The Tanzania news hub and the Zanzibar city page cover the wider picture.
Plan more with the report on the US$44 travel policy and the Kilimanjaro fire routes report. Music fans can see Sauti za Busara 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the public holidays in Tanzania in December 2026?
Independence Day is Wednesday, 9 December, Christmas is Friday, 25 December and Boxing Day is Saturday, 26 December. No public holiday falls in November.
Is Tanzania safe for American visitors?
The State Department rates Tanzania Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime, terrorism, unrest and health risks. Read the full advisory and enrol in STEP before you book.
Do Americans need a visa and insurance for Tanzania?
US citizens need a tourist visa costing US$100, available online or on arrival. Mainland Tanzania also requires inbound travel insurance worth US$44 from Thursday, 1 October 2026, and Zanzibar has its own cover.
Is November or December a good time for safari or Zanzibar?
Both months fall in the short rains, and the weather authority expects above-average rain into January 2027. Official sites name June to October as the best season, so plan a wet-weather backup.
Sources: Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, Public Holidays of Tanzania 2026; Public Holidays Act, Tanzania; US Embassy in Tanzania, Travel Advisory notice (Level 2); US Embassy in Tanzania, Security Alert (28 October 2026); US State Department, Tanzania country information; Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, visa information; Government Notice No. 256 of 2026, Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations; National Insurance Corporation inbound travel insurance portal; Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Travel Advisory No. 1 of 2024; Tanzania Meteorological Authority, Vuli 2026 rainfall outlook (18 August 2026); TANAPA Serengeti page; TANAPA Serengeti visitor guide; TANAPA tariff page; Zanzibar tourism website; Confederation of African Football, AFCON 2027 dates; Sauti za Busara festival (all accessed 29 October 2026).
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error