Tanzania Travel from Canada: The Complete Guide

Canadian citizens need a visa for Tanzania: a US$50 (about CA$70) e-visa applied for before departure on the official portal, or a visa on arrival. There are no direct flights from Canada. From Montréal, the fastest routing to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO), the gateway to the northern safari circuit, is KLM via Amsterdam at about 18 h 10 total; from Toronto, Ethiopian Airlines connects through Addis Ababa, with total trips of 18 to 24 hours. The long dry season, June to October, is the best safari window, and July to October is when the Great Migration crosses the Mara River in the northern Serengeti. Budget-wise, keep two very different numbers in mind: a mid-range safari runs about CA$630 to CA$1,120 per person per day all-inclusive, while Zanzibar averages around CA$87 per day excluding flights, as a rough guide. Since October 1, 2024, Zanzibar also requires mandatory local insurance of about CA$62 per adult.

The essentials at a glance

Why Tanzania

Few countries pack this much into one territory: the Serengeti and its Great Migration, the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater, Africa's highest peak at 5,895 m and the Indian Ocean beaches of Zanzibar. The classic northern safari circuit, starting in Arusha, covers the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara in 5 to 8 days, making it the continent's most established itinerary for a first safari.

The logistics work in your favour. A domestic flight of about 1 h 30 links Arusha to Zanzibar, so a two-week trip can combine safari and beach without wasted days. US dollars are widely accepted for safaris, hotels, visas and tips, provided the bills were printed after 2013.

A reassuring point: the Canadian government's regional warning covers only the Mozambique border area in the far south of the country. The northern tourist circuits and Zanzibar carry no travel restrictions.

When to go

July, August and September are the absolute peak: this is when the Mara River crossings happen, and also when lodges and permits sell out fastest. Book several months ahead. The short rains of November-December offer a good trade-off between green scenery and lighter crowds.

Getting there from Canada

There are no direct flights from Canada to Tanzania. From Montréal (YUL) to Kilimanjaro (JRO), the best one-stop options are KLM via Amsterdam (about 18 h 10 total, the fastest routing), Air France via Paris (about 18 h 55), SWISS via Zurich, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul or Air Canada with a partner via Brussels.

From Toronto (YYZ), Ethiopian Airlines flies to Addis Ababa with connections to Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar; KLM via Amsterdam and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are solid alternatives. Count on 18 to 24 hours total. For Dar es Salaam (DAR) and Zanzibar (ZNZ), Gulf routings through Doha or Dubai also work well. One health note: proof of yellow fever vaccination is required if you arrive from, or transited through an airport of, a country where the disease occurs, which can apply to routings via Addis Ababa or Nairobi. Check transit rules with your carrier.

Within Tanzania, domestic hops are often flown on small aircraft with reduced baggage allowances: plan on roughly 15 kg in soft-sided bags.

Tanzania's must-sees

The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater

The Serengeti is the heart of the northern circuit: vast plains where most itineraries spend two or three nights following the wildlife through the seasons. Next door, Ngorongoro is a UNESCO-listed caldera; the crater descent is done as a day trip, with a US$295 per-vehicle fee on top of the US$70.80 per-adult entry. These two parks alone justify the trip.

Tarangire and Lake Manyara

Tarangire is the park of elephants and baobabs; Lake Manyara rounds out the classic loop from Arusha. Their entry fees are gentler (US$53.10 per adult, 2026 rates, VAT included) and they often serve as the first or last stop of a 5-to-8-day northern circuit.

The Great Migration: when and where

The Great Migration follows a yearly cycle. From December to March, the herds calve in the southern Serengeti around Ndutu. From July to October, they cross the Mara River in the northern Serengeti: the most spectacular moment of the cycle, and the most in-demand. To compare with a safari run from the Kenyan side, see our Kenya page.

Kilimanjaro

At 5,895 m, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest peak. The climb takes 6 to 9 days and requires no mountaineering technique, but acclimatization is essential: longer routes put the odds on your side. The best windows are June to September and January to March.

Zanzibar: Stone Town and the beaches

UNESCO-listed Stone Town deserves a day or two before the beach. In the north, Nungwi and Kendwa allow swimming at any hour; the east coast lives with pronounced tides. The best period runs June to October, when the air is dry and less hot. Since October 1, 2024, every foreign visitor must purchase Zanzibar Insurance Corporation coverage: US$44 per adult (about CA$62), half price for ages 3 to 17, free under 3, bought on the official portal visitzanzibar.go.tz.

The budget, in Canadian dollars

Safari and beach sit on completely different price scales, and park fees explain much of the safari bill: Serengeti US$82.60 per adult per day; Ngorongoro US$70.80 per adult plus US$295 per vehicle for the crater descent; Tarangire and Manyara US$53.10 (2026 rates, VAT included). As a rough guide, a 7-day mid-range safari comes to about CA$4,400 to CA$7,800 per person. Add the e-visa (about CA$70), Zanzibar's mandatory insurance (about CA$62 per adult) and the tips expected on safari, roughly US$15 to US$25 per day per group for the guide. All figures are indicative, at July 2026 rates.

Entry requirements and health for Canadian citizens

• Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your planned departure date; proof of onward or return travel may be requested.
• Visa required: US$50 e-visa on the official portal visa.immigration.go.tz (3 to 7 business days' processing; beware of fraudulent .com sites), or visa on arrival (single entry, 3 months; lines can be long in high season; payment in recent US bills or by card).
• Zanzibar: mandatory Zanzibar Insurance Corporation coverage (US$44 per adult, on visitzanzibar.go.tz). It does not replace private travel insurance, which remains essential, since its medical coverage is capped at US$50,000.
• Yellow fever: proof of vaccination is not required when arriving directly from Canada, but it is required after transiting through an airport of a country where the disease occurs.
• Malaria is present: prophylaxis is recommended depending on itinerary and season. Recommended vaccines: hepatitis A and B, typhoid, polio booster for adults, meningococcal, and routine vaccines up to date.
• Check travel.gc.ca before booking: Tanzania is under an "Exercise a high degree of caution" advisory, with an area to avoid near the Mozambique border; no restrictions apply to the northern circuits or Zanzibar.

One last piece of advice: build the itinerary around the migration if it is your priority, otherwise around the dry season, and keep Zanzibar for the end of the trip, once the dust of the safari tracks is behind you.

Ready to plan your Tanzania safari? An AquaTerra advisor compares itineraries, lodge categories and safari-Zanzibar combinations for you, and handles the e-visa as well as Zanzibar's mandatory insurance. 450-628-6241 | 1-866-628-6241 | info@voyagesaquaterra.com

Voyages AquaTerra holds a Québec travel agency permit.