Tanzania hotels where to stay.

Hotels in Tanzania cater for everything from classic safari lodges to beachside resorts on Zanzibar, with a travel style that suits both first-timers and seasoned wildlife fans. Tanzania’s tourism pull is obvious: vast national parks, iconic landscapes in the Great Rift Valley, and a warm Indian Ocean coastline. For many visitors, the easiest way to experience it all is to split your trip between the northern safari circuit and the coast—starting with Arusha for access to the parks around Mount Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and then moving to Zanzibar for Swahili culture and relaxation.

Where you stay matters. In the north, Arusha is the practical base for transfers to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater region (often via a day trip from Arusha), while Ngorongoro itself sits within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, west of Arusha. If you want a direct island experience, Zanzibar is best approached through areas such as Jambiani, Matemwe, Michamvi, and Stone Town—ideal for pairing beach time with dhow cruises and historic streets. In western Tanzania, Mwanza works well as a gateway to Lake Victoria adventures, while Dar es Salaam is the country’s main entry hub for flights and city life.

When to go depends on whether you prioritise wildlife viewing or beach weather. Tanzania’s main dry season runs from June to October, when conditions tend to be more reliable for safaris. The “long rains” typically fall around March to May, while the “short rains” are often in November to December. For Zanzibar, the cool, dry window from June to October is consistently popular for beach holidays.

Getting around is usually by a mix of domestic flights, private transfers, and guided road travel. For safari routes, many travellers base themselves in Arusha and use pre-booked transfers to maximise game-viewing time, while on Zanzibar short taxi rides and organised tours connect hotel areas efficiently. Example hotel stays for these areas include TAASA Lodge (Ngorongoro), Mbali Mbali Soroi Serengeti Lodge (Banagi), and Dream of Zanzibar (Zanzibar).