Where to stay in Tanzania: best areas and types of hotel

Use this table to pick the base that matches your trip. Prices are 2026 estimates per room per night unless noted, and safari rates are usually per person sharing, full board.

First, decide the shape of the trip. Most first-time visitors fly into Kilimanjaro (JRO), sleep one night in Arusha, then join a northern-circuit safari and finish on Zanzibar. If that is your plan, you only need to choose three things: one Arusha hotel, one safari operator whose lodges you accept, and one beach hotel.

Second, pick the safari style before the property. A lodge with fixed rooms, a tented camp that moves with the herds, or a public campsite with your own tent all cost very different amounts. On the northern circuit, most operators bundle accommodation into the safari price, so comparing individual hotels matters less than comparing itineraries.

Third, match the area to the month. Serengeti accommodation is seasonal: camps in the south operate around January–March, the north around July–October, and some close in the long rains. Ngorongoro lodges sit on the crater rim and run year-round. If you are travelling in April or May, expect fewer open camps and lower rates.

Fourth, book in the right order. Lock the safari first, because lodge space in peak season is the real constraint. Then book Zanzibar, where the choice is much wider. Finally, add one night in Arusha at each end if your flights arrive late or leave early.

Fifth, check the practical details: whether the rate includes park fees, whether transfers from the airstrip are included, whether there is electricity and hot water all day, and whether the property accepts cards or expects cash.

Safari accommodation is the part of a Tanzania trip where cheap usually means a long drive, a shared vehicle or a campsite rather than a lodge. That can be excellent value, but read what you are buying. Rates quoted per person sharing are common; solo travellers often pay a single supplement.

On Zanzibar, beach hotels at Nungwi and Kendwa have less extreme tides than the east coast, where the water can retreat far out. Stone Town suits one or two nights for the old town and the ferry, not a full beach holiday.

In towns, guesthouses are simple and often good value, but power cuts and water shortages happen. Carry cash in shillings for small places. Tipping is expected on safari and climbs; follow your operator's guideline.

April and May bring heavy rain, some closed camps and rough roads, but also the lowest prices of the year. Christmas and New Year are the other extreme: book many months ahead and expect peak rates.