Most visitors to Tanzania come for the safari circuit in the north, with the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, for a climb up Kilimanjaro, or for the beaches and Stone Town of Zanzibar, and many combine two of the three. The signal is good in towns and on Zanzibar, and patchy in the parks and on the mountain. Tanzania does not belong to the EU's Roam Like at Home area, and with a European plan you will usually pay a daily roaming fee there.
Key facts for Tanzania
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Airtel (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 112
- Embassies: in Dar es Salaam
Entry, visas and insurance
Most visitors need a visa, which can be requested online through the official immigration portal before travel. Zanzibar requires every foreign visitor to buy its own compulsory travel insurance, and in September 2026 mainland Tanzania published similar rules for foreign arrivals, with the start date still to be confirmed, so check before you fly. Plastic carrier bags are banned, and they can be taken from your luggage on arrival.
On safari
In the Serengeti and around the Ngorongoro Crater, the signal comes and goes between lodges and camps, and many of them offer Wi-Fi in their main areas. Download maps, keep your phone charged in the vehicle and stay with your guide.
Kilimanjaro
On the mountain, coverage comes and goes along the routes and is unreliable at the higher camps. Climb with a registered operator, take the acclimatisation days seriously and check route conditions: in October 2026, wildfires closed several routes, including Lemosho and Rongai.
Zanzibar
Coverage is good in Stone Town and along the main beaches. Away from the beach, and especially in Stone Town, dress modestly and respect local customs, above all during Ramadan.
Border areas
The UK advises against all but essential travel within 20 kilometres of the border with Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, in the far south-east of the country.
Paying
US dollars are widely used by safari operators and hotels, but old or damaged notes are often refused; carry Tanzanian shillings for markets, taxis and small shops.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM goes on your phone before departure and starts with its first connection in Tanzania, so messages work as soon as you land at Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, and your regular number keeps receiving texts and bank codes. Adding Kenya to the trip? An Africa plan covers both countries.
Tanzanian prepaid SIMs from Vodacom, Airtel, Yas or Halotel are registered at operator shops with your passport and fingerprints.
Consular protection: who to call in Tanzania
- 112 connects you with the police, ambulance and fire services anywhere in Tanzania.
- Embassies are in Dar es Salaam. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country has no embassy or consulate in Tanzania, the embassy of any other EU country must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- When English is not understood, the app's emergency phrases in Swahili are ready to show on screen.
Questions travellers ask about Tanzania
Does my EU plan work in Tanzania?
No: outside Roam Like at Home, your operator's own roaming tariff applies.
Is there signal on safari?
Near lodges and towns, usually; on game drives, it comes and goes.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Tanzania?
Airtel, with 4G and 5G where available.
What number do I call in an emergency?
112, for any emergency service.
The short version
Sort out your visa and insurance before you fly, install the eSIM, leave plastic bags at home, check conditions on Kilimanjaro, and save 112.
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