Packing list for Tanzania: what belongs in your suitcase?

In short

Pack a soft travel bag instead of a hard-shell suitcase. Domestic and bush flights have tight luggage limits of 15 to 23 kg depending on the airline, often including hand luggage. Leave plastic bags at home; they have been banned on the mainland since 1 June 2019, and Zanzibar has its own ban. Pack clothing in layers, because the mornings on safari and at the crater rim are colder than many expect. The list to tick off is at the end.

Bag and luggage limit

The bag matters more than what you put in it. The small aircraft on domestic flights have limited storage space, and the hatches of the cargo pods are narrow. A soft, flexible travel bag can be stowed away; a rigid suitcase often cannot.

The baggage allowance is between 15 and 23 kg depending on the airline, often including hand luggage. Soft bags are recommended, but are usually not mandatory. Before packing, check the limit in your own booking, as the rules differ depending on the airline, route and fare.

How the domestic flights to Zanzibar work and what applies to luggage there is covered in its own article.

Clothing for safari and beach

Dress in layers, i.e. several thin layers on top of each other, and you are prepared for everything: cool mornings on the game drive, warm middays, cool evenings. On the Ngorongoro Crater rim, the average daily minimum according to NASA model data lies between around 5 °C in June and July and around 11 °C in April. The actual crater rim lies higher than the model point, so the morning values are likely to be slightly lower still. So pack a fleece and a windproof jacket, even in the dry season. Which weather awaits you in which month is explained in the article on the best time to visit Tanzania.

Muted colours such as khaki, olive or beige are suitable on safari. On the often-cited rule of avoiding dark blue and black because of the tsetse flies: the effect of these colours has been shown in studies of fly traps used to control tsetse flies, conducted at Lake Victoria. There is no comparable study for clothing worn by people. If you want to be on the safe side, it is still best to avoid the two colours; there is no guarantee.

On Zanzibar and in Stone Town, modest, respectful clothing is customary. According to a notice, the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism requires you to cover your shoulders and knees in towns and villages and has announced ongoing checks from 1 May 2025. According to the British Foreign Office (as of October 2026), the authorities in Zanzibar can fine you 700 US dollars or more if they consider your clothing inappropriate in public. Swimwear belongs on the beach and in your accommodation, not in the lanes of the town.

Plastic bags stay at home

The Tanzanian mainland has banned plastic carrier bags of any thickness since 1 June 2019. The ban covers manufacture, import, possession and use; violations carry penalties.

There is a practical exception for visitors: the small transparent ziplock bag, i.e. the resealable bag for liquids in hand luggage, is permitted according to the German Federal Foreign Office because it is taken back out on departure. All other plastic bags you are carrying must be surrendered at the baggage check on arrival. So pack purchases and dirty laundry in cloth bags or reusable bags.

Zanzibar has its own ban, independent of the mainland, which has been in force there for longer. The responsible body is the island’s environmental authority, the Zanzibar Environment Management Authority, or ZEMA for short. So if you travel on to the island after the safari, you will need to go without plastic bags there as well.

Technology and electricity

In Tanzania you plug into type D and G sockets. The grid supplies 230 volts at 50 hertz. German plugs do not fit. A travel adapter belongs on the list. A power bank keeps your phone and camera running on long game drives. A head torch or torch helps in camp after sunset.

Drones are the point where things get serious: every use of a drone in Tanzania requires a permit, regardless of weight. As a visitor you need, before entry, a registration of drone and pilot, an Import Permit and an Operations Permit from the civil aviation authority TCAA. The application runs via an online portal and should be submitted at least 3 weeks before arrival. For a drone under 5 kg, the TCAA states fees of USD 100 for registration, USD 50 for the Import Permit and USD 10 per day for the Operations Permit, as of October 2026. Without these papers you are better off leaving the drone at home.

Medicines and travel medical kit

You may bring medicines for personal use, enough for up to 21 days of treatment. The law does not state a fixed limit on items or quantity. For prescription medicines, the German Federal Foreign Office recommends an English-language doctor’s certificate stating the patient, the medication and the daily dose. The range of medicines in local pharmacies is limited, and counterfeit medicines are in circulation. So do not expect to buy more along the way.

Your travel medical kit should also include mosquito repellent, sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and your usual remedies for diarrhoea, plus painkillers. Which vaccinations and proof of vaccination are required for entry is in the article on vaccinations for Tanzania.

The list to tick off

Documents

• Passport
• Visa for Tanzania
• Proof of mandatory insurance
• Yellow fever certificate, if required
• Copies of all documents, digital and on paper
• Flight tickets and booking documents

Clothing

• Long-sleeved shirts and long trousers in muted colours
• Fleece or jumper for cold mornings
• Windproof or rain jacket
• Sturdy shoes and light shoes for camp
• Brimmed hat
• Swimwear
• Clothing that covers shoulders and knees for towns and villages in Zanzibar

Equipment

• Soft travel bag instead of a suitcase
• Binoculars
• Camera with spare battery and memory cards
• Travel adapter for plug types D and G
• Power bank
• Head torch or torch
• Cloth bags instead of plastic bags

Health

• Personal medication for up to 21 days
• English-language doctor’s certificate for prescription medicines
• Mosquito repellent
• Sunscreen with a high sun protection factor
• Remedies for diarrhoea and pain
• Plasters and disinfectant

That is the bag packed. If you have questions about how your trip runs, the team in Arusha will help. If your trip is not fixed yet, choose it now from the trip ideas with duration and starting price on the Tanzania Safari page.

Frequently asked questions about the packing list for Tanzania