Tanzania visa for Kilimanjaro climbers

At a glance

• Passport validity
• Visa eligibility
• eVisa
• Arrival documents
• Onward travel
• Official verification

Entry requirements depend on nationality and can change. Tanzania Immigration’s eVisa terms currently state that applicants should hold a passport with at least six months’ validity and at least one unused visa page. Visa type and eligibility differ by passport, so do not rely on another traveller’s experience. Before travel, check the official Tanzania Immigration website for your nationality, visa category and supporting documents. Keep digital and paper copies of your passport, insurance, flight itinerary and TrekUp booking details. Airlines may also check entry eligibility before boarding. TrekUp can help with practical arrival information, but immigration approval remains with the Tanzanian authorities. Never use unofficial visa websites when an official government portal is available.

Most visitors need a visa to enter Tanzania. Requirements, fees and the application process change from time to time, so this page deliberately points you at the official source rather than restating rules that may already be out of date.

The broad picture

Most nationalities need either an ordinary tourist visa or, for a small number of countries, a multiple-entry visa. There are generally three ways to obtain one:

1. Online in advance (e-visa). The route we recommend. Apply well ahead — processing can take several weeks in busy periods — and travel with the printed approval.
2. On arrival at Kilimanjaro International or Julius Nyerere International. Widely used and usually straightforward, but it means queueing after a long flight and depends on policy not changing between booking and travel.
3. In advance at an embassy or high commission. Slower, occasionally necessary.

What you will typically need

• A passport valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry, with blank pages
• A passport photograph meeting the stated specification
• Proof of onward or return travel
• Accommodation details for your first night
• Payment by card, in the currency the system specifies

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and no separate visa is required, but there are additional entry formalities including a mandatory health insurance requirement introduced in recent years. If you are adding a beach week after the climb, check the current Zanzibar-specific requirements separately.

Practical advice

• Apply early. The e-visa is not instant and the queue lengthens before peak season.
• Print everything. Do not rely on your phone at immigration.
• Match the names exactly across passport, visa and flight booking.
• Carry the fee in cash as a backup if you plan to obtain a visa on arrival — card systems occasionally fail.