Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Car & Motorcycle
Unless you have your own vehicle and are familiar with driving in East Africa, it's relat-
ively unusual for travellers to tour mainland Tanzania by car. More common is to focus on a
region and arrange local transport through a tour or safari operator. On Zanzibar, however,
it's easy to hire a car or motorcycle for touring, and self-drive is permitted.
BRINGING YOUR OWN VEHICLE
For requirements on bringing your own vehicle,
Click here
.
DRIVING LICENCE
On the mainland you'll need your home driving licence or (preferable) an International
Driving Permit (IDP) together with your home licence. On Zanzibar you'll need an IDP
plus your home licence, or a permit from Zanzibar (
Click here
)
, Kenya, Uganda or South
Africa.
FUEL & SPARE PARTS
Petrol and diesel cost about Tsh2200 per litre. Filling and repair stations are found in all
major towns, but are scarce elsewhere, so tank up whenever you get the opportunity and
carry a range of spares for your vehicle. In remote areas and in national parks, it's essential
to carry jerry cans with extra fuel. It is common, including at major roadside filling sta-
tions, for petrol or diesel to be diluted with kerosene or water. Check with local residents
or business owners before tanking up. It's also common for car parts to be switched in gar-
ages (substituting inferior versions for the originals). Staying with your car while it's being
repaired helps minimise this problem. Always also note your odometer and gas gauge read-
ings before having your car serviced.
HIRE
In Dar es Salaam, daily rates for 2WD start at about US$65, excluding fuel, plus US$20 to
US$30 for insurance and tax. Prices for 4WD are US$80 to US$200 per day plus insurance
(US$30 to US$40 per day), fuel and driver (US$20 to US$40 per day). There's also a 20%
value added tax.
Outside the city, most companies require 4WD. Also, most will not permit self-drive
outside of Dar es Salaam, and few offer unlimited kilometres. Charges per-kilometre are
around US$0.50 to US$1. Clarify what the company's policy is in the event of a break-
down. See
Click here
for hire agencies.
Elsewhere in Tanzania, you can hire 4WD vehicles in Arusha, Karatu, Mwanza, Mbeya,
Zanzibar Town and other centres through travel agencies, tour operators and hotels. See
the individual sections for hire agency listings. Except on Zanzibar, most come with driver.
Rates average US$80 to US$200 per day plus fuel, less on Zanzibar.
For motorcycle hire, try the Arusha-based
Dustbusters
(
www.dustbusters-tz.com
)
.
