Self Driving in Tanzania – Key facts you need to know
Self driving in Tanzania can be challenging especially when you are not so sure about the traffic guidelines or even the nature of roads. In this brief self driving in Tanzania article, we will give you some of the key things you need to know as you rent a car Tanzania for self drive.
The Roads:
The Tanzania road infrastructure is excellent, so long term car rental Tanzania is a viable option, but Tanzania is a huge country not easily traversed in a day, so plan your journeys carefully. If you’re not used to driving long distances, rather break the journey, as fatigue is a major contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents.
While most roads in the country are tarred and in good condition, the more rural the road, the more likely it is to be pot-holed and poorly surfaced. We recommend hiring 4×4 cars since these are strong enough to navigate the rugged terrain and these roads with ease.
Road info, maps:
While most travelers on a self drive Tanzania safari opt to use a GPS navigator to help them get to their final destinations that include national park, Google maps is also quite accurate and you can easily download your offline copy to use on your safari.
Watch out for animals in rural areas:
Be aware that the roads in a number of Tanzania rural areas are not fenced, so you could find dogs, chickens, sheep and even cows on the road, so it may be dangerous to drive at night.
Large antelope crossing the road can also be a hazard in certain areas – watch out for the road signs depicting a leaping antelope, and take it slowly, especially towards evening and in national parks.
Keep left, belt up, think kilometers:
We drive on the left-hand side of the road, and our cars – car hire Tanzania included – are right-hand drive vehicles. All distances, speed limits (and speedometers) are in kilometers.
Wearing of seat belts is compulsory. Using hand-held phones while driving is against the law – use a vehicle phone attachment or hands-free kit, if you want to speak on your mobile phone. The law prohibits the use of hand-held phones while driving.
Speed limit in Tanzania:
The general speed limit while self driving in Tanzania on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 100km/h (75mph). On secondary (rural) roads it is 80km/h. In built-up areas it is usually 40km/h unless otherwise indicated. Check the road signs.
Driver’s licenses:
As you self drive in Tanzania, it’s very important you get to know that you need a driving license to drive to any destination within the country. Any valid driver’s license is accepted provided it bears the photograph and signature of the holder and is printed in English.
Filling up:
A variety of petrol (gas) stations are situated on both main and country roads. Most of them are open 24 hours a day, although some keep shorter hours. However, distances between towns (and therefore between petrol stations) can be considerable, so it is advisable to fill up your tank before it starts giving warning signals.
Tanzanian petrol stations are not self-help: an attendant will fill the car, check oil and water and tire pressure and, if necessary, clean the windscreen.
How much is car rental Tanzania
The cost of self driving in Tanzania varies and this depends on the type of the car, the number of days and the number of people. Our self drive Tanzania fleet of cars includes reliable saloon cars and bigger SUVs with the latter being the best and strong enough to navigate the rugged terrains in the country.
If you rent a car Tanzania for more than 21 days, we will be able to give you a discount on long term car rental Tanzania thus reducing the amount of money you would have spent on car hire.
To rent a car for self drive Tanzania, kindly send us an email on info@selfdrivestanzania.com and our reservations team will be able to take you through the booking process and make sure your reserved car is availed to you upon arrival into the country.
Alternatively, you can contact us directly on +256 704 538 374 and our team will definitely brief you with each and everything you would like to know about your scheduled self driving in Tanzania safari trip.
