Power & Connectivity (SIM)

Tanzania uses 230V / 50Hz with Type D and Type G sockets (the UK-style three rectangular pins are Type G). Bring a Type D/G adapter; travellers from 100–120V countries need a converter for devices that are not dual-voltage.

The main operators are Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo (Yas) and Halotel, with good 4G in cities and towns. Prepaid SIMs are sold at operator shops, kiosks and the airport, and registration requires ID such as a passport. Mobile money (for example M-Pesa) is tied to the SIM and widely used for payments.

eSIM support is growing in Tanzania, and international travel eSIMs (such as Airalo) are a convenient option: buy one online before arrival and install it in minutes, with no physical SIM or shop visit. A local SIM is still handy if you want mobile money.

Wi-Fi is common in city hotels, cafés and lodges in tourist areas, though speeds vary. In remote safari areas the signal is weak or absent, so download maps and content in advance. Use a VPN on public networks for sensitive tasks like banking.

Tanzania generally has an open internet with no significant everyday restrictions for travellers. Common apps and services — messaging, social media, maps and streaming — work normally. Coverage, not blocking, is the main practical limit in remote areas.

Handy apps include ride-hailing such as Bolt and Uber in Dar es Salaam, mobile money apps like M-Pesa, maps and translation. Mobile money is widely used for transport, shopping and small payments, so setting it up with a local SIM is useful.

Tanzania's country code is +255. App-based calls (WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar) are common, and a local prepaid SIM makes domestic calls cheap. Save numbers in full +255 format so they work from any network.