Can I visit multiple countries on my African roadtrip and cross the border with my rental car?
Tanzania entry and border crossing requirements. It is possible to combine Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda in one Roadtrip by extension of the insurance cover. This extension can be done by purchasing a comesa card, which costs € 70 / month. We arrange all the paperwork. This is an option you can select in the bookings form. There is a border crossing fee which clients must pay themselves, in cash, at the border. This is around $ 40 USD.
Occasionally, we allow border crossing from Tanzania to Zambia. We don’t have a local office in Zambia though, so providing adequate road assistance in case something happens is more challenging.
You are not allowed to take your Roadtrip Tanzania rental car to Burundi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, South Sudan, or DRC.
In case you want to visit Uganda – take note that Non-Ugandan registered cars pay $ 150 / car / 24 hours to enter a national park ( as opposed to UGX 30,000 for a Ugandan registered vehicle).
Can I take my Tanzania registered vehicle into the National Parks of Kenya?
This might seem an odd question, why should that not be possible? Well, there is a bit of a dispute going on between Tanzania and Kenya and there are trade barriers to protect each others tourism industry. Hence, all vehicles made for safari are supposed to be used in the same country registered.
There are 4 things that you need to take into account if you want to visit Kenya with your Tanzania-registered vehicle:
1. It is not possible to cross the border via the Serengeti to Masai Mara. You have to drive around the parks, using the Namanga or Isabania border, or Loitoktok border which is the shortest route coming from Moshi and the Kilimanjaro.
2. The Tanzania authorities require that you leave the logbook behind at the border. Hence, you need to return to Tanzania taking the same border. If that is not possible for you, we have to send a driver to pick up the logbook, and extra costs are involved.
3. The parks under management of the Kenyan Wildlife Services only allow Tanzanian registered vehicles to enter, when it concerns self-drive because than it’s considered ”private use”.
4. Planning to visit the Maasai Mara? Tanzania-plated vehicles cannot cross the Mara River so you are restricted to the Mara Triangle. You can only enter and exit via Oloololo gate.
Tanzania entry and border crossing requirements & insurance conditions when hiring a car from Roadtrip Tanzania?
Our cars are insured against damage as a result of accident or fire, and third party liability to property and bodily injury due to a car accident. Personal injury and possessions are not covered and fall under your medical and travel insurance.
There’s a maximum own risk of € 250, not covered by the insurance. Tires, windows and underbody coverage are not covered by the insurance, as severe underbody coverage is considered reckless driving by the insurer. The line of reasoning is that a driver can’t blame the conditions of a road – you can’t blame a tree, rock or put-hole for being there – you have to an observant driver.
Our teams & conditions are included in the car rental agreement. You can also consult them here.
Do I need a visa as a Tanzania entry and border crossing requirements?
Yes, you need a visa to enter Tanzania. You can buy this upon arrival at the airport or when entering the country by land. The cost is US $ 50, cash only ($ 100 for USA citizens).
You can also apply for your visa online in advance at https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa
Do I need an international driver’s license?
A (valid) driver’s license from your own country is sufficient. It’s not necessary to buy an international license when driving a car in Tanzania.
