Travelling by sea to Tanzania is a beautiful way to enter the country. What you do not gain by speed, you experience in the adventure of travelling the same way the old explorers did — the edges of Zanzibar slowly appearing over the horizon, the shores of Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Nyasa edging green through the calm blue waters. When travelling overland, ferry transport is an ideal way to enter the country, allowing you the ease of organized transport and providing a chance to encounter Tanzanian cultures up-close during your journey. All in all, ferry travel in Tanzania is an exciting and culturally rich way to travel, allowing you to experience the sights and sounds of the country up close in an unforgettable journey.

When choosing a ferry company to travel with, make sure that the company is registered and reputable. Try, when possible, to get recommendations from other travellers. Also realize that international ferry transport to and from Kenya, Uganda, the Congo, and Malawi is subject to seasonal weather and may involve delays. Plan your trip accordingly, and try to be as flexible as possible.

A US$5 port tax is applied to all regional and international ferry tickets departing from Tanzanian ports.

Travellers from Malawi can take ferries from Nkhata Bay to Mbamba Bay in Tanzania over Lake Nyasa.

In Zambia, weekly ferries connect Mulungu with Kigoma. Ferries to and from Kigoma also depart weekly from Burundi.