eSIM Tanzania

You need an eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked phone or tablet. Recent iPhones (XS and newer), Pixel phones and modern Samsung Galaxy models are common examples, but the full list is longer. Run your device through the eSIM compatibility checker if you're unsure. More detail on network expectations and plan selection is available in our Best eSIM Tanzania guide.

1 GB suits short visits that lean on Wi-Fi, and 20 GB covers longer stays or heavier mobile use. Plans start at €4.99. There are currently 5 plans for Tanzania. Fixed GB plans are valid for 30 days. Validity begins when the bundle actually starts, not when you buy it.

Your Tanzania data bundle has three start options. Start automatically is selected by default. The bundle starts the first time My eSIM connects to a supported local network in Tanzania, and your validity period begins then. Schedule a start date lets you choose a future date or time. Keep the eSIM data line switched off until then, because connecting earlier can start the bundle sooner. Your account shows the real start moment. Start now activates the bundle immediately. Use it when you are already in Tanzania or need data straight away. Installing My eSIM does not start the bundle on its own, and buying the bundle does not start its validity. Validity begins when the bundle actually starts. You can change the choice in your account until that happens. For a mixed itinerary across several destinations, Start automatically is the simplest choice when you want the bundle to begin the moment your phone attaches to a local network in Tanzania.

Install My eSIM once, before you travel, on stable Wi-Fi or your home mobile internet. Installing My eSIM is separate from starting your Tanzania data bundle. The bundle only starts when you choose it to (see the activation options). On arrival in Tanzania, set My eSIM as your mobile-data line. If the setup instructions ask, enable data roaming on the eSIM line. That controls the eSIM line, not your home SIM. Keep mobile-data roaming disabled on your home SIM so your home carrier doesn't charge for data, but leave the home SIM in the phone for calls and SMS. For a mixed itinerary across several destinations, having My eSIM installed before you leave means you're online the moment you land in Africa. My eSIM stays installed for future trips and additional data purchases. There's no new QR code to scan and no reinstall when you buy more data.

Yes. Every eligible eSIMbundle plan includes the VPN at no extra cost. Connect through the VPN app on your phone, tablet or laptop when you want to encrypt your traffic on local mobile networks or public Wi-Fi. It adds privacy for logins, payments, browsing and messaging on networks you don't control. VPN access becomes available once your Tanzania data bundle starts. The VPN doesn't switch on automatically just because My eSIM connected. The website dashboard only manages your VPN account; you can't establish the connection from the dashboard. Local internet rules in Tanzania affect some categories of websites and online services, including websites and apps and social and news services. The VPN gives you a more private connection, but service availability still depends on the service itself and local network rules.

Local internet rules in Tanzania affect some categories of websites, apps and online services. Availability can also differ across local mobile networks and public Wi-Fi, so a local connection doesn't always behave like the internet you use at home. In Tanzania, examples include websites and apps and social and news services. Even if you don't use those services, the wider point is that common accounts, communications and online services may behave differently. Your Tanzania data bundle provides prepaid mobile data on local networks. Turning on the included VPN in the VPN app adds privacy on local carriers and public Wi-Fi, though it can't guarantee access to any specific service.

Destination data bundles are data-only. WhatsApp, FaceTime, iMessage, Telegram and similar apps run over the eSIM data. WhatsApp keeps using your existing number because it's tied to your phone number, not the SIM currently carrying data. Keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and SMS, but disable mobile-data roaming on the home SIM so your home carrier doesn't start charging for data. Typical examples travellers rely on: hotel check-in messages and reservation reminders. Your home carrier may still charge for normal roaming calls or SMS on the home line. Using the destination data bundle doesn't replace your home phone number. In Tanzania, calls and texts to your home number keep arriving as normal while your data traffic goes through the travel eSIM.

Run out of data in Tanzania? You can add more data by buying another Tanzania destination data bundle from your account or from the Tanzania plans page. The new bundle attaches to My eSIM. No reinstall is needed and no new QR code to scan. Your account combines the available Tanzania data into one balance. Each purchase keeps its own start date and expiry, so new data doesn't extend older data. For a mixed itinerary across several destinations, this is straightforward: add data during your trip and keep using the same My eSIM. Additional fixed-GB bundles are what's on offer, and each keeps its own 30-day validity from the point it starts. When you add more data over an unfamiliar or public network in Tanzania, you can turn on the VPN app if you want to encrypt your connection.