At the heart of the park is the 5896m Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and one of the continent’s magnificent sights. It’s also one of the highest volcanoes and among the highest freestanding mountains in the world, rising from cultivated farmlands on the lower levels, through lush rainforest to alpine meadows, and finally across a barren lunar landscape to the twin summits of Kibo and Mawenzi. The lower rainforest is home to many animals, including buffaloes, elephants, leopards and monkeys, and elands are occasionally seen in the saddle area between Kibo and Mawenzi.
A trek up Kili lures around 25,000 trekkers each year, in part because it’s possible to walk to the summit without ropes or technical climbing experience. Yet, nontechnical does not mean easy. The climb is a serious (and expensive) undertaking, and only worth doing with the right preparation.
1Trekking Mt Kilimanjaro
Mt Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of year. Though weather patterns are notoriously erratic and difficult to predict, during November and March/April, it’s more likely that paths through the forest will be slippery, and that routes up to the summit, especially the Western Breach, will be covered by snow. That said, you can also have a streak of beautiful, sunny days during these times. Overall, the best time for climbing the mountain is in the dry season, from late June to October, and from late December to February or early March, just after the short rains and before the long rains.
What to Bring
Don’t underestimate the weather on Kilimanjaro. Conditions on the mountain are frequently very cold and wet, and you’ll need a full range of waterproof cold-weather clothing and gear, including a good-quality sleeping bag. It’s also worth carrying some additional sturdy water bottles. No matter what the time of year, waterproof everything, especially your sleeping bag, as things rarely dry on the mountain. It’s often possible to rent sleeping bags and gear from trekking operators. For the Marangu Route, you can also rent gear from the Kilimanjaro Guides Cooperative Society stand just inside Marangu gate, or from a small no-name shop just before the gate. However, especially at the budget level, quality and availability can’t be counted on, and it’s best to bring your own.
Apart from a small shop at Marangu gate selling a limited range of chocolate bars and tinned items, there are no shops inside the park. You can buy beer and soft drinks at high prices at huts on the Marangu Route.
Costs
Kilimanjaro can only be climbed with a licensed guide. Unless you’re a Tanzanian resident and well-versed in the logistics of Kili climbs, the only realistic way to organise things is through a tour company. No-frills five-day/four-night treks up the Marangu Route start at about US$1100, including park fees, and no-frills six-day budget treks on the Machame Route start at around US$1400. Better-quality six-day trips on the Marangu and Machame routes start at about US$1500. The Umbwe Route is often sold by budget operators for about the same price as Marangu, and billed as a quick and comparatively inexpensive way to reach the top. Don’t fall for this; the route should only be done by experienced trekkers and should have an extra acclimatisation day built in. Prices start at about US$1200 on the Rongai Route, and about US$1600 for a seven-day trek on the Shira Plateau Route. As the starting points for these latter routes are further from Moshi than those for the other routes, transport costs can be significant, so clarify whether they’re included in the price.
Whatever you pay for your trek, remember that at least US$525 of this goes to park fees for a five-day Marangu Route climb, and more for longer treks (US$745 for a seven-day Machame Route climb). The rest of the money covers food, tents (if required), guides, porters, and transport to and from the start of the trek. Most of the better companies provide dining tents, decent to good cuisine and various other extras to both make the experience more enjoyable and maximise your chances of getting to the top. If you choose a really cheap trip you risk having inadequate meals, mediocre guides, few comforts, and problems with hut bookings and park fees. Also remember that an environmentally responsible trek usually costs more.
Park entry fees (calculated per day, and not per 24-hour period) are US$70 per adult. Huts (Marangu Route) cost US$60 per person per night, and there’s a US$20 rescue fee per person per trip for treks on the mountain. Camping costs US$50 per person per night on all routes. Park fees are generally included in price quotes, and paid on your behalf by the trekking operator, but you’ll need to confirm this before making any bookings. Guide and porter fees (but not tips) are handled directly by the trekking companies. For anyone paying directly at the gate, all entry, hut, camping and other park fees must be paid with either Visa or MasterCard.
Most guides and porters receive only minimal wages from the trekking companies and depend on tips as their major source of income. As a guideline, plan on tipping about 10% of the total amount you’ve paid for the trek, to be divided up among the guides and porters. Common tips for satisfactory service are from about US$10 to US$15 per group per day for the guide, US$8 to US$10 per group per day for the cook, and US$5 to US$10 per group per day for each porter.
TAKE YOUR KILI CLIMB SERIOUSLY
Whatever route you choose, remember that ascending Kilimanjaro is a serious undertaking. While many thousands of trekkers reach Uhuru Peak without major difficulty, many more don’t make it because they suffer altitude sickness or simply aren’t in good enough shape. And, every year some trekkers and porters die on the mountain. Come prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing, and most importantly, allow yourself enough time. If you’re interested in reaching the top, seriously consider adding at least one extra day onto the ‘standard’ climb itineraries. Although the extra US$150 to US$250 may seem a lot when you’re planning your trip, it will seem insignificant later on if you’ve gone to the expense and effort to start a trek and then can’t reach the top. Don’t feel badly about insisting on an extra day with the trekking companies: standard medical advice is to increase sleeping altitude by only 300m per day once above 3000m, which is about one-third of the daily altitude gains above 3000m on the standard Kili climb routes offered by most operators.
It’s also worth remembering that it’s not essential to reach Uhuru Peak, and you haven’t ‘failed’ if you don’t. If time (or money) is limited, choose other treks and you can experience several different mountain areas for the price of a single Kili climb. Consider trekking up to an area such as the Saddle, the top of the Barranco Wall or the Shira Plateau to appreciate the splendour and magnificence of the mountain without the gruel of summiting.
Guides & Porters
Guides, and at least one porter (for the guide), are obligatory and are provided by your trekking company. You can carry your own gear on the Marangu Route, although porters are generally used, but one or two porters per trekker are essential on all other routes.
All guides must be registered with the national park authorities. If in doubt, check that your guide’s permit is up to date. On Kili, the guide’s job is to show you the way and that’s it. Only the best guides, working for reputable companies, will be able to tell you about wildlife, flowers or other features on the mountain.
Porters will carry bags weighing up to 15kg (not including their own food and clothing, which they strap to the outside of your bag), and your bags will be weighed before you set off.
While most guides, including those working for the budget companies, are dedicated, professional, properly trained and genuinely concerned with making your trip safe and successful, there are exceptions. If you’re a hardy traveller you might not worry about basic meals and substandard tents, but you should be concerned about incompetent guides and dishonest porters. Although it doesn’t happen often, some guides leave the last hut deliberately late on the summit day to avoid going all the way to the top. Going with a reputable company, preferably one who hires full-time guides (most don’t), is one way to prevent bad experiences. Also, insist on meeting the guide before signing up for a trip, familiarise yourself with all aspects of the route, and when on the mountain have morning and evening briefings so you know what to expect each day. The night before summiting talk to other climbers to be sure your departure time seems realistic (though note that not everyone leaves at the same time) and if not, get an explanation from your guide. Should problems arise, be polite but firm.
Maps
Topographical maps include Map & Guide to Kilimanjaro by Andrew Wielochowski and Kilimanjaro Map & Guide by Mark Savage.
Trekking Routes
There are six main trekking routes to the summit. Trekkers on all but the Marangu Route must use tents.
Officially a limit of 60 climbers per route per day is in effect on Kilimanjaro. It’s currently not being enforced, except on the Marangu Route, which is self-limiting because of maximum hut capacities. If and when this limit is enforced, expect the advance time necessary for booking a climb to increase, with less flexibility for last-minute arrangements.
Marangu Route A trek on this route is typically sold as a five-day, four-night return package, although at least one extra night is highly recommended to help acclimatisation, especially if you’ve just flown in to Tanzania or arrived from the lowlands.
Machame Route This increasingly popular route has a gradual ascent, including a spectacular day contouring the southern slopes before approaching the summit via the top section of the Mweka Route.
Umbwe Route Very steep, with a more direct way to the summit: enjoyable, if you can resist the temptation to gain altitude too quickly. Although the route is direct, the top, steep section up the Western Breach is often covered in ice or snow, which makes it impassable or extremely dangerous. Many trekkers who attempt it without proper acclimatisation are forced to turn back. An indication of its seriousness is that until fairly recently, the Western Breach was considered a technical mountaineering route. Only consider this route if you’re experienced and properly equipped, and travelling with a reputable operator. Reliable operators will suggest an extra night for acclimatisation.
Rongai Route Growing in popularity, this route starts near the Kenyan border and goes up the northern side of the mountain.
Shira Plateau Route Also called the Londorosi Route, this attractive route is somewhat longer than the others, but good for acclimatisation if you start trekking from Londorosi gate (rather than driving all the way to the Shira Track trailhead), or if you take an extra day at Shira Hut.
Mweka Route For descent only, and often used as part of the Machame, Umbwe and (sometimes) Marangu routes.
KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK
Why Go? The chance to climb Africa's tallest mountain.
When to Go Year-round, but best late June to October and late December to February.
Practicalities Park entry gates include Machame, Marangu (the site of park headquarters), Londorosi and several other points; trekkers using the Rongai Route should pay their fees at Marangu gate. There are six routes to the summit: Machame, Marangu, Umbwe, Rongai, Shira Plateau and Mweka. Requirements have recently changed and you must pay at least six days worth of park fees for all routes except Marangu (five-day minimum).
Budget Tips Climb the Marangu Route, but don't try and skimp on supplies and other essential elements that may compromise your safety.
Central Tanzania
Although well off most tourist itineraries, central Tanzania has several attractions. Prime among these are the enigmatic Kondoa Rock-Art Sites scattered across remote hills along the Rift Valley Escarpment. Dodoma, Tanzania’s legislative capital, hosts interesting architecture and the region’s best facilities.
CULTURAL TOURISM IN CENTRAL TANZANIA
Babati and Kondoa districts are home to a colourful array of tribes, many of whom have changed their lifestyle little over the past century. Many villages welcome visitors, but, unlike those around Arusha, none are geared towards tourism. The most famous (and most visited) tribe is the Barabaig, who still follow a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle and are recognisable by the goatskin garments still worn daily by many women. Unrelated to the tribes around them, the Sandawe are one of the oldest peoples of Tanzania and they may have been the ones who painted the early rock art around Kondoa and Kolo. They speak a `click' language and still hunt with bow and arrow.
Kahembe’s Culture & Wildlife SafarisHIKING, CULTURAL TOUR
(
%0784 397477; www.kahembeculturalsafaris.com; Sokoine Rd)
In Babati, this reliable and knowledgeable outfit have been offering cultural tours in the region since 1992. Besides village visits, it’s the main operator organising Mt Hanang climbs.
Kondoa Irangi Cultural Tourism ProgramCULTURAL TOUR
(%0784 948858; www.tanzaniaculturaltours.com)
The Kondoa Rock-Art Sites are the bread and butter of this company in Kondoa town, but director Moshi Changai also leads Barabaig, Sandawe and Irangi village visits by bicycle or car. Overnights in local homes are possible.
Dodoma
Pop 410,960
Arid Dodoma sits in not-so-splendid isolation in the geographic centre of the country, at a height of about 1100m. Although the town was located along the old caravan route connecting Lake Tanganyika and Central Africa with the sea, and the Central Line railway arrived just after the turn of the 20th century, Dodoma was of little consequence until 1973 when it was named Tanzania’s official capital and headquarters of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Although the legislature meets here (hence the periodic profusion of 4WDs), Dar es Salaam remains Tanzania’s unrivalled economic and political centre.
1Sights
The most interesting sights in Dodoma are its grand houses of worship. The Bunge (parliament) is an African-influenced round building. It’s only open to visitors during sessions (bring your passport) but well worth a gander from the outside at other times. Photography is strictly prohibited.
4Sleeping
Kilondoma InnGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0745 477399; www.kilondoma.blogspot.com; off Ndovu Rd; d Tsh20,000; 
p
a
W)
We’re not sure how this new place can offer so much (rooms have air-conditioning, cable TV, fans and hot water) for so little. Even if the price rises a bit it would still be one of the best-value properties in Dodoma. Double beds are just barely big enough for two.
Kidia Vision HotelHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0784 210766; Ninth St; d Tsh30,000-45,000, ste Tsh70,000-80,000; pW)
Well-managed and, unlike most other hotels in its class, well maintained, this is a very solid choice at this level. Rooms are comfy and clean, though you don’t get much extra as the price rises.
5Eating
Aladdin’s CaveSWEETS, EUROPEAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; CDA St; snacks from Tsh350, meals Tsh2500-8000; 
h9.30am-1pm daily & 3.30-5.30pm Tue-Sat; 
v)
Dodoma’s version of an old-fashioned candy store and soda fountain. It also serves veggie burgers and pizzas.
Leone l’AfricanoITALIAN
(%0754 073573, 0788 629797; Mlimwa Rd; meals Tsh8500-14,000; h5-10pm Tue-Fri, noon-3pm & 5-10pm Sat & Sun)
Tasty Italian food, including one of Tanzania’s better pizzas, served in the shadow of Lion Rock. You can try local wines or play it safe with a European vintage. There’s a playground and a 12-hole minigolf course.
New Dodoma HotelINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Railway Rd; meals Tsh5000-16,000; h7am-10pm)
The menu here goes global with choices such as pizza, fish and chips, dhal tadka and fajitas. The Indian and local dishes are the most reliable and the outdoor Barbeque Village grills up all kinds of meat at dinnertime. The Chinese-owned restaurant within the hotel is a lucky dip, since dishes can be both good and awful.
8Information
Aga Khan Health CentreHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %026-232 1789; Sixth St; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat)
First destination for illnesses. Has a good pharmacy.
8Getting There & Away
Air
The airport is just north of the city centre (Tsh4000 in a taxi).
FlightlinkAIRLINE
(%0787 845200, 0754 972173; www.flightlinkaircharters.com)
Flightlink has a daily service between Dodoma and Dar es Salaam with onward connections to Pemba, Zanzibar and Arusha.
Bus
The following bus services leave from the main bus station unless otherwise stated. For local destinations, use the Jamatini dalla-dalla stand west of the bus stand.
AArusha & Moshi Mtei Express has the best buses to Arusha (Ts25,000, 11 hours) and Moshi (Tsh28,000, 12 to 14 hours). All leave at 6am.
ADar es Salaam Shabiby has ‘full luxury’ (meaning four-across seating and toilets) buses (Tsh24,000, six to seven hours), which leave from its own terminal across the roundabout from the main bus station. Other buses (Tsh12,000 to Tsh20,000) depart Dodoma frequently from 6am to 1pm. Buses that started their trip to Dar es Salaam in Mwanza pass through in the afternoon and you can usually get a seat.
AIringa Buses to Iringa (Tsh12,000, four hours) depart daily in the mornings. The route is now around three-quarters paved.
AKondoa Buses (Tsh7000, three hours) depart 6am, 6.30am, 10.30am and noon: they use a section of the old Great North Rd connecting Cape Town and Cairo. If you take the morning bus, you may be able to get a connection to Babati the same day.
AMwanza Buses (Tsh36,000, eight hours) via Singida (Tsh16,000, three hours) leave Dodoma between 6am and 7.30am, and Mwanza-bound buses from Dar es Salaam pass through around noon.
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites
The district of Kondoa, especially around the tiny village of Kolo, lies at the centre of one of the most impressive collections of ancient rock art on the African continent; and it is one of the most overlooked attractions in Tanzania. If you can tolerate a bit of rugged travel, this is an intriguing and worthwhile detour.
Some experts maintain that the oldest paintings date back around 6000 years and were made by the Sandawe, who are distantly related linguistically to South Africa’s San, a group also renowned for its rock art. Others are definitely more recent and were done from 800 up until probably 200 years ago by Bantu-speaking peoples who migrated into this area.
There are 186 known sites (and surely many more), of which only a portion have been properly documented. The most visited, though not the best, the Kolo sites (B1, B2 and B3), are 9km east of Kolo village and 4WD is required. You’ll need to climb a steep hill at the end of the road to see them. The most varied, and thus best overall collection of paintings, is at Thawi, about 15km northwest of Kolo and reachable only by 4WD. If you base yourself in Kolo or Kondoa, you can comfortably see three of these places in a day, and all four if you really rush.
While very few safari operators have Kondoa on their itineraries, some will tack a day in Kondoa onto their longer safaris. The Kondoa Irangi Cultural Tourism Program (US$60 per person, minimum two people) in Kondoa regularly bring people here.
4Sleeping & Eating
Amarula CampsiteCAMPGROUND
(%0754 672256; www.racctz.org; camping with own/hired tent US$10/20)
This work in progress, 6km east of Kolo on the road to Pahi, has beautiful scenery and simple facilities.
New PlanetGUESTHOUSE
(%0787 907915; s/d Tsh18,000/23,000; p)
In Kondoa, about a five-minute walk north of the bus stand, this clean and quiet place is the best the district has to offer. Rooms are fairly large and have fans and TV; buckets of hot water are available on request. Meals at the restaurant hidden in the back are reasonable.
8Information
Kondoa has internet access, but no banking services for travellers.
Antiquities Department OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%0752 575096; h7.30am-6pm)
To visit the Kondoa Rock-Art Sites independently, stop by the Antiquities Department office along Kolo’s main road to arrange a permit (adult/child Tsh27,000/13,000) and mandatory guide (free, but tips expected), some of whom speak English. There’s a good little museum here covering not only archaeology, but also the culture of the Irangi people.
8Getting There & Away
Kolo is 80km south of Babati and 25km north of Kondoa. Buses to Kolo (Tsh7500, 3½ hours) depart Babati at 7am and 8.30am. From Arusha, Mtei Express buses to Kondoa, leaving at 6am, pass Kolo (Tsh11,500, 6½ hours). The last bus north from Kondoa leaves at 9am. There are only buses to Dodoma (Tsh8500, three hours) from Kondoa, not Kolo. They leave at 6am, 10am and 12.30pm. Catching a bus in Kondoa means you’ll get a seat; wait for it to pass Kolo and you’ll need to stand.
It could be possible to visit as a day trip from Babati (or as a stop en route to Dodoma) using public transport if you’re willing to hitchhike after visiting the Kolo sites; there are usually some trucks travelling this road in the afternoon.
It is possible to hire motorcyles in Kolo and these can reach all the main rock art sites, but you’ll have to get off and walk up some hills. Hiring motorcycles is very expensive if done through the Antiquities Department (Tsh25,000 just to the Kolo sites, for example) but you can try to get a better price with locals or hire a vehicle in Kondoa, the nearest proper town to the rock art.
Babati
The dusty market town of Babati, about 175km southwest of Arusha in a fertile spot along the edge of the Rift Valley Escarpment, is notable as a jumping-off point for climbs of Mt Hanang, 75km southwest.
4Sleeping & Eating
Kahembe’s Modern Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE
(%0784 397477; www.kahembeculturalsafaris.com; Sokoine Rd; s/d Tsh25,000/30,000; W)
Home of Kahembe’s Culture & Wildlife Safaris, this friendly place just northwest of the bus stand has decent twin- and double-bedded rooms with TVs and reliable hot-water showers. Their full breakfast complete with sausages, cornflakes, fruit, toast and eggs is included in the price, not to mention a great way to start the day.
White Rose LodgeGUESTHOUSE
(%0784 392577; www.manyarawhiterose.blogspot.com; Ziwani Rd; d Tsh25,000; pW)
A good-value spot set somewhat inconveniently (unless you’re driving) off the Singida Rd south of town. Rooms are similar in standard to other Babati cheapies, only much newer.
Ango Bar & RestaurantTANZANIAN
(Arusha–Dodoma Rd; buffet breakfast Tsh6000, lunch or dinner Tsh8500; h7am-9.30pm)
Behind a petrol station near the bus stand, this unexpectedly colourful place offers local fare, always including a few veggie dishes.
8Information
NBC (Arusha–Dodoma Rd) bank changes cash and has an ATM.
8Getting There & Away
The Babati–Dodoma road is still rough in parts but quite passable. For the final section before Dodoma you need to go in a security convoy if travelling after 4pm.
Bus connections from Babati include the following:
AArusha (Tsh9000, four to five hours) The first departs in both directions at 5.30am and the last leaves at 4pm, though dalla-dallas go until 6pm.
ADodoma (Tsh17,000) Though you’ll be sold a single ticket to Dodoma, there’s no direct bus. You’ll be shifted to another bus at Kondoa.
AKondoa (Tsh8500, 3½ hours)
AMto wa Mbu Catch an Arusha bus and change in Makuyuni.
AMwanza (Tsh29,000 to Tsh35,000, 10 hours).
ASingida (Tsh8500, four hours) Last bus leaves Babati around 10am.
Lake Victoria
Tanzania’s half of Africa’s largest lake sees few visitors, but the region holds many attractions for those with a bent for the offbeat and a desire to immerse themselves in the rhythms of local life beyond the tourist trail. The towns of Musoma and Bukoba have a quiet waterside charm while most villagers on Ukerewe Island follow a subsistence lifestyle with little connection to the world beyond the shore.
Mwanza, Tanzania’s second-largest city, is appealing in its own way and it’s the perfect launch pad for a Serengeti–Lake Natron–Ngorongoro loop. Adding idyllic Rubondo Island National Park, deep in the lake’s southwesternmost reaches, gives you a well-rounded safari experience.
Musoma
Little Musoma, capital of the Mara region, sits serenely on a Lake Victoria peninsula with both sunrise and sunset views over the water.
There are banks and internet cafes along and just off of Mukendo Rd.
Tiny Butiama, about 45km southeast of Musoma, is the site of the Mwalimu Julius K Nyerere Museum (Butiama; admission Tsh8000; h9am-5pm), and a worthwhile excursion for anyone interested in the renowned statesman's life.
4Sleeping
oTembo Beach ClubCAMPGROUND, GUESTHOUSE
(%028-262 2887; camping Tsh15,000, r Tsh45,000; pW)
It has a sociable bar-restaurant (mains Tsh3000 to Tsh5000) and a reasonable camping area that's often busy with the clients of overland truck tours. Best of all, it has some recently tarted-up rooms with African art on the walls. They are far enough from the bar that you can be lulled to sleep by waves rather than kept awake by music.
Mlima Mukendo HotelHOTEL
(%0768 065003; Mukendo Rd; s/d Tsh20,000/30,000)
A bright green tower of a hotel on the main road (take a room at the back). It offers the best town-centre accommodation with smart, well-cared for rooms with wardrobes, desks and big bathrooms.
Matvilla Beach & LodgeCAMPGROUND, BUNGALOW
(http://matvillabeach.co.tz; Matvilla Beach; camping Tsh10,000, bungalows s/d US$40/50; pW)
Out at the tip of the peninsula, 1.5km from the centre, this is a gorgeous multipurpose spot amid the rocks. There are hot showers for campers and new stone bungalows that are calm, quiet and blend into giant, granite boulders.
5Eating
Matvilla Beach & LodgeTANZANIAN
(meals Tsh5000-7000)
With its lakeside setting, Matvilla Beach is everyone's favourite place for fried fish or chicken and a beer. Staff will arrange taxis to take you back to town. There are no set opening hours – according to staff it's open all the time.
Mara DishesBUFFET
(Kivukani St; buffet Tsh5000; h9am-10pm)
Mara Dishes, east of CRDB bank, has a relatively large buffet and masses of locals piling in for a good feed.
8Getting There & Away
The bus terminal is 6km out of town at Bweri (Tsh4000 and 20 minutes via dalla-dalla, Tsh10,000 in a taxi), although booking offices remain in the town centre.
AArusha (Tsh35,000, 11 to 12 hours) Coast Line, Kimotco and Manko leave at 6am daily, passing through Serengeti National Park (using Ikoma Gate) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, but you’ll need to pay US$110 in park fees to ride this route.
AButiama (Tsh3000, one hour) Dalla-dallas go throughout the day.
AMwanza (Tsh8000, four hours) Mohammed Trans departs from its ticket office east of CRDB bank at 5am and 1pm.
AUkerewe Island (Tsh3000, one hour) Dalla-dallas go to Bunda between 5.30am and 4pm, from where you can get boat transport to the island.
Mwanza
Pop 706,500
Mwanza is Tanzania’s second-largest city, and the lake region’s economic heart. The surrounding area – marked by hills strewn with enormous boulders – is home to the Sukuma, the country’s largest tribe. In addition to being a jumping-off point for Rubondo Island National Park, Mwanza is a great starting or finishing point for safaris through Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
Mwanza
2Activities, Courses & Tours
Transport
13Bus Company Ticket OfficesE4
14Dalla-Dalla Stand for Buzuruga Bus StationC2
15Dalla-Dalla Stand for Kisesa/Sukuma MuseumF2
17Jordan BusesD5
18Kamanga Ferry TerminalA2
19Mohammed Trans OfficeE4
1Sights
Central Mwanza along Temple St and west to Station Rd has an oriental feel due to its many temples (both Hindu and Sikh) and mosques, as well as Indian trading houses lining the streets. The street-side market and ambience continue west through the Makoroboi area where the namesake scrap-metal workshop is hidden away in the rocks. Kerosene lamps (makoroboi in Swahili), ladles and other household goods are fashioned from old cans and other trash. East of Temple St, the huge and confusing central market is fun to explore. Visiting Saa Nane National Park (
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-254 1819; office on Capri Point; adult/child US$30/15; h6.30am-6.30pm, last entry 5pm) may help to while away a slow morning.
TTours
Tour operators hire 4WDs and can organise safaris to Serengeti and Rubondo Island National Parks. None of Mwanza’s operators are as on the ball as the best agencies in Arusha, but we’re also unaware of any in town that will blatantly rip you off. It’s not easy to meet other travellers in Mwanza, but you can ask the agencies whether they have other clients interested in combining groups to save money or try posting a notice at Kuleana Pizzeria.
Kiroyera ToursSAFARIS
(%0784 568276; www.kiroyeratours.com)
Can generally beat others for car-rental rates (and the vehicles and drivers they use are recommended). There's no walk-in office.
4Sleeping
Midland HotelHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0718 431255; www.midlandhotel.com.tz; Rwagasore Rd; s Tsh50,000-60,000, d Tsh60,000-90,000; aW)
This eye-catching blue tower is solid all-round with well-equipped rooms (free wi-fi reaches most), good service, a rooftop bar and a proper breakfast buffet. Best of all, it will sometimes discount. There are no mosquito nets, but the rooms are sprayed daily.
Isamo HotelHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-254 1616; Rwagasore St; r Tsh25,000-50,000; aW)
There's a lot of street noise seeping into the rooms here, but grab a pair of ear plugs and enjoy one of the cheapest and best deals in town. The well-kept rooms are a good size and some have little balconies overlooking the chaos.
Kishamapanda GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0755 083218; Kishamapanda St; d with/without bathroom Tsh15,000/13,000, tw Tsh20,000)
This tidy little place is down a tiny alley behind the less-appealing New Geita Lodge. It's one of the best budget places in Mwanza. The shared bathrooms have ceiling fans and Western toilets.
Mwanza Yacht ClubCAMPGROUND
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0762 891280; Capri Point; camping Tsh10,000)
This is where the big, overland tourist trucks stop. It has a great lakeside location, hot showers and security.
Hotel TilapiaHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0784 700500, 028-250 0517; www.hoteltilapia.com; Capri Point; s/d/ste US$100/120/150; aW
s)
The ever-popular Tilapia, on the city side of Capri Point, has a variety of rooms, most of which are dated but decent and look out at the lake. It also has rooms on a historic boat. Though they are smaller and a little off-kilter, their special character makes them fun.
5Eating
Sizzlers RestaurantINDIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Kenyatta Rd; mains Tsh8000-12,000; hnoon-3pm & 6-11pm)
Quiet during the day, this cheap Indian joint transforms into a hive of buzzing activity in the evenings. This is when people grab a streetside table and tuck into the chicken tikka which sizzles on the hot coals of the outdoor barbecue. It also does a range of other Indian meals.
DVN RestaurantTANZANIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Nyamagana Rd; meals Tsh3000-4000; h7am-5pm)
Excellent local fare served fast and cheap in this church-run place with a cute, old-fashioned cafe look and feel. It's behind the post office and quite hidden with just a small sign above a tucked-away door. You might need to ask for someone to point it out.
Kuleana PizzeriaINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-256 0566; Post St; pizzas Tsh10,000-12,000; h7am-9pm; v)
S
Don't expect Italian-class food, but this is a relaxed and popular place for pizzas and snack-style food (omelettes, sandwiches and breads) with a good mix of locals and expats. The friendly owner feeds many street children.
Binti MaringoINTERNATIONAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Balewa Rd; meals Tsh7500, pizzas Tsh12,000; h8am-8pm)S
Sandwiches, pizzas and the classic meat stew get dished up in this simple open-air spot. Profits support the Kuleana Center for Children’s Rights, which houses and educates street children. To get there go out of town a hundred metres. Take the first right after the dirty stream and it's 30 metres down on your right.
Hotel TilapiaINTERNATIONAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Capri Point; meals Tsh12,000-19,000; h7am-midnight; W)
The hub of Mwanza’s expat population and a magnet to passing tourists, the restaurant of the Hotel Tilapia has an attractive terrace overlooking the lake. You can choose everything from Japanese tepanyaki to Indian to continental.
8Information
Internet Access
Corner Internet CafeINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Kenyatta Rd; per hour Tsh1500; h8am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun)
Money
All the major banks have branches in Mwanza with ATMs. Most also change cash.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Air Tanzania (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0782 737730; www.airtanzania.co.tz; Kenyatta Rd) flies to Dar es Salaam five days a week. Fastjet (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0756 7540543; www.fastjet.com; Kenyatta Rd) also flies to Dar.
Coastal Aviation (%0752 627825; www.coastal.cc; airport) has a daily flight to Arusha airport stopping at various Serengeti National Park airfields. It also flies to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and, internationally, to Kigali (Rwanda).
Precision Air (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-250 0819; www.precisionairtz.com; Kenyatta Rd) flies to Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Bukoba and, internationally, to Nairobi (Kenya). Auric Air also has a Bukoba flight as well as to Kigoma and Mpanda.
Boat
The MV Victoria (1st class/2nd-class sleeping/2nd-class sitting/3rd class Tsh36,000 /27,600/24,000 /17,500) connects Mwanza with Bukoba. There are also ferries (Click here) to Ukerewe Island.
CROSSING THE MWANZA GULF
Travelling west from Mwanza along the southern part of Lake Victoria entails crossing the Mwanza Gulf. There are two ferries, each with advantages.
The Kamanga ferry (per person/vehicle Tsh1000/7200) docks right in town. It departs Mwanza hourly between 7am and 6.30pm, except Sunday when departures are every two hours from 8am to 6pm. If you’re travelling to Bukoba or anywhere along that highway, ask which ferry the bus will use; you may be able to save a trip to the bus station by boarding the bus here.
The government-run Busisi (aka Kigongo) ferry (per person/vehicle Tsh400/8000), 30km south of Mwanza, has the advantage of the road west being paved and it sails more often: every 30 minutes from 7am to 10pm. But, there are often delays since many trucks use this boat and also government officials sometimes call and tell the pilots to wait for them.
Bus
Nyegezi bus station, about 10km south of town, handles buses to all points east, south and west, including Dar es Salaam.
AArusha (from about Tsh30,000, 12 hours) Jordan departs its city centre office at 5am and the bus station at 6am, travelling via Singida.
ABukoba (Tsh20,000, six to seven hours) Buses depart regularly between 6am and 1pm, mostly using the Busisi ferry.
ADar es Salaam (Tsh45,000, 15 hours) Mohammed Trans departs at 6am from its city-centre ticket office before heading to the bus stations.
AKigoma (Tsh31,000, 10 hours) Adventure is the best of four companies departing daily at 5.30am.
AMusoma (Tsh8000 to Tsh10,000, three to four hours, last bus 4pm) Departures are from Buzuruga bus station in Nyakato, 4km east of the city centre.
ATabora (Tsh15,000, six hours) Try NBS, with buses daily in the mornings.
There’s no need to travel to the bus stations to buy tickets since numerous ticket agencies are stationed at the old city-centre bus station (now a car park). They don’t charge an official commission, but they will overcharge you if they can get away with it.
Train
Mwanza is the terminus of a branch of the Central Line and trains run to Tabora (Tsh26,900/22,700/11,800 in 1st/2nd/3rd class) on Thursday and Sunday at 4pm.
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
Mwanza’s airport is 10km north of town (Tsh10,000 in a taxi). Dalla-dallas to the airport (Tsh400) follow Kenyatta and Makongoro Rds.
Bus & Taxi
Dalla-dallas (labelled Buhongwa) to Nyegezi bus station run south down Kenyatta and Pamba Rds. The most convenient place to find a dalla-dalla (labelled Igoma) to Buzuruga bus station is just northeast of the Clock Tower, where they park before running down Uhuru St.
There are taxi stands all around the city centre, with town trips about Tsh5000. Taxis to Buzuruga/Nyegezi bus stations cost Tsh7000/12,000. Motorcycle taxis are everywhere (Tsh1000 within the city centre).
Around Mwanza
Sukuma Museum
The Sukuma Museum (%0765 667661; admission Tsh15,000, video Tsh200,000; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun) in Bujora village is an open-air museum where, among other things, you’ll see traditional Sukuma dwellings and the grass house of a traditional healer. Also on the grounds is the royal drum pavilion, built in the shape of a king’s stool, holding a collection of royal drums that are still played at special events, and a round church with many traditional Sukuma stylings that was built in 1958 by David Fumbuka Clement, the Québecois missionary priest who founded the museum.
4Sleeping & Eating
The centre has no-frills bandas (per person with meals Tsh30,000) in the style of Sukuma traditional houses and a campground (camping Tsh15,000). There’s a little bar and you can use the kitchen.
8Getting There & Away
Bujora is 18km east of Mwanza off the Musoma road. Take a dalla-dalla (Tsh500, 30 minutes) to Kisesa from Uhuru Rd north of the market in Mwanza. From Kisesa, motorcycle taxis cost Tsh1000. Or, walk a short way along the main road and turn left at the sign, following the small dirt road for 1.7km. A taxi from Mwanza, with waiting time, will cost Tsh45,000 to Tsh50,000.
Ukerewe
With its simple lifestyle and rocky terrain broken by lake vistas and tiny patches of forest, Ukerewe Island, 50km north of Mwanza, makes an intriguing, offbeat diversion. Nansio, the main town, has no internationally linked ATMs. Shared taxis and dalla-dallas connect Ukerewe’s few sizeable villages.
4Sleeping & Eating
La Bima HotelGUESTHOUSE
(%0732 515044; s/tw Tsh20,000/25,000; p)
Despite cramped rooms (some with hot water) and peeling paint, this OK place is Nansio’s best lodging. It has the top restaurant, too.
8Getting There & Away
The passenger ferry MV Clarius sails daily from Mwanza North Port to Nansio (Tsh5000, three to four hours) at 9am weekdays (10am weekends), returning at 2pm. Two other similarly priced ferries dock at Kirumba, north of Mwanza’s centre near the giant Balimi ad: the MV Nyehunge departs Mwanza at 9am and Nansio at 2pm, while the MV Samar III departs Mwanza at 2pm and Nansio at 8am.
It’s also possible to reach Nansio from Bunda, on the Mwanza–Musoma road, which means that you can go from Mwanza to Ukerewe and then on towards Musoma or the Serengeti without backtracking. Via public transport, take any Mwanza–Musoma bus and disembark at Bunda. Here buses and sometimes dalla-dallas head to Nansio (Tsh6000, five to to six hours) daily at 10am and 1pm using the Kisorya ferry (per person/vehicle Tsh300/5000, 40 minutes), which crosses four times daily in each direction. In the reverse, vehicles to Bunda leave Nansio at 8am and 10am. After these buses depart there are no vehicles direct to Nansio, but you can take a dalla-dalla to Kisorya and catch another on the island. The last ferry to Ukerewe sails at 6.30pm. The last ferry leaving Ukerewe is at 5pm, but don’t use it unless you have your own vehicle or are willing to try hitching part of the way to Bunda.
Rubondo Island National Park
Rubondo Island National Park (adult/child US$30/10), alluring for its tranquillity and sublime lakeshore scenery, is one of Tanzania’s best-kept secrets. Birdwatching brings the most visitors, but walking safaris (half-day walks per person US$25) and boat rides (per person US$25) can also be rewarding. Elephants, giraffes, black and white colobus, and chimpanzees were long ago introduced alongside the island’s native hippo, bushbuck and sitatunga. Rubondo’s chimps are not yet habituated and are currently seldom seen. Though Rubondo's beaches look inviting, there are enough crocodiles that swimming is prohibited.
RUBONDO ISLAND NATIONAL PARK
Why Go Tranquil setting and lovely lakeshore scenery; fine birding; chance to see sitatungas.
When to Go June through early November.
Practicalities Start from Bukoba or Mwanza, travel to the nearest port and continue by park boat. Alternatively, arrive by charter flight.
Budget Tips Travel by bus to the nearest lakeshore town, where you can arrange an expensive boat ride to the island. However, once on Rubondo, the park bandas offer excellent cheap accommodation and self-catering. Safaris are taken on foot.
4Sleeping & Eating
Rubondo Park Bandas & ResthouseCAMPGROUND, BANDA
(camping US$30, r per person US$30)
The bandas facing the beach at Kageye on Rubondo’s eastern shore are some of the better national park–run bandas in Tanzania. Each has a comfortable double and single bed, hot-water bathroom, and privacy afforded by surrounding jungle trees. There's also a resthouse in the same location with similar quality rooms, but with TVs.
8Information
Book accommodation and transport through park headquarters (%028-252 0720). If the phones are down, staff at the Saa Nane/Tanapa office on Capri Point in Mwanza can help.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Auric Air (%0783 233334; www.auricair.com) will make a Rubondo (return US$325) diversion on its Mwanza–Bukoba flights. This requires a two-night stay if flying return out of Mwanza, since arrival is in the late afternoon and departure in the early morning. Coastal Aviation (%0752 627825; www.coastal.co.tz) also flies to the park from Mwanza on a request basis. A charter flight with Auric Air costs around US$3000.
Boat
There are two ways to reach Rubondo by park boat (up to seven passengers); both should be arranged in advance. Local fishermen are prohibited from carrying tourists to the island.
The first option, and the one recommended by the park, is via Kasenda, a small port about 5km from Muganza (Tsh1500 on a motorcycle taxi and Tsh5000 in a taxi), from where it’s 20 to 30 minutes by boat (US$100 return) to Rubondo Island and another 15 minutes by park vehicle to drive across the island to Kageye. Muganza is just off the main Mwanza–Bukoba road and public transport is frequent, but buses normally drop you at the Muganza turn-off junction on the main road. Motorbikes are available to whizz you into the town or Kasenda. All buses between Bukoba (Tsh12,000, two hours) and Mwanza (Tsh12,000, four hours) pass through, as do Bukoba–Dar es Salaam buses. Dalla-dallas run to nearby destinations such as Biharamulo (Tsh5000, two hours).
The second option is via Nkome, at the end of a rough road north of Geita, where the boat costs US$100 to Kageye and takes about two hours. Expect choppy water on this crossing. The warden’s office, where you get the boat, is located outside Nkome, which is a short motorcycle (Tsh500) or taxi (Tsh2000) ride from where the final dalla-dalla stops. Two buses go direct from Mwanza to Nkome (Tsh12,000, four to five hours), leaving Mwanza at 10am; you can also meet them at the Kamanga ferry. Alternatively, it is possible to take a bus to Geita, from where dalla-dallas to Nkome (Tsh5000, two hours) are fairly frequent.
Bukoba
Bukoba is a bustling town with an attractive waterside setting and amenable small-town feel. The surrounding Kagera region is home of the Haya people, known for their powerful kingdoms. Musira Island (
GOOGLE MAP
) and Kagera Museum (
GOOGLE MAP
; admission Tsh2000; h9.30am-6pm) are worthwhile excursions.
KIROYERA TOURS
Kiroyera Tours (
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-222 0203; www.kiroyeratours.com; Shore Rd) is a clued-up agency leading cultural tours in Bukoba and the Kagera region, and an essential stop for travellers in Bukoba. In addition to making local culture readily accessible to visitors, Kiroyera has established several community projects and has won awards for promoting community development through tourism. Destinations and activities for its half- and full-day tours include visiting ancient rock paintings and walking in nearby Rubale Forest. Kiroyera also runs half-day bike tours (US$15), sells bus, boat and plane tickets, and organises visits to national parks in Tanzania and gorilla tracking in Uganda.
4Sleeping & Eating
oBalamaga Bed & BreakfastB&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0789 757289; www.balamagabb.com; s/d Tsh55,000/85,000, s/d without bathroom Tsh50,000/70,000; p)
High up in the hills overlooking the lake, this great-value homey place has four spacious, comfortable rooms (two self-contained and two sharing a bathroom) decorated in artistic photos. The garden is so gorgeous and full of birds you’ll forget you’re in Bukoba. It's a world away from most cheap Tanzanian hotels.
ELCT Bukoba HotelHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0754 022682; www.elctbukobahotel.com; Aerodrome Rd; s/tw/ste US$40/45/60; p
i)
This Lutheran conference centre between the lake and the city centre is a very good choice. The rooms in this rambling complex have a slight sanatorium feel but it's impeccably maintained and well-run. The gardens, which include a tree of roosting pelicans, are a real treat. The hotel sign promises ‘Tranquility’ and it delivers.
CMK LodgeHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0682 265028; off Uganda Rd; r Tsh25,000-35,000; p)
Plain, but sparkling rooms and a quiet side-road location make this near-downtown hotel one of Bukoba’s best values. On top of that you get a warm welcome for free.
Kiroyera CampsiteCAMPGROUND
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %0784 568276; www.kiroyeratours.com; Shore Rd; camping own/hired tent Tsh8000/11,500, banda with/without bathroom Tsh30,000/25,000; p)
A great backpackers’ spot on the beach (very crowded on weekends) and the most original rooms in this half of Tanzania: three genuine Haya msonge (grass huts) with beds, electricity and shared bathrooms, and one with its own bathroom.
New Rose CaféTANZANIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Jamhuri Rd; meals Tsh2000-5000; h8am-7pm Mon-Sat)
A wonderful and unassuming Bukoba institution that feels like a cross between a grocer and a little cafe-restaurant.
Bukoba Co-op HotelINTERNATIONAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Shore Rd; meals Tsh8000; h7am-10pm)
The beach seating makes this a popular gathering spot. The grilled tilapia, pizzas and curries are pretty good.
8Information
NBCBANK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Jamhuri Rd)
Changes cash. The ATM works with Visa and MasterCard.
8Getting There & Away
Air
There are daily flights between Bukoba and Mwanza on Auric Air (www.auricair.com), and between Bukoba and Dar es Salaam via Mwanza with Precision Air (
GOOGLE MAP
; %0782 351136; www.precisionairtz.com; Kawawa Rd). Auric also continues onwards to Kampala (Uganda).
Boat
There’s passenger-ferry service between Bukoba and Mwanza on the historic MV Victoria. Tickets for all classes are sold at the port at the window labelled ‘Booking Office 3rd Class’. Kiroyera Tours can often find tickets even when the booking office says they’re sold out and if not, can arrange for you to sleep in the assistant captain’s cabin.
Bus
All bus companies have ticket offices at or near the bus stand. Staff at Kiroyera Tours can also buy tickets for you, for a small fee.
There are buses to:
ADar es Salaam (Tsh52,000 to Tsh60,000, 21 hours) All buses leave by or before 6am and go via Muganza, Kahama, Singida and Dodoma. Some buses continue to Dar in a single trip, including Mohammed Trans and Sumry, the two best companies, while others overnight in Morogoro to avoid reaching Dar in the wee hours.
AKigoma With Visram (Tsh27,000, 6am, 13 to 15 hours).
AMwanza (Tsh20,000, six to seven hours) Via Muganza (Tsh12,000, two hours), departing between 6am and 1pm; Mohammed Trans and Bunda are two of the better companies.
Western Tanzania
It’s wildlife watching that brings most people to remote, rugged Western Tanzania: Gombe, Jane Goodall’s former stomping grounds, and Mahale Mountains National Parks are two of the world’s best places for chimpanzee encounters, while the vast floodplains of rarely visited Katavi National Park offer an almost primeval safari experience.
Tabora
Leafy Tabora was once the most important trading centre along the old caravan route connecting Lake Tanganyika with Bagamoyo and the sea. Today it’s primarily of interest to history buffs and rail fans, who will have to wait here if taking a branch line to Mpanda or Mwanza. Livingstone's Tembe (admission Tsh10,000; h8am-4pm) – the one-time residence of the great explorer – is 8km south of town in Kwihara village (about Tsh15,000 in a taxi), and well worth an excursion.
4Sleeping & Eating
John Paul II HostelGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0755 344128; Jamhuri St; r without bathroom Tsh10,000; r with breakfast Tsh20,000; p)
Spotless, quiet, secure and cheap. You can't really go wrong at this church-run place where the foundation stone was laid by John Paul II himself. The entrance to the quiet compound is in the back. If the cathedral gate is closed, you’ll have to walk around to the east; it's at the back of the big yellow building.
Golden Eagle HotelGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %026-260 4623; Market St; tw without bathroom Tsh15,000, tw Tsh20,000-25,000; p)
Thanks to the friendly owner (plus the central location and good, cheap restaurant), this 1st-floor place is the most traveller-friendly spot in town. Rooms are old, though tidy, and have TVs, hot water and ceiling fans. It can be a bit noisy, though.
Orion Tabora HotelHISTORIC HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %026-260 4369; Station Rd; s Tsh65,000-90,000, d Tsh85,000-105,000; pW)
The old railway hotel, originally built in 1914 by a German baron as a hunting lodge, has been restored and provides unexpected class in this out-of-the-way region. The atmosphere fades inside the rooms but it outshines anything else in town. Ask for a room in the Kaiser Wing, with screened porches looking out onto the gardens.
Mayor’s Fast FoodTANZANIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; snacks from Tsh300, buffet per plate from Tsh2500; h7am-11pm)
It offers samosas and other snacks, plus a good buffet. The price depends on the meat you choose. It has two branches: one on Lumumba St and the other, called Mayor's Hotel (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
), in the market.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Air Tanzania (%026-260 4401; www.airtanzania.co.tz) flies twice weekly to both Kigoma and Dar es Salaam.
Bus
NBS, mostly offering four-across seating, is the top company operating out of Tabora. Some of its buses depart from its office at the ‘old’ bus stand. All other buses use the nearby ‘new’ bus stand. Several buses depart daily between 6am and 10am to Mwanza (Tsh15,000, six hours). Buses also go to the following destinations:
AArusha (Tsh30,000, 10 to 11 hours) Plus an early departure via Singida (Tsh20,000, four hours) and Babati (Tsh25,000, six hours)
ADodoma (Tsh40,000, eight hours)
AKigoma (Tsh25,000, eight hours)
AMpanda (Tsh20,000, eight hours)
Train
Tabora is an important train junction, with connections to the following:
ADar es Salaam (Tsh54,900/40,600/20,400 in 1st/2nd/economy class, Monday and Friday at 7am)
AKigoma (Tsh31,700/24,900/12,500 in 1st/2nd/economy class, Wednesday and Saturday at 9pm)
AMpanda (Tsh27,500/21,200/11,100 in 1st/2nd/economy class, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 9pm)
AMwanza (Tsh29,600/22,700/11,800 in 1st/2nd/economy class, Wednesday and Saturday at 10pm)
Kigoma
The regional capital and only large Tanzanian port on Lake Tanganyika is a scrappy but agreeable town. It’s also the end of the line of the Central Line train and a starting point for the MV Liemba and visits to Gombe National Park. About 8km south of Kigoma is tiny Ujiji, one of Africa’s oldest market villages. A terminus of the old caravan route to the coast, Ujiji has earned a place in travel lore as the spot where explorer-journalist Henry Morton Stanley uttered his famously casual ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume?’ – now immortalised at the site of the Livingstone Memorial Museum (admission Tsh20,000; h8am-6pm).
TTours
Mbali MbaliSAFARIS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-280 4437; www.mbalimbali.com)
Western Tanzania–focused safari operator based at Kigoma Hilltop Hotel. It does boat and air charters.
4Sleeping & Eating
Jakobsen’s GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE
(%0753 768434; www.kigomabeach.com; camping with own/hired tent Tsh15,000/20,000, r per person 40,000, cottage Tsh240,000; p)
This comfortable guesthouse has a lovely clifftop perch above Jakobsen’s Beach, while the two shady campsites with bathrooms, lanterns and grills are down near the lake. It’s good value and a wonderful spot for a respite, but there is no food available so you'll need to self-cater.
You can rent kayaks (per day Tsh25,000), sailboats (Tsh50,000) and snorkelling gear (Tsh10,000). Water and soft drinks are available.
Gombe Executive LodgeGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0758 891740; r Tsh10,000-30,000; pa)
This is the standout cheapie in town. It's on a quiet and dusty side road and has a real homely feel to it, with spotless rooms, attached hot-water bathrooms and air-con. Breakfast is Tsh3000 extra.
New Mapinduzi Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0753 771680; Lumumba St; s/d Tsh12,000/14,000, s/d without bathroom Tsh6000/8000)
This guesthouse down a tiny alley is a good choice if you want to be right in the centre of town. The basic, self-contained rooms have TVs and fans. There is no food available.
Kigoma Hilltop HotelHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-280 4437; www.mbalimbali.com; s/d/ste US$90/140/225; aWs)
This hotel is atop an escarpment overlooking the lake. The double and twin cottages are within a large walled compound roamed by zebras. Rooms have all the mod-cons and are easily the best in town. The pool (nonguests Tsh10,000) is large, but not as clean as it could be.
Sun CityTANZANIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Lumumba St; meals Tsh3000-5000; h7am-8pm)
A clean and almost artistic spot for wali maharagwe (rice and beans) and other local meals. There’s also chicken biryani on Sunday.
8Information
Immigration
Formalities for those riding the MV Liemba are handled by an officer who boards the boat in Kasanga. If you’re headed to Burundi or DRC, there are immigration offices at Ami Port and Kibirizi.
Internet Access
Baby Come & CallINTERNET
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Lumumba St; per hour Tsh1500; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat)
Internet access just up from the train station.
Money
CRDBBANK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Lumumba St)
Changes US dollars, Euros and British pounds. The ATM accepts MasterCard and Visa.
NBCBANK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Lumumba St)
ATM. Accepts MasterCard and Visa.
Tourist Information
Gombe/Mahale Visitors Information CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-280 4009; gonapachimps@yahoo.com; h9am-4pm)
It’s signposted off Ujiji Rd near the top of the hill; turn left at the T-junction. The staff know plenty about Gombe, but seem quite misinformed about Mahale.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Precision Air (
GOOGLE MAP
; %028-280 4720; www.precisionairtz.com) flies daily to Dar es Salaam via Mwanza, while Air Tanzania (
GOOGLE MAP
; %0782 7377321; www.airtanzania.co.tz) flies twice weekly to Tabora and five times weekly to Dar es Salaam. Air travel to Kigoma is in a constant state of flux, so seek information on site.
Global Travel Services (
GOOGLE MAP
; %0759 896711; Lumumba St) sells tickets for most airlines in Kigoma and elsewhere.
Boat
Ferry
The sporadic MV Liemba is scheduled to cruise on alternate weeks between Kigoma and Mpulungu (Zambia) via Lagosa (for Mahale Mountains National Park) and other lakeshore towns, departing from the Passenger Terminal, north of the Lake Tanganyika Hotel.
Cargo ships to Burundi and the DRC, which also take passengers, depart from Ami Port near the train station.
Lake Taxi
Lake taxis are small, wooden motorised boats, piled high with people and produce that connect villages along the entire Tanzanian lakeshore. They’re inexpensive, but offer no toilets or other creature comforts, little if any shade, and can be dangerous when the lake gets rough. Nights are very cold. Lake taxis going north depart from Kibirizi village, 2km north of Kigoma; you can walk here following the railway tracks or the road around the bay. Boats to the south leave from Ujiji.
Bus
All buses depart from the dusty streets behind the unsigned Bero petrol station. (Coming from Kigoma, look for the large, white petrol station with an NBC ATM.) The bus station is unusually organised with all the bus companies having little ticket offices with destinations clearly signed in a long row. Other bus ticket offices are scattered around the Mwanga area just to the west.
Buses go to the following destinations:
ABukoba (Tsh27,000, 12 hours) Via Biharamulo (Tsh25,000, eight hours). Service operated by Ya-Alli and Takbir.
AMpanda (Tsh20,000, eight hours) Operated by Adventure.
AMwanza (Ts31,000, 10 to 12 hours) Via Nyankanazi (Tsh20,000, seven hours). The best services are provided by Adventure and NSL Express.
ATabora (Tsh23,000, eight hours) Best service provided by NBS and Sasebosa.
AUvinza (Tsh5000, four hours) Any bus to Tabora or Mpanda will work.
Dalla-dallas to Ujiji (Tsh400, 20 minutes) run throughout the day.
Train
The end of the line and as far west as you can ride a train in Tanzania. Trains go from Kigoma to Tabora (Tsh31,700/24,900/12,500 in 1st/2nd/economy class) at 5pm on Thursday and Sunday.
8Getting Around
The airport is about 5km east of the town centre. A taxi costs Tsh5000.
Dalla-dallas (Tsh400) park in front of the train station and run along the main roads to Bero bus stand, Kibirizi, Katonga and Ujiji. Taxis between the town centre and Bero bus stand or Kibirizi charge Tsh2000 to Tsh3000. Don’t pay more than Tsh1000 for a motorcycle taxi anywhere within the city.
Gombe National Park
With an area of only 52 sq km, Gombe National Park (%Kigoma 028-280 4009; adult/child US$100/20, trekking fee US$20) is Tanzania’s smallest national park, but its connection to Jane Goodall has given it world renown. Gombe’s 100-plus chimps are well-habituated. Although it can be difficult, sweaty work traversing steep hills and valleys, if you head out early in the morning chimp sightings are nearly guaranteed.
GOMBE NATIONAL PARK
Why Go Up-close encounters with chimpanzees.
When to Go The lodge is closed in March and April. June through October are the easiest (driest) months for chimpanzee tracking.
Practicalities The chimps can be a long walk from the two accommodation options. The only way here is by boat. All tourism activities are organised and paid for at Kasekela, on the beach near the centre of the park (this is where lake taxis drop you).
Budget Tips Excluding the high entry fees, it's perfectly possible to visit Gombe on a budget by taking one of the lake taxis to and from the park, staying in the park resthouse and self-catering.
4Sleeping & Eating
Accommodation rarely fills up completely, but it’s still best to book rooms in advance through the Gombe/Mahale Visitors Information Centre in Kigoma.
Tanapa ResthouseGUESTHOUSE
(%Kigoma 028-280 4009; r from US$20)
Next to the visitor centre at Kasekela, this quite comfortable place has six simple rooms with electricity during morning and evening. Two overflow facilities have rooms of lesser quality and toilets at the back. The restaurant’s prices are high (breakfast US$10, lunch US$15, dinner US$15) but you can bring your own food and use the kitchen for free.
8Information
Currently, if you arrive late in the afternoon, park officials generously don’t start the clock on your visit until the following morning, which means that for a two-night stay and one day of chimp tracking you’ll only be charged one 24-hour entry (if you leave for Kigoma early in the morning). Children aged under 16 are not permitted to enter the forest, though they can stay at the resthouse. Visitors are limited to one hour with each group of chimps, but you are allowed to go and find another group after your hour is up for no extra cost.
All tourism activities are organised and paid for at Kasekela, on the beach near the centre of the park, and this is where lake taxis drop you.
8Getting There & Away
Gombe is 16km north of Kigoma; the only way there is by boat.
At least one lake taxi to the park (Tsh4000, three hours) departs from Kibirizi around noon. Returning, it passes Kasekela as early as 7am.
You can also hire boats at Kibirizi; but don’t believe the owners who tell you there are no lake taxis in an effort to get business. Hiring here requires hard bargaining, but the price will be a little cheaper than any of the charter options following (around US$250 return). You may have to pay an advance for petrol, but don’t pay the full amount until you’ve arrived back in Kigoma.
It’s safer and more comfortable (in part because the boats will offer shade from the sun) to arrange a charter with one of the established companies. Chartering the park boat costs US$300 return plus US$20 for each night you spend at Gombe. Organise it through the Gombe/Mahale Visitors Information Centre in Kigoma. In Kigoma, Lake Tanganyika Hotel (US$450, US$50 per night overnight charge) and Mbali Mbali (US$655, no overnight charge for those not staying at its camp in Gombe; US$350 for camp guests) also have boats taking from 1½ to two hours.
With a chartered boat day trips are possible, but leave very early because late starts reduce your chances of meeting the chimps.
WORTH A TRIP
LAKE TANGANYIKA
Lake Tanganyika is the world’s longest (660km), second-deepest (over 1436m) and second-largest by volume freshwater lake. At somewhere between nine and 13 million years old, it’s also one of the oldest. Thanks to its age and ecological isolation it’s home to an exceptional number of endemic fish, including 98% of the 250-plus species of cichlids. Popular aquarium fish due to their bright colours, the cichlids make Tanganyika an outstanding snorkelling and diving destination.
Kigoma is the only proper town on the Tanzanian side, although small, rarely visited settlements line the scenic shoreline. If you have time to only explore one, the old mission station of Kipili makes an ideal destination, with its evocative hilltop ruins of an 1880s church (3km north of town) backed by wonderful lake views. Kipili is also the site of the universally praised Lake Shore Lodge & Campsite (%0763 993166; www.lakeshoretz.com; camping US$14, banda s/d full board US$160/240, chalet s/d full board US$345/490; pW), which offers chalets, cosy bandas, camping with spotless amenities, kayaking, quad biking, mountain biking, diving, village tours, island dinners and more. The lodge makes an ideal combination with Katavi and Mahale Mountains National Parks, and staff can take you to both using their own trucks and boats.
To reach Kipili from Sumbawanga, take a bus towards Kirando and get off at Katongoro (Tsh10,000, five hours). Walk the remaining 5km to Kipili or wait for a passing vehicle or ride on a motorbike (Tsh7000). Lake Shore Lodge will pick up its guests here for US$5. From Mpanda, head first to Namanyere (Tsh15,000, four hours), where you can catch a passing vehicle towards Kipili.
Mahale Mountains National Park
It’s difficult to imagine a more idyllic combination: clear, blue waters and white-sand beaches backed by lushly forested mountains soaring straight out of Lake Tanganyika, plus some of the continent’s most intriguing wildlife watching. Like Gombe, Mahale is most notable as a chimpanzee sanctuary, and there are about 900 of our primate relatives residing in and around the park, with leopard, blue duiker, black-and-white colobus, giant pangolin and many Rift Valley bird species not found elsewhere in Tanzania keeping them company. There are also hippos, crocs and otters in the lake, and lions, elephants, buffaloes and giraffes roaming the savannah of Mahale's difficult-to-reach eastern half.
Entry to Mahale Mountains National Park (%0789 045090; www.mahalepark.org; h6am-6pm) is at Bilenge park headquarters in the park’s northwestern corner, about 10 minutes by boat south of the airstrip and 20 minutes north of Kasiha, site of the park bandas and guides’ residences. Another park office, next to the airstrip, where fly-in guests can pay their entry fees, is open to coincide with flight arrivals on Monday and Thursday. As there’s no phone service in the park, all advanced arrangements are done online via www.mahalepark.org.
There are no roads in Mahale; walking and boating along the shoreline are the only ways to get around. Children under seven years aren’t permitted to enter the forest.
MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Why Go Up-close encounters with chimpanzees; stunning scenery with mountains rising up from the lakeshore.
When to Go Open year-round, but March to mid-May is too wet to enjoy it. June through October are the easiest (driest) months for hiking up the steep slopes.
Practicalities There are no roads to the park. Most visitors fly but various boats, including the historic MV Liemba, go from Kigoma, Kipili and other lakeshore towns.
Budget Tips Travel with the MV Liemba ferry, stay in the park bandas and self-cater for a budget visit to Mahale.
4Sleeping
Mango Tree BandasBUNGALOW
(%0789 045090; per person US$40)
The lovely Mango Tree bandas are some of the better park-run bandas in Tanzania. They're set about 100m in from the shore and while they lack the lake views of the private camps, their position in the forest means the night sounds are wonderful.
Kungwe Beach LodgeTENTED CAMP
(%0732 978879; www.mbalimbali.com; s/d all inclusive excl alcohol US$890/1430; hmid-May–mid-Feb; W)
This is a wonderfully low-key and enjoyable luxury camp with beautifully appointed safari tents (think big four-poster beds, weathered storage chests and piping-hot showers) hidden under beach-fringed trees. The centrepiece of the camp is the dhow-shaped dining area. The price includes daily chimp tracking and a boat safari.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Safari Airlink (www.flysal.com) and Zantas Air (%0778 434343) fly to Mahale twice weekly, the former from Dar es Salaam and the latter from Arusha, assuming enough passengers. Zantas continues to Kigoma, but doesn’t fly in the other direction. All flights stop at Katavi National Park en route. Expect to pay approximately US$930 one way from Dar, US$825 one way from Arusha and US$360 one way between Mahale and Katavi National Parks.
If you’ve booked with one of the lodges, a boat will meet your flight. Otherwise, arrange a boat in advance with park headquarters.
Boat
Charter Boat
In Kigoma, Mbali Mbali charges US$2950 for a speedboat to Mahale (four to five hours).
Lake Taxi
Lake taxis head south from Ujili to Kalilani (Tsh7000), 2km north of park headquarters, most days of the week around 5pm to 6pm. The trip often takes more than a day. Generally they depart from Kalilani around noon. Park staff know what’s up with the boats, so they can advise you on days and times.
One option to make the journey more bearable is take a Saratoga bus from Kigoma to Sigunga (Tsh7000, 11am, six to seven hours) and wait for the lake taxi there. Sigunga to Kalilani usually takes seven to eight hours. You could also have the park boat pick you up in Sigunga; it’s two hours to headquarters. Sigunga has a basic guesthouse.
There are also a couple of weekly boats heading north from Kalema (Tsh20,000) or nearby Ikola each evening for an even choppier journey than the one from Kigoma. It can take anywhere from 12 to 36 hours depending on the winds. They head south from Kalilani about 3pm.
MV Liemba
It’s hard to beat the satisfyingly relaxing journey to Mahale via ferry. The MV Liemba stops at Lagosa (also called Mugambo) to the north of the park (US$35/30/25 in 1st/2nd/economy class), about 10 hours from Kigoma. Under normal scheduling, it reaches Lagosa around 3am whether coming from the north (Thursday) or south (Sunday). With the frequent delays, southern arrivals present a good chance of passing the park during daylight, which makes for a very beautiful trip. It has often been out of service, though hopefully things will be better after the substantial overhaul it received in 2014. Services are every second week.
You can arrange in advance for a park boat (holding eight people with luggage) to meet the Liemba. It’s one hour from the Liemba to the bandas, including stopping to register and pay at headquarters. The journey costs Tsh240,000. Chartering a fisherman's boat for the trip costs somewhat less. Lagosa has a basic guesthouse where you can wait for the Liemba after leaving the park.
Tanapa Boat
With a bit of luck you can travel for free on the park boat. Park staff travel to Kigoma several times a month and if space is available they’ll take passengers. This is usually only possible when leaving the park since on the trip from Kigoma the boat will be carrying supplies. The Gombe/Mahale Visitors Information Centre in Kigoma knows when boats are travelling.
Mpanda
This small and somewhat scruffy town is a major transit point. Historically it was a significant trade hub and there are still many Arab businessmen living here.
The post office has reliable internet and the CRDB bank has an internationally linked ATM.
4Sleeping & Eating
New Super City HotelHOTEL
(%0763 728903; d/tw Tsh15,000-18,000; p)
The hottest place in town has huge rooms with sofas, as well as some wear and tear, instant hot showers and an okay in-house restaurant. It’s at the southern roundabout.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
Mpanda’s bus station is east of the Sumbawanga road, near the southern roundabout, but most companies have ticket offices near the half-built Moravian church in the town centre, and their buses actually start there before going to the station.
Sumry serves Sumbawanga (Tsh15,000, five to six hours) via Sitalike (Tsh3000, 45 minutes); NBS and Air Bus go to Tabora (Tsh20,000, eight hours) twice weekly; and Adventure goes daily to Kigoma (Tsh20,000, eight to 10 hours).
Train
A branch of the Central Line connects Mpanda with Tabora (Tsh27,500/21,200/11,100 in 1st/2nd/economy class) via Kaliua at 4pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. If you’re heading to Kigoma from Mpanda, you’ll need to spend at least one night in Tabora. You can wait for the Kigoma connection at Kaliua, but as there are only simple guesthouses and little to do, most travellers wait at Tabora.
Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park (adult/child US$30/10; h6am-6pm), 35km southwest of Mpanda, is Tanzania’s third-largest national park and one of its most unspoiled wilderness areas. The park's predominant feature is the 425 sq km Katisunga Plain. Small rivers and large swamps that last all year support huge populations of hippos and crocodiles, and Katavi has over 400 bird species. The park comes to life in the dry season, when the floodplains dry up and herds of buffaloes, elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, elands, topis and many others gather at the remaining waters.
Walking safaris (short/long US$20/25 per group) with an armed ranger and bush camping (US$50 per person plus walking fee) are permitted. Payments for entry fees and all activities should be made at park headquarters, which are located 1km south of Sitalike, or at the Ikuu Ranger Post near the main airstrip.
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Why Go Outstanding dry season wildlife watching. Rugged and remote wilderness ambience.
When to Go August through October is best for seeing large herds of wildlife. February through May is very wet and most camps close.
Practicalities Drive in or bus from Mpanda or Sumbawanga; fly in from Ruaha National Park or Arusha.
Budget Tips Katavi is one of Tanzania's more budget-friendly parks. Take a bus to Sitalike, stay in budget accommodation there or camp in the park, and then do a walking or vehicle safari.
4Sleeping
In the Park
There are two public¨campsites (camping US$30), one at Ikuu near Katisunga Plain and the other 2km south of Sitalike. Both get a lot of wildlife walking through. Bring all food and drink with you.
Katavi Park BandasBUNGALOWS
(katavi@tanzaniaparks.com; r per person US$30; p)
This is 2km south of the village and within park boundaries (so you need to pay park entry fees when staying here). The rooms are big, bright and surprisingly good. Zebras, giraffes and other animals are frequent visitors.
Sitalike
Most backpackers stay at this little village on the northern edge of the park. There are a couple of small restaurants and groceries. Most places to stay have electricity only in the first few hours of the night.
Kitanewa GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE
(%0767 837132; s/d Tsh15,000/16,000; p)
This fair-value spot by the bus-truck stop has adequate concrete-cube rooms with bucket showers and squat toilets. It only has electricity at night for the first few hours.
Riverside CampBUNGALOWS, CAMPGROUND
(%0767 754740; camping US$10, s/d US$30/60; p)
Aimed at park visitors, hence the high prices. Its best feature is the resident pod of hippos, but the bandas are decent enough and the owner is a trustworthy guy who can rent out a jeep for a safari. It only has electricity in the first few hours of the night.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Safari Airlink and Zantas Air fly twice a week to Ikuu Airstrip; the lodges will often let nonguests fly on their planes if space is available. All lodges provide free pick-up at Ikuu for their guests. If you aren’t staying at a lodge, arrange a vehicle or a ranger for walking before you arrive.
Bus
Buses and trucks between Mpanda and Sumbawanga can pick you up and drop you off in Sitalike or at park headquarters. Transport is fairly frequent in the mornings, but after lunch you may have to wait several hours for a vehicle to pass. Two dalla-dallas depart Sitalike for Mpanda (Tsh3000, 45 minutes) at dawn and return at noon and 4pm. If you’re driving, the only petrol stations are in Mpanda and Sumbawanga.
Sumbawanga
While there’s little reason to make the peppy and pleasant capital of the Rukwa region a destination in itself, anyone travelling through western Tanzania is likely to pass through, and most who do enjoy their time here. There are two ATMs on the main road and some internet cafes.
Bethlehem Tourism Information Centre (%0784 704343; charlesnkuba450@hotmail.com; Mpanda Rd; h7am-10pm) can help with excursions in the surrounding area.
4Sleeping & Eating
Libori CentreHOTEL
(%0757 494225; r Tsh15,000-25,000; p)
This church-run place has rooms that are essentially clean and are very quiet and secure. Besides the addition of a chair, we couldn't see any discernible difference between the cheapest and most expensive rooms. A very basic breakfast is included. It's close to the bus station.
Holland HotelHOTEL
(%0786 553753; r Tsh45,000; p)
Unexpectedly swish for such a dusty little place, the Holland Hotel, which is close to the bus station, offers big, airy, bright rooms with desks and, unfortunately, an awful lot of noise. The downstairs restaurant might not be the best place to eat in town, but it's certainly the nicest. Secure parking is available.
8Getting There & Away
Numerous bus companies operate out of Sumbawanga and most ticket offices are located just outside the bus station. Most buses depart between 7am and 9.30am. Buses go to:
AMbeya (Tsh16,000 to Tsh17,000, seven hours) Via Tunduma.
AMpanda (Tsh15,000, five to six hours)
To get to Kasesya on the Zambian border there are two dalla-dallas daily (Tsh10,000, four to five hours).
Southern Highlands
Tanzania’s Southern Highlands officially begin at Makambako Gap, about halfway between Iringa and Mbeya, and extend southwards into Malawi. Here, the term encompasses the entire region along the mountainous chain running between Morogoro in the east and Lake Nyasa and the Zambian border in the west.
The highlands are a major transit route for travellers to Malawi or Zambia. They are also wonderfully scenic and a delight to explore, with rolling hills, lively markets, jacaranda-lined streets, lovely lodges and plenty of wildlife.
Morogoro
Pop 286,000
Morogoro would be a fairly scruffy town were it not for its verdant setting at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains, which brood over the landscape from the southeast. Hiking is one of the main attractions.
Morogoro
2Activities, Courses & Tours
DON'T MISS
CHILUNGA CULTURAL TOURISM PROGRAM
Chilunga Cultural TourismCULTURAL TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0754 477582, 023-261 3323; www.chilunga.or.tz; Rwegasore Rd)
Organises day and overnight excursions around Morogoro, including village visits, hikes and Mikumi safaris. Its programs are a good introduction to local life. Prices run from US$25 per person per day for short excursions up to about US$75 per person per day for multi-day hikes, including transport, guide, and village and forest fees.
4Sleeping
Princess Plaza Lodge & RestaurantGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
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; %0754 319159; Mahenge St; d Tsh30,000; aW)
Princess is a basic guesthouse with small no-frills rooms, all with hot water, air-con, fan and free wi-fi access. Some have interior windows only. There are no nets, but rooms are sprayed daily. Downstairs is an inexpensive local-style restaurant. It's one block in from the main road, and a five minute walk from the dalla-dalla stand in the town centre.
Amabilis CentreHOSTEL
(
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; %0716 880717, 0719 348959; amabilis.conferencecentre@yahoo.com; Old Dar es Salaam Rd; s Tsh20,000, s/tw without bathroom Tsh15,000/20,000; p)
This church-run place on the northeastern edge of town offers small, spotless rooms in a multistorey building surrounded by small green gardens. All rooms have fan, net and hot water, and meals are available with advance order. Dalla-dallas heading towards Bigwa will drop you in front, or take a taxi from Msamvu bus stand (Tsh5000).
5Eating
Pira’s SupermarketSUPERMARKET
(
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; Lumumba St; h10am-6pm)
For self-catering, try this well-stocked supermarket.
8Information
Internet CafeINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; off Lumumba St; per hour Tsh2000; h8am-10pm Sun-Fri, 7-10pm Sat)
Ask for Pira's Supermarket; this tiny internet cafe is just around the corner.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Due to increasing road congestion getting in and out of Dar es Salaam, the five weekly flights to/from Morogoro (one way US$100) with Auric Air (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.auricair.com; Old Dar es Salaam Rd) are an increasingly attractive alternative to the bus for travellers in a hurry.
Bus
The main bus station is 3km north of town on the main Dar es Salaam road, about 300m east of Msamvu roundabout (Tsh5000 in a taxi and Tsh400 in a dalla-dalla). No larger buses originate in Morogoro. Buses from Dar es Salaam going southwest towards Mikumi and Iringa begin passing Morogoro about 9am (Tsh6000 to Tsh7000, four hours Dar to Morogoro; Tsh13,000 to Tsh15000, three to four hours Morogoro to Iringa). To Tanga, there’s a direct bus daily (Tsh6000, five hours), departing by 8am.
The main dalla-dalla stand is in front of the market, where there is also a taxi rank.
Train
Morogoro is on the Central Line. Service was suspended at the time of research. When functional, arrivals from Dar es Salaam are generally about 10pm.
Mikumi National Park
Mikumi (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.tanzaniaparks.com/mikumi.html; adult/child US$30/10) is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park. It’s also the most accessible from Dar es Salaam. With almost guaranteed wildlife sightings, it makes an ideal safari destination for those without much time. Mikumi hosts buffaloes, wildebeests, giraffes, elephants, lions, zebras, leopards, crocodiles and more, and chances are high that you’ll see a respectable sampling of these within a short time of entering the park.
To the south, Mikumi is contiguous with Selous Game Reserve.
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
Why Go Easy access from Dar es Salaam; rewarding year-round wildlife watching and birding.
When to Go Year-round.
Practicalities Drive or bus from Dar es Salaam. Entry fees (valid for 24 hours, single entry only) are payable only with a Visa or MasterCard. Driving hours inside the park (off the main highway) are 6.30am to 6.30pm.
Budget Tips Any bus along the highway will drop you at the gate. The park doesn't hire vehicles, but staff sometimes rent theirs. Arrange at the gate and be prepared to bargain. For sleeping, the park cottages are cheap and pleasant, with a dining room for meals. Post-safari: flag down an Iringa- or Dar-bound bus to continue your travels. More reliable (less risk of disappointment if vehicle negotiations don't work out with park staff): hire a safari vehicle through hotels listed under Mikumi town (about US$200 per five-person vehicle for a full-day safari). Bring your own lunch and drinks.
4Sleeping & Eating
The park has four campsites (camping US$30). The two closest to the park headquarters have toilet facilities and one has a shower. There is a special campsite (camping US$50) near Choga Wale in the north of the park.
Mikumi Park Cottages & ResthouseCOTTAGES
(%0767 536135, 0689 062334; mikumi@tanzaniaparks.com; s/d/tr US$50/75/90; pa)
About 3km from the gate, the park cottages and resthouse offer rooms in attached brick bungalows, all with bathroom, fan and air-con, and meals on order (Tsh10,000 per plate) at the nearby dining hall. The resthouse, which consists of two double rooms sharing an entrance, also has a kitchen (bring your own gas). Animals frequently wander just in front.
Mikumi Wildlife CampLODGE
(Kikoboga; %0684 886306, 022-260 0252/3/4; www.mikumiwildlifecamp.com; s/d half board US$218/384; ps)
This camp, about 500m northeast of the park gate, has attractive stone cottages with shaded verandahs and views over a grassy field frequented by grazing zebras and impalas. Given its proximity to the highway, it’s not a wilderness experience, but the animals don’t seem to mind and you’ll probably see plenty from your porch. Vehicle rental is only possible with advance notice.
8Getting There & Around
Bus
All through-buses on the Dar es Salaam–Mbeya highway will drop you at the park gate. Pick-ups can also be arranged from here to continue your onward journey. While vehicle rental can sometimes be arranged privately with park staff, it's better to arrive with your own vehicle or hire one through a Mikumi town hotel.
Car
The 145km road linking Mikumi’s main gate with Kisaki village (21km west of Selous’ Matambwe Gate) is now open except during the heavy rains, and makes a scenic 4WD alternative; allow about five hours between the two.
Mikumi
Mikumi is the last of the lowland towns along the Dar es Salaam–Mbeya highway before it starts its climb through the Ruaha River gorge up into the hills of the Southern Highlands, and it is of interest almost exclusively as a transit point for visits to Mikumi or Udzungwa Mountains National Parks.
4Sleeping & Eating
Genesis MotelGUESTHOUSE
(%0653 692127, 0716 757707; udzungwamountainviewhotel@yahoo.com; camping US$5, r per person with/without air-con US$40/30; pa)
The functional Genesis, on the highway 2.5km east of the Ifakara junction, has small, closely spaced rooms (ask for a newer one), a restaurant and an attached snake park (admission US$5). One room has air-con. There's also a small, walled-in camping area with hot-water showers and nearby kitchen. Vehicle rental costs US$150/180 per day for Udzungwa/Mikumi parks; advance notice is required.
8Getting There & Away
Mikumi’s bus stand is at the western end of town on the main highway. For Udzungwa Mountains National Park, wait for one of the large Dar es Salaam to Ifakara buses, which begin passing Mikumi about 11am, going directly to Udzungwa's Mang'ula headquarters (Tsh6000, two hours) and on to Ifakara.
Going west, buses from Dar es Salaam begin passing Mikumi en route to Iringa (Tsh7000, three hours) from about 9.30am. Going east, there are large buses to Dar es Salaam (Tsh12,000 to Tsh13,000, 4½ hours) departing at 6.30am and 7.30am.
Iringa
Pop 151,350
Perched at a cool 1600m on a cliff overlooking the valley of the Little Ruaha River, Iringa was initially built up by the Germans at the turn of the 20th century as a bastion against the local Hehe people. Now it’s a district capital, an important agricultural centre and the gateway for visiting Ruaha National Park. It’s also a likeable place, with its bluff-top setting, healthy climate and highland feel and is well worth a stop.
Iringa
2Activities, Courses & Tours
1Sights
Market AreaMARKET
(
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)
Iringa’s market is piled high with fruits and vegetables, plus other wares, including large-weave, locally made Iringa baskets. On its southern edge, in front of the police station, is a monument (
MAP
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) honouring Africans who fell during the Maji Maji uprising between 1905 and 1907. West along this same street is the main trading area, dominated by the German-built Ismaili Mosque (
MAP
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) with its distinctive clock tower.
Commonwealth War Graves CemeteryCEMETERY
(
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)
At the southeastern edge of town is this cemetery, with graves of the deceased from both world wars.
Neema CraftsCRAFT CENTRE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0783760945; www.neemacrafts.com; Hakimu St; h8.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat)S
This vocational training centre for young deaf and disabled people is operated by the Anglican church and sells beautiful crafts, handmade paper and cards, jewellery, quilts, clothing, batiks and more. Behind the craft shop is a weaving workshop, and adjoining is a popular cafe. Free tours of the workshops can be arranged. It’s just southeast of the Clock Tower roundabout. Highly recommended.
TTours
Warthog Adventures TanzaniaTOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0688 322888, 0718 467742, 026-270 1988; www.warthogadventures.com; Uhuru Ave)
With well-maintained vehicles, this is a good contact for arranging excursions to Ruaha National Park. Safaris cost US$300 per vehicle for the first day, then US$200 for each subsequent day. It's at Iringa Info.
4Sleeping
Rivervalley CampsiteCAMPGROUND
(Riverside Campsite; %0782 507017, 026-270 1988; www.rivervalleycampsites.com; camping with own/hired tent US$6/10, d tents/cottages US$40/60; p)
Rivervalley has a lovely setting on the Little Ruaha River, expansive grounds, a large camping area, children's playground, twin-bedded tents, family cottages and tasty meals. It lies 13km northeast of Iringa; take an Ilula dalla-dalla to the signposted right-hand turn-off (Tsh1000), from where it’s 1.5km further down a dirt lane. Taxis charge Tsh15,000 to Tsh20,000 from town or Ipogoro bus stand.
Iringa Lutheran CentreGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0755 517445, 026-270 0722; www.iringalutherancentre.com; Kawawa Rd; s/d/tr/ste incl full breakfast US$25/45/50/60; pW)
This long-standing place has clean, quiet and pleasant twin and double-bedded rooms with bathrooms and hot water, and a restaurant. It’s on the northeastern edge of town, about 700m southeast of the main road.
Neema Umaki Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0683 380492, 0786 431274; www.neemacrafts.com; Hakimu St; dm/s/d/f Tsh18,000/25,000/45,000/65,000; W)S
This centrally located guesthouse has an array of clean, comfortable rooms, all with nets and TV (fans coming soon), plus a three-bed dorm. It adjoins Neema Crafts Centre, but rooms are in a quieter section towards the back of the complex. Turn east off Uhuru Ave at the Clock Tower and go down about 100m.
5Eating
Hasty Tasty TooTANZANIAN, INTERNATIONAL
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MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %026-270 2061; Uhuru Ave; meals from Tsh6000; h7.30am-8pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun; p)
This long-standing Iringa classic has good breakfasts, yoghurt, shakes and reasonably priced main dishes, plus an agreeable mix of local and expat clientele. You can get toasted sandwiches packed to go and arrange food for Ruaha camping safaris.
Neema Crafts Centre CafeCAFE
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MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %0683 380492; www.neemacrafts.com; Hakimu St; mains about Tsh6500; h8am-6.30pm Mon-Fri; W)S
Located upstairs at Neema Crafts Centre, this cafe is justifiably popular, with local coffees and teas, homemade cookies, cakes, soups, and a small selection of sandwiches and light meals. In one corner is a small library where you can read up on development projects in the area.
Ngow'o SupermarketSUPERMARKET
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MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Market St; h8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun)
This well-stocked supermarket is a good bet for self-caterers.
Mama Iringa Pizzeria & Italian RestaurantITALIAN
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GOOGLE MAP
; %0753 757007; mama.iringa@yahoo.com; Don Bosco Area; meals Tsh9000-15,000; hnoon-2.30pm & 5-9pm Tue-Sun; p)
Delicious Italian food – pizzas, gnocchi, lasagne and more, plus salads, served in the quiet courtyard of a former convent. It's about 3km from the town centre (Tsh5000 in a taxi). Take Mkwawa Rd to the Danish School junction and follow the signposts.
8Information
Iringa InfoTOURIST INFORMATION
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GOOGLE MAP
; %026-270 1988, 0782 507017; infoiringa@gmail.com; Uhuru Ave; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat)
A recommended first stop and a good place to get information on Ruaha safaris, reliable car rentals, town and village tours and excursions. It also has a cafe and a bookshop.
Neema Crafts Centre Internet CafeINTERNET
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MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Hakimu St; per hour Tsh2000; h8.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat)
8Getting There & Away
Air
There are almost daily flights on Auric Air between Iringa and Dar es Salaam (one way US$160). Book at Iringa Info. Iringa’s Nduli Airfield is about 12km out of town along the Dodoma Rd.
Bus
To catch any bus not originating in Iringa, you’ll need to go to the main bus station at Ipogoro, 3km southeast of town below the escarpment where the Morogoro–Mbeya highway bypasses Iringa (Tsh5000 in a taxi to/from town, though initial quotes are usually much higher). This is also where you’ll get dropped off if you’re arriving on a bus continuing towards Morogoro or Mbeya. Dalla-dallas to Ipogoro (Tsh400) leave from the Mashine Tatu (M/Tatu) area behind the town bus station, just off Uhuru Ave. The town bus station is the place to go for all buses originating in Iringa. These stop also at Ipogoro to pick up additional passengers.
To Dar es Salaam, JM Luxury goes daily, leaving from 7am onwards (Tsh20,000, seven to eight hours) from the town bus station; book in advance at the JM office behind the bus station.
To Mbeya, Chaula Express departs daily at 7am (Tsh12,000 to Tsh15,000, five hours). Otherwise, you can try to get a seat on one of the through-buses from Dar es Salaam that pass Iringa (Ipogoro bus station) from about 1pm.
To Njombe (Tsh8000 to Tsh9000, 3½ hours) and Songea (Tsh18,000, eight hours), Super Feo departs at 6am from the town bus station.
To Dodoma, Kimotco and several other lines depart daily from 6am (Tsh12,000, four hours), going via Nyangolo and Makatapora on a mostly tarmac, mostly good road.
8Getting Around
The main dalla-dalla stand (‘Myomboni’) is just down from the market and near the bus station. Taxi ranks are along the small road between the bus station and the market, and at the Ipogoro bus station. Fares from the town bus station to central hotels start at Tsh3000.
