Kilimanjaro Area
, Muty 1 3950m l gt v n I f f i Kilimanjaro International B Airport KIA Kilimanjaro International B Airport KIA A Kilimanjaro National Park Headquarters amp Marangu Gate 1980m is primarily a base for horse-riding safaris, but its guest cottages make a good break for nonriding partners who want to stay behind to relax. Meals are made with farm produce and served family-style together with the owners and an assorted menagerie of pets in the main farmhouse. Animal-lovers and nature enthusiasts...
Nzega
This small junction town is where the roads to Kahama and on to the Rwanda and Burundi borders and Singida branch off from the Mwanza-Tabora road, which from Nzega southward turns from good tarmac into rough dirt or mud, depending on the season . It's not a bad place to stop for the night, with a surprisingly decent guesthouse and a bustling market where you'll hear almost exclusively Nyamwezi and other local languages spoken, rather than Swahili. Note that if you're driving from Shinyanga,...
BUDGET Szc
In addition to the following listings, there are several basic guesthouses in the centre of town, all of about the same standard and all with no-frills rooms for about Tsh3000. A modest selection of supplies is available in Karatu, but if you're on a tight budget, it's cheaper to stock up in Arusha. ELCT Karatu Lutheran Hostel 027-253 4230 s d tr Tsh22,000 30,000 40,000 The Lutheran Hostel has simple, clean rooms with hot water, and good meals Tsh6000 . It's on the main road at the western end...
The Udzungwa Mountains
The Udzungwas' high degree of endemism and biodiversity is due, in large part, to the area's constant climate over millions of years, which has given species a chance to evolve. Another factor is the Udzungwas' altitudinal range. From the low-lying Kilombero Valley south of the park at approximately 200m to Luhombero Peak the park's highest point at 2579m , there is continuous forest, making this one of the few places in Africa with continuous rainforest over such a great span. Mwanihana Peak...
Sleeping Eating Ona
The park has four ordinary camp sites, for which you'll need to be self-sufficient. The two closest to the park headquarters have toilet facilities and one has a shower. There is a special camp site near Choga Wale in the north of the park permission to camp elsewhere can be requested from park headquarters and is charged at special camp-site rates. There is also a hostel for students, which must be reserved in advance through park headquarters bring your own food and other supplies. Better are...
North Of Pangani
Peponi Holiday Resort 0784-202962, 0713-540139 www.peponiresort.com camping per person US 4, s amp d bandas US 50, extra adult beds in family bandas US 20 This relaxing, traveller-friendly place is set in expansive bougainvillea-dotted grounds on a long, good beach about 19km north of Pangani. In addition to simple, breezy double bandas, there are several larger five-person chalets - all bandas and chalets have been recently refurbished - plus a shady camp site, clean ablution blocks and a...
Musoma
Pretty Musoma - capital of the Mara region -sits serenely on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria, in a lovely setting on a peninsula with both sunrise and sunset views over the water. With its bustling market, colourful fishing port and small-town pace, the town makes an agreeable stop for anyone travelling this way. Its streets, set out in a grid pattern, are lined by small shops and old single-storey Indian trading houses. The surrounding countryside, marked by low, green hills dotted with...
Info Jdq
Following a bloody coup on Zanzibar in which several thousand Zanzibaris were killed, Tanganyika and Zanzibar unite to form the United Republic of Tanzania. AID DARLING TO DELINQUENT amp BACK Post-Arusha Declaration Tanzania was the darling of the aid donor community. It was the largest recipient of foreign aid in sub-Saharan Africa throughout the 1970s and was the testing ground for every new-fangled development theory that came along. An army of expatriate advisors oversaw hundreds of...
Quick Eats
Forodhani Gardens Map p113 meals from Tsh1000 S dinner These waterside gardens p117 have great-value street food, with piles of grilled fish and meat, chips, snacks and more, all served on a paper plate or rolled into a piece of newspaper and eaten while sitting on benches or on the lawn. Locals advise against eating fish and meat during the height of the low season when food turnover is slower , but we've never heard of any problems. For inexpensive meals, try Passing Show Map p113 Malawi Rd...
BUS Tjt
The 'new' Tabora bus stand is along the extension of Market St, past NBC bank. Mohammed Trans Lumumba St has its own office and departure point, opposite the library. Mohammed Trans runs between Tabora and Mwanza, departing from Tabora daily at 6am and 10am Tsh10,000, hours . If you're heading east, you can disembark at Nzega which is also serviced daily by 4WDs , and then catch a bus on to Singida, though this means an overnight in Nzega. It's possible to drive between Tabora and Mbeya 4WD...
Midrange Upd
Lawn's Hotel 027-264 0005, 0784-420252 lawnstony yahoo.com camping per person with hot shower US 6, s d US 40 45 This Lushoto institution is full of charm, with vine-covered buildings surrounded by extensive green lawns and gardens, spacious, musty rooms with dark-wood floors, a fireplace, a small library and a bar. If the rooms could be given an airing out and staff given an injection of energy, it would be thoroughly recommendable. As it is though, it's one of the better bets for camping on...
Community Tourism Spotlight St Marys Mazinde Juu
Tucked away in the Usambara Mountains near Lushoto, in the tiny village of Mazinde Juu, is St Mary's Secondary School, an impressive educational success story. The school was founded in 1989 by a Benedictine missionary, based on the idea that Tanzania's long-term development can only be achieved through the education and empowerment of the country's women. The area around Mazinde Juu - long neglected and lagging behind much of the rest of the region economically -was an ideal place to put this...
Shopping Jwk
Stone Town has wonderfully atmospheric craft shopping, and - if you can sort your way through some of the kitsch - there are some excellent buys to be found. Items to watch for include finely crafted Zanzibari chests, kanga cotton wraps worn by women all over Tanzania , kikoi the thicker striped or plaid equivalent worn by men on Zanzibar and in other coastal areas , spices and handcrafted silver jewellery. A good place to start is Gizenga St, which is lined with small shops and craft dealers....
The Abushiri Revolt
Although the Abushiri revolt, one of East Africa's major colonial rebellions, is usually associated with Bagamoyo, Pangani was its birthplace. The catalyst came in 1884, when a young German, Carl Peters, founded the German East Africa Company Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft or DOAG . Over the next few years, in an effort to tap into the lucrative inland caravan trade, Peters managed to extract agreement from the Sultan of Zanzibar that the DOAG could take over the administration of customs...
MIDRANGE Rws
Orion Tabora Hotel 026-260 4369 cnr Boma amp Station Rds camping per person Tsh6000, s d Tsh36,000 48,000, ste s d from Tsh60,000 72,000 The old railway hotel has been nicely restored and provides very good value - a lovely and unexpected respite for anyone travelling in the region. All rooms - most spacious and all looking out onto the surrounding gardens - have TV and mosquito net, and there's also a good restaurant and a well-stocked bar. The hotel was originally built by a German baron as a...
Sleeping Eating Upa
Kimte Beach Inn 024-224 0212, 0777-430992 www .kimte.com dm US 15, d without with bathroom USS30 35 At the southern end of Jambiani, this chilled Rasta-run place has spotless rooms on the land side of the road about half a minute's walk from the beach , a good vibe, delicious meals, and a great beach bar with music and evening bonfires. Red Monkey Bungalows 024-224 0207, 024-223 5361 standard zitec.org s d tr USS25 40 50 Located at Jambiani's far southern end, this place has clean, agreeable...
Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti is where Africa's mystery, rawness and power surround you, and where the beauty and synchrony of nature can be experienced as in few other places. On its vast, treeless plains, one of earth's most impressive natural cycles plays itself out again and again, as tens of thousands of hoofed animals, driven by primeval rhythms of survival, move constantly in search of fresh grasslands. The most famous, and the most numerous, are the wildebeests - of which there are more than one...
Kolokondoa Rock Art Sites
The district of Kondoa, especially around the tiny village of Kolo, lies at the centre of one of the most impressive - and most overlooked -collections of ancient rock paintings on the African continent. For anyone with a bent for the offbeat and tolerance for a bit of rugged travel, the rock art sites make an intriguing and worthwhile detour. The history of most of the paintings remains shrouded in mystery, with little known about either their artists or their age. While some of the paintings...
The Gourmet Trail
Staying at upmarket safari camps and hotels, you'll dine well. But for independent travellers or those on a limited budget, a diet of ugali a staple made from maize or cassava flour, or both and sauce quickly gets tiresome. Following are places to break your trip if you're craving something Lushoto - Homemade jam, wholegrain bread and cheese from Irente Farm p171 and the Montessori sisters at St Eugene's Hostel p173 Njombe - Delicious homemade cheeses at the Duka la Maziwa p290 Iringa to...
Iringa To Makambako
From Iringa, the Tanzam highway continues southwest, winding its way gradually up, past dense stands of pine, before reaching the junction town of Makambako. Kisolanza - The Old Farm House www.kisolanza.com camping per person with hot showers US 4, tw stables chalets USS20 25, d f cottages US 45 55, luxury cottage per person with half board US 75 is a gracious 1930s farm homestead fringed by stands of pine and rolling hill country about 50km southwest of Iringa and just off the highway. It...
Around Mwanza
If you're interested in learning about Sukuma culture, the Sukuma Museum amp Bujora Cultural Centre http photo.net sukuma admission Tsh3000 S 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, 1-6pm Sun makes a worthwhile day trip from Mwanza. The centrepiece is an open-air museum where, among other things, you'll see traditional Sukuma dwellings, the house of a traditional healer, a wooden trough used for rainmaking potions and a blacksmith's house and tools. There is also a large map showing the old Sukuma kingdoms, and...
Mlalo
Set in a valley cut through by the Umba River, Mlalo is an incongruous place with a Wild West feel, a modest selection of basics and a guesthouse. Nearby is Kitala Hill, home of one of the Usambara subchiefs. The walk between Mlalo and Mtae five to six hours, 21km is beautiful, passing by terraced hillsides, picturesque villages and patches of forest. Afilfx Guest House r without bathroom Tsh3000 in the town centre has no-frills rooms with shared bucket showers and meals. Lutheran Mission r...
The Haya
Bukoba is the heartland of the Haya people, and if you spend much time here, you'll undoubtedly make their acquaintance. The Haya, which today is one of Tanzania's largest tribes, also played a prominent role throughout the country's history. It had one of the most highly developed early societies on the continent, and by the 18th or 19th century was organised into eight different states or kingdoms. Each of these was headed by a powerful and often despotic mukama who ruled in part by divine...
The Zaramo World View
The original inhabitants of the area around Dar es Salaam are the Zaramo, known for their skilled woodworking and for their creation beliefs. In the beginning, according to the Zaramo, was Nyalutanga, the common mother from whom springs forth all life and knowledge. Nyalutanga herself had no creator and no husband, but rather emerged from the female earth, later bringing forth a line of daughters, from whom all Zaramo are descended. Men fit into the picture as nourishers of the female creative...
Trekking Areas
The following are pocket summaries of Tanzania's main trekking and hiking areas. For more on each, see the destination chapters. For more information on treks, see Lonely Planet's Trekking in East Africa. This is Africa's highest mountain 5869m and Tanzania's most famous trek, with a choice of routes, all making their way from the forested lower slopes to moorland and alpine zones to the snow- and glacier-covered summit. There are also many walks on Kilimanjaro's lower slopes, of interest for...
Mexons Cliff Hotel Njombe
Lutheran Centre Guest House 026-278 2118 r without bathroom Tsh3000, s Tsh5000 No-frills rooms in a small compound one block off the main street and diagonally behind and south of the Lutheran church. It's about a 10-minute walk from the bus stand. Meals can be arranged with advance order. Milimani Hotel Songea Rd s d Tsh6000 8000 Bare and drab, but things are reasonably clean and the price isn't bad. It's at the southern end of town, near the Lutheran church. Chani Motel 026-278 2357,...
Sleeping Cda
Gift Guest House 023-220 2462 cnr Market amp Makonde Sts s d without bathroom Tsh3000 4000 Just down Market St from Malaika, and a decent, albeit considerably more basic, alternative. Rooms have mosquito nets and fans there's no food. Hotel Nankolowa 023-220 2727 Rutamba St s d Tsh5000 10,000, r without bathroom Tsh3500 Basic, tiny rooms with fan, net and continental breakfast. It's about 400m southwest of the market. Adela Guest House 023-220 2310 Ghana St r Tsh10,000 Not to be confused with...
MIDRANGE Gep
Kibo Hotel 027-275 1308 www.kibohotel.com camping per person US 5, s d US 42 66 The Kibo, well over 100 years old, is where Hans Meyer stayed overnight before starting his famous first ascent of Kilimanjaro. Another prominent guest in more recent times was Jimmy Carter. Now the hotel is well past its prime, but the wooden flooring, large paned windows and surrounding gardens make it an atmospheric choice, and the rooms - albeit rustic - are quite spacious. It's about 1.5km west of the main...
Camping 1
There is a public camp site near park headquarters with basic toilet and shower facilities, and about 12 special camp sites, all in the upper-eastern and upper-western areas, near Matete, Burungi and Kitibong. You'll need to book these in advance, and be completely self-sufficient. Other options Lake View Campsite 027-254 4057 www.bobby camping.com camping per person US 7 Several kilometres northeast of Kwa Kuchinja and west of the Makuyuni road with camping overlooking Lake Manyara in the...
SLEEPING EATING Tok
Twiga Campsite amp Lodge 027-253 9101 twigacamp site hotmail.com camping per person US 5, new d tr US 60 63, old d tr without bathroom US 30 45 A popular place set in a large compound along the main road, with cooking facilities, restaurant, ablution blocks with hot and cold water and newer rooms in attached blocks. Car hire to visit Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Conservation Area costs US 140 per day, including petrol and driver, and bike rental can be arranged. Jambo Lodge amp Campsite 027-253...
Operators
A good operator is the single most important variable for your safari, and it's worth spending time thoroughly researching those you're considering. The following are recommended companies, although the lists are by no means exclusive. Many northern circuit operators also organise trekking, and vice versa see p54 for trekking operators. An increasing number of private ie non-chain lodges also have in-house operators and if you'll be combining several parks in the same area, this is a good...
AROUND LUSHOTO Mtae
Tiny Mtae is perched on a cliff about 55km northwest of Lushoto, with fantastic 270-degree views over the Tsavo Plains and down to Mkomazi Game Reserve. It makes a good destination if you only have time to visit one village from Lushoto. Just to the southeast of Mtae is Shagayu Peak 2220m , one of the highest peaks in the Usambara Mountains. In addition to its many hiking paths, the area is also known for its traditional healers. Staff at the Lutheran church will usually allow you to camp on...
BUS Mwd
A bus Upendo and Shanila lines alternate on the route goes daily between Iringa and Tungamalenga village, departing Iringa at 1pm and Tungamalenga from the village bus stand, just before Tungamalenga Camp at 5am Tsh3000, five to six hours . From Tungamalenga, there is no onward transport to the park, other than rental vehicles arranged in advance through the camps along the Tungamalenga road, and there is no vehicle rental once at Ruaha, unless you've arranged for a vehicle safari in advance...
Lake Tanganyika 1
Lake Tanganyika is the world's longest 670km and second-deepest over 1400m fresh-water lake. At somewhere between nine and 12 million years old, it is also one of the oldest lakes on the planet and, thanks to its age and ecological isolation, is home to an exceptional variety of fish. Most notable are its colourful cichlids, many of which are found nowhere else, and which make for some wonderful snorkelling in the lake's clear waters. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the lake was a...
St Pauls Church
If you happen to be in the Majengo area of Mtwara, it's worth stopping in at St Paul's church to view its remarkable artwork. The entire front and side walls are covered with richly coloured biblical scenes painted by a German Benedictine priest, Polycarp Uehlein. The paintings, which took about two years to complete, are part of a series by the same artist decorating churches throughout southern Tanzania and in a few other areas of the country, including churches in Nyangao, Lindi, Malolo,...
Sleeping Eating
Camping per person US 5 is possible at both Zigi and Amani with your own tent and supplies. The Amani Conservation Centre 027-264 0313 anr twiga.com runs two guesthouses the Amani Conservation Centre Rest House r without bathroom Tsh10,000 at Amani and the Zigi Rest House r Tsh10,000 at Zigi. Both are reasonably good, with hot water for bathing and filtered water for drinking. The rooms at Zigi have bathrooms and are large all with three twin beds and marginally more comfortable, while the...
Sleeping Eating Qdj
Kilimanjaro Village Inn 023-262 0429 bill_willynm 2003 yahoo.co.uk Main Highway s d Tsh6000 8000, without bathroom Tsh3000 4000 A good shoestring choice, with clean, no-frills rooms with nets and most with fan, and meals for about Tsh3500. It's a bit away from the main truck park area, set back from the road about 1km east of the Ifakara junction and just west of the railway tracks. Mikumi Health Centre Guest House St Kizito 023-262 0421, 0784-402765 mikumi raha.com camping per person Tsh4000,...
BOAT Ohu
The unsteady Mudasi - primarily a cargo ship that also takes passengers - sails three times weekly between Wete and Tanga, departing from Wete at 8am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday three to five hours , and Tanga at 3pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Wete is also the best place on Pemba to look for a dhow to the mainland, although captains are often unwilling to take foreigners. Inquire at the Wete port passage costs about Tsh5000 between Wete and Tanga. There are also sporadic dhows between...
Sleeping Budget
Mohammed's Restaurant amp Bungalows 0777431881 r per person without bathroom US 15 This establishment has four very basic en suite bungalows, each with two large beds, just back from the beach. Grilled fish and other local meals can be arranged. Matemwe Minazini per person US 20 At the far southern end of the beach, this very chilled place has a handful of very basic rooms and meals. The setup is nothing special, but the price is about as good as it gets on Matemwe. Sele's 0777-413449 d US 40...
Travel Agencies
All of the following can help with flight bookings, organising trips to Rubondo Island and Serengeti National Parks, and car hire. Prices for 4WD rental start at about US 120 per day plus petrol. For a two-day, one-night return trip to Seronera in Serengeti National Park, transport only, expect to pay from US 350 per vehicle four to six persons including petrol. It's not that easy to meet other travellers in Mwanza, so organising a Serengeti safari from here works best if you're already in a...
Toilets
Toilets vary from standard long-drops to full-flush luxury conveniences that spring up in the most unlikely places. Almost all midrange and top-end hotels sport flushable sit-down types, although at the lower end of the price range, toilet seats are a rare commodity. Budget guesthouses often have squat-style toilets -sometimes equipped with a flush mechanism, otherwise with a scoop and a bucket of water for flushing things down. Toilets with running water are a rarity outside major hotels. If...
Great Cups Of Coffee
Despite Tanzania's many coffee plantations, it can be difficult to find a cup of the real stuff. Here are our picks for some of the best cups of locally produced kahawa, or coffee let us know of others. Jambo's Coffee House, Arusha p201 Stone Town Caf , Zanzibar Town p125 Msumbi, Zanzibar Town p125 branches at Seacliff Village in Dar es Salaam and at the TFA Shoprite Centre in Arusha Utengule Country Hotel, Mbeya p293 Zanzibar Coffee House, Zanzibar Town p125 Tanzania Coffee Lounge, Moshi p186...
Getting There Away Wwh
Arusha National Park gate is 35km from Arusha. Take the main road between Arusha and Moshi until you reach the signboard, where you turn left. From here, it's about 10km to Ngongongare Gate, where you pay your fees. This is also where the road divides, with both forks joining up again at Momela Gate. Transport from Arusha can be arranged with all of the lodges about US 100 per vehicle for a drop, and up to double this for an all-inclusive one-day safari . If you arrive at the park without your...
Tanzania Coffee
Together with Bukoba, Moshi is one of Tanzania's coffee-growing centres, and it's this aromatic bean that has together with trekking, in more recent years kept the town's economy alive for much of the past century. Coffee, which is said to have originated in southwestern Ethiopia, came to Tanzania around the turn of the 19th century, after being introduced by Jesuit missionaries from R union. During the British colonial era, the industry flourished, with the formation of successful...
GETTING THERE AWAY Wro
The entry point into Lukwika-Lumesule is about 2.5km southwest of Mpombe village on the northeastern edge of the reserve, and reached via Nangomba village, 40km west of Masasi. To reach Msangesi from Masasi, follow the Tunduru road west to the Masasi airfield. Turn right, and continue to Chingulungulu, the last village before the reserve. There is no regular public transport to either reserve, although you may occasionally be able to get a lift with a vehicle from the reserve warden's office in...