Activities in Tanzania
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Masumin Tours & Safaris
Masumin Tours & Safaris
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Maasai Wanderings
A small company offering northern Tanzania safaris and treks, including safaris for families and seniors, plus Zanzibar packages; profits are channelled into various community projects.
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Duma Explorer
Northern Tanzania safaris, Kilimanjaro and Meru treks, northern Tanzania cultural tours and safari-coast combinations.
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Hiking
The western Usambaras around Lushoto offer some wonderful walking. Routes follow well-worn footpaths that weave among villages, cornfields and banana plantations, and range from a few hours to several days.
It's easy to hike on your own, though you'll need to master a few basic Swahili phrases and should also try to get a topographical map of the area from the Surveys & Mapping Division sales office in Dar es Salaam or carefully study the ones posted on the walls of the two tourist information centres.
Carrying a compass or GPS is a good idea. You should also either carry a tent or plan your route to go via the handful of villages where local guesthouses are available.
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Mr Mitu's Office
Organise spice tours through your hotel, a travel agent, the Tourist Information Office or through the long-standing Mr Mitu's office, although the tours are no longer led by Mr Mitu, and don't differ significantly from those organised elsewhere, other than perhaps being more crowded. The office is signposted near Ciné Afrique. Costs for all tours include a lunch of local food seasoned with some of the spices you've just seen.
They depart about 09:30 and return by about 14:30 (later, if a stop at Mangapwani beach is included). It's best to book a day in advance (you will be collected from your hotel), though it's usually no trouble to just show up in the morning. If you…
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Lushoto-Mtae Walk
There's a lovely three- to four-day hike from Lushoto to Mtae through stands of pine and past cornfields, villages and patches of wild asters, a five-day walk to Amani Nature Reserve, plus many other possibilities. The tourist information centres have wall maps detailing some of the routes, and several hikes are described in detail in Lonely Planet's Trekking in East Africa.
Nearby villages where accommodation is available include Bumbuli (with rooms at the old Lutheran mission hospital guesthouse for around TSh100), Lukozi (local guesthouse rooms for about around TSh2000), Rangwi (basic rooms in a lovely setting at the local convent), Mtae (local guesthouses) and Mlalo…
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Irente Viewpoint Walk & Irente Farm
An easy walk is the Irente Viewpoint Walk (about 1½ hours return), which begins on the road running southwest from the Anglican church and leads gradually uphill to the viewpoint, with wide views on clear days. It's impressive to see how abruptly the Usambaras rise up from the plains below.
En route is Irente Farm (;08:00-17:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Sat & Sun), where you can buy fresh cheese (they're in stiff but good-natured competition with the nearby Montessori Centre - buy some cheese at both and judge for yourself), home-made rye bread and granola, and also get accommodation.
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Safari Blue Menai Bay Dhow Tours
For something different, contact Safari Blue Menai Bay Dhow Tours, which organises day excursions on well-equipped dhows around Menai Bay. The excursions, which leave from Fumba, include a seafood and fruit lunch, plus snorkelling equipment, and time to relax on a sandbank. The dhows can also be privately chartered, for honeymoons or groups. Before booking, it's worth checking weather conditions, as some months - notably April/May and July/August - can get quite windy or rainy.
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Sea Breeze Marine
Diving around the coral gardens near Bongoyo and Mbudya islands, and diving certification courses (PADI), can be arranged year-round at the long-standing Sea Breeze Marine next to White Sands Hotel.
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Dhow Countries Music Academy
Near the port you'll find the Old Dispensary. Upstairs are the offices of the Dhow Countries Music Academy where you can organise dance and drumming lessons, and buy CDs with local and regional music.
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Sisi Kwa Sisi
Near the rhino statue between the market and the bus station, this sometimes-on, sometimes-off place can occasionally be useful for arranging guides to local attractions.
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Kwembago & Mazumbai Forest Reserve Walk
An easy walk to do on your own: head north out of Lushoto along the road running between the Catholic and Anglican churches. After about five minutes, bear sharply left and start climbing, following the road past scattered houses and small farm plots.
About 35 minutes further on is the royal village of Kwembago, the traditional seat of the local Sambaa chief and notable for its large open field and handful of old double-storey, balconied houses. Continue up hill, bear right at the junction, and follow the path around and then down again to the other side of the Lushoto valley, where it joins with the tarmac road heading up to Migambo. For a longer variant, head left at…
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Kahawa Shamba
Kahawa Shamba is a laudable community-owned and community-run venture that offers insights into the lives of the Chagga coffee farmers who live on Kilimanjaro’s lower slopes. It consists of a handful of Chagga huts near Lyamungo village, southeast of Machame and about 27km from Moshi near Umbwe village. While the huts are authentically constructed, they are outfitted with modern amenities such as en suite showers and twin beds, and are clean and comfortable. Meals with local families can be arranged, as can guided walks and horseriding, village and family visits, and learning about local coffee production methods. Book at least two weeks in advance, either via email, or…
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Kisampa
The small, socially conscious Kisampa, set off on its own in a private nature reserve bordering Saadani park, has made impressive progress since its opening in promoting conservation of the surrounding Zaraninge Forest and supporting local community development. Village fees paid by each visitor go to the local community to support health, school and other initiatives, and a local beekeeping project aimed at poverty alleviation and environmental conservation has been established. There are six ‘stargazer’ tents, netted on three sides. Each tent has a mattress on the floor and private outside bathroom with hot-water bucket showers. Unlike the other Saadani camps, Kisampa…
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Freddie Mercury Tours
One of Zanzibar's most famous sons is Queen lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, born Faroukh Bulsara in 1946 in Stone Town to Parsee parents. He lived on the island until he was about eight years old, when he was sent off to India to boarding school. His family left Zanzibar in the wake of the 1964 revolution, never to return. There's no agreement as to which house or houses Freddie - he acquired the name while at school in India - and his family actually occupied, and several make the claim.
For anyone wanting to make a Mercury pilgrimage, two good places to start are the Zanzibar Gallery, with a gold plaque on the outside memorialising Mercury, and the popular Mercury's…
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Divers Alert Network Southern Africa
You can check the Divers Alert Network Southern Africa website for a list of Zanzibar and Pemba-based operators that are part of the DAN network. If you choose to dive with an operator that isn't affiliated with DAN, it's highly recommended to take out insurance coverage with DAN.
There's now a decompression chamber in Matemwe (otherwise the closest ones are in Mombasa, Kenya - an army facility and not necessarily available to the general public - and in Johannesburg, South Africa).
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Outer Moshi Walk
The area outside Moshi is beautiful, and Machame, Umbwe and other towns above Moshi on Kilimanjaro's lower slopes are linked by easy-to-follow footpaths. To explore them, base yourself out of town at Kilemakyaro Lodge (027-275 4925; www.kilimanjarosafari.com) or in Machame, where all hotels organise hikes for their guests. Another excursion: take a dalla-dalla (minibus) from the central bus station to Kibosho (around TSh500, 12km), where there's an old German church.
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Summits Africa
A dynamic, ethical and experienced company offering upmarket adventure safaris with expert guiding, including treks in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and to Lake Natron with the option to climb Ol Doinyo Lengai, West Kilimanjaro walking safaris, multiday fully-equipped bike safaris and combination bike-safari trips, plus any sort of mountain trekking and trekking-safari combinations that you’d like. Also organises the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks challenge.
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IntoAfrica
A small operator specialising in fair-traded cultural safaris and treks in northern Tanzania. It directly supports local communities in the areas where it works, consistently garners positive reviews from travellers and is an ideal choice if your interest is more in gaining insight into local life and culture, than in experiencing the luxury lodge atmosphere. One of its most popular itineraries is a seven-day wildlife-cultural safari in Maasai areas.
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Authentic Tanzania
A flexible, knowledgeable operator offering a variety of good-value itineraries throughout the south and along the coast, as well as to Katavi. Set departure destinations from Dar es Salaam include Udzungwa Mountains, Mikumi, Selous, Kilwa and Ruaha, and customised itineraries are also available. It’s also recommended if you’re interested in an adventurous Katavi road trip, taking in Ruaha and other stops en route.
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Dorobo Safaris
A down-to-earth outfit that’s highly knowledgeable for customised culturally oriented treks in and around the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It also organises wilderness treks in the areas bordering Ruaha and Serengeti National Parks. All work is done in partnership with local communities, with the emphasis on exploring remote areas in a way that sustainably benefits these communities and the environment.
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International Bicycle Fund
Cycling tours in affiliation with International Bicycle Fund can be organised at the Friends of Lushoto Cultural Tourism Centre. A seven-day tour from Lushoto to Same via Mkomazi costs US$350 per person (minimum three people) including bicycle and helmet rental, plus extra if a support vehicle is needed. Contact International Bicycle Fund directly in Lushoto or email ymadiwa@yahoo.com.
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Cycling Tours
Cycling tours in affiliation with International Bicycle Fund can be organised at the Friends of Lushoto Cultural Tourism Centre (027-264 0132). A seven-day tour from Lushoto to Same via Mkomazi costs US$350 per person (minimum three people) including bicycle and helmet rental, plus extra if a support vehicle is needed. Contact International Bicycle Fund directly or in Lushoto email ymadiwa@yahoo.com.
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Watching Local Football
Zanzibaris are passionate football fans, and watching a game is a good introduction to island life. Stroll by Mnazi Mmoja Sporting Grounds any weekend afternoon, and you're likely to catch a match. For early risers, there are also usually informal pick-up games most mornings at daybreak in the fields lining Kaunda Rd, diagonally opposite the Mnazi Mmoja grounds.
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Central Moshi Walk
Central Moshi is full of activity and atmosphere and makes an interesting walk, especially the area around the market and Mawenzi Rd, with its vaguely Asian flavour, Hindu temple, mosques and Indian traders. Also fun is catching a glimpse of Kilimanjaro, which hovers over the horizon to the north, and is best seen in the evening when the clouds part.
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