Tanzania Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Stone Town
Zanzibar's Stone Town was the hub of the ancient spice trade, and once served as the maritime metropolis of East Africa, variously ruled by Shirazi Persians, the Portuguese, the Omani Arabs and British colonials. Today, this UNESCO world heritage site remains a labyrinth of narrow, winding streets lined with exotic shops, bazaars, colonial mansions, mosques and squares (www.zanzibar.net).

Tanzania's National Museum & Village Museum
At the National Museum of Tanzania you can learn about the history and culture of this ancient region, and see the 1.7-million-year-old skull of Nutcracker Man. The nearby Village Museum exhibits of traditional housing and crafts (www.houseofculture.or.tz).

Bull Fighting
The island of Pemba is famed for its traditional sport of bull fighting. Unlike its Spanish counterpart, this sport does not involve killing the bulls, but is a hangover from the days of Portuguese rule in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Sukuma Museum
The Sukuma Museum, 15km (9 miles) east of Mwanza on Lake Victoria, is unique for its weekly staged performances of traditional dances of the Wasukuma tribe, including the Bugobobobo (Sukuma Snake Dance) (www.sukumamuseum.org)

Mwenge Carvers' Market
Located 8km (5 miles) north of Dar es Salaam, opposite the Village Museum, this fascinating market has vendors plying their trade and selling their beautiful hand-made wares.

Bagamoyo
The ancient town of Bagamoyo, 72km (45 miles) north of Dar es Salaam, was a one-time slave port and terminus for the trade caravans. The town mosque and Arab tombs date from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Mount Meru
The lower slopes of Mount Meru in Arusha National Park are one of the most easily accessible places to spot buffalo, giraffe, black and white colobus monkey and warthog. It is one of the few parks where walking is permitted (www.tanzaniaparks.com).

Ruaha River Gorge
The Ruaha River Gorge in the Ruaha National Park boasts unparalleled scenery along its length. Tanzania's second-largest and wildest park, it is famous for its exceptionally large herds of elephant, buffalo and over 400 species of bird (www.tanzaniaparks.com).

Top Things to Do

Safari in the Serengeti
The most famous national park in all of Africa is found in Tanzania, and a Safari through the Serengeti National Park is a must - especially during the famed wildebeest migrations (November to May). Close sightings of the ‘big five' (lions, elephants, cape buffalos, leopards and rhinoceros') are almost guaranteed. Safari's can be arranged all over Tanzania, particularly in nearby Arusha (www.serengeti.org).

Scuba diving
The technicolor marine life surrounding the coral islands of Zanzibar and Pemba makes for an ideal place to try scuba-diving and snorkeling. Further south, Mafia's Chloe Bay is part of a protected marine park, with an unbroken reef running the length of the island.

Beaches
With 804km (503 miles) of pristine coastline and some magnificent islands off-shore, kicking back on the many beaches within easy reach of Dar es Salaam, like Kunduchi, Mbwa Maji and Mjimwena, or all around Zanzibar, is a must.

Trekking Mt Kilimanjaro
As the highest peak on the African continent at 5,895m/19,341ft, Mt Kilimanjaro has taunted avid explorers with its snow-capped peak for decades. Five- or six-day organized climbs can be arranged to see the sunrise over this splendid summit, and include with food guides and porters can be arranged (www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.html).

Spice plantation tours
As the epicenter of the historical spice trade, Zanzibar is the place to hop on a tour of its many spice and fruit plantations. Organized tours are available all over the 'Spice Island' (as Zanzibar is also known), with tastings and specimens available for sale along the way (www.zanzibar.net).

Ngorongoro crater safari
The unique Ngorongoro Crater, which is at 610m (2,000 ft) deep and 20km (12.5 miles) wide, covers 311 sq km (122 sq miles) and is densely packed with almost every species of African plain mammal (including the densest population of lion in Africa). Safaris to the crater are often made in conjunction with visits to the Serengeti National Park (www.ngorongoro-crater-africa.org).

Fishing
The waters off Tanzania's coast are ripe for big-game fishing, best done from the island of Mafia. Big catches are made in the waters here, including shark, barracuda, marlin and snapper, with power boats and tackle available for hire from the lodges on the island.

Hot air ballooning
The endless plains of the Serengeti come to life in the early hours of the dawn, and seeing the park wake from a hot air balloon is of the world's great natural spectacles. The annual migration of some two million wildebeest followed by their predators, from November to May, is the best time to hitch a ride (www.serengeti.org).

Remote Wildlife Spotting
For truly a truly remote wildlife spotting adventure, set out to an isolated lodge in the Selous Game Reserve. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this reserve covers an area larger than Switzerland (about one-sixth of Tanzania's land surface), making it one of the biggest reserves in the world (www.tanzaniaparks.com)

Trekking to Chimpanzees
Troops of wild chimpanzees thrive in the Gombe Stream and Mahale national parks on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Treks can be arranged to visit the 200 chimpanzees of Gombe or the 700 chimps at Mahale, with sightings almost guaranteed (www.tanzaniaparks.com).

Game Drive
The Tarangire National Park, only 130km (80 miles) from Arusha and 8km (5 miles) off the Great Cape to Cairo road is easily accessible and rarely visited. A game drive through this park makes a great alternative to a Serengeti visit (www.tanzaniaparks.com).