Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Songea, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Songea, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Songea is the capital city of the Ruvuma Region in the eastern African country Tanzania. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country, between 10°41′ S latitude and 35°39′ E longitude, around 920 km southwest of the nation’s largest city and commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. St. Augustine University is one of the prime educational institutions located in Songea. Songea is one of the gateways to the world’s one of the largest faunal reserves, the Selous Game Reserve. Songea is geographically positioned between 10°41′ S latitude and 35°39′ E longitude.

History of Songea:

Songea was the focal point of the Maji Maji rebellions’ activities against the German during the colonial period between 1905 and 1907. Songea saw a considerable growth in agriculture sector following the Second World War and it began to connect nearby cities through railway and road in 1985. Songea achieved municipal status in 2006.

Travelling Songea:

There is an airport in Songea, around 8 kilometers west of the city centre but the airport receives less scheduled flights. So visitors are advised to reach Mbeya Airport first and afterwards they can take bus or rental car from the airport to Mbeya. Mbeya Airport is situated around 410 northwest of Songea and operates flights from/to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, served by Tropical Air.

Buses generally ply between Songea and Mbeya, Dar es Salaam, Iringa, Arusha and Njombe. To move within Songea, taxis are recommended option.

Food and Shopping in Songea:

Songea has all the basic and modern facilities, including upgraded shops and restaurants, but most of them don’t accept credit cards, so keeping some local currency is suggested.

Things to do in Songea:

Day tours
Shopping
Visiting nearby game reserves

Places to see in Songea:

Selous Game Reserve:

Situated towards the east of Songea, the Selous Game Reserve is an internationally known game reserve, holding the title of the world’s one of the largest faunal reserves. UNESCO World Heritage Site, Selous Game Reserve is a reserve for a large number of wild creatures, including hippopotami, African Wild Dog, Cape buffalo and elephants. It is worth a trip.

St. Mathias Mulumba Kalemba Metropolitan Cathedral:

The St. Mathias Mulumba Kalemba Metropolitan Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Songea, drawing a group of both local devotees and visitors year round. It is also one of the major landmarks of Songea.

Songea Airport:

Situated around 8 km from the city centre, the Songea Airport is a nice, well constructed and maintained airport with the pleasant surrounding environment. Non-travelers are also allowed.

List of other places of interest in and around Songea include:

Sokoine Stadium
Mbozi meteorite
Kitulo Plateau National Park
Teofilo Kisanji University
Neema Crafts Centre
Gangilonga Rock
Matumaini Women’s Centre
Mkwawa Golf Course
Mzumbe University
Ngozi Crater Lake
Isimila Stone Age site
Ruaha National Park
Mnazi Bay Marine
Selous Game Reserve
Iringa University College
The Mikumi National Parks

Best time to visit Songea:

Like the rest of Tanzania, from June to October is the best time to visit Songea, when very less rain falls in the area.

Hotels in Songea:

Yapender Lodge Annex is one of the known accommodation centres in Songea, offering all the basic amenities for visitors at affordable budget. For more hotels, visitors can head towards hotels in Mbeya (around 410 km) that are given below: