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Tourist Places to Visit in Zanzibar, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Zanzibar is an archipelago and semi-autonomous region belonging to the African country, Tanzania. It is a group of two large islands Unguja and Pemba and many smaller islands, located an approximate distance between 25 and 50 km from the mainland Tanzania. Zanzibar City is the capital of Zanzibar, situated on the island of Unguja. Zanzibar covers a total area of 2,650 sq. km and is located at 6°8′ S 39°19′ E.

Zanzibar is noted for its several of typical features like for the production of black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, for which Zanzibar, together with the country’s another major island Mafia Island, is popularly called the Spice Islands. Zanzibar is also well known for the population of endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey.

 

History of Zanzibar:

The history of Zanzibar dates back from the early Later Stone Age around 20,000 years, when it was originally inhabited by humans, according to the microlithic tools found in the area. The history of Zanzibar also includes diverse features as it was ruled by many European powers, including British and Arabs.

 

Getting Zanzibar:

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is the major airport serving Zanzibar and is situated on Unguja Island, around 5 kilometers from the Zanzibar city. It covers many global cities like Amsterdam, Dar es Salaam, Brussels, Nairobi, Muscat and Johannesburg.

Zanzibar can be reached by boat from the mainland Tanzania, from the city of Dar es Salaam. Small minivans, taxis and rental cars are the prevalent options to get around Zanzibar.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Zanzibar:

Zanzibar is rich in culture, home to a wide range of music and dance events, including the Festival of the Dhow Countries and Sauti za Busara, which take place at Old Fort of Zanzibar.

Old Stone Town Market is a perfect place to have a memorable shopping experience. Some famous restaurants in Zanzibar include:

• Terrace Restaurant
• Amore Mio
• Passing Show Restaurant

 

Things to do in Zanzibar:

• Divine Diving
• Safari Blue Tour
• Zanzibar Spice Tour
• Visiting spas

 

Places to see in Zanzibar:

 

Zanzibar City:

Zanzibar City itself is one of the top tourist destinations of Zanzibar, situated on the west coast of the island of Unguja. Stone Town is the historic part of Zanzibar City, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, considering its unique architectural and cultural features.

 

House of Wonders:

The House of Wonders is an iconic building in Stone Town, situated in front of Forodhani Gardens, between the Palace Museum and Old Fort. Constructed by the second Sultan of Zanzibar,  Barghash bin Said, the house is currently home to the Museum of History & Culture of Zanzibar.

 

Forodhani Gardens:

The Forodhani Gardens is a nice and attractive park located in the historic Stone Town. It is located on the sea coast, getting crowded during the evening time by both locals and tourists.

 

Sultan’s Palace:

Situated on the seafront on Mizingani Road, Stone Town, the Sultan’s Palace is a landmark structure, having 3-floors that are dedicated to showcase the history of the sultans who ruled the island. It was constructed in the late 19th century.

 

Old Fort of Zanzibar:

The Old Fort of Zanzibar is considered as the oldest building of the historic Stone Town, built in the late 17th century to guard island from the Portuguese attacks. It is also venue for the Festival of the Dhow Countries.

 

List of other places of interest in Zanzibar includes:

• Paje Beach
• Mtoni Palace Ruins
• Zanzibar Butterfly Centre
• Prison Island
• Mnarani Marine Turtles Conservation Pond
• Uroa Bay
• Obama Beach Zanzibar
• Maisha Mazuri Horse Riding Club
• Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
• Nungwi Natural Aquarium
• Kiwengwa Caves

 

Best time to visit Zanzibar:

Zanzibar generally experiences a warm climate year round and it sees heavy rainfall from March to April. The most popular time to visit Zanzibar is from July to October.

 

Accommodation options in Zanzibar:

Being a heaven of tourists, Zanzibar owns an amazing hospitality industry with dozens of superior hotels with world class facilities and services, served with a great degree of love and care in an engaging manner. Some reputed hotels in Zanzibar include:

• Zanzi Resort
• Chumbe Island Coral Park
• Baraza Resort & Spa
• The Residence Zanzibar
• Mashariki Palace Hotel
• Hotel Dongwe
• Next Paradise Boutique Resort
• Essque Zalu Zanzibar
• Anna of Zanzibar
• Pumzika Beach Resort
• Diamonds Star of the East
• Michamvi Sunset Bay Resort
• Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel
• Kasha Boutique Luxury Hotel
• Mamamapambo Boutique Hotel

Places to Visit in Sumbawanga, Rukwa, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Sumbawanga is a city and the administrative centre of Rukwa Region in the western part of Tanzania. Located at 7°58′ S 31°37′ E, Sumbawanga is situated around 380 km northwest of the city of Mbeya and 900 km southwest of Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania. Sumbawanga is home to the Rukwa General Hospital, the largest hospital in Rukwa Region. Agriculture is the backbone of Sumbawanga’s economy, mainly from the production of maize and rice. Being the capital of the region, Sumbawanga holds all types of facilities like hotels, restaurants, shops, colleges and recreational centres.

 

Connectivity to Sumbawanga:

The Sumbawanga Airport is located 3 km away from the city centre and offers flights from/to the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, served by Auric Air. Sumbawanga is situated around 390 km from Mbeya Airport, where flights from Dar es Salaam are also available.

The bus transportation of Sumbawanga extends to its nearby cities, both towards the north and south directions, including the cities of Mbeya and Mpanda. Visitors can hire taxi and rental car at the local travel agency for airport travel, intercity travel and to move within the city.

 

Food and shopping in Sumbawanga:

Kifipa is a widely spoken language in Sumbawanga and locals also speak Kiswahili as their second language. Sumbawanga houses a mid size traditional market, where local specialties like plastic goods, handicraft products and traditional jewels can be bagged for reasonable prices. There are also many nice restaurants in the city.

 

What to do in Sumbawanga?

• City tour
• Walking
• Shopping

 

What to see in Sumbawanga?

 

Conference centres in Sumbawanga:

Sumbawanga is the site of many famous cultural centres, especially conference centres, including Libori and Moravian conference centres, where cultural events take place regularly.

 

Sumbawanga Memorial:

Sumbawanga Memorial is a manmade rock formation, erected in the circle directing a way to the city of Sumbawanga. It is a nice construction and also one can bring camera to take pictures of this typical structure.

 

Lake Rukwa:

The Lake Rukwa is situated to the east of Sumbawanga, covering an area of 5,760 square kilometers with a length of 180 kilometers and width of 32 kilometers. The lake is a perfect place to enjoy boat riding and swimming.

 

Uwanda Game Reserve:

Adjoining Lake Rukwa, the Uwanda Game Reserve sprawls over an area of 4100 square kilometers, featuring a dense forest with the opportunities of trekking, hiking and many other outdoor activities.

 

Katavi National Park:

The Katavi National Park is located around 150 km from the city of Sumbawanga and is the 3^rd largest national park of Tanzania with an area of 4,471 square kilometers. Established in 1974, the park features Katuma River, Lake Katavi and Lake Chada and houses abundant animal species, Cape Buffalo, hippos and elephants. It is worth a trip.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Sumbawanga includes:

• Luafi Game Reserve
• Mahale Mountain National Park
• Lukwati Game Reserve
• Rukwa Game Reserve
• Sokoine Stadium
• Mount Rungwe
• Kitulo Plateau National Park
• Mbozi meteorite
• Teofilo Kisanji University
• Ngozi Crater Lake
• Gangilonga Rock
• Matumaini Women’s Centre
• Mkwawa Golf Course
• Isimila Stone Age site
• Neema Crafts Centre

 

Best time to visit Sumbawanga:

The best time of the year to visit Sumbawanga is from June to October when the weather dry and supportive for outdoor activities.

 

Where to stay in Sumbawanga?

In Sumbawanga proper, hotels are limited, but most hotels of the region are located around Katavi National Park. Tourists can also consider that hotels to have better hospitality services. The prominent hotels in and around Sumbawanga are listed below:

• Chada Katavi
• Lake Shore Lodge & Campsite
• Katavi Wildlife Camp
• Katuma Bush Lodge
• Flycatchers Camp
• Palahala Luxury Camp
• Super City Hotel
• River Side Camp
• Lupita Island Resort & Spa

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:

 

• GR City Hotel
• Landmark Hotel
• Mbeya Peak Hotel
• Mount Livingstone Hotel
• Mbeya Forest Hill Motel
• Hill View Hotel
• Kyela Resort
• Matema Beach View Lutheran Centre
• Crazy Crocodile Campsite
• Karibuni Center Hotel
• Manyanya Inn Hotel
• Mbeya Hotel
• Peace of Mind Rest House
• Utengule Coffee Lodge

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Shinyanga, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Shinyanga is a Tanzanian city situated to the south of the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, in the northern part of the country. The city serves as the headquarters of both the Shinyanga Urban District and Shinyanga Region and also both the district and region take their name from the city. Shinyanga is located around 175 kilometers southeast of the largest city on the southern shore of Lake Victoria, Mwanza, 475 kilometers northwest of the country’s capital, Dodoma and 1010 km northwest of the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. The geographical coordinates of Shinyanga are 3°45′ S 33°00′ E and the region of Shinyanga covers a total area of 18,901 sq. km.

 

How to get Shinyanga?

Shinyanga houses an airport but flights are not scheduled. So visitors are advised to reach Mwanza Airport, the closest airport to Shinyanga. Mwanza Airport is situated around 150 km from Shinyanga and handles flights to Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Bukoba, Kigoma, Mpanda, Musoma, Rubondo, Kilimanjaro and many other airports in the country and Nairobi in Kenya. From Mwanza, it will be a four hours drive from Mwanza by rental vehicle.

Shinyanga can directly be reached from Dar es Salaam by both bus and train services. For local travel in Shinyanga, minibuses and rental vehicles like cars and bikes are the prevalent options.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Shinyanga:

Sukuma, Nyamwezi, and Sumbwa tribe are the major communities forming the population of Shinyanga and they are into agricultural activities, specifically in the production of maize, cotton, and rice.

Large shopping malls and restaurants are difficult to see in Shinyanga but one can find many standard shopping and restaurant options with both traditional and modern features.

 

Things to do in Shinyanga:

• Walking
• City tours
• Shopping

 

Places to see in Shinyanga:

 

Shinyanga City Stadium:

The Shinyanga City Stadium is one of the landmarks of the city of Shinyanga. It is a public stadium, managed by the Shinyanga City Council. The stadium is a nice half day trip for visitors, where visitors can involve themselves into play or just walk around.

 

River Nkumbu:

The River Nkumbu flows through Shinyanga city, around 3 kilometers from the downtown area. This river is the main source of water for the Shinyanga city and also known as a nice sightseeing spot and a location for different water sport activities.

 

Maswa Game Reserve:

The Maswa Game Reserve borders the Serengeti National Park to the south, towards the east of Shinyanga. Established in 1962, the reserve is spread over an area of 2,200 square kilometers and features diverse eye-catching attractions like acacia plants, rivers and animals like lion, roan antelope, Thomson gazelle and Cokes hartebeest.

 

Northern Kahama Game Reserve:

Situated around 140 km west of the heart of Shinyanga, the Northern Kahama Game Reserve is a popular game reserve, home to a substantial number of African wild animals and birds. It can be explored best through a guided tour.

 

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

• Shinyanga Airport
• Shinyanga General Hospital
• Shinyanga Central Market
• Shinyanga Railway Station
• Lake Victoria
• Bujora Museum Centre
• Saanane Island Game Reserve
• Williamson diamond mine
• The National Natural History Museum
• Arusha National Park
• Tarangire National Park
• Lake Manyara National Park
• Arusha Clock Tower

 

Best time to visit Shinyanga:

Shinyanga relatively remains warm year round and the most preferred time to visit Shinyanga is June to October.

 

Hotels in Shinyanga:

There are a less number of modernized hotels in Shinyanga. Karena Hotel is one of the nice accommodation options in Shinyanga, where visitors can enjoy all upgraded facilities and services along with authentic Tanzanian and international delicacies. Tourists can refer hotels in Mwanza (around 175 km) for more options that are listed below:

• Hotel La Kairo
• Royal Orchid Malaika Beach Resort
• Ryan’s Bay Hotel
• Gold Crest Hotel
• Monarch Hotel & Beach Resort
• Nyumbani Hotel
• Hotel Tilapia
• Victoria Palace Hotel
• Bujora Point Swimming Pool & Lodge
• New Mwanza Hotel
• Christmas Tree Hotel Mwanza
• Lake Hotel
• Wag Hill Lodge
• Speke Bay Lodge