Pemba
Kidike Sanctuary is home to a spectacular colony of Pemba flying foxes, a large bat indigenous to Pemba (called popo in Swahili). About 4000 individuals…
Must-see attractions in Tanzania
Northern Tanzania
About 45km south of Oldupai Gorge at remote Laetoli is a 27m-long trail of 3.7-million-year-old hominid footprints, probably made by Australopithecus…
Zanzibar Town
One of the first sights travellers see when arriving by ferry are the twin spires of the Roman Catholic cathedral. Serving the local Catholic community,…
Pemba
The ruined palace of Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, who ruled Pemba prior to the arrival of the Portuguese (late 15th to early 16th centuries), is an…
Western Tanzania
The site where the immortal words, ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume?’ were uttered by Stanley on meeting Livingstone in 1871 is commemorated by a stark grey…
Bagamoyo
Located about 500m southeast of Bagamoyo along the road to Dar es Salaam is this renowned theatre and arts college, home of the national dance company…
Zanzibar Island
The aim of this community initiative is to help local people benefit from tourism and conservation. In three large pools you can observe sea turtles and…
Zanzibar Town
Sultan Seyyid Said built this bathhouse at Kidichi (11km northeast of Zanzibar Town) in 1850 for his Persian wife, Scheherezade. The royal couple would…
Olpopongi Maasai Cultural Village
Northern Tanzania
Olpopongi Maasai Cultural Village is a good stop for anyone wanting to spend a night in an authentically constructed Maasai boma (a fortified living…
Pemba
Pemba is well known for its clove industry, and this distillery is where the clove stems are turned into essential oil. It's operated by the Zanzibar…
Pemba
Ras Mkumbuu is the headland at the end of the thin strip of land jutting into the sea northwest of Chake Chake. It's also the name given to the ruins of…
Zanzibar Town
Overlooking the coast, away from the heat and hustle of Zanzibar Town, Mtoni Palace was built for Sultan Seyyid Said in 1828. It was home to the sultan’s…
Western Tanzania
Jakobsen's is actually two tiny, beautiful sandy coves below a wooded hillside. The overall setting is idyllic, especially if you visit during the week…
Dar es Salaam
Head down to the Kivukoni fish market in the early morning to see fishers flog their catch to restauranteurs and homemakers with all the zeal of Wall St…
Northern Tanzania
Though lacking the drama of Ngorongoro and Empakaai, Olmoti Crater, 13km north of the Lemala ascent-descent road, is worth visiting on your way north into…
Zanzibar Town
Maruhubi Palace was built outside Zanzibar Town in 1882 for Sultan Barghash to house his impressively large harem. A few years later it was destroyed by…
Dar es Salaam
This spired, Gothic-style, Roman Catholic cathedral was built at the turn of the 19th century by German missionaries. In addition to the striking stained…
Enduimet Wildlife Management Area
Northern Tanzania
You may never even be aware of its existence (there are no signs or entry fees), but Enduimet WMA is a quiet success story in protecting the wildlife…
Zanzibar Island
Protecting numerous butterfly species indigenous to Zanzibar, this centre is a huge tropical garden with net walls and roof. You can see the various life…
Bagamoyo
About 2km northwest of town and reached via a long, mango-tree-shaded avenue is the Catholic mission and museum, one of Bagamoyo’s highlights, with well…
Pemba
Stepping onto Vumawimbi, you may need to rub your eyes to check you haven’t gone to heaven, so idyllic is the view. Stretching along the east side of the…
Mwanza
Mwaloni Market, under the roof with the giant Balimi ad, is quite a spectacle. The city’s main fish market, it also has lots of fruits and vegetables,…
Northeastern Tanzania
About 70km north of Bagamoyo along a lovely stretch of coastline, and directly opposite Zanzibar Island, is tiny Saadani, a 1000-sq-km patch of coastal…
Mwanza
Sitting atop Robert Koch Hill, the old German mansion is a Mwanza landmark with great views of the city and lake. Abandoned, it is a fun 'adventure';…
Tarangire National Park
Southwest of Tarangire Hill, a couple of hundred metres west of the main north–south track through the park, Poacher's Hide is a marvellous old baobab…
Arusha
This museum inside the old German boma (fortified compound), completed in 1900, has three parts. The best is the wing dedicated to human evolution, since…
Zanzibar Town
Freddie Mercury, the former lead singer of Queen, was born in Zanzibar in 1946 where his name was Farrokh Bulsara. His father worked for the British…
Pemba
Located on the headland (ras) at the far northern tip of the Kigomasha Peninsula, this lighthouse was built by the British in 1900 and is still actively…
Pemba Channel Conservation Area
Pemba
The waters and islets along the entire west coast of Pemba are officially protected as the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA). The aim is to benefit…
Zanzibar Island
This dark cell cut into the coral rock was used as a holding pen to hide slaves after the legal trade was abolished in the late 19th century. From here it…
Mwanza
Smack in the city centre is Robert Koch Hill, with an attractively decrepit German-built mansion at the top. To get here, push through the bustling market…
Mwanza
One of the more interesting rock formations around Mwanza is Jiwe Kuu (Big Rock), which some people call the Dancing Rocks. Many round boulders sit atop…
Pemba
Filling an 18th-century Omani fort, which was probably built on the remains of a 16th-century Portuguese garrison, this small museum has well-organised …
Western Tanzania
This large and colourful fishing village is quite a spectacle when the 200-plus wooden boats pull in with their catch. During the darkest half of the moon…
Western Tanzania
Many people find Ujiji’s beach and small dhow port a charming step back into centuries past. They don't use power tools to build the boats, so the…
Western Tanzania
There are many fishermen at Kibirizi, 2km north of town by the oil depots. The early-afternoon loading of the lake taxis is impressive in a noisy,…
Zanzibar Town
In the Kiponda area of Stone Town, this mosque is one of the largest in Zanzibar, catering to the Ismaili community since 1905. The beautifully detailed…
Selous Game Reserve
Stiegler’s Gorge, which averages 100m in depth, is named after a Swiss explorer who was killed here by an elephant in 1907. It has more recently gained…
Northern Tanzania
Ghorofani, Lake Eyasi's main village, lies a few kilometres from the lake’s northeastern end. Its mnada (market), held on the fifth day of the month,…
Mwanza
Mwanza’s icon, Bismarck Rock, is a precariously balanced boulder atop the lovely jumble of rocks in the lake next to the Kamanga ferry pier. The little…
