Tanzania Tourism - Activities in Tanzania

The seas around Zanzibar, Mafia and the Pemba Channel are some of the best waters for diving in the Indian Ocean. The surrounding coral hosts an impressive amount of colourful fish, such as hawksbill and sea turtles.

There are large game fish in the waters around the Spice Islands such as bonitos, yellowfin tuna, barracudas, marlin, kingfisher, pelagics, billfish and sailfish. This can be arranged through: Kinasi at Chole Bay on Mafia Island, Adventure Afloat or Fisherman Tours and Travel.

Walking safaris or bird watching are available at most National Parks with bird watching also offered at Mafia Island in the Indian Ocean.

Daily two-hour flights over the Serengeti are available through UTC, Arusha, or at either the Serengeti Sopa Lodge, or the Seronera Lodge both in the park.

In his 1871 book How I found Dr. Livinstone, Henry Morton Stanley called East Africa, "the hunter's paradise". Although the heyday of the "Great White Hunter" is now long over, controlled or tourism hunting is permitted in certain "game controlled areas", where wildlife is monitored. Hunting is in fact an important source of revenue for Tanzania, with each of the 600 or so hunters visiting the country spending about US$33,000.
'Tanzania is regarded by sport hunters as offering the finest hunting in Africa, and some 7,000 animals are shot annually on licence', writes Richard Lamprey, a former technical advisor to Tanzania's Wildlife Division, in Swara, the magazine of the East African Wildlife Society. Hunting provides the main income for the Selous Game Reserve, and without it, the Tanzania Wildlife Division could not hope to generate enough funds for management and conservation.

The best time to climb the mountain is from August to November.
The summit of Kilimanjaro can be reached by any reasonably fit person who enjoys walking. There are principal routes up the mountain - Marangu, Shira, Mweka, Umbwe and Machame. The last three routes require special permission to use as they are difficult and dangerous. These routes are marked and provided with single bivouac huts and water. The most popular and easiest way to reach the summit however, is the Marangu route, which has modern huts with all the necessary facilities.
Tanzania has other off-the-beaten-track-hiking. Some exciting possibilities include the Pare Mountains near Sama, the Livingstone Range east of Lake Nyasa, Mailenge Mountain south of Ifakara, the Kitulo Plateau east of the Poroto, Mt. Hanang, west of Babati, the Mbizi Mountains between Sumbwanga and Lake Rukwa , the Uluguru Mountains near Morogoro, and Uerewe, Maisome and Kome islands in Lake Victoria.

One of the great experiences of travel is the discovery of unusual cuisine. Tanzania has its own fair share of rare and exotic dishes to tempt the palate. The food of the coast reflects the racial mix of African, Arabic, Asian and Swahili cooking traditions. The foods of the interior are more bland but nourishing nonetheless, comprising vegetables and cereals, combined in a number of ways, lightly spiced and served with meat and fish.

Tanzania has an 804-kilometre long coastline boasting of the finest unpolluted beaches in Africa. The entire coastline is covered by coconut palms, offering a serene atmosphere for repose. The coastline offers unlimited opportunities for bathing and water sports.
Tanzania also boasts several small offshore islands which are ideal for a day-trip. Prison (or Changu) island is the most popular with tourists because it is only a short trip from Stone Town. Other islets near to Stone Town are Chapwani, Chumbe and Bawe.

Nyumba ya Sanaa (House of Art) in Dar-es-Salaam is in Upanga Street near the entrance to the Gymkhana Club. A self-sufficient, non-profit handicraft centre supporting young artists. Paintings, chalks, clothing designs, earrings, cards, batiks, pottery and weavings are on display. Visitors can watch the students at work.

The best craft shops in Arusha lie between the clock tower and Ngoliondoi Road. Here you can find Makonde carvings, batiks, Maasai bead necklaces and meerschaum pipes. Lake Amboseli in Tanzania is the world's largest known deposit of the rare mineral, meerschaum.
The alleys of Stone Town are filled with bazaars where hawkers sell curios. Arab doors and kists can be purchased near St. Joseph's cathedral.
The Spice Shop of Zanzibar is situated in the Kiponda area of Stone Town. The shop sells a wide range of spices, craft, postcards and books. The restaurant terrace offers excellent light meals accompanied by the spicy aromas emanating from the shop below.