Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Pare believe that deceased persons possess great powers, and thus have
developed elaborate rituals centred on the dead. Near most villages are sacred
areas where the skulls of tribal chiefs are kept, although you're unlikely to see
these unless you spend an extended period in the mountains. When people die,
they are believed to inhabit a nether world between the land of the living and the
spirit world. If they are allowed to remain in this state, ill fate will befall their
descendants. The prescribed rituals allowing the deceased to pass into the world
of the ancestors are of great importance.
For more about Pare culture, read
The Shambaa Kingdom
by Steven Feier-
man (1974), on which some of this section was based, and the intriguing
Lute:
The Curse and the Blessing
by Jakob Janssen Dannholz, who established the
first mission station at Mbaga.
INFORMATION
Lodging and food in the Pares are, for the most part, very basic. With the exception of
Hill-Top Tona Lodge in Mbaga and Mhako Hostel in Usangi, most accommodation is with
villagers or camping (for which you'll need your own equipment). Prices for both average
Tsh5000 to Tsh10,000 per person per night. For all destinations, except Mbaga and Usangi,
it's a good idea to bring a portable stove.
The best places to arrange guides are Hill-Top Tona Lodge in Mbaga and Lomwe Se-
condary School in Usangi. For organised hikes, expect to pay from about Tsh15,000 to
Tsh20,000 per group per day for guide fees, plus about Tsh5000 per person per day for vil-
lage fees and about Tsh3000 to Tsh5000 per person per meal. Fees for guides arranged in
Same are somewhat higher. There's a US$30 per person per visit forest fee for any walks
that go into forest reserves, including walks to Shengena Peak. The fees are payable at the
Catchment office in Same or through your guide. For any hikes done with guides, the stages
are generally short (two or three can usually be easily combined for anyone who's reason-
ably fit) although your guide will still expect you to pay for the same number of days.
The Pares can be visited comfortably at any time of year, except during the March to May
long rains, when paths become too muddy.
Same
Same (
sah
-may) is a lively market town and the largest settlement in the southern Pares.
You'll need to pass through here to get to Mbaga, the centre for hikes in this area. Unlike
Lushoto in the Usambaras, Same has essentially no tourist infrastructure and the town is
more suitable as a starting point for excursions into the Pares rather than as a base. If you
want to stay a few days before heading into the villages, there are walks into the hills be-
