Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The museum is across from Bukoba's airport in the Nyamukazi area. If taxi drivers or
motorcycle taxi drivers don't know the museum, tell them 'Peter Mulim' and they'll know
the area. You can also walk around the runway via the beach; take the path behind the
Bukoba Club.
Notable Buildings
The landmark
Mater Misericordiae Cathedral
in the centre of town looks like something
from
The Jetsons
. The original cathedral, the 1914
Bunena Church
, is the oldest church in
Bukoba. It paints a pretty picture when seen from Bukoba Beach, but isn't much up close.
The rocky cliff below it, however, is very attractive.
Most colonial-era buildings are at the lake end of town including the 1898
Duka Kubwa
(Big Shop), which served as the local general store during the German era and is unremark-
able except for being Bukoba's oldest building. When filming
Mogambo
in the Kagera
area, Clark Gable, Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra (not in the movie, but ac-
companying Gardner, his then wife) enjoyed many a drink at the
Lake Hotel
, built by the
Germans in 1901.
KIROYERA TOURS
Kiroyera Tours
( 0784-568276;
www.kiroyeratours.com
;
Shore Rd) is a
clued-up agency leading cultural tours in Bukoba and the Kagera region, and an
essential stop for travellers in Bukoba. In addition to making local culture read-
ily accessible to visitors, Kiroyera has established several community projects
(like Budap at the Kagera Museum) and won awards for promoting community
development through tourism. Destinations and activities for its half- and full-
day tours, which include visiting ancient rock paintings, walking in Rubale
Forest and learning to cook local foods. If you liked your Zanzibar spice tour,
consider a Kagera vanilla tour. Kiroyera also rents bikes (per day US$10); sells
bus, boat and plane tickets; arranges dancing and drumming performances
(US$80); and organizes visits to national parks in Tanzania and gorilla tracking
in Uganda.
SLEEPING
Balamaga Bed & Breakfast
B&B $
( 0789-757289;
www.balamagabb.com
;
s/d Tsh45,000/75,000, without bathroom
Tsh40,000/ 70,000;
) High up in the hills overlooking the lake this homey great-value
