Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Western Tanzania Highlights
Visiting
Mahale Mountains National Park
(
Click here
)
, the ultimate 'get-
away-from-it-all' destination
Mingling with the chimps at
Gombe Stream National Park
(
Click here
)
Sailing Lake Tanganyika aboard the
MV Liemba
(
Click here
)
Experiencing the primeval rhythms of nature in
Katavi National Park
(
Click here
)
)
Diving and snorkelling amid the kaleidoscopic cichlids in
Lake Tanganyika
(
Click here
)
Kicking back on the shore of Lake Tanganyika at
Kipili
(
Click here
)
Admiring
Kalambo Falls
(
Click here
)
WILDLIFE IN THE WEST
Gombe
and
Mahale Mountains
National Parks offer the chance to observe ha-
bituated chimpanzees at close range, while during the dry season Katavi
presents abundant numbers of most other wildlife visitors to Tanzania hope to
see; and all without another 4WD in sight.
TRAVELLING IN THE WEST
For now, passenger-carrying trucks are far more prevalent in Western Tanzania
than buses. In fact, travelling from Mbala, Zambia, up to Kigoma (and all points
between) entirely by public transport to update this chapter, we rode just two
buses. Keep this in mind when packing because the early morning wind chill on
the back of a truck can be extremely cold.
But the ongoing upgrade and paving of the infamously bad roads between
Kigoma and Mbeya (plus several roads branching off it, including those to Kas-
anga and Kipili) and Kigoma and Tabora, portions of which will be finished
within the lifetime of this edition, will dramatically improve travel in the west.
Not only will journey times drop but the number of buses will increase, which
will make travel much less painful.
Tabora
Leafy Tabora was once the most important trading centre along the old caravan route con-
necting Lake Tanganyika with Bagamoyo and the sea; and other several minor slave trad-
ing routes converged here. The region, known in those days as Kazeh, was the headquarters
