Western Tanzania - Tanzania - page 518

For details of ferry services between Mbamba Bay and Itungi port, Click here . For ferry
connections with Nkhata Bay, Click here .
From Mbamba Bay northbound, there are occasional 4WDs to Liuli mission station.
Between Liuli and Lituhi there is no public transport and little traffic, and from Lituhi
northwards, there is no road along the lake, only a footpath. There's also a rough track
leading from Lituhi southeast towards Kitai and Songea, which opens the possibility for an
interesting loop.
Entering or leaving Tanzania via Mbamba Bay, you'll need to stop at the immigration of-
fice/police station near the boat landing to take care of passport formalities.
Mbinga
This small but prosperous town lies en route between Songea and Mbamba Bay in the heart
of one of Tanzania's major coffee-producing areas. If you're travelling via public trans-
port, you'll probably need to change vehicles here. The main points of interest are the large
Catholic cathedral and the panoramic road leading down to Mbamba Bay and Lake Nyasa.
For accommodation and meals, try Mbicu Hotel ( 026-264 0168; r Tsh16,000; ) ,
which also has a restaurant. It's on the edge of town along the Songea road.
Songea
The sprawling town of Songea, just over 1000m in altitude, is capital of the surrounding
Ruvuma region and will probably seem like a major metropolis if you've just come from
Tunduru or Mbamba Bay. Away from the scruffy and crowded central market and bus stand
area, it's a pleasant, attractive place, with shaded leafy streets, surrounded by rolling hill-
country dotted with yellow sunflowers and grazing cattle. The main ethnic group here is
the Ngoni, who migrated into the area from South Africa during the 19th century, subduing
many smaller tribes along the way. Songea takes its name from one of their greatest chiefs,
who was killed following the Maji Maji rebellion (see the boxed text, Click here ) and is
buried about 1km from town near the Maji Maji museum.
Songea's colourful market (Soko Kuu) along the main road is worth a visit.
The impressive carved wooden doors on the Catholic cathedral diagonally opposite the
bus stand are also worth a look, as are the wall paintings inside. About 30km west of town,
in Peramiho, is a large Benedictine monastery with an affiliated hospital, should you fall
ill.
THE MAJI MAJI REBELLION
The Maji Maji rebellion, which was the strongest local revolt against the coloni-
al government in German East Africa, is considered to contain some of the