Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Car & Motorcycle
If you're driving to/from Dar es Salaam, there are petrol stations in Kibiti (unreliable), Ik-
wiriri (unreliable), Nangurukuru, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi and Mtwara.
GETTING AROUND
Taxis to and from the airport (6km southeast of the main roundabout) cost Tsh8000 to
Tsh10,000. There are taxi ranks at the bus stand and near the CCM building; the cost for a
town trip is Tsh2000 (Tsh4000 from the centre to Shangani). Tuk-tuks
(bajaji)
are cheaper
(Tsh2000 to Shangani).
There are a few dalla-dallas running along Tanu Rd to and from the bus stand, although
none to Shangani. To arrange bicycle rental, ask at the market or at one of the nearby bi-
cycle shops.
Mikindani
Mikindani - set on a picturesque bay surrounded by coconut groves - is a quiet, charming
Swahili town with a long history. Although easily visited as a day trip from Mtwara, many
travellers prefer it to its larger neighbour as a base for exploring the surrounding area.
History
Mikindani gained prominence early on as a major dhow port and terminus for trade cara-
vans from Lake Nyasa. By the late 15th century, these networks extended across south-
ern Tanzania as far as Zambia and present-day Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly
Zaïre). Following a brief downturn in fortunes, trade - primarily in slaves, ivory and copper
- again increased in the mid-16th century as Mikindani came under the domain of the
Sultan of Zanzibar. In the 19th century, following the ban on the slave trade, Mikindani fell
into decline until the late 1880s when the German colonial government made the town its
regional headquarters and began large-scale sisal, coconut, rubber and oilseed production
in the area. However, the boom was not to last. With the arrival of the British and the ad-
vent of larger ocean-going vessels, Mikindani was abandoned in favour of Mtwara's super-
ior harbour, and now, almost a century later, seems not to have advanced much beyond this
era. Much of the town has been designated as a conservation zone, and life today centres
on the small dhow port, which is still a hub for local coastal traffic.
For David Livingstone fans, the famous explorer spent a few weeks in the area in 1866
before setting out on his last journey.
