Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FERRY
There's currently no passenger ferry service on Lake Victoria between Tanzania and
Kenya, but cargo boats sail about twice weekly between Mwanza and Kisumu (occa-
sionally stopping in Musoma) and are usually willing to take passengers. Inquire at the
Mwanza South port about sailings. A passenger and vehicle ferry is scheduled to start ser-
vice between Musoma and Kisumu by early 2012.
MALAWI
The MV
Songea
sails between Mbamba Bay and Nkhata Bay, in theory departing from
Mbamba Bay on Friday morning and Nkhata Bay on Friday evening (1st/economy class
US$12/5, four to five hours). The schedule is highly variable and sometimes cancelled
completely.
MOZAMBIQUE
DHOW
Dhows between Mozambique and Tanzania (12 to 30 or more hours) are best arranged at
Msimbati and Moçimboa da Praia (Mozambique).
FERRY
The official route between southwestern Tanzania and Mozambique is via Malawi on the
MV
Songea
between Mbamba Bay and Nkhata Bay, and then from Nkhata Bay on to
Likoma Island (Malawi), Cóbuè and Metangula (both in Mozambique) on the MV
Ilala
.
Unofficially, there are small boats that sail along the eastern shore of Lake Nyasa between
Tanzania and Mozambique. However, Lake Nyasa is notorious for its severe and sudden
squalls, and going this way is risky and not recommended.
See the Malawi section (
Click here
) for schedule information for the MV
Songea
. The
MV
Ilala
departs from Monkey Bay (Malawi) at 10am Friday, arriving in Metangula
(Mozambique, via Chipoka and Nkhotakota in Malawi) at 6am Saturday, reaching Cóbuè
around noon, Likoma Island at 1.30pm and Nkhata Bay at 1am Sunday morning. South-
bound, departures are at 8pm Monday from Nkhata Bay and at 6.30am Tuesday from
Likoma Island, reaching Cóbuè at 7am and Metangula at noon. The schedule changes fre-
quently; get an update locally. Fares are about US$40/20 for 1st-class cabin/economy class
between Nkhata Bay and Cóbuè. There's an immigration officer at Mbamba Bay, Mozam-
bique immigration posts in Metangula and Cóbuè, and immigration officers on Likoma Is-
land and in Nkhata Bay for Malawi. You can get a Mozambique visa at Cóbuè, but not at
Metangula.
