Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FERRY
Ferries operate on Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, and between Dar
es Salaam, Zanzibar and Pemba. There's a US$5 port tax per trip. For details of ferries
between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar,
Click here
.
TANZANIA FERRY TRAVEL
Tanzania's ferries can be a pleasant and wonderfully scenic way to travel. Tak-
ing the MV
Liemba
down Lake Tanganyika is one of Africa's classic journeys.
The Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) ferry routes are beautiful, sliding slowly past
mountains and lakeshore villages. The sight of Stone Town's skyline coming in-
to view as the Dar es Salaam ferry approaches Zanzibar island is etched into the
memories of countless travellers.
Yet, anyone considering ferry travel in this part of the world should also be
aware of the risks involved. Most of Tanzania's ferries are ageing, and many are
in a dubious state of repair. Many are also the only means of travel for local res-
idents. Most double as cargo boats, and they often travel fully loaded or over-
loaded with both passengers and cargo. There have been several major ferry tra-
gedies in recent times, including the sinking of the MV
Bukoba
on Lake Victor-
ia in 1996 and the 2011 sinking of the Spice Islander en route between Zanzibar
and Pemba. Except for the occasional 1st-class cabin, conditions are general ex-
tremely basic, with seating only on the overcrowded deck. More significantly,
many of the ferries sail with minimal or no safety equipment. Most have life
jackets and at least some lifeboats, but rarely enough for the number of passen-
gers on board. An exception are the daytime 'fast ferries' between Dar es Sa-
laam and Zanzibar, which are generally better maintained, and with somewhat
better oversight.
If you plan to travel by ferry, choose day boats where possible. Don't get on a
boat that appears overloaded, don't set off in bad weather, and poke around on
deck to try to find a life jacket.
LAKE VICTORIA
The MV
Victoria
departs from Mwanza at 9pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (1st
class/2nd-class sleeping/2nd-class sitting/3rd class Tsh35,000/ 25,600/20,600/15,600, nine
hours). Departures from Bukoba are at 9pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. First class has
two-bed cabins and 2nd-class sleeping has six-bed cabins. Second-class sitting isn't com-
fortable, so if you can't get a spot in 1st class or 2nd-class sleeping, the best bet is to buy a
3rd-class ticket. With luck, you may then be able to find a comfortable spot in the 1st-class
