TANZANIA

July 6 to 31  Back to Home
 

July 6: From the Zambian border post we slowly eased our way through to the Tanzanian side which, unlike last year, was relatively clear of people and is now set up in a brand new terminal. Then, the paperwork started!!
A note for any would-be travellers, try to find 'David', a 'sort-of' freelance 'immigration' officer. Usually, as soon as he sees a foreign-registered vehicle, he'll be at your door. He's a well-dressed and well-spoken young man, wearing an identification tag. Without his assistance it is almost impossible to work your way through the vehicle clearance, insurance, and road tax documents. And you'll keep paying US dollars at each little office you visit!
It took us about two hours to get through the post, and then we were on our way to the delightful town Mbeya, the capital of southern Tanzania and the Mt Livingstone Hotel. Our double 'standard' room had television, and a bathroom, (with hot water), and at TS55,000, including breakfast,  was well worth it. By the way, local currency is accepted.  The staff are very friendly, there is a nice bar area and the restaurant serves delicious meals.
This year we found a new restaurant (just opened),  at the Mbeya Hotel, offering very reasonably priced meals The hotel is very historic and is virtually being rebuilt: next year the owners are hoping that they will be able to provide accommodation in motel-type rooms.
After the tiring drive from Zambia and the time spent getting through the borders we decided to stay two nights here before travelling on to Iringa.
July 8: Arriving in Iringa we went straight to the Isimilia Motel which, we feel, offers the most reasonably-priced accommodation in the whole of Tanzania. Whilst the rooms are very basic - single beds, no television and an unusual bathroom, which sometimes has hot water - for TS14,000 per night, including breakfast, what more could you expect! The hotel has a nice, separate, bar area, but we've never fancied having a main meal in the restaurant.
The most popular place to eat is Lulu's restaurant, which offers a nice variety of western and Chinese food - but, check the opening and closing hours, they're a bit strange! Whilst in Iringa take a drive out  to Isimilia itself, a stone-age ruin, some 15-kilometres west of the town, it's quite an amazing place!
We found Iringa a friendly town and can be wandered through without any fear. A must is the market 'alleyway' where numerous types of souvenirs can be purchased at reasonable prices.
Having no set plan we decided to stay two nights there to have a really good rest before driving further on.
July 10: A 300-kilometre, very scenic drive saw us in Morogoro  and the New Acropol Hotel, which really is the place to stay and well  worth the TS55,000 per night, including a continental breakfast. There are only four bedrooms (I think a couple more will soon be opened), with very nice antique furniture, television and en suite. The bar area is something to behold being filled with lots of African memorabilia and photographs. Run by Michelle, a Canadian who has lived in Africa for many years, the Acropol serves delicious meals and the staff are very friendly.
July 11: Leaving Morogoro we drove to the capital of Tanzania, Dodoma, then to Singida and the 4J Singida Motel. This is a very basic motel, but well run by Ibraham, a delightful man, originally from Ethiopia, who had many amazing tales to tell about life in that country when his father was the Minister for Foreign Affairs under the Haile Sallasie regime. Like the motel, the meals are basic - 'chicken and chips', and that's about all!
While the drive to Singida is scenic, the road from Dodoma is horrendous - a mixture of tar and rough side tracks with huge potholes. It took about seven hours to complete the 500-kilometre journey.
July 12: We thought the road to Sengida was the worst we had ever been on!! Wrong! The stretch to Mwanza is a nightmare and just indescribable.  A new highway has been in the process of being constructed for several years - and it looks like it will be several more years before it is completed. At one stage the 'road' was blocked after two semi-trailers overturned down the side of a mountain.
Nine hours layer, and a flight tyre, and wrecked shock absorber we arrived in Mwanza on the edge of Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world,  the biggest in Africa, and the source of the mighty Nile. Our strong advice is not to take this route, unless you want a wrecked vehicle! Instead you could drive to Arusha then trough the Serengeti - even if it will cost you US$90 to get into Ngorongora (crater fame), plus another US100 for the Serengeti. Whilst that road is pretty bad, it's nothing like the one we travelled on from Dodoma.
At Mwanza we booked into the New Mwanza Hotel - or at least Anne did, as from the way Keith looked after scrabbling around underneath the Hilux on the dirt road we thought the hotel might refuse to let us stay there!! We shouldn't have worried as we were quickly taken to a most comfortable room, complete with television and en suite etc at a rate of TS60,000 per night, including breakfast. The New Mwanza is really a top-class establishment, clean, with friendly staff and serves delicious meals. If you like pizzas, a good place to go is the Pizzareria, which is almost adjacent to the hotel.
We decided to spend three nights in this scenic area in an effort to recover from 'the drive' and to get the Hilux repaired. We also wanted to try to get accommodation in the Serengeti so found Mr Shah at Fourways Travel. Again, we were lucky with one night being available at the Seronera Wildlife Lodge. If you wish to spend some time in the Serengeti it is essential to make a booking, early, as it is a very popular tourist destination.
July 15: And so we bid farewell to Mwanza and took drove along a scenic route to Serengeti Stop Over which is situated just near the entrance to Serengeti. The thatched-roof chalets are quite spacious and comfortable, with television and en suite. The tariff of TS90,000, including breakfast, is expensive but staying there gives the chance for an early start into the park. Bar facilities are available and you can get a basic meal.
Serengeti here

July 17: On our way from the Crater we stopped at the town of Mto Wa Mbu, which in Swahili means the 'Place of Mosquitos', to re-fuel the vehicle and say hello to Sam, who has a souvenir stall adjacent to the petrol station. Amongst the many bits and pieces of Masai-made jewellery we found Masai 'watches' - beaded bracelets in the shape of a watch, which we had not seen anywhere else in our travels.
A couple of years ago we stayed in this town at the Figtree Hotel which was in the process of being renovated. It was basic, but very reasonably priced (about TS20,00 per night I think). At that time there were no really decent places at which to eat - won't go in to where we had to eat, except to say it was one of the worst meals we have ever had!
We finally decided that we would keep going on to Same, instead of staying in Arusha or Moshi, to the Elephant Motel where Keith had stayed many years ago.. Expecting the usual 'basic' accommodation, as it was then with no hot water, dirt surrounds etc - we were pleasantly surprised!  It had been renovated over the years and was now like 'an oasis in a desert'. Our accommodation comprised a foyer, separate bathroom (with hot water!) and a large bedroom with satellite television, all for TS40,000, including breakfast! The hotel had a well-stocked bar plus a dining room which served decent food. And the surrounds looked like a miniature rainforest - the best gardens at any hotel that we had seen in Africa.
Same is also close to the Tsavo National Park. All this part of Tanzania is very scenic, and, if you're lucky, you'll see Mt Kilimanjaro, but only on a clear day.
July 18: On the road again, this time bound for Lushoto which is situated high in the Usambara Mountains, giving one of the most scenic drives in the whole of Tanzania. Our plan was to stay at the Irente View Cliff Lodge, owned by a former President of Tanzania,  which is further up  the mountains from Lushoto, along another dirt track. We visited this establishment last year and it is true luxury, with a breathtaking view over the plains. If we remember correctly it was about US$80 per night, including breakfast. Well worth a stay!
Unfortunately things didn't work out that way as, when we stopped in Lushoto for a breather, the Hilux died. A few hours later and with the help of a few friendly residents we had a new battery, but, as the engine was making a few strange noises at the front we decided not to make the trek further up the mountains. An attempt to get accommodation at the Lawns Hotel, where we have stayed several times, was unsuccessful so we drove back down the mountains to the Motel White Parrot  (phone 27 264 10 68) at Korogwe. This establishment, at TS30,000 per room. including breakfast is well worth the money. Even though it is situated adjacent to a service station it is quiet, and you can get a reasonable  meal at the attached restaurant.
The noise in the front of the vehicle had worsened so it was taken to a garage adjoining the service station where it was found that a bolt had broken on the stabiliser bar, not a major disaster but it had to be repaired. Several hours later, after much scrabbling around in the dust and dirt, it was announced as being 'fixed', sort of!!
July 19: Instead of driving straight on to Dar Es Salaam  from Korogwe and spending an additional night there we backtracked to the New Acopolis at Morogoro to spend a relaxing few hours. By this time, like at Otavi Gardens Hotel, the staff  were getting used to us popping in! Relax we didn't, as another rattle developed in the Hilux, meaning a four-hour stint at the 'best repair shop in the town' - the Oryx, owned by Colin, a tough white Kenyan. If you ever have vehicle trouble in that area, try to get to that workshop. The mechanics there were able to locate the main problem and repair it.

July 20: Back on the road again en route to Dar Es Salaam and the Slipway Hotel, situated on the Msasani Peninsula, about 20-minutes from the city. This hotel was highly recommended in the South African Getaway magazine and we expected a small hotel. Wrong! It is part of a large shopping complex, with accommodation on the second floor. The room was modern, spotlessly clean, had an en suite and satellite television and was good value at US$80 per night. Breakfast could be taken downstairs at 'The Pub', which has a nice outdoor dining area. Service is a bit s;acl and the lukewarm coffee turns up first, then you wait and wait for the fruit juice and whatever else you need!
At night we dined at the 'pizza place', overlooking the bay, which is inexpensive and serves great pizzas.
There are several shops and boutiques in the mall selling  the usual souvenirs along with typical 'beach-type' Tanzanian wear. You're probably best going to the adjoining 'market' area where goods are about two-thirds the price of those sold in the mall. There is also a very well-stocked bookshop which is worth looking through.
If you're going to Zanzibar it's best to take a cab (there are several at the Slipway) and go to the waterfront to the 'Sea Star' office. When you arrive at the waterfront you will be harassed by touts, but do what Keith does, ignore them and go straight to Sea Star (not Sea Express) which runs a fast service to Zanzibar, leaving at 10:30am, and costs US$30 plus US$5 port tax, per person, each way.
July 22: Leaving the Hilux under the watchful eyes of our friendly cab drivers, and a security guard, we caught a cab to the wharf. We also arranged for the driver to pick us up on our return in a few days time.
 Soon we were on our way to one of our favourite spots in the whole of Tanzania - the exotic island of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar
July 25: Back in Dar Es Salaam and the Slipway, we relaxed for the day to prepare ourselves for the long drive back to Zimbabwe.
July 26: We found ourselves being welcomed with open arms back at the New Acropol Hotel (even the little terriers remembered us!) where we decided to stay for two nights.

July 28: Back to the Isimilia Motel where we had to spend two nights as our fuel tank on the Hilux had developed a crack which had to be repaired. Whilst there we met up with an interesting group of 17 young Americans, led by a delightful man,  Senior Pastor Paul Harrington of the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The group was about to head off back to the US after spending two weeks in Tanzania with their sister-diocese. The church has so far assisted with the construction of three churches in the area, and this year each member of the group arrived with 50lbs of luggage filled with vitamins and medicines to give to those in need. This was Paul's seventh trip to Tanzania in the last four years.
Again, we ate at Lulu's restaurant. It's certainly a popular eating spot as the Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, along with his large entourage, was also there!
July 30: With the fuel tank repaired it was on to Mbeya and the Mt Livingstone Hotel. Even though it was only a 350-kilometre drive it took a long time as there are many small villages on the way which have a speed limit of 50-kilometres. Again we ate at the Mbeya Hotel restaurant and prepared ourselves for the 'bun-fight' at the border posts.
Zambia