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ABOUT TANZANIA
Tanzania is a country in East Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. Many people have the dream of going on safari in Tanzania one day. Unfortunately, not everyone turns this into reality because they think it's an unattainable, expensive, or even dangerous vacation. Fortunately, we can tell you that you can make a wonderful trip to Tanzania including safari in two weeks. It may not be cheap, but saving for this trip is definitely worth it! To see the aftermovie of East-Africa, click the video above.
TRAVELING THROUGH TANZANIA
Our route through Tanzania
Moshi - Usambara Mountains - Tanga - Pangani - Stone Town- Jambiani
From the capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, you can go to any direction. You can head inland to go on safari right away, head to the mountains for a hike or you can stay just a little longer near the coast to enjoy the white sands and clear seas. We have covered all distances by taxi because public transport is not very well organized.
In Tanzania the population is more used to tourism than the surrounding countries and this has its advantages and disadvantages. If you want to really get in touch with locals you will have to make more effort, but on the other hand you are also less likely to be harassed. We have ended our journey in paradise, Zanzibar. This is highly recommended as a final destination of your trip, because only one rule applies here: pole pole.
Moshi is a town at the foot of Kilimanjaro where there is plenty to do. The town itself is becoming increasingly popular among tourists and this ensures an increase in nice restaurants and hostels. The fertile soil around the city is used well, which results in many sugar and coffee plantations in the area.
Things to do in Moshi
The most popular activity is climbing Kilimanjaro, which at 5895 meters is the highest mountain in Africa. You can opt in for an intensive hike to the top of the mountain, but keep in mind that this will take you about 5 to 9 days and that it comes down to about 1500 euros, depending on the route you choose. If this does not fit into your travel schedule or budget, you can also opt in for a day climb where you stay a little lower on the mountain. Is hiking not an option for you at all, or are you just lazy? There are plenty of rooftops in the city where you have a beautiful view of Mount Kilimanjaro with a drink in your hand.
Besides Mount Kili, Moshi is also known for its coffee. Extensive coffee plantations can be found on the mountain slopes and in the city itself you get the best cups of coffee. If you really want to know everything about this natural product, you can book a coffee tour. Here you will experience the entire process from picking to pouring. You can also visit the Kikuletwa Hotsprings and the Materuni Falls or get to know the city better with a local guide who will show you all the special places of the city.
Our recommendations
Where to stay
We stayed in More Than A Drop, a school for women who want to work in the hospitality industry. To practice, they have built a small hotel and restaurant next to their school. You will therefore be taken care of with all the attention and care you can think of.
Where to eat
Even if you don't stay at More Than A Drop, you can make a reservation in their restaurant. There are only a few tables in the garden of their school and the kitchen is run by the students. There are only vegetarian dishes on the menu, which are all delicious.
At Union Coffee you can enjoy a relaxed cup of coffee. The beans they use come from the surrounding area, so even if you have not booked a coffee tour, you can still taste a real cup of Moshi coffee here. For a small contribution you can get the WiFi password and you can sit with your laptop for an hour.
Materuni waterfall
In the northeast of Tanzania lie the Usambara Mountains, the perfect place to do a multi-day hike. The mountains are covered with tropical rainforest, cloud forest, grasslands, and agricultural area, so you will never be without a beautiful view. Most hikes depart from Lushoto, a small village on the mountain with plenty of accommodations and a few restaurants.
Things to do in the Usambara Mountains
Every walk is an amazing walk through this beautiful green area. You can choose between a few hours or up to 5 days of hiking. If your fitness level allows it, we recommend hiking for several days, because you will sleep in different accommodations, which makes it a very cool hike. You walk past plantations where locals work, schools where children play, and you will climb to some beautiful viewpoints. A good guide can point out all the medicinal plants and see the chameleons sitting in the bushes from afar (which are really hard to spot).
Our recommendations
Where to stay
We spent the first night in Lushoto at the Lawns hotel. We had a clean room, a good breakfast and there is a nice bar in the hotel where you can have a drink in the evening. The hotel offers several activities and can also help organize the hike. It wasn't the best hotel we've been, to be honest. Just simple and clean.
We ended our hike at Mambo View Point Eco Lodge for a special overnight stay. The houses are built with as many windows as possible, so you wake up with a breathtaking view of the valley. Ask if the tour you booked ends here or ask if this is possible, because we thought this was a super nice experience and good ending spot!
Where to eat
Have you only eaten ugali or chapati in the past few days and do you need something else like a tasty pizza? Mamma Mia is the only western restaurant in the Lushoto area, and the friendly staff serves the tastiest pizzas. These pizza's tasted extra well because of all the chapati, to be honest.
The chameleon, a common creature in the Usambara Mountains
Tanga is a town at the coast of Tanzania, near the border of Kenya. There is plenty of trade at the port and with approximately 250,000 inhabitants it is one of the largest cities in Tanzania. Tanga is also the starting point of Tanzania's mangrove forest that extends for 800 kilometers to the south.
What to do in Tanga
In every city you can book city tours and in Tanga it is no different. A guide can show you the nice places of the city such as the vegetable markets or the fish market. We didn't do this however.
We have spent our time here close to the sea. Everywhere on the coast of Tanga you see ships and fishing boats and as far as we are concerned you should not skip the dowh tour. With this tour, you will spend the day out to sea on a traditional East African sailboat in search of abandoned sandbanks. We also received a snorkel set on our tour and were allowed to make a stop everywhere to jump into the water. Lunch is often included but what's on the menu depends on the morning catch.
Because there are many mangroves around Tanga, it is a fun activity to paddle with a kayak to a mangrove. It can be windy and rough at sea, but this changes completely to tranquility when you paddle into the mangrove. You hear many bird sounds and see small animals crawling everywhere. Just don't think too much about what's swimming underneath you kayak ;).
Our recommendations
Where to stay
We have spent our time in Tanga in Vila Matalai. This is a small but beautiful hotel on the beach. In the garden of the hotel you can sunbathe on a bed and dinner is a surprise menu every evening.
Sandbank tour
Off the coast of Zanzibar lies the wonderfully quiet beach town of Pangani. This used to be the port city for trade in slavery and ivory, so the village carries a lot of history with it. On the beach you will now only find palm trees, small-scale hotels and few other bathers. When you're done relaxing in Pangani you can take a boat to Zanzibar from here, which is quite an experience with the high waves!
What to do in Pangani
Because Pangani is located on the coast, you can mainly book water related activities here, but because of the history of the city, cultural tours are also organized. If you just lie here with a cocktail on a beach bed, you certainly don't have to be ashamed. You get enough satisfaction from the tranquility of the landscape and the friendliness of the locals.
Our recommendations
Where to stay
We slept in the Pangani Cliff Lodge hotel. On the large plot of land that the hotel owns, there are only a few bungalows, a cocktail bar, and a swimming pool. The staff is super professional and will do everything they can to make you as comfortable as possible. The disadvantage is that because of the rocks you cannot swim in the sea here, but you will have to take the scooter taxi to the beach. We didn't mind this because the landscapes along the way were beautiful and we also supported the local population.
Another recommendation for an accommodation is the Emayani Beach Lodge hotel. This hotel is located on the beach and from your bungalow you step into the sand. The price for an overnight stay is a bit higher here, so we chose to visit this hotel during the day. If you order some drinks at the bar, you can spend the whole day by the pool. It's a perfect location and we liked the menu so much we stayed for lunch and dinner! If your budget allows it, you should pick this one.
Emayani Beach Lodge
When you think of Zanzibar, you probably think of a white beach with tall palm trees. That's right of course, but do you also want to be among the crowds between relaxed beach days? Then Stone Town is the place to go! Because of the narrow streets with Moroccan atmospheres, the town is the surprise of the island in our opinion.
What to do in Stone Town
Because the streets in the city center are so narrow, cars cannot drive here, and this makes it wonderful to wander around all day. The locals are used to tourism by now and will kindly show you the way if you get lost in the maze of limestone houses. Walk into an African art shop, look for Freddie Mercury's house or order a cold beer on a terrace overlooking the sea. Do you want more contact with the local population? In the afternoon you'll see lots of locals sitting together on the sidewalk with their homemade board games, and they'll just love it if you stop and watch!
Our recommendations
Where to stay
Accommodations can be found in all price ranges, from luxury hotel suites to cheap dorms. We slept in the Zenji hotel, it had nice rooms with air conditioning and breakfast that is served on their rooftop terrace is included. It's fairly simple but rather nice for its price.
Food
If you want to taste the local food somewhere, Lukmaan is a nice place. It is no longer a hidden gem, but for a few euros you can have a nice lunch there. You will sit between a mix of locals and tourists. It is becoming increasingly more popular, though.
Want to spend a little more for dinner? Then Emerson Spice is a must. You can choose to toast on their rooftop with the sunset or have a romantic dinner in the Secret Garden restaurant. The cocktails are amazing (and strong) here.
Secret garden restaurant
Lukmaan
Jambiani used to be an old fishing village, but nowadays the place is seen as a quiet seaside resort. There are no towering resorts, but rather small-scale hostels with a relaxed vibe. The beach is exactly what you hope for with pearly white sand and the clearest blue sea you have ever seen.
Things to do in Jambiani
You are not supposed to do much in Jambiani except lie in a hammock with a cold drink in your hand. If you do need some exercise, you can take a nice walk along the beach. There are several nice hostels in the area where you can walk in for lunch or dinner. Pay close attention to low and high tides because twice a day the sea comes all the way forward so that you can no longer walk on the beach. If you are still on the beach you have to run before the sea gets you, forrest. There are also many bars in the area and parties are regularly organized. Ask your hostel about the options.
Our recommendations
Where to stay
We stayed at New Teddy's on the Beach and we had a wonderful time here. There are tasty meals on the menu and the staff is super friendly. Contact with other backpackers is easy, but you don't have to if you don't feel like it. Everywhere you walk there is soft white sand (yes, even in the dorms), and you can choose whether you take a dip in the sea or in the nice pool.
Culture
When the tide comes in in the morning, the water recedes as much as 100 meters. The local population makes use of this by setting up nets in the water. Seaweed and fish are left behind in this and when it is low tide, they come to collect their catch. It is nice to see how this works and we walked along one morning to see this up close. Wear good shoes because there can be sharp shells.
Zanzibar’s turquoise waters’
Our previous destination on this beautiful journey was Kenya, click here to visit this page!
Hi, we are Bren and Tess! We travel to the most beautiful places in the world, and with our video's, we hope you feel inspired to do the same.
