Country Guide

Towns and Cities

While the main cities of Arusha, Mwanza and Dar es Salaam hold most of the population, there are a few others of note

The numerous towns and cities that are dotted around Tanzania offer a slightly different view from that of the traditional safari itinerary. Whether you are arriving by plane, by vehicle or by foot, Tanzanians are always welcoming and vibrant. Below we have out together a brief run through of the many places worth taking a look at:

- Dodoma -

The legislative capital of Tanzania, Dodoma is the seat of the government but, pretty much, in name only. Most of the population live in and around Dar es Salaam that is a much better connected city...even the president who is rarely in the capital unless parliament is in session.

Located right in the centre of arid the central highlands, Dodoma is a city forgotten and, when you consider its transportation links, very much isolated from the rest of the world. Designated as Tanzania's capital around the end of the 70s, it was thought that, as the most central city, it would make sense to have the parliament located here. In all honesty, other than the occasional sessions held, it is a little used place.

From a tourism point of view, there is very little need to head here, even for a night. The only time that we have ever flown in and out is when heading over to Katavia NP from Ruaha and, from the air, it is always interesting to see how the topography changes...but that is about it in all honesty!

- Moshi -

This small town, to the east of Arusha, has long been in the shadow of its older and much larger sister. It is, however, also in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro and so it is often used as the basing point for trips up the mountain.

At around 1,000 meters, the climate in Moshi is slightly warmer than Arusha and, with the backdrop of Kilimanjaro, there are few towns in Tanzania with a better view...but this is where the praise stops. Like many of the market towns in Africa, Moshi is a series of fairly simple roads leading to the main market-place and dalla-dalla pick up point. Other than this central area, there is not a whole lot more to be seen or done while here.

- Mwanza -

Once the second largest city in Tanzania, Mwanza is, today, ranked a lowly fourth, with an approximate population of 200,000. Set on the edge of Lake Victoria, in west of Tanzania, Mwanza is a fishing town and very much a hub for travel into Tanzania from other countries that either border the lake (such as Kenya and Rwanda) or from further afield.

Historically, the reason that the town came to prominence was down to the Germans in the mid-1800s who used it as an outpost during their colonisation. from these simple beginnings it was discovered that the region had a thick vein of gold running through it which caused a bit of a rush.

Today, there is fairly little to distinguish it other than its prominence on the trade and travel routes. There are a few crumbled buildings that remain, but most who come here will do so as an alternative route from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti (avoiding the route via Arusha).

- Tanga -

Situated on the northern coast of Tanzania, Tanga is a small fishing town that has probably seen better days...but is also a good place to use as a base for exploring the nearby countryside.

Designated as the country base for the Germans in the 1800s, due to its natural, deep-water harbour, Tanga enjoyed a brief surge in popularity and population. At the time it became a useful staging point for trade from the interior.

Today it is very much a forgotten place with few roads or transportation links ending up here. For the few tourists that pass through, it is used as a hub for a few of the small beach lodges that lie to the south, on, what is (especially in comparison with the crowded Zanzibar) an idyllic and undisturbed beach.