Tanzania

Best of Tanzania

March 21, 2014 /

We visited Tanzania for 33 days starting on January 25, 2014 and traveled by bus over bumpy roads a total of 59.5 hours to reach the towns of Mbeya, Dar Es Saalam, Entenga, Moshi, Arusha, Mwanza, and Bukoba. Via ferry, we arrived to Zanzibar Island, and enjoyed their sunny days by a beach of white sand and turquoise ocean. Stone Town, Zanzibar was a lecture in the history of slavery, revealing the tragic route of pain that forever connects the heritage of Africa and the Americas.

Tanzania did not reach complete independence from Britain until 1961 and their history has been tainted by centuries of colonization, including the Arabs of Oman and the Germans. Mwalimu Nyerere was sworn the first prime minister of Tanzania on their independence day and remained in power for more than 20 years, until 1985. He attempted to create self-sustainable communities in the country but his project unfortunately failed. Regardless of the ongoing issues of political corruption, a socialist spirit still exists amongst many citizens in this nation. Nyerere is recognized with the achievement of unifying 120 tribes with distinct idioms under the umbrella of Swahili, one of the national languages.

Mwalimu Nyerere

Tanzania filled our days with many memories: Sal had a couple of accidental encounters with minors, he was vomited and peed on by kids in two different occasions; “The Lion King” movie recurrently came to mind while we were learning Swahili words, such as simba, rafiki, and akuna matata, which were all so handy; everywhere we went locals called us out loud, “Mzungu” (white person), it felt so awkward; we were fascinated by seeing the Maasai tribe with their traditional clothing, wooden stick, and sometimes even wearing sportive shoes around the cities; we loved Mwanza, a stunning rock city by Victoria Lake, the biggest lake in Africa; we had a wonderful WWOOFing experience in the Kilimanjaro province, living with a local family for a week was by far our high in Tanzania; a safari to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area left us unforgettable nights in the tent surrounded by wild animals, plenty of pictures, and the satisfaction of enjoying nature as it should be.

Due to its multiple treasures, Tanzania has become an epicenter of tourism in Africa and many NGO’s from abroad. The cultural fusion of this nation is a result of centuries of interrelations and trading across the Indian Ocean. From whatever angle you look at it, you will find that this country has a lot to enjoy!

Below are other great things we enjoyed about Tanzania:

Food and Drinks

  • Mchemsho wa Kuku: boiled chicken in a tomato stew with potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers

  • Mchemsho wa Nyama: beef in a tomato stew with potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers

  • Pineapple

  • Kilimanjaro Lager

  • Ndovu Beer

  • Zanzibar Octopus and Rice

  • Beef Curry with Rice and Beans

  • Serengeti Beer

  • Safari Beer

  • Fresh Tuna

  • Zanzibar Fish in Coconut Curry

  • Tusker Beer

  • Tamarind Juice

  • Green Roasted Bananas with Chicken

  • Beef Briyani

  • Zanzibar Pizza

  • Sugar Cane Juice

  • Grilled Octopus

  • Coconut

  • Ugali: cooked maize flour

  • Roasted Corn

  • Mango

  • Bananas

  • Plantains

  • Banana Wine

  • Dik-dik: a local antelope

  • Pilau: rice with spices

  • Tropical Juices

  • Balimi Beer

Favorite Sights and Activities

  • Swimming and Diving in the Clear Oceans of Zanzibar

  • Experiencing the Village Culture while WWOOFing in Entenga

  • Driving by the Beautiful Landscapes and Animals in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area

  • Sitting on Great Rock Formations alongside Victoria Lake in Mwanza

  • Learning the Harsh Slave History in Stone Town, Zanzibar

People

  • Rimas: from Lithuania, our CouchSurfing host in Dar Es Salaam.

  • Arjan and Maria: from Holland, met in Stone Town and had some drinks and dinner together.

  • Serafin: from Tanzania, our WWOOF host in Entenga.

  • Babu: from Tanzania, Serafin’s father.

  • Rosie: from Tanzania, Serafin’s sister.

  • Peter: from Tanzania, Serafin’s brother.

  • Gust: from France, was also WWOOFing in Entenga.

  • Ghynwine: from Tanzania, Serafin’s first son

  • Batista: from Tanzania, Serafin’s wife

  • Bertold: from Tanzania, Serafin’s youngest son

  • Ariel: from Argentina, met at the hostel in Moshi and traveled together for a few days on a safari and on to Mwanza.

  • Mukhtar: from Rwanda with Pakistan and Indian ancestry, our CouchSurfing host in Mwanza.

  • Sofie: from Argentina, also was CouchSurfing with Mukhtar.

  • Zac and Ilidia: from South Africa, met at the campsite in Bukoba.

Animals Viewed

  • Star Fish

  • Urchins

  • Eels

  • Many Fish

  • Many Other Sea Creatures

  • Zebras

  • Wildebeests

  • Impalas

  • Gazelles

  • Lions

  • Leopard

  • Topi Antelopes

  • Giraffes

  • Warthogs

  • Vulture

  • Many Birds

  • Hippopotamus

  • Dik-dik

  • Baboons

  • Buffalo

  • Elephants

  • Rhinoceros

  • Flamingos

  • Hyenas

  • Ostrich

  • Jackals

Native Words (Swahili)

  • Karibu = Welcome

  • Ahsante = Thank you

  • Jambo = Hello

  • Mambo = How are you?

  • Hakuna Matata = No worries

  • Kuku = Chicken

  • Simba = Lion

  • Chakula kitamu sana = The food is very delicious

  • Pole = Sorry

  • Pole Pole = Slowly

  • Rafiki = Friend

  • Safari = Travel

  • Babu = Grandfather

  • Kaka = Brother

  • Dada= Sister

  • Bia = Beer

  • Maji = Water

  • Mzuri = Good

  • Samaki = Fish

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