Swahili coast
Trade routes that led from the heart of the continent to the East African coast gradually gave rise to Swahili culture a blend of Arab, Indian and Bantu influences that created one of the most developed trade networks in the Indian Ocean.
Although archaeological evidence shows the area was used as a trading port for Greek and Persian ships as early as 400 BC, permanent coastal settlements only developed around 800 AD, when civilizations around the Indian Ocean were wealthy enough to support annual voyages and a high volume of trade.
With large caravans laden with gold, spices, ivory, and slaves departing from Zanzibar, Kilwa, and other less prominent East African ports, Swahili civilization grew and flourished until the 15th century, when trade became more confined to Mombasa and Zanzibar.
Arusha
A popular day trip for visitors about to embark from the town of Arusha on longer northern circuit safaris, Arusha National Park is a gem of varied ecosystems and spectacular views of Mt. Meru, the crater that gives the region its name. The small national park includes the slopes, summit, and ash cone of Mt. Meru, the Momela Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and the lush highland forests that blanket its lower slopes. Game viewing around the Momela Lakes is at a laid-back and quiet pace, and while passing through the forest many visitors stop to search for troupes of rare colubus monkeys playing in the canopy.
Climbing Mt. Meru or enjoying the smaller trails that criss-cross its lower slopes is a popular activity for visitors to Arusha National Park. The three-day trek to reach the crater’s summit is a quieter, and some say more challenging alternative than the famous peak of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro. Along the lower slopes, paths to rivers and waterfalls make a relaxing day hike for visitors who don’t want to attempt the rather arduous climb. Ancient fig tree forests, crystal clear waters cascading from mountain streams, and a chance to spot colobus monkeys are the attractions and pleasures of Arusha National Park.
Lake Nyasa
Also known as Lake Malawi, the Tanzanian side of Lake Nyasa borders the Livingstone Mountains and stretches out towards Malawi and Mozambique.
The towns of Kyela, Itungi, and Matema make good bases from which to visit the lake, which contains almost a third of the known cichlids – a species of freshwater tropical fish – in the world.
Lake Tanganyika
Travel to Lake Tanganyika is mostly centred around visiting Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains National Parks.
The lake’s dark waters form the word’s largest and second-deepest freshwater lake, and the area is a regional centre for building dhow fishing boats that sail through its rugged waters.
Kilwa
Along the southern coast of Tanzania, the ancient ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani give themselves slowly to the encroaching jungle and the relentless cycles of the tide. Once the very epicentre of Swahili culture and civilisation, all that is left of Kilwa Kisiwani are the old building blocks of the town — fire baked limestone, coral blocks, a few shattered tiles. Nothing else remains except the lush coconuts and old trees that give witness to habitation here many years ago.
The ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani were once the centre of trade along the entire East African coast and the driving force behind the complex networks of trade caravans and dhow expeditions that encouraged the Swahili to thrive and prosper.
During its heyday in the 13th to 15th century, trade with Sofala in Mozambique, India to the east, and Arabia to the north propelled Kilwa’s fortunes to unbelievable heights. Together with the nearby ruins of Songo Mnara, archaeologists and historians consider Kilwa one of the most important sites of Swahili civilization in the region.
The coral and limestone walls of the old mosque, sultans’ palaces, and merchants’ houses are all the more sumptuous in their rather dilapidated state – fig tree roots weave in and out of old windows and the rustle of the ocean palms never far away.
MOUNT KILIMANJARO WON AFRICA’S LEADING TOURIST ATTRACTION AWARD IN 2016.
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, was declared Africa’s leading tourist attraction in 2016 during the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony in Zanzibar. The red carpet event attended by hundreds of tourism industry leaders was hosted by Diamonds La Gemma Dell’est,Nungwi the northern tip of Zanzibar, Tanzania on 9th April 2016.
Tanzania Tourist Board is honoured to see that Mt. Kilimanjaro has been voted as the leading tourist destination in Africa. This nomination will definitely contribute towards our efforts in promoting Destination Tanzania, especially in making the world know that Tanzania is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro; the pinnacle wonder of Africa, and as many know, it is affectionately known as the rooftop of Africa.
Mount Kilimanjaro, is the world’s most accessible high snow–capped summit, a beacon for visitors from around the world and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In addition to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the following Tanzanian tourism companies also won different awards in various categories.
Tanzania Tourist Board congratulates all companies nominated at the World Travel Awards Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony and is confident that their victory is a very strong tool in the marketing and promotion of destination Tanzania. Likewise, Tanzania Tourist Board thanks all tourism stakeholders for voting for Mount Kilimanjaro and other Tanzania tourism facilities and making them become winners.
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World Travel Awards™ was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Today, the World Travel Awards™ brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
Each year World Travel Awards™ covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective successes within each geographical region.
MOUNT KILIMANJARO WON AFRICA’S LEADING TOURIST ATTRACTION AWARD IN 2016.
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, was declared Africa’s leading tourist attraction in 2016 during the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony in Zanzibar. The red carpet event attended by hundreds of tourism industry leaders was hosted by Diamonds La Gemma Dell’est,Nungwi the northern tip of Zanzibar, Tanzania on 9th April 2016. Read more
TTB HABARI
WAZIRI wa Maliasili na Utalii, Mh Prof. Jumanne Maghembe amemteua Bw. Philip Chitaunga (pichani kulia)kuwa Kaimu Mkurugenzi wa Masoko wa Bodi ya Utalii Tanzania kuanzia tarehe Machi 1,2016. Bofya hapa kupata habari zaidi
CHITAUNGA APPOINTED ACTING TTB DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
The Minister for Natural resources and Tourism Prof. Jumanne Maghembe (MP) has appointed Mr Philip Chitaunga the Acting Director of Marketing of Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) with effect from 01 March 2016.
Mr Chitaunga who was TTB’s Tourism Services Manager has been appointed to act in that capacity after the then Director of Marketing Ms Devota Mdachi who has been acting as the Managing Director was appointed in full to that position in January this year.
Prior to joining Tanzania Tourist Board as a Tourism Services Manager (TSM), Mr Philip Chitaunga served as a Senior Tourism Officer at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism under the Tourism Division.
OUR PARTICIPATION WAS FRUITFUL – DEVOTA
Tanzania has successfully participated in the 50th edition of ITB which ended recently in Berlin Germany by using the event as a unique platform for marketing destination Tanzania and her tourist attractions as well as participants being able to make good business deals apart from many visitors flocking at the Tanzania stand throughout the show.
According to the Managing Director of Tanzania Tourist Board Ms Devota Mdachi a total number of 90 private and public companies from Tanzania participated in this year ITB show which took place from 9th -13 March, 2016 in Berlin.
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‘We are pleased that we fully utilized some of the events at ITB such as the East African Community day that we hosted at our stand, media interviews by International television and radio stations, and other professional meetings that ran concurrently with the show to aggressively market our tourism attractions ” says Ms Devota.
On his part the Marketing Manager Mr Geofrey Meena noted that out of 90 companies 59 showcased the country’s spectacular tourism attractions as well as their services under TTB stand to tourism and travellers and travel trade professionals worldwide. Other 14 companies were under Zanzibar Tourism Investment (ZATI) whereas 10 companies participated under African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) and the rest participated privately. Team Tanzania comprised of 56 companies from the private sector including Tour and Travel operators, and Accommodation facilities. Three (3) institutions from the public sector took part in ITB 2016, these were: Tanzania Tourist Board, Tanzania National Parks and the Tanzania embassy in Germany.
More than 187 countries and 10,000 companies participated in the ITB 2016 which also attracted 196,000 visitors from all over the world.