HOME OF SWAHILI CULTURE

‘home of Swahili Culture’

Pangani is a small town in East Africa’s coast with long history and a culture with Arabic, German, Asian and British Colonial rules influence. This is a place where Swahili, Arab, colonial traditions and modern hospitality blends together.

Located at the mouth of Pangani River that collects its water from Mt Kilimanjaro and Meru to the Indian Ocean, Pangani Cultural Tourism Programme offers various tours.

Here you will enjoy coastline with clean beaches where endangered Green Turtles breeds, historic sites, coral reefs, Old Port as well as great diversity of tropical marine dwellers.

Pangani offers;

• Historical town tour-Explore Historic buildings of Pangani town, slave market, old port and slave routes

• Pangani River cruising 

• Maziwe Marine Park Island tour----diving and snorkelling + sun bath 

• Village tours-a welcome to Coast people’s home and stay with a family getting an insight of the Swahili culture. Participate in various activities with the family members 

• An opportunity to explore the life of Endangered Green Turtles. Visits to nesting sites and the release of the hatchlings to the Indian Ocean 

• An opportunity for safari to Saadani National Park 

• Cycling tours around the town, to the sisal plantations and adjacent villages 

• Fishing with local fishermen 

• Evening tour within and around Pangani town. Get an insight of local entertainments available in the area

• Farm tour-visit local’s farms with coconut, various types of fruits and enjoy fresh fruits and coconut juice while rolling on criss-crossing the dominating coconut trees 

Where to stay;

A wide range of guest houses, hotels and lodges is available along the Indian Ocean beach and around the town of Pangani. Camping grounds are available in various places depending on nature of your tour around Pangani and neighbouring places.

Tourist information office or tour guides can make arrangements for homestays and overnights in local guest houses, hotels and lodges when making hikes of several days within and around Pangani area.

Facilities for hire;

Camping facilities can be hired after providing a one day notice. Mountain bikes and engine boat can be hired in Pangani town at a reasonable price. Pangani cultural Tourism Enterprise has an engine boat that can be available at any time.For those planning to leave for Zanzibar through Pangani or Saadani National Park, hired boats are available.

Tour Guides:-

The guides of the Cultural Tourism Programme are indigenous of Pangani who speaks good English and have ample experience in tour guiding in the area. The guides are very charming and will accompany you in leisure activities. Boat captains and the driver will guide you in all water related activities.

Bookings for various excursion and tours can be made at the Pangani

Tourist Information Centre (TIC) located at the Main bus stand. Pangani

T.IC has internet facilities. All Pangani registered guides are found at the

office. Tanzania Tourist Board Tourist Information offices at Arusha and

Dares salaam can assist on booking your tour in Pangani.

Pangani can be easily accessed by buses. There are daily buses leaving

Dar es salaam and Arusha to Pangani vuia Tanga. It takes 6 hours drive

from Arusha and 7hours from Dar es salaam. Pangani is 53 km South of

Tanga town where several mini-buses to Pangani are available.Mini-buses

leaves once all seats are occupied and it takes an hour to Panganito

Pangani.

Pangani Cultural Tourism Programme

P.O Box 3, Pangani

+255 732 976460,+255 784 539141

Email: info@panganitourism.com

www.panganitourism.com

Revenues generated from this cultural tourism Programme is used to conserve endangered marine dwellers (green turtles), the Pangani Historical buildings, environment and improve people’s Livelihood in Pangani

Machame is Part of Hai District, in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania.

Machame is an area on the southeastern slope of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The name "Machame" refers to an ethnic and linguistic group of people occupying this area historically as its homeland, as well as the specific location.

Machame language

 

Although sometimes lumped with other Chaga Languages, Machame is a distinct language (also known as "Kimachame" in Swahili and as "Kimashame" or "Kimashami" in the Machame language itself.For most inhabitants of Machame (i.e., the Machame "tribe"), including children born and raised in this area, Kimachame is their first language; Swahili and English are learned via formal schooling.

Geography

 

Physically, the Machame area occupies part of Hai District, in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. It forms several of the 14 wards of Hai District. Ever since the latter part of the 20th century, the Machame Gate and Machame Camp have become the two locations in the Machame area most known to tourists visiting Tanzania, because these form part of the Machame Route fro treks ascending Mt. kilimanjaro. There is one major, paved road traversing Machame. It begins at the south end stemming from the A23 Arusha-to-Himo main road (which also connects Moshi to Arusha). This intersection is 15 km from Moshi and 75 km from Arusha. The name of this intersection is commonly "Kilimanjaro Machine Tools", after the defunct business of the same name which left an abandoned building at the south edge of this intersection. This road proceeds north until it reaches the Machame Gate at the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. Several secondary, unpaved roads connect points within Machame. Machame is traversed by several rivers that flow year-round within deep gorges running down the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. In addition to the natural rivers, there are systems of flumes for irrigation that pre-date the colonial era. Although major infrastructure project spread piped water through much of the area in the 1990s and later, the flumes are still used and maintained for agricultural irrigation.

 

Economy and Agricultural Practices

The majority of residents of Machame, like in many other rural areas of Tanzania, earn a living through agriculture. The year-round temperate climate and fairly high humidity allow cultivation of a huge variety of crops. Since the colonial period, coffee has been an important cash crop for export; however, its prominence has decreased in recent decades. As noted by Mbonile, et al., declining prices for exports have influenced farmers to replace coffee with annual crops like tomatoes, of which the surplus may be sold and consumed regionally. The overall land-use pattern in Machame (and surrounding foothill areas of Mt. Kilimanjaro) have changed broadly over the past 120 years—even more dramatically in the post-independence period. Specifically, increasing agricultural planting in the bottom three of the five climatic zones of Kilimanjaro has reduced native vegetation. Agriculture in Machame fits generally into two modes: home gardens consisting of multipurpose trees interspersed with food crops near houses, and the "shamba" lands, or small fields, where food crops like maize, finger millet, and beans are grown.

 

The formal economy in Machame is broadly disbursed across many high-frequency shops ("kiosks") throughout the many small villages comprising Machame. There are also several formal markets—e.g., Kalali near the main road, and Bwani near Uraa—that are organized and regulated by local government entities. Each market typically has one or two designated market days each week. Machame is also dotted with other small businesses such as mills for grain and presses for sunflower oil.

With growing use of the Machame Route through Kilimanjaro National Park, a few businesses catering to tourists have emerged. Many are informal, small-scale vendors near the Machame Gate. Recently, the Protea hotel chain based in South Africa opened the Protea Hotel Aisha Machame just along the main north-south road.

 

Machame, to the north of the Arusha - Moshi road, is a mosaic of beautful valleys, deep gorges, rivers, waterfalls and farms, and is home to the Chagga people. Explore the life of the people of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

MBEGE

 

The tour includes the following:

• A warm welcome in a local Chagga household 

• Hikes through dense natural forests and farms for acclimatization along fast flowing strems before climbing the mountain

• Three different views of snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro, where local ancient Chagga legends recount tales of an iron hut that brought them strength

• A visit to several development projects in the area (coffee production, traditional irrigation, afforestation, cross-breeding, bee-keeping, schools, health care, food processing, etc.)
  

There are various tours designed by the people of Machame:

Sieny - Ngira tour (4-6 hours)

The tour starts from the Machame Cultural Tourism Centre (Kyalia) and takes you through Kalali market to Masama. Sieny catchment forest is historically a sacred place of natural forests bridges and caves where local people worshipped during the traditional festivals. Another attraction is the natural bridge called ' Daraja la Mungu' or 'God's Bridge'.

Nronga tour (5 hours)

Walk uphill from Kyalia to Nronga village. Visit the milk purification centre run by women and the Kalali women's group specializing in cheese - making. If your visit is on a Monday, you can enjoy the colourful weekly market.

Environmental tour (5 hours)

Get a glimpse of how the locals make pottery for food and water storage. The guide will explain how the conservation activities such as rainwater harvesting undertaken in the area are ideal for a rural setting.

Nkuu tour (5 - 8 hours)

From Kyalia, walk through fertile banana and coffee farmlands and learn about an intensive inter-cropping system of mixed crop farming. Also, participate in cooking a traditional Chagga meal before return.

Mfuranungun view point (6-8 hours)

See Moshi town, Lake Nyumba ya Mungu (House of God) and learn about horticultural practice at Nkwewele. Hike to Marukeni before descending to the river Semira rich in trout.

Ng'uni hike (2 days)

The Sieny - Ngira tour can be combined with a hike to Ng'uni. At Ng'uni, learn to build the oldest Chagga traditional house called 'Mbii'. Meet Mzee Urassa who will brief you on stingless bee - keeping.

Lyamungo tour (2 -3 days)

The tour starts at Kyalia and leads you to Lyamungo village where you can learn about coffee production. Visit the Narumu Women Pottery Centre, natural forest and the source of the Weruweru river.

(Note: Tours can be undertaken on foot, but transport can be organized on request)

Tour Guides:- The guides of the Cultural Tourism Programme are of the Wachaga tribe who knows well the area, their culture & history and speaks English.

Bookings for various excursions and tours can be made at Tanzania Tourist Board-Tourist Information Office in Arusha or through your tour operators/travel agents/lodge & Hotel Operators

Getting There:

Machame is to the north of Arusha-Moshi road and easily accessible by public transport. Its a 55minutes drive fro the town of Arusha and less than 10 minutes drive from Moshi town. The junction to Machame is 12 kms away from Moshi town.After a 5 minutes drive from the junction, get off the minibus at Kyalia bus stand, you will see the offices on the southern side.

Where to stay:

Machame Cultural Tourism offers accommodation services in a campsite and a number of Homestay facilities located around. Camping ground installed with modern toilet facilities and clean water supply is available. Camping gears for hire at reasonable price are available in Moshi town.

(Income from tourist vist will be used to subsidise various omen and youth development activities within the area.)

Options

For further information contact:

Machame:

Tel: +255 27 2756906 / +255 713 496207 / +255 754 519967

E-mail: fodamachame@elct.org, fodamachame@yahoo.com

SISI KWA SISI TOURISM PROGRAMME MBEYA

Welcome to the fascinating Region of Mbeya, where mysterious attractions lie hidden between high mountains, dense forests and green farms.

 

We, youth of Sisi Kwa Sisi Society offer you:

• A visit to the magnificent Ngosi Crater Lake, where local people believe a monster houses under the water surface

• A view into the traditional cultures of the people living in Mbeya region

• Climbs to different mountain peaks in the region, from where you have excellent views over relief created by the East African Rift Valley.

• A relaxing stay at the tropical beach of LakeMalawi

• Visits to the Mbozi Meteorite Stone and the Natural Bridge at Kiwira

 

The profit will be used to invest in agricultural projects of the Sisi Kwa Sisi Society

 

Introduction

In the far south of Tanzania, bordering the countries of Malawi and Zambia, lies the fascinating Region of Mbeya. The landscape is characterised by the various relief forms created by the volcanic powers of the African Rift Valley. Several old volcanoes, some of them once exploded, lie scattered over the region, and at many places you can discover hot springs. Within a few hours you can travel from the tropical shores of Lake Malawi to mountain peaks of almost three thousand meter high.

Changes in the altitude and rainfall have enabled a large variety of vegetation to grow on the volcanic soils. In the lower areas you can travel through savannahs and woodlands, while on the mountain slopes you can see dense natural forests and afro-alpine moor land.   Also the agricultural products change drastically. High on the mountain are vast tea estates, while near the shores of Lake Malawi farmers grow rice, sugar cane and mango’s.

  

Different tours

We have developed various tours that show you the most interesting and fascinating places in Mbeya Region. 

 

Climb of Mbeya Peak

The Mbeya peak (2,826 m) is the most dominant mountain of the Mbeya range and is seen rising majestically from many places around Mbeya. A strenuous climb of three hours leads to the steep peak from where you have an excellent view over the African Rift Valley. On the mountain slopes grow many indigenous flowers, and you may as well spot colourful butterflies.

 

 

 

Ngosi crater lake

Thirty eight kilometres south of Mbeya, in the direction of Tukuyu and Lake Malawi, lies the Ngosi Crater Lake in a beautiful cone mountain. A narrow footpath winds uphill through a dense tropical jungle full of bamboo and wild banana trees. Small mammals and colourful birds hide behind the thick vegetation. After a strenuous climb of about one hour, you arrive at the crater rima and your efforts are rewarded with a magnificent view on the crater lake. Strange colours and water streams in the lake make local people believe that a monster houses under the water surface. Maybe it is related to the one in Loch Ness.

 

Kiwira natural bridge and potfalls

Not far from Tukuyu lies the natural bridge of Kiwira. The bridge was created by the powers of a fast flowing river. Local people call this miracle 'Daraja la Mungu', the Bridge of God. Very nearby, and as well worth a visit, are the Kijungu water falls, where the water falls several meters deep in an impressive pot hole.

 

Rungwe Mountain climb

With its 2,960 metres altitude, Rungwe mountain is the highest peak in Southern Tanzania. This great volcano, active over the past million years, dominates the whole area around Tukuyu. It is a vast wild area, more than 100 square kilometres of forest, upland scrub and rock terrain, completely uninhabited and visited only by an occasional walker. After a long hike to the crater rim, you can beautifully overlook the south wall of the explosion crater.

 

Matema beach

The 130 kilometres drive from Mbeya to Matema beach is among the most scenic in Tanzania. A winding road passes high mountains and vast tea estates before it descends to the tropical shores of Lake Malawi. At Matema beach the Lutheran Church has a conference centre and tourist resort, where you can relax as long as you want. From Matema you can make canoe trips with fishermen over the lake to a nearby village where women are specialised in pottery, and to river-mouth where you can try to see crocodiles and hippos. It is also possible to organise hikes to the Livingstone Mountains from Matema.

 

Mbozi meteorite and Sisi kwa Sisi farm 

Forty kilometres south-east of Mbeya, in the direction of Zambia, lies the meteorite stone of Mbozi. This rare and unusual sight is the eight largest meteorite in the world, weighing about twelve tonnes and at least a thousand years old.

Nearby the meteorite stone, the Sisi kwa Sisi society has a large plot given by the local government to enable unemployed youth from Mbeya to start profitable agricultural projects. Tourists who want to experience a true rural African experience can stay one or more days with the members of Sisi kwa Sisi on the plot and in a nearby village.

 

Guides of Sisi kwa Sisi

Sisi kwa Sisi Society is a grass root organisation in Mbeya, that assist young people to start income generating activities. Their main activities are in agriculture, handicrafts, and tour guiding. The guides of Sisi kwa Sisi all come from Mbeya Region. They are proud of their country and descent, and know their Region very well. They all speak reasonable English, and are experienced in organising guided tours for tourists.

 

Transport

Apart from Mbeya peak, the attractions in Mbeya Region are not on a walking distance from

Mbeya town. The guides of Sisi kwa Sisi can assist you to rent a car to visit the attractions, or can escort you in local busses that bring you close to the attractions. Sometimes it is also possible to rent a bike to visit an attraction.

 

A Cultural Tourism Programme Affiliate

The Sisi kwa Sisi Society is an affiliated project to the Cultural Tourism Programme (CTP). CTP is a joint programme of the Tanzania Tourist Board and the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV, that assists local men and women to organise tours in the areas where they live. CTP provides the Sisi kwa Sisi Society with advises on organising tours, and assists them in promoting Mbeya Region as a tourist destination.

 

For Further Information

please contact your hotel in Mbeya town or,

the small information office of the Sisi Kwa Sisi

Society in the centre of Mbeya town 

 (nearby the Rhino Monument that symbolises the friendship between Japan and Tanzania)

Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania