TANZANIA 103 © Lonely Planet Publications ’ (Welcome Again)
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© Lonely Planet Publications 103 TANZANIA Tanzania Few areas of the continent captivate the imagination as does Tanzania. Snowcapped Mt Kilimanjaro towers majestically over the horizon, flamingos stand sentinel in the salt pans of Ngorongoro Crater, and the hoof beats of thousands of wildebeest echo over the Ser- engeti Plains. In many ways, this is the Africa of legend, where hot, dusty afternoons end abruptly in glorious blazes of sunset and velvet-black star-studded skies enfold the hills, where Indian Ocean breezes caress white sands and moss-covered ruins of ancient Swahili city-states dot the shoreline. Despite all this, Tanzania is remarkably unassuming and low-key, and thus far has remained enviably untouched by the tribal rivalries and political upheavals that plague many of its neighbours. While it’s ideal for exploring in combination with the other countries covered in this book, it also has more than enough attractions to be a journey on its own. The most popular areas – the northern safari circuit around Arusha and the Zanzibar Archipelago – have sealed main roads and an array of hotels and restaurants, and are easily incorporated into a larger East African loop. With more time, and for more adventure, head south and west, where you’ll soon find yourself well off the beaten path, surrounded by a Tanzania that is far removed from Western development and amenities. Wherever you visit, the highlight inevitably winds up being Tanzanians themselves, with their characteristic warmth, politeness and dignity. Chances are that you’ll want to come back for more, to which most Tanzanians will say ‘karibu tena’ (welcome again). FAST FACTS Area 943,000 sq km Birthplace of Freddie Mercury; humankind Capital Dodoma Country code 255 Famous for Serengeti; Mt Kilimanjaro; Zanzibar; Julius Nyerere; cloves; chimpanzees Languages Swahili and English Money Tanzanian Shilling (TSh); US$1 = TSh1176; €1 = TSh1424 Population 34.5 million 104 TANZANIA •• Highlights www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com TANZANIA •• History 105 TANZANIA HIGHLIGHTS tional Union (TANU), with the rallying cry of the islands’ Arab population. The sul- HOW MUCH? Wildlife Safaris ( p91 ) From world-famous of ‘uhuru na umoja’ (freedom and unity). tan was replaced by an entity known as the Serengeti to remote Katavi, immerse your- Midrange safari US$200 per person One of the first items on TANU’s agenda Zanzibar Revolutionary Council, which was TANZANIA self in the sounds, scents and rhythms of per day was independence. In 1958 and 1959, TANU- comprised of ASP members and headed by life in the wild. supported candidates decisively won gen- Abeid Karume. Plate of ugali TSh500 Exotic Islands ( p249 ) Follow the monsoon eral legislative elections, and in 1959 Britain On 26 April 1964 Nyerere signed an act winds back through the centuries on Serengeti National Park entry US$50 agreed to the establishment of internal self- of union with Karume, creating the United Zanzibar, Mafia or Kilwa Kisiwani. per person per entry government, requesting Nyerere to be chief Republic of Tanganyika (renamed the Majestic Mountains ( p250 ) Scale Mts Kili- Papaya TSh300 minister. On 9 December 1961 Tanganyika United Republic of Tanzania the following manjaro and Meru or amble past pictur- became independent and on 9 December October). Short taxi ride TSh1500 esque villages in the Usambara range. 1962 it was established as a republic, with Formation of the union, which was re- Picture-perfect Beaches (p249 ) Take your Nyerere as president. sented by many Zanzibaris from the outset, pick of beach – from idyllic offshore is- LONELY PLANET INDEX On the Zanzibar Archipelago, which had was motivated in part by the then prevail- lands, the palm-fringed mainland coast been a British protectorate since 1890, the ing spirit of pan-Africanism, and in part as or serene inland lakes. Litre of petrol TSh1040 main push for independence came from the a cold war response to the ASP’s socialist Chimpanzees ( p250 ) Meet the chimpanzees Litre of bottled water TSh500 radical Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP). Opposing program. at Mahale Mountains or Gombe Stream Safari Lager TSh500 the ASP were two minority parties, the Zan- Karume’s government lasted until 1972, National Parks. zibar & Pemba People’s Party (ZPPP) and when he was assassinated and succeeded Souvenir T-shirt TSh10,000 the sultanate-oriented Zanzibar Nationalist by Aboud Jumbe. Shortly thereafter, in an CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO Street snack (mishikaki) TSh200 Party (ZNP), both of which were favoured effort to subdue the ongoing unrest result- Throughout the country, the coolest months by the British. As a result, at Zanzibari in- ing from the merger of the islands with the are from June to October and the warm- dependence in December 1963, it was the mainland, Nyerere authorised formation of est from December to March, but there HISTORY two minority parties that formed the first a one-party state and combined TANU and are marked regional differences. Along the Tanzania’s history begins with the dawn government. the ASP into a new party known as Chama coast, conditions are tropical, with high hu- of humankind. Hominid (humanlike) foot- This government did not last long. Within Cha Mapinduzi (CCM; Party of the Revolu- midity and temperatures averaging between prints unearthed near Olduvai Gorge ( p200 ), a month, a Ugandan immigrant named John tion). This merger, which was ratified in a 25°C and 29°C. On the central highland together with archaeological finds from Okello initiated a violent revolution against new union constitution on 27 April 1977, plateau, temperatures range from 20°C to Kenya and Ethiopia, show that our earliest the ruling ZPPP-ZNP coalition, leading to marked the beginning of the CCM’s domi- 27°C between June and August, sometimes ancestors may have been roaming the Tan- the toppling of the government and the sul- nance of Tanzanian politics, which endures dropping lower in more elevated areas such zanian plains and surrounding areas over tan, and the massacre or expulsion of most to this day. as Njombe, Mbeya and Arusha. Between three million years ago. For more on these December and March they can soar above and subsequent millennia, and an overview 30°C. See p621 for climate charts for major of colonial-era developments, see p28 . TANZANIA TRAVELS towns. Getting around Tanzania takes time, so it’s best to choose one or two regions and concentrate on There are two rainy seasons, with the long The Struggle for Independence exploring them well, rather than trying to fit too much into one visit. Here are a few suggestions. rains (masika) from mid-March to May, and The earliest seeds of Tanzanian independ- the short rains (mvuli) during November, ence can be traced to the Maji Maji rebellion One Week December and into January. of 1905 (see p235 ). During the following Arriving in Dar es Salaam, spend a day there getting oriented, a couple of nights at Saadani Game Tanzania can be visited during all sea- decades, the nationalist movement in Tan- Reserve or Mikumi National Park and the remainder of the week on Zanzibar. For a week starting sons, but the best time to travel is between ganyika – as mainland Tanzania was then in Arusha, divide your time between a couple of the northern-circuit parks; split it between late June and October, when the rains have known – gradually solidified. Farmers’ co- a wildlife safari and a few days hiking near Lushoto; or spend a day or two in or near Arusha finished and the air is coolest. However, operatives began to play an increasingly im- and the rest of the week in and around the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. this is also when hotels and park lodges portant political role, and soon Tanganyika’s are full and airfares most expensive. From fledgling political scene was dominated by Two Weeks late December to February there are fewer the Tanganyika Africa Association (TAA), For the classic bush-and-beach itinerary, spend a week on the northern-safari circuit or climbing tourists, though temperatures are higher which served as a channel for grass-roots Kilimanjaro, followed by a week chilling out on Zanzibar. Alternatively, you can expand on the and many hotels charge high-season sur- resentment against colonial policies. itineraries suggested under ‘One Week’: stay longer on Zanzibar; go to Pemba; relax on the pluses around the holidays. During the In 1953 the TAA elected a teacher named beaches around Pangani en route to/from the Usambaras. March through May rainy season, you Julius Nyerere as its president. Under his can often save substantially on accommo- leader ship, the TAA was quickly trans- One Month dation costs, have things to yourself and formed into an effective political organi- With a month, combine any of the above itineraries; travel between Lake Victoria and northern enjoy landscapes that are green and full sation. A new internal constitution was or northeastern Tanzania via the western Serengeti; make your way southwest between Morogoro of life. The downside is that some second- introduced on 7 July 1954 (an anniversary and Mbeya with stops en route at Mikumi and Ruaha National Parks; or follow the coast south, ary roads are impassable and many coastal now celebrated as Saba Saba Day) and the with stops in Kilwa, Lindi, Mikindani and Mtwara. hotels close. TAA became the Tanganyika African Na- TANZANIA Tanzania 106 0 200 km 0 120 miles TANZANIA TANZANIA To Kisangani Mubende Mt Stanley Jinja To Soroti To Lodwar (5109m) KAMPALA Butembo Kasese Entebbe Kisumu