CENTRAL Central Tanzania Central 230 © LonelyPlanetPublications tion, you’llundoubtedly have amemorable time here. ValleyRift escarpment.Ifyou’re prepared andaccommoda- toroughthingswithtransport Kondoa. Further aroundBabati,are lushfarmlandsedgedbythesoaringwallof north, theterrain becomes denselywoodedandhillier,openingtobeautifulvistasaround north, andwaterboulders, lakes treeless, birds. buttothe Dodomaitselfisflat,aridandinpart aroundShinyangaandthenthecountrysideSingida,tracts notableforitsmassive zebu cattleandround,thatchedSukuma-stylehouses,give waytodrier,baobab-studded egrets,landscapes ofUsukuma(hometheSukumapeople),withsmalllakes, long-horned by visitors,anditsconstantlychanging panoramas. Victoria, SouthofLake thegreen, open and diamond-miningareas around Shinyanga. are ,road linktoDaresSalaam.Wellnorthwest withitspretty andthegold– lakes, anamenablestop,withgoodfacilitiesandapavedseat oftheBunge(parliament)–makes Barabaigandotherlocaltribes. –Tanzania’sto thecolourful legislative capitaland Heritage Site. MtHanangisanotherdraw,asTanzania’s peakandgateway fourth-highest paintings-nowaUnescoWorld Prime amongtheseare rockart theenigmaticKolo-Kondoa toheadoffthebeatenand forhardytravellers path,itoffers looking several attractions. region haslonghistoricalroots–someofTanzania’s earliestpeopleswere athomehere – toaterrible Butthe have (albeitnowimproving) stayedawaydueinpart roadnetwork. climate andlackofpermanentrivers discouragedearlysettlement.More recently, crowds Well offmosttouristitineraries,centralTanzania haslonggotten abadrap.Itssemi-arid Central Tanzania’s mainappeal,however, isthewindowitoffers onareas little-touched

„ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

Relishingtravel completely offthebeaten Experiencingthecolourful Gettingto knowtheBarabaigandother Enjoyingthe comparative creature com- Visiting theenigmatic glimpse ofitsnewparliamentbuilding path in peoples around of forts sitesart market; market; p236 ) nearKatesh Singida Dodoma ( p236) 29) or (p239 ) Mt Hanang (opposite ), andgettinga Kolo-Kondoa rock Shinyanga mnada (p236) (auction/ (p238 ) Shinyanga Singida Katesh Dodoma Mt Hanang Rock ArtSites Kolo-Kondoa CENTRAL TANZANIA

231 (280km) ujamaa Sambu Mpwapwa (1570m) Ol Doinyo Monduli Area Game Lolkisale Kongwa B129 Controlled Makuyuni Area Game To Chalinze (175km); Controlled Mkungunero Kwa Kuchinja ὅ ὅ ὅ NP Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Mbu Mto Wa Tarangire Kolo Bereko Babati Meia Meia A104 Lake Babati Kolo-Kondoa Rock Art Sites NP A104 DODOMA Lake Karatu Manyara Kondoa Mbulu

Giting

Hanang Mt

(3417m) 00s 100 km 60 miles

n

i Makutapora

(215km) a To Iringa t Katesh

Mang'ola

n ὈὈ Ὀ ὈὈ

u o Plains

Mangati M Lake Lake Eyasi

Dongobesh o Gendabi

Lake r

Balangida

e Sulunga

d i There’s little reason to come to Dodoma, little reason There’s

Since 1973 Dodoma has been Tanzania’s Since 1973 Dodoma has been Tanzania’s

K Lake Kindai Lake Singidani but if you find yourself here it’s not a bad but if you find yourself here With its grandiose place to spend a day or two. layout and the imposing architecture street buildings – and government many church of all sharply contrasting with the slow-paced According to the original plan, the entire gov- According to the original plan, the entire to Dodoma by the mid- ernment was to move 1980s and the town was to be expanded to than 300,000 resi- encompass more ultimately dents, all living in smaller independent com- the munities set up along the lines of unreal- The plans proved (familyhood) village. including a lack of reasons, istic for a variety of viable economic basean insuf- and any sort of been therefore supply, and have ficient water abandoned. Today, although the legislature meets in Dodoma – hence the periodic profu- – Dar es 4WDs along its dusty streets sion of economic and the unrivalled Salaam remains the country. of political centre tion of the Central the tion of Line railway just after 20th century. the turn of official capital and headquarters of the rul- of capitalofficial and headquarters party. ing CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) Manyoni Singida

Lake Kitangiri Swamp Wembere To (85km) Pipe Mwadui Diamond ὅὅὅ ὅὅὅ ὅὅὅ

ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ Igunga Mwadui •• Dodoma CENTRAL TANZANIA Shinyanga Nzega Game Reserve Marine Park National Park

026 / pop 150,000 LEGEND GR MP NP

CENTRAL TANZANIA CENTRAL Sikonge To Kahama (25km)

Tabora DODOMA DODOMA more than a large village until the construc- village than a large more route that connected and Lake Tanganyika that connected route Central little Africa with the sea, it remained try, at a height of about 1100m. Although try, at a height of along the old caravan the town was located % Dodoma sits in not-so-splendid isola- Arid the coun- of centre tion in the geographic major routes; allow plenty of time, and ex- allow plenty of routes; major occasional breakdown. pect the Dodoma. From Nzega to Shinyanga and on From Nzega to Shinyanga Dodoma. Buses run on all to Mwanza is also paved. Otherwise, all travel in central Tanzania is is in central Tanzania Otherwise, all travel rough, althoughby road – generally the The network is slowly being improved. trunk road has been Dodoma to Arusha work graded in part, and paving recently is underway between Nzega, Singida and

There are flights between Dodoma and flights between Dodoma and are There Arusha, and sometimes between Dodoma and Dar es Salaam on Coastal Aviation on Air stops in Shinyanga ,and Precision Mwanza. its flights of in and out some of Getting There & Around lonelyplanet.com