MWANZA

The city of Mwanza is the major Tanzanian port on Lake Victoria and a center of economic importance in the region. The lake borders Uganda to the north-west, and Kenya to the north-east, and export and transport between the countries is a foundation of Mwanza’s economy. Around the city of Mwanza, the land is primarily devoted to agricultural enterprise. Tea, cotton, and coffee plantations throughout the area produce large volumes of cash crops that pass though Mwanza on their way to the market.

For visitors, the city makes a good base from which to explore nearby Rubondo Island National Park and the western parts of the Serengeti. Rubondo Island National Park offers pleasant day-hikes and bird watching around the lakeshore. Mwanza’s proximity to the western Serengeti makes it a necessary stop for visitors who want to experience a less busy part of the park and see the magic of the Serengeti without the parade of safari vehicles and seasonal crowds. Mwanza is also the center of the Sukuma, the largest tribal group in Tanzania, who have inhabited and farmed the region for centuries. Cultural tourism programmes to their local villages and farms can be arranged through the local cultural center.