The city of Mwanza is the major Tanzanian port on Lake Victoria and a major centre of economic activities in the region. The lake borders the country’s East African neighbours – Uganda to the north west, and Kenya to the north east.
Export and transport among 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 market. The town’s industrial harbour and busy streets make it a prosperous and busy place to explore.
For visitors, the city makes a good base from which to explore the 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 lake shore. Mwanza’s proximity to the western Serengeti makes it a necessary stop for visitors who want to experience a less bust part of the park and see the magic of the Serengeti without the parade of safari vehicles and seasonal crowds. Mwanza is also the centre of the Sukuma tribe, the largest tribe 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 centres.
Arrival into Mwanza Town:
Air Transport in:
Mwanza City is served with air transport daily. About 35 to 40 aircraft shuttle at the single airport located in Ilemela district. The aircraft frequenting the airport include of those passenger airlines such as ATCL, Air Express, Precision Air and hired shuttle planes to various destinations including Nairobi.
There are also Cargo aircraft landing at the airport weekly. The Cargo planes mainly come to carry fish fillet to Europe, the Middle East and other places of the world.
Airport capacity:
The airports have a runway which can handle airplanes with weight up to 180 tons. The airport has two main good runways. The first one with 3.3 km while the second has 3.0 km only.The big aircraft landing at the airport include Boeing 737. The airport is busy and it is planned soon to be upgraded to the status of an International Airport.
Road network
The City comprising of Nyamagana and Ilemela districts has 35.5 km of trunk roads, 132 km of regional roads, 695.5 km of district roads which makes a total of 861 km of road network.
Existing tarmac roads radiating from the City are as follows:
- Mwanza – Kisesa (Musoma road ) – 17 km
- Mwanza – Nyashishi (Shinyanga road) – 19 km
- Mwanza – Airport (Airport road) – 10 km
Railway Transport
The City is at the railhead of the Mwanza – Dar es Salaam railway line receiving at least three passenger trains per week; leave alone the continuous fleet of Cargo trains which are almost daily.
Marine Transport
The City is connected to Kenya and Uganda by Marine transport, which also connects it to the regional capitals of Bukoba and Musoma. It has two major ports; the South and the North ports owned by the Government parastatal organisation known as National Ports Authority. The North port is the passenger terminal, while the Southport is the cargo terminal. It has ten ships/boats of which six are used to transport cargo and four are used for passengers and cargo
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Things That Go Wrong When Flying to Tanzania
Luggage Delays: Luggage is frequently delayed, having failed to make the connection between planes as quickly as passengers have themselves transited. We find that these delays afflict around 1 passenger in 7 coming into JNIA/JRO – The main International airport in Tanzania. Please bear this in mind when deciding what to put into your hand luggage. Late luggage usually arrives 24 hours later, but can be as late as 3 or 4 days behind in very rare circumstances.
If your luggage doesn’t arrive with you, you’ll need to speak to the Swiss-port desk beside the baggage reclaim area and complete a lost-luggage form. The form will ask for your hotel details as well as a contact name and telephone number. You can either detail your own mobile if it’s working, or else state the contact of your host in Dar Es Salaam/Arusha/Moshi/Mwanza
Top Attractions Around the City
Important Information:
Custom Duty-Free Items:
Personal effects, including binoculars, cameras, and film, may be brought in free of duty. A custom’s bond may be demanded from those bringing in video/ filming equipment, radios, tape recorders and musical instruments to ensure the goods are re-exported. Firearms require a special permit. Duty-free allowances are 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco plus one pint of spirits, provided the traveler is over 16. Visitors buying local handcraft must keep sales receipts for presentation to customs officials on departure.
Electricity and Plug Types:
230 volts AC, 50 Hz; Common Type – Rectangular blade plug; Not very common – Round pin plug w/ ground round plug is except in older houses/buildings
Weather:
The Tanzanian climate is tropical. The central plateau is dry and arid with hot days and cool nights, while the northwest highlands are cool and temperate. June to September is the cooler season. The “long rains’ are from-March to May and the “short rains” are between October and December. The hottest months are between October and February. On the coast, it rains in November and December and from March to May. Coastal areas are hot and humid although sea breezes cool the area pleasantly between June and September.
Security Matters:
Tanzania is one of the most peaceful countries in the world characterized by a Stable political system. However, visitors and tourists should be very careful with things in cities and where thuggery incidences occur they should report them to the nearest Police Station.
Top Tourist Activites in Mwanza
Currency and Cash Related Issues:
The unit of currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS), which is divided in into 100 cents. Visitors can take in any amount of foreign currency, no currency declaration is required, but import and export of Tanzanian currency is illegal. Visitors are advised to bring a sensible mix of hard currency traveler’s cheques and cash. These are easily changed into local currency in Bureaux de Change or Banks. US Dollars are recommended for the best rates of exchange.
Most major currencies particularly US dollars – and travelers’ cheques are accepted and convertible at banks and bureaux de change in the main towns and tourist areas. Credit cards are not widely accepted and carry poor exchange rates. Visitors will probably be expected to pay park entrance fees in foreign currency.
You can use credit cards only at larger establishments (not widely accepted)- Visa, MasterCard, and JCB are the most widely accepted, but American Express and Diners Club cards can also come in handy. There are currently ATM’s (cash machines) by Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha, Moshi, and Mwanza.
Mwanza Town Map
Mwanza Town/City FA
NO! Lake Victoria, also called Victoria Nyanza, largest lake in Africa and chief reservoir of the Nile, lying mainly in Tanzania and Uganda but bordering on Kenya. Its area is 26,828 square miles (69,484 square km). Among the freshwater lakes of the world, it is exceeded in size only by Lake Superior in North America.
Some of the most popular restaurants in Mwanza that deliver are:
- #1. Salma Cone
- #2. Mo & Pragz Kitchen
- #3. BBQ Tonyt
Some of the most popular restaurants in Mwanza that provide takeout are:
- #1. Salma Cone
- #2. Mo & Pragz Kitchen
- #3. Malaika Restaurant
The cost-effective way to get from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park is to drive, or hiring a 4×4 Safari Vehicle which can cost you up to $200/Day that will include game drive. It may take you about 6 Hours to Serengeti.
The cost-effective way to get from Mwanza to Ngorongoro Conservation area is to drive, or hiring a 4×4 Safari Vehicle which can cost you up to $200/Day that will include game drive. It may take you about 10 Hours to Serengeti.
Yes, the driving distance between Mwanza to Serengeti National Park is 242 km. It takes approximately 5h 15m to drive from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park.
The distance between Mwanza and Serengeti National Park is 205 km. The road distance is 242.2 km
Recommended Reads:
More Mwanza Travel Ideas:
Planning your trip? Whether you’re looking for things to do in Mwanza such as events and attractions, key traveller information to make your Mwanza visit run smoothly or are planning where to stay in Mwanza, you’ll find everything you need for your Mwanza holiday on Our Website. Mwanza City Travel guide has the information about latest events not to miss while you visit Mwanza – there’s always something going on, so don’t miss out on the latest exhibitions, shows and more on your trip to Mwanza
Discover the best day trips from Mwanza or try one of the best tours Mwanza and nearby regions. If you’re here as a family, you’ll find plenty of things to do in Mwanza with kids and find suitable accommodation such as Mwanza holiday apartments. Whether you’re looking for the best weekend breaks in Mwanza or planning a longer holiday in Tanzania, you can be sure you’ll find all the information you need.
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