ON THE ROADmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/east-africa-9-contents.pdfON THE ROAD 650 tions between...
-
Upload
truongdiep -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
1
Transcript of ON THE ROADmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/east-africa-9-contents.pdfON THE ROAD 650 tions between...
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
Mary FitzpatrickAnthony Ham,
Trent Holden, Dean Starnes
YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE
In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Safe Travel ....................... 638 Directory A–Z ................... 640Transport ......................... 650Health ............................... 657Language ......................... 663Index ................................. 676Map Legend ..................... 686
VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO
HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP
ON THE ROAD
650
GETTING THERE & AWAY This chapter covers getting to East Africa from else-where in the world. For travel between and around East African countries, and for border-crossing information, see the Transport sections in the individual country chapters.
Flights and tours can be booked online at www.lonely-planet.com/travel_services.
Air Airports Nairobi (Kenya) is East Africa’s major air hub, and the best destination for nd-ing special airfares. Other major airports include Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Entebbe in Uganda. There are also international airports in Kigali (Rwanda), Bujumbura (Burundi) and Zanzibar (Tan-zania), and it’s worth check-ing out cheap charter ights to Mombasa (Kenya) from Europe.
Airlines The following airlines y to/from East Africa. For connec-
tions between East African countries, see the Getting There & Away information in the Transport sections of the country chapters. Air Madagascar (www.airmadagascar.com) Antan-anarivo (Madagascar) to Nairobi. Air Malawi (www.airmalawi.com) Blantyre and Lilongwe to Dar es Salaam. Air Mauritius (www.airmauritius.com) Mauritius to Nairobi. Air Uganda (www.air-uganda.com) Juba (South Sudan) to Entebbe, and then to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kigali. British Airways (www.britishairways.com) London to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Entebbe. Egypt Air (www.egyptair.com.eg) Cairo to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe and Kigali. Emirates (www.emirates.com) Dubai to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Entebbe. Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com) Abidjan, Lagos, Douala, Cairo, Rome, New York, Washington, DC, Mumbai, Bangkok and many other cities to Addis Ababa, and then onward con-
nections to all major East African airports. Gulf Air (www.gulfairco.com) Bahrain to Nairobi and Entebbe. Kenya Airways (www.kenya-airways.com) Abid-jan, Cairo, Douala, Harare, Johannesburg, Khartoum, Lilongwe, London, New York, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guangzhou and many other cities to Nairobi, with onward connections to all East African capitals and Zanzibar. KLM (www.klm.com) Am-sterdam to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Entebbe. Linhas Aéreas de Moçam-bique (www.lam.co.mz) Maputo to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam via Pemba (Mo-zambique). Monarch (www.monarch.co.uk) London to Mombasa. Qatar Airways (www.qatarairways.com) Doha to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe and Kigali. RwandAir (www.rwandair.com) Johannesburg, Libre-ville, Brazzaville, Dubai and Brussels to Kigali. SN Brussels Airline (www.flysn.com) Brussels to En-tebbe, Nairobi, Kigali and Bujumbura. South African Airways (www.flysaa.com) Johan-nesburg to Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Entebbe and Kigali. Swiss International Airlines (www.swiss.com) Zurich to Dar es Salaam and Nairobi. Thomson Airways (http://flights.thomson.co.uk) London to Mombasa. Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com) Istanbul to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Virgin Atlantic Airways (www.virgin-atlantic.com) London to Nairobi.
Tickets » Airfares from Europe and
North America to East Africa are highest in December and January, and again from June
Transport
32-transport-ea9.indd 650 12/04/2012 5:35:57 PM
PAGE
40
PAGE
637
Detour:
p493the CongoRepublic ofDemocratic
p503Rwanda
p557Burundi
p377Uganda
p215Kenya
p42Tanzania
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
twitter.com/lonelyplanet
facebook.com/lonelyplanet
lonelyplanet.com/newsletter
STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact
AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011%03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111
USA 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607%510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572
UK Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ%020 8433 1333, fax 020 8702 0112
Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
Get the right guides for your trip
COUNTRY & CITY• The original• Comprehensive• Adventurous
PHRASEBOOKCOUNTRY & CITY• The original• Comprehensive• Adventurous
Looking for other travel resources?
LONELYPLANET.COMFor travel information, advice, tips & digital chapters
MAGAZINEFor travel stories, inspiration & ideaslonelyplanet.com/magazine
EBOOKSGuidebooks for your readerlonelyplanet.com/ebooks
APPSLocation-based guides for the streetlonelyplanet.com/mobile
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Welcome to East Africa ............................. 211 Top Experiences......... 6Need to Know ................. 12If You Like ........................ 14Month by Month ............. 17Itineraries ........................ 19Safaris ............................. 24Gorilla Tracking .............. 32Travel with Children ....... 36Countries at a Glance .... 38
YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT
Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip
UNDERSTAND EAST AFRICA
East Africa Today ........... 570History ............................. 572Life in East Africa ........... 578Tribal Cultures ................ 583Environment ................... 591Wildlife & Habitat ........... 597National Parks & Reserves ........................ 621Primates .......................... 627The Arts........................... 631A Taste of East Africa ..... 634
EUR
OP
EA
NS
c 1400–1700 In several waves, small
bands of nomadic cattle herders migrate south from the Sudan
into the Rift Valley – ancestors of the
Maasai who today live in Kenya and Tanzania.
1850–1870 Zanzibar’s slave
market becomes the largest in East
Africa. According to some estimates, from
10,000 to 50,000 slaves passed through
its gates each year.
1890 Britain and Germany
create ‘spheres of in uence’. Zanzibar
becomes a British ‘protectorate.’ After
WWI, the German area of Rwanda-Urundi
(later to be Rwanda and Burundi) comes
under Belgian control.
p , ,in three ecades, the Portuguese had disrupte the o tra ing networ s an subdued the entire coast, building forts at various p aces, inc u ing Kilwa and Mombasa. Portuguese control lasted until the ear y 18th cen-tury, when they were displaced by Arabs from Oman.
As the Omani Arabs solidi ed their foothold, they began to turn their sights westwards, developing powerful trade routes that stretched in an as far as Lake Tanganyika and Central Africa. Commerce grew at such a pace that in the 1840s, the Sultan of Oman moved his capital from Mus-cat to Zanzibar Island.
The slave trade also grew rapidly during this period, driven in part by demand from European plantation holders on the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius. Soon slave traders, including the notorious Tippu Tip, had established stations at Tabora (Tanzania) and other in-land towns. By the mid-19th century, the Zanzibar Archipelago had be-come the largest slave entrepôt along the East African coast, with nearly 50,000 slaves, abducted from as far away as Lake Tanganyika, passing through Zanzibar’s market each year.
Colonial Control In addition to reports of the horrors of the still-ongoing regional slave trade, tales of the attractions of East Africa also made their way back to Europe, and Western interests were piqued. In 1890, Germany and Great Britain signed an agreement de ning ‘spheres of in uence’ for themselves, which formally established a British protectorate over the
(Kenya) » Kolo-Kondoa
Rock Art Sites (Tanzania) » Kilwa Kisiwani
& Songo Mnara (Tanzania) » Zanzibar’s
Stone Town (Tanzania)
CR
ED
IT
Cud-Chewing Mammals Africa is arguably most famous for its astounding variety of ungulates – hoofed mammals that include everything from buffaloes to giraffes. In this large family, the cud-chewing antelope are particularly numerous, with 40 different species in East Africa alone.
Wildebeest
1 Weight 140-290kg; length 230-340cm Few animals evoke the spirit of the Afri-
can plain like the wildebeest. Over one million gather in vast, constantly moving herds on the Serengeti.
Thomson’s Gazelle
2 Weight 15-35kg; length 95-150cm Lanky and exceptionally alert, the long-
legged Thomson’s gazelle is built for speed. The 400,000 living on the Serengeti Plains migrate with wildebeest and zebras.
African Bu alo
3 Weight 250-850kg; length 220-420cm Imagine a big cow with curling
horns, and you have the African bu alo. Fortunately, they’re usually docile – an angry
i j d b l i t l d
606
CR
EDIT/LO
NELY PLA
NET IM
AG
ES ©
CR
EDIT/LO
N
606
Gorilla Tracking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda)
7 Nothing can really prepare you for that rst moment as you stand just metres away
from a family of mountain gorillas. It’s an utter-ly humbling experience. Particularly that rst glimpse of the silverback, whose sheer size and presence will leave you in awe. Or the glee you’ll feel as you watch adorable fuzzy-black babies clowning about and tumbling from trees. The term ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ is bandied about a lot, but gorilla tracking in Bwindi is a genuine experience that you’ll forever cherish.
White-Water Rafting on the Nile (Uganda)
8 With rapids that go by names like A Bad Place or Dead Dutchman, the idea of being
ung head-on into surging torrents of water sounds like a nightmare. But for those who’ve experienced it, it’s one of the most exciting things they’ve done in Africa. Taking place along the source of the Nile River, things start o as a leisurely paddle. This is, of course, the calm before the storm. Next thing you know you’re looking up at a towering wave that mer-cilessly smashes upon you. It’s breathtaking stu and a ridiculous amount of fun.
CR
ED
ITC
RE
DIT
7
8
1010
“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET
PAGE
2
PAGE
569GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP
Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see
East Africa is a vast region, and getting around takes time. It’s better to focus on getting to know one or two areas in depth, rather than trying to take in too much on one visit.
If it’s wildlife you’re after, head to the savannah parks of Kenya or Tanzania to see large numbers of elephants, giraffes and zebras, or to northwestern Uganda for wildlife watching by the thundering Murchison Falls.
Uganda and Rwanda are the places to go for gorillas, while western Tanzania is one of the best places anywhere for observing chimpanzees in the wild.
Burundi offers fascinating cultures and tranquil inland beaches, and both Kenya and Tanzania have miles of Indian Ocean coastline.
Tanzania Wildlife Beaches Culture
Wildlife Whether you’re watching wildebeest on the Serengeti Plains or oating past hippos and crocs in Selous Game Reserve, the variety of wildlife in Tanzania is unsurpassed.
Beaches & Islands Let yourself be seduced by miles of Indian Ocean coastline, magical archipelagos, sway-ing palms, and ne diving and snorkel-ling. Once you get hooked, it’s likely you’ll never want to leave.
Culture Tanzania has a rich array of tribal traditions and long Swahili roots. To get to know the cultural melange, travel o the beaten track. Cultural tourism programs o er an accessible introduction.
p 42
Kenya Wildlife Beaches Culture
Wildlife From the plains of Masai Mara Na-tional Reserve to the landscapes of Amboseli National Park, Kenya o ers superb and a ord-able wildlife watch-ing against stunning natural backdrops.
Beaches & Islands Kenya’s coast is en-chanting, whether you’re relaxing on the beaches around Mombasa or wan-dering sleepy lanes on Lamu island. Come for a week, but wind up staying much longer.
Culture The beaded Tur-kana and the red-robed Maasai are just a sampling of Kenya’s vibrant tribal mix. Getting to know the dif-ferent peoples and rich traditions is a highlight, no matter which part of the country you visit.
p 215
countriesat aglance
38
10-countries-at-glance-ea9.indd 38 16/04/2012 2:37:40 PM
Need to Know
Buses » Buses, often
overcrowded and far from luxurious, are the most widely used form of transport. Prices are inexpensive for the distance travelled.
Trains » Main routes
(Nairobi–Mombasa, Dar es Salaam–Mbeya and Dar es Salaam–Kigoma) are ageing and slow, but offer a glimpse into daily life.
High Season (Jun–Aug)
» Much of the region is cooler and dry.
» Hotels in popular areas are full, many with high-season prices.
» Animal-spotting is easiest, as foliage is sparse and animals congregate around water sources.
Shoulder Season (Sep–Feb)
» An ideal travel time, with greener landscapes and fewer crowds.
» Peak-season prices from mid-December to mid-January.
Low Season (Mar–May)
» Heavy rains in much of the region make secondary roads muddy, some areas inaccessible and landscapes green.
» Some hotels close; others offer low-season discounts.
When to Go
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
NairobiGO Jun-Feb
KampalaGO Jun-Mar
KigaliGO Jun-Mar
BujumburaGO May-Feb
ArushaGO Jun-Feb
MombasaGO Jun-Mar
Dar es SalaamGO Jun-Feb
Your Daily Budget Budget Less Than US$50
» Room in basic budget guesthouse US$10 to US$20
» Ask about low-season room and safari discounts
» Local-style meals are tasty and cheap
Midrange US$50 to US$200
» Double room in a midrange hotel US$50 to US$150
» Budget extra for safaris, gorilla tracking and vehicle rental
» Meals in Western-style restaurants
Top End US$200 plus
» Upmarket hotel room from US$150
» All-inclusive safari packages from US$250 per person per day
12
SOMALIA
BURUNDI
KENYARWANDA
UGANDA
DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
MALAWI
TANZANIA
ZAMBIA
MOZAMBIQUE
TangaPangani
Arusha
Mbeya
Kigoma
Mwanza
Dar es Salaam
#
#
##
#
#
#
•
•
••
•
•
•
#÷
SaadaniNP
Katavi NP
MahaleMountains NP
GombeNP
SerengetiNP
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
RUsambaraMountains
MoshiRMt Kilimanjaro
Lake ManyaraNP
#÷
NgorongoroConservationArea
#÷
RubondoIsland NP
KituloPlateau
UdzungwaMountains NP
SelousGR
#f
#•
#•
#•
É
É
É É
É
É
É
É
‚
INDIANOCEAN
#÷
Four WeeksTanzanian Trails
Tanzania is the soul of East Africa and this route through the country ranges acrossthe country’s enduring highlights. As with the Kenya itinerary, we’ve saved the coasfor its own itinerary.
Starting from Dar es Salaam, one of Africa’s more agreeable larger cities, head upthe coast to Saadani National Park, a manageable prelude to the grander national parksof the Tan anian interior F rther north Pangani is an old S ahili trading post s rro nd
I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -672 -8
9 781741 796728
99235
COUNCOUNTRYTRY &&•The originaCC•
& CI& CITTYTYTYal
• Advent
ITYCOUNT•The original
TRYY && C& C& Criginal
us
PH OOKRAASEBBOBOBO
east-africa-9-cover.indd 2east-africa-9-cover.indd 2 16/04/2012 2:39:13 PM16/04/2012 2:39:13 PM
Aba
baTo
Add
is
Albert Nile
Vict
oria Nile
Man
dera
Taka
ba
El W
ak
Waj
ir
Hol
a
Buna
Lam
u
Moy
ale
Hor
rLo
dwar
Loki
chog
gio
Nor
th
Hor
r
Loya
ngal
ani
Sout
h
Mar
alal
Mar
sabi
t
Lais
amis
Mer
uN
anyu
ki Thik
a
Isio
lo
Mor
oto
Toro
ro
Mba
le
Eldo
ret
Nya
huru
ru
Nak
uru
Sira
ri
Kis
iiKis
umu
NA
IRO
BI
Kaj
iadoNai
vash
a
Kitg
um
Nim
ule
Gul
u
Lira Ji
nja
Pakw
ach
Mas
indi
Mub
ende
KA
MP
ALA
Luw
ero
Mas
aka
Kya
ka
Ente
bbe
Buk
oba
Bun
ia Fort
Kas
ese
Rut
shur
u
Gis
enyi
Gom
aM
usan
ze (
Ruh
enge
ri)
Port
al
Soro
ti
Mus
oma
Tsav
o
Nam
anga
Mw
anza
Lusa
hung
aH
uye
(But
are)
Cya
ngug
u
Buk
avu
KIG
ALI
Muy
inga
Nya
hang
a
Mas
wa
Kim
isi
Gar
issa
Mad
o G
ashi
Ilem
i Tri
angl
e(A
rea
of D
ispu
te)
Kas
ubi T
ombs
Ngo
rong
oro
Cra
ter
NP
Mal
ka M
ari
Ara
wal
eN
RN
RB
oni
Bok
ora-
Mat
heni
koW
R
NP
NR
Sibi
loi
Cen
tral
Isl
and
NP
Bis
anad
i NR
Los
ai NR
Sam
buru
NR
Shab
a N
R
Mar
sabi
tN
R
Mer
u
NP
Nor
thK
itui
NR
NP
NP
Rah
ole
Sout
hIs
land
NP
Sout
hT
urka
na N
R
Mt
NP
Elg
on FR
Mas
aiM
ara
NR
Kak
ameg
a
Mt
Ken
ya
Rub
ondo
Par
cN
atio
nal d
esV
irun
gas
Mur
chis
on F
alls
NP
Bud
ongo
FR
Rw
enzo
riM
ount
ains
NP
Par
c N
atio
nal
des
Vol
cans
Kid
epo
Val
ley
Tsa
voE
ast
NP
Am
bose
liN
PW
est
NP
Tsa
vo
CA
NP
Sere
nget
i
Ngo
rong
oro
NP
Nyu
ngw
e F
ores
t
Isla
nd N
P
Tan
a R
iver
Pri
mat
e N
R
Mt
Ken
ya(5
199m
)
Mt
Elg
on(4
321m
)
Mt
Stan
ley
(510
9m)
(589
6m)
Mt
Kili
man
jaro
2ºS
TurkanaLake
Lak
e
Lak
eN
akur
u
Lak
e B
ogor
ia
Bar
ingo
Fal
lsM
urch
ison K
yoga
Lak
eL
ake
L A
K E
Lak
e
Alb
ert
V I
C T
O R
I A
Lak
eN
atro
n
Kiv
uIs
land
Pat
é
Sses
eIs
land
s
Uke
rew
e
Equ
ator
R i f t V a l l e y
Woy
amde
roP
lain
AthiRiver
Riv
erM
ara
S O M A L I A
E T
H I
O P
I A
S U
D A
NS O
U T
H
RW
AN
DA
U G
A N
D A
K E
N Y
ALEG
END
CA
NP
NR
GR
Gam
e R
eser
veN
atio
nal P
ark
Con
serv
atio
n A
rea
Nat
iona
l Res
erve
Am
bose
li N
P
Mas
ai M
ara
NR
The
Nile
Nyi
rago
ngo
Vol
cano
Bw
indi
Im
pene
trab
le N
P
mig
ratio
n (p
261)
Mt K
ilim
anja
ro (
p240
)Se
e el
epha
nts
and
wild
wat
ers
(p40
5)W
hite
-wat
er r
aftin
g on
lava
lake
(p4
98)
Tre
k to
the
wor
ld's
larg
est
Mar
vel a
t mou
ntai
ngo
rilla
s (p
437)
Wat
ch th
e an
nual
wild
ebee
st
150
km90
mile
s00
Top
Exp
erie
nces
E
ast
Afr
ica
M a
s a
iS
t e
p p
e
I N
D I
A N
O C
E A
N
MO
MB
ASA
Mal
indi
Cha
ke C
hake
Mtw
ara
Palm
a
Moç
imbo
a
Kila
mbo
da P
raia
Voi
Mos
hi
Sam
e
Lung
a
Tang
a
Mka
ta Baga
moy
o
Pang
ani
Saga
ra
Cha
linze
Lung
a
Mak
uyun
i
Kon
doa
Baba
ti
Mei
aM
eia
Sing
ida
Man
yoni
DO
DO
MA
Aru
sha
Kon
gwa
Kib
iti
Mm
oja
Mna
zi
Mas
asi
Tund
uru
Irin
ga
Run
gwa
Mak
amba
ko Song
ea
Njo
mbe
Bay
Mba
mba
Ilong
a
Chi
pogo
lo
Mik
umi
Ifak
ara
Mor
ogor
o
Kib
ondo
Kah
ama
Tabo
ra
Siko
nge
Mpa
nda
Gite
ga
Ujij
i
Lac
Nya
nza-
Kig
oma
BU
JUM
BU
RA
Kas
ulu
Uvi
nza
Mbe
yaM
bala
Sum
baw
anga
Tund
uma It
ungi
Nze
gaShin
yang
a
Kitu
nda
Kiv
inje
Kilw
a
SA
LA
AM
DA
R E
S
Ged
eK
ilifi
Kw
ale
Zanz
ibar
Kilw
a K
isiw
aniN
PM
arin
eM
alin
di
Mko
maz
iN
P
GR
Mas
wa K
isig
o
NP
Tar
angi
re
Mik
umi
NP
GR
Selo
us
Rua
haN
P
GR
Run
gwa
Kit
ulo
NP
Mou
ntai
ns N
PU
dzun
gwa
GR
GR
Uga
llaR
iver
GR
Moy
owos
i
NP
Mou
ntai
nsM
ahal
e
GR
Ruk
wa
NP
Kat
avi
M o
u n
t a
i n
sU
s a
m b
a r
a
(341
7m)
Mt
Han
ang
(456
6m)
Mt
Mer
u4º
S
6ºS
8ºS
10ºS
40ºE
42ºE 12ºS
Eya
siL
ake
L a k e M a l a w i
L a k e
Chu
tes
de la
Kar
era
Ruk
wa
Lak
e
a n
y i k a
Lak
eM
wer
u
T a n g
Zan
ziba
r
Arc
hipe
lago
Zan
ziba
r
Mna
raSo
ngo
Pem
ba Maf
ia
Rufiji R
iver
Riv
er
Kisigo
Riv
erR
ungw
a
T A
N Z
A N
I A
BU
RU
ND
I
Z A
M B
I A
T H
E
C O
N G
O
D E
M O
C R
A T
I C
R
E P
U B
L I
C
O F
M A
L A
W I
M O
Z A
M B
I Q
U E
EL
EV
AT
ION
3000
m
2000
m
1000
m
500m
250m
0
Lam
u
Zan
ziba
r A
rchi
pela
go
Mt
Kili
man
jaro
Nyu
ngw
e F
ores
t N
P
Sere
nget
i NP
Lak
e T
anga
nyik
a
beac
hes
(p58
)E
njoy
Sto
ne T
own
and
Afr
ica
(p11
1)T
rek
to th
e to
p of
Exp
lore
a p
rim
ate-
fille
dra
info
rest
(p5
35)
Rel
ax o
n tr
anqu
il,w
hite
-san
d be
ache
s (p
559)
Exp
erie
nce
stun
ning
wild
erne
ssan
d am
azin
g w
ildlif
e (p
142)
expe
rien
ce S
wah
ili c
ultu
re (
p346
)W
ande
r w
indi
ng b
acks
tree
ts,
Look out for these icons:
o Our author’s top recommendation S A green or
sustainable option F No payment required
Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first.
TANZANIA . . . . . . . . . .42DAR ES SALAAM . . . . . . . 46AROUND DAR ES SALAAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Pugu Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Northern Beaches . . . . . . 57ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGO . . . . . . . . . 58Zanzibar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58AROUND ZANZIBAR . . . . 75Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75PEMBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Chake Chake . . . . . . . . . . . 87Northern Pemba . . . . . . . . 90NORTHEASTERN TANZANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Bagamoyo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Saadani National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Pangani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Tanga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96USAMBARA MOUNTAINS 98Amani Nature Reserve . . 99Lushoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100NORTHERN TANZANIA . . 103Moshi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Marangu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Mt Kilimanjaro National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Arusha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Arusha National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Tarangire National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131Lake Manyara National Park . . . . . . . . . . 133Lake Natron. . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Karatu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Ngorongoro Conservation Area . . . . . . 137Serengeti NationalPark . . . . . . . . . . . 142CENTRAL TANZANIA . . . . 146Dodoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146Kondoa Rock-Art Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149LAKE VICTORIA. . . . . . . . . 151Musoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Mwanza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Rubondo Island National Park . . . . . . . . . . 157Bukoba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158WESTERN TANZANIA . . . . 160Tabora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Kigoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Gombe National Park . . . 165Mahale Mountains National Park . . . . . . . . . . 165Mpanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Katavi National Park . . . . 167Sumbawanga . . . . . . . . . . 168SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS 169Morogoro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Mikumi National Park . . . 171Iringa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Ruaha National Park . . . . 176Mbeya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Lake Nyasa . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Songea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185Mafia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186Selous Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Kilwa Masoko . . . . . . . . . . 192Mtwara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194Mikindani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196UNDERSTAND TANZANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . 201
KENYA . . . . . . . . . . . . 215NAIROBI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217SOUTHERN KENYA . . . . . 240Amboseli National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240Tsavo West National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Tsavo East National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Park247Voi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 THE RIFT VALLEY . . . . . . . 249Lake Naivasha. . . . . . . . . . 250Hell’s Gate National Park . . . . . . . . . . 253Nakuru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Lake Nakuru National Park . . . . . . . . . . 256Lake Bogoria National Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Lake BaringoKenya/The Rift Valley/Lake Baringo . . . . . . . . . . . 259WESTERN KENYAKenya/Western Kenya . . . . . . . 260Masai Mara National Reserve . . . . . . . Park261Lake Victoria . . . . . . . . . . . 266Kericho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272Kakamega Forest . . . . . . . 274Eldoret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276Kitale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279Mt Elgon National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281
See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.
On the RoadCENTRAL HIGHLANDSKenya/Central Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . 283Nyeri & AroundKenya/Central Highlands/Nyeri & Around . . . . . . . . . 283Aberdare National ParkKenya/Central Highlands/Aberdare National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287Nyahururu (Thomson’s Falls)Kenya/Central Highlands/Nyahururu (thomson’s Falls) . . . . . . . 289Mt Kenya National ParkKenya/Central Highlands/Mt Kenya National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291Naro MoruKenya/Central Highlands/Naro Moru . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297NanyukiKenya/Central Highlands/Nanyuki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297MeruKenya/Central Highlands/Meru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301Meru National ParkKenya/Central Highlands/Meru National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302NORTHERN KENYAKenya/Northern Kenya . . . . . 305Isiolo to EthiopiaKenya/Northern Kenya/Isiolo To Ethiopia . . . . . . . 305Maralal to Turkana’s Eastern ShoreKenya/Northern Kenya/Maralal To Turkana’s Eastern Shore Kenya/Central Highlands/Chogoria . . . . . . . . . . 313Marich to Turkana’s Western ShoreKenya/Northern Kenya/Marich To Turkana’s Western Shore . . . . . . . . . 317THE COASTKenya/The Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . 320MombasaKenya/The Coast/Mombasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320Tiwi BeachKenya/The Coast/Tiwi Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331Diani BeachKenya/The Coast/Diani Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . 332Shimoni & Wasini IslandKenya/The Coast/Shimoni & Wasini Island3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336MalindiKenya/The Coast/Malindi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342LamuKenya/The Coast/Lamu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346UNDERSTAND KENYAKenya/Understand Kenya . . . 355SURVIVAL GUIDEKenya/Survival Guide . . . . . . . 362
UGANDA . . . . . . . . . . . 377KAMPALA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379AROUND KAMPALA . . . . . 398Entebbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary . . 401EASTERN UGANDA . . . . . 403
Jinja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403Mt Elgon National Park . . 412Sipi Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414SOUTHWESTERN UGANDA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416Fort Portal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Rwenzori Mountains National Park . . . . . . . . . . 428Queen Elizabeth National Park . . . . . . . . . . 432Bwindi Impenetrable National Park . . . . . . . . . . 437Kabale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443Lake Bunyonyi . . . . . . . . . 445Kisoro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448Mgahinga Gorilla National Park . . . . . . . . . . 450Ssese Islands . . . . . . . . . . 455NORTHWESTERN UGANDA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary . . . 457Masindi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458Murchison Falls National Park . . . . . . . . . . 460NORTHEASTERN UGANDA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467Kidepo Valley National Park . . . . . . . . . . 469UNDERSTAND UGANDA . 471SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . 484
DETOUR: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO . . . . . . . . . . . .493Goma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .494Parc National Des Virungas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
UNDERSTAND THE DRC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . 501
RWANDA . . . . . . . . . .503KIGALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505NORTHWESTERN RWANDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515Musanze (Ruhengeri) . . . 515Parc National des Volcans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519Gisenyi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525SOUTHWESTERN RWANDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530Huye (Butare) . . . . . . . . . . 530Nyungwe Forest National Park . . . . . . . . . . 535Cyangugu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540Kibuye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540EASTERN RWANDA . . . . . 542Parc National de l’Akagera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542UNDERSTAND RWANDA . 545SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . 550
BURUNDI . . . . . . . . . . 557BUJUMBURA . . . . . . . . . . . 558AROUND BUJUMBURA . . . 564UNDERSTAND BURUNDI 564SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . 566
Contributing AuthorDavid Lukas wrote the Wildife & Habitat chapter. David is a freelance naturalist who lives next to Yosemite National Park in California. He writes extensively about the world’s wildlife, and has contributed wildlife chapters for eight African Lonely Planet guides ranging from Ethiopia to South Africa.
OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
Mary FitzpatrickCoordinating Author, Tanzania Mary’s love affair with East Africa began almost two decades ago, when she travelled from Mozambique to Tanzania to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. Since then she has returned countless times, including to study Swahili. A travel writer for more than 15 years, Mary has authored and coauthor-ed numerous Lonely Planet titles, including Tanzania. She is currently based in Tanzania. Mary also wrote the Welcome to East Africa, 11 Top Experiences, Need
to Know, Safaris, Countries at a Glance, East Africa Today, History, Life in East Africa, Tribal Cul-tures, The Arts and A Taste of East Africa chapters.
Anthony HamKenya Anthony has spent the last decade in North and West Africa, exploring the Sahara with Tuareg nomads and tracking down endangered elephant herds from the Malian Sahel to remote corners of southern Chad. In addition to coordinating Lonely Planet’s West Africa, Africa and Libya guides, Anthony writes and photo-graphs for numerous publications. Anthony also wrote the If You Like, Month by Month, Itineraries, Gorilla Tracking, Travel with Children, Environment, National
Parks & Reserves, Primates and Safe Travel chapters.
Trent HoldenUganda On his first sojourn into Africa as a Lonely Planet author, Trent was thrilled to be assigned to Uganda – one of his favourite destinations in the world. It’s a place he loves not only for its incredible diversity but for some of the lush-est landscapes he’s seen in his travels. Trent is a freelance writer and editor from Melbourne and this is his sixth book for Lonely Planet, having coauthored other titles including India and Nepal.
Dean StarnesRwanda, Burundi, Detour: Democratic Republic of the Congo Dean first back-packed through East Africa in 2004 – racing camels in Maralal, rafting the Nile in Jinja and falling off the map in Rwanda. Since then he has returned to Africa mul-tiple times, coauthoring the Ethiopia (4th edition) and Kenya (8th edition) guides. Dean relished the chance to finally climb DRC’s Nyiragongo Volcano for this book. When he’s not writing for Lonely Planet, Dean lives in New Zealand with his wife.
Read more about Mary at: lonelyplanet.com/members/maryf
Read more about Anthony at: lonelyplanet.com/members/anthonyham
OUR WRITERS
Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.
Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9839th edition – July 2012ISBN 978 1 74179 672-8© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 201210 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
OVERPAGE
MORE WRITERS
Itiner-aries
Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.
ETHIOPIA
SOMALIA
BURUNDI
KENYA
RWANDA
UGANDA
DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
MALAWI
TANZANIA
ZAMBIA
MOZAMBIQUE
SOUTH SUDAN
Arusha
NAIROBI#
#
_
•
SerengetiNP
ZanzibarArchipelago
#÷Ngorongoro Crater
AmboseliNP
#÷
Lake NakuruNP
#•#÷
#•É
É
É
É
É
INDIANOCEAN
‚
Two WeeksClassic East Africa
This itinerary samples the best that East Africa has to offer, combining some of Af-rica’s best wildlife watching with beaches and the Swahili coast. To manage this itin-erary in two weeks, you’ll need to travel some parts of the journey by air.
After arriving at Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha, head to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Then, catch a flight to the Zanzi-bar Archipelago for diving, snorkelling and relaxing. While you’re there, take in the charm and historical attractions of Zanzibar’s old Stone Town.
Fly from Zanzibar to Nairobi, but don’t linger in the Kenyan capital any longer than you have to; instead head straight out on safari again. If you’ve already visited the Serengeti, you could probably skip the Masai Mara National Reserve and make a beeline for Am-boseli National Park for peerless Mt Kilimanjaro views and some of Africa’s best elephant-viewing, before travelling northeast (via Nairobi) to see the rhinos and flamingos of Lake Nakuru National Park.
19
Mombasa
NAIROBI
SOMALIA
KENYAUGANDA
TANZANIA
#
#
_
•
AmboseliNP
#÷
a
Masai MaraNR#÷
#÷
#÷ #÷
Tsavo WestNP
Tsavo EastNP
MtLongonot
R
Hell’s GateNP
Lake NakuruNP #÷
#÷Kakamega
FR
LakeBaringo
#÷Lake
Bogoria NR
Lake Turkana
#÷R
Mt Kenya
#÷Meru NP
Laikipia Plateau
SamburuNR#÷
AberdareNP
#•
#•
#•
É
É
É
É
É
É É
É
É
É
É
É
É
INDIANOCEAN
Three WeeksKenya Circuit
Three weeks in Kenya will take you through the full range of East African landscapes, with sightings of most of the region’s charismatic mega-fauna possible en route; go-rillas and chimps are the main missing links in Kenya’s portfolio.
Fly into Nairobi and then head west to the Masai Mara National Reserve, the scene for one of the most spectacular wildlife shows on earth. From here, head southeast across Maasai land to Amboseli National Park for wildlife drives in the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro; elephants, lions and most of the plains’ species are present in this beautiful, compact park. From Amboseli, it’s a straightforward drive to Tsavo West National Park and Tsavo East National Park, Kenya’s largest wildlife parks and a real taste of the African wilderness. Tsavo East has all three big cats and Kenya’s largest elephant population, while Tsavo West boasts all of the Big Five – see them all in one day and you’ve hit the safari jack-pot. From here, you could head down the highway to the ancient Swahili port of Mombasa, one of the truly great port cities on earth; this is a good option if you’re en route to Tanzania or on a journey up the coast.
But we recommend returning north to explore the heart of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. Climbing Mt Longonot takes you to the rim of a lost world and affords fine Rift Valley views, while Hell’s Gate National Park promises weird rock formations and the rare chance to walk among the wildlife. Rhinos cavort with flamingos and massed pelicans in Lake Nakuru National Park, while birders will never want to leave Lake Baringo and the Lake Bogoria National Reserve; the latter hosts more flamingos. If you’re heading to Uganda, make Kakamega Forest, a Kenyan outpost of the great rainforests of Central Africa, your next stop. Otherwise, press on into the deserts of the north, focusing your ex-plorations on Lake Turkana.
Returning south, the Samburu National Reserve has a certain gravitas, and don’t miss the conservation success story that is the Laikipia Plateau. One of Kenya’s most under-rated parks is Meru National Park, while some seriously large beasts lurk in the under-growth of the Aberdare National Park. You’re almost done, but climbing Mt Kenya is a worthy end to your explorations of the country.
20
PLAN YO
UR TRIP ITIN
ERA
RIES
SOMALIA
BURUNDI
KENYARWANDA
UGANDA
DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
MALAWI
TANZANIA
ZAMBIA
MOZAMBIQUE
TangaPangani
Arusha
Mbeya
Kigoma
Mwanza
Dar es Salaam
#
#
##
#
#
#
•
•
••
•
•
•
#÷
SaadaniNP
Katavi NP
MahaleMountains NP
GombeNP
SerengetiNP
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
RUsambaraMountains
MoshiRMt Kilimanjaro
Lake ManyaraNP
#÷
NgorongoroConservationArea
#÷
RubondoIsland NP
KituloPlateau
UdzungwaMountains NP
SelousGR
#f
#•
#•
#•
É
É
É É
É
É
É
É‚
INDIANOCEAN
#÷
Four WeeksTanzanian Trails
Tanzania is the soul of East Africa and this route through the country ranges across the country’s enduring highlights. As with the Kenya itinerary, we’ve saved the coast for its own itinerary.
Starting from Dar es Salaam, one of Africa’s more agreeable larger cities, head up the coast to Saadani National Park, a manageable prelude to the grander national parks of the Tanzanian interior. Further north, Pangani is an old Swahili trading post surround-ed by lovely beaches. Tanga has a sleepy colonial air; if you’re coming from Mombasa in Kenya, this may be your first staging post in the country. Best of all, the nearby Usambara Mountains promise green hiking trails through pretty villages.
As you shadow the Kenyan border travelling northwest, you can start to tick off some of Tanzania’s (and East Africa’s) signature sights. Moshi (another possible first stop if you’re coming from Kenya) is the perfect place to plot your attempt on the summit of Africa’s high-est peak, the iconic Mt Kilimanjaro. Not far away, Arusha (connected by bus to Nairobi) is your gateway to a triumvirate of the country’s most beautiful and significant protected areas: Serengeti National Park (for vast quantities of wildlife), Ngorongoro Conserva-tion Area (for stunning Rift Valley landscapes and lions) and Lake Manyara National Park (for tree-climbing lions, if you’re lucky).
If you can tear yourself away, Mwanza and Lake Victoria offer a welcome change of pace; birders won’t want to miss Rubondo Island National Park. Once in this part of Tanzania, it’s straightforward to continue on into Uganda, but if you’re sticking with Tanzania a while longer, Gombe National Park is all about chimpanzees. From Kigoma, board the MV Liemba and cruise down Lake Tanganyika to Mahale Mountains National Park, where chimpanzees are also the major draw; these two parks receive a fraction of the visitors compared to those of the northern safari circuit. The same can be said for Katavi National Park.
As you return east, consider breaking up the journey in Mbeya, the Kitulo Plateau or Udzungwa Mountains National Park. But whatever you do, finish your journey in the Selous Game Reserve for the rare opportunity to explore the Tanzanian wilderness on foot or by boat.
PLAN YO
UR TRIP ITIN
ERA
RIES
21PLAN
YOUR TRIP IT
INER
AR
IES
ETHIOPIA
BURUNDI
KENYA
RWANDA
UGANDA
DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
TANZANIA
SOUTHSUDAN
Mt ElgonNP
KAMPALAJinja
Kidepo Valley NP
MurchisonFalls NP
KibaleForest NP
BwindiImpenetrableNP
QueenElizabeth
NP
EntebbeRwenzoriMountains NP
É
ÉÉ
É
É
#÷#÷
#÷
#÷
#÷
#•
#•
#_
#÷
#÷
LakeVictoria
Three WeeksUgandan Odyssey
Uganda is East Africa’s unsung star, a country that combines many of the attractions you’ll find elsewhere in the region, but with gorillas thrown in and far fewer visitors to spoil the view.
First stop, Kampala which, unlike Nairobi, makes an appealing introduction to this corner of East Africa. It’s a good place to get your bearings, visit a handful of stellar cultural sites and start planning your foray out into the Ugandan wilds. From here, it’s a short hop to Entebbe, with its attractive Lake Victoria beaches, and Jinja, which makes a convincing claim for the title of Africa’s adrenaline sports capital. Throw in the source du Nil (source of the Nile) and some curious architecture and Jinja is one of East Africa’s more well-rounded towns. Away to the northeast, Mt Elgon National Park is a challeng-ing but immensely rewarding centre for high-altitude trekking; once in the area, don’t miss the vertiginous Sipi Falls. If you’re linking up with a Kenyan itinerary, Busia is a convenient launch pad for Western Kenya. If not, check the security situation and, assuming you get the all clear, travel north to Kidepo Valley National Park, a remote and beguiling park that receives very few visitors. It’s the only park in Uganda where all three big cats are present.
Depending on the prevailing security situation, you may need to return to Kampala. Oth-erwise, push on to the northwest to Murchison Falls National Park, arguably Uganda’s finest park; watch out for chimps, lions, leopards and so much more. Tracking south, pause for a few days amid the crater lakes south of Fort Portal, and on no account miss the rainforests of Kibale Forest National Park, with 13 primate species and some of the best chimpanzee tracking in East Africa. In the same area, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to uplifting landscapes, some of whose names carry the unmistakeable rhythms of African magic – the Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a mist-shrouded introduction to the rainforests of Central Africa, Queen Elizabeth National Park has extraordinarily rich bird life, tree-climbing lions and a slew of other mega-fauna, and Bwindi Impenetra-ble National Park is one of the best places in the world to see mountain gorillas. From this part of the country, it’s an easy hop across the border into Rwanda.
22
PLAN YO
UR TRIP ITIN
ERA
RIES
BURUNDI
KENYA
RWANDA
UGANDA
DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
MALAWI
TANZANIA
ZAMBIA
Mombasa
Lamu
Kilifi
Pangani
Lindi Mikindani
Gede
Dar es Salaam
#
#
##
#
#
##
•
•
••
•
•
••
Nyungwe Forest NP
Zanzibar
MafiaIsland
#•Kilwa Kisiwani
#•
PembaKisite Marine NP
Tiwi Beach
KIGALI
Huye
Parc Nationaldes Volcans
MusanzeGisenyi
Kibuye
Goma
Parc Nationaldes Virungas
BUJUMBURA
Cyangugu
#•
#÷
#•#•
#•#•
#÷#÷
#•#_
#_
É
É
#•
#•
#•
#÷
É
É
É
É
É
É
‚
‚
‚
KENYA
#Ù
Gorillas Out WestThe Swahili Coast
INDIANOCEAN
Two WeeksGorillas Out WestAlthough this itinerary focuses on Rwanda, Burundi and the Democrat-ic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it can link up seamlessly with the national
parks of southwestern Uganda or the chim-panzee-rich protected areas of Tanzania’s far west, allowing you to mix and match itiner-aries with ease.
Rwanda’s capital Kigali has a lush, moun-tainous setting and lively nightlife, with the sobering counterpoint of a genocide memo-rial. Next, head southwest via Huye (Bu-tare) to Nyungwe Forest National Park, with its chimpanzees and other primates, and then via Cyangugu to the scenic in-land beaches on Lake Kivu around Kibuye and Gisenyi. From here, it’s a short hop to Musanze (Ruhengeri) and the mountain gorillas of Parc National des Volcans. Re-turning to Gisenyi, cross the frontier into the DRC, where Goma serves as a gateway to the Parc National des Virungas, where you can track gorillas and chimpanzees, or stare down into the seething crater of the Nyiragongo Volcano. Returning to Rwan-da, a detour into Burundi (security situa-tion permitting) and its capital Bujumbura makes for an agreeable introduction to one of Africa’s least-known countries.
Two WeeksThe Swahili Coast
Warning: this itinerary could take far longer if you find your own slice of paradise and never want to leave.
From Dar es Salaam, travel south to the ruins at Kilwa Kisiwani, and further south still to pretty, palm-fringed Lindi, and tiny Mikindani, a charming Swahili village. Returning north, Mafia Island is like Zan-zibar without the crowds. And yet, there’s nowhere on earth quite like Zanzibar, the essence of East Africa’s Indian Ocean coast. Pemba, its northern neighbour, is an adven-turous detour. Your last Tanzanian port-of-call is Pangani, while just across the Kenyan border, Kisite Marine National Park is home to crocs along the banks of mangrove-lined rivers, dolphins crashing through the surf and humpback whales from August to October. Just before you arrive in the roil-ing Swahili port city of Mombasa, pause in Tiwi Beach, a tranquil white-sand paradise away from the resorts. Continuing north, stop in the charming town of Kilifi and at the Gede Ruins, an ancient Swahili city. But Lamu, a Swahili heritage gem, is the main event; a dhow (ancient Arabic sailing vessel) trip out into the wonderful Lamu archi-pelago is a must while here.
23PLAN
YOUR TRIP IT
INER
AR
IESPLAN
YOUR TRIP IT
INER
AR
IES
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd