Friday 31 January 2014
Tuesday 28 January 2014
Morogoro, Tanzania's Secret Revelation
With the final ceremony of the passing of Nelson Mandela now
behind us, the transformation of the great statesman and humanitarian from man
to legend will gather momentum, and rightfully so. When the physical presence of someone of
Madiba’s stature is no more, attention shifts to the geographical places where
that person was born, lived and died, as well as the places where some of his
or her most epic feats were accomplished.
In Mandela’s case this process has already begun, and thousands of
tourists visit his house in Vilikazi Street, Soweto and his cell on Robben
Island every year, and the village of Qunu where he grew up and is buried has
joined that group of illustrious sites that honour his memory. There are other lesser known, but hugely
significant, places on this earth that have felt the presence of arguably the
world’s greatest statesman, and a month ago I was privileged enough to visit
one of them.
The Solomon Mahlangu
Nursery School, Morogoro
On a wall in the Solomon Mahlangu Nursery School in
Morogoro, Tanzania there stands a mural featuring a white dove and the message
“there shall be peace and friendship”, and beneath this a black child and white
child hold each other’s hands while they wave the unmistakable black, green and
yellow flag of the African National Congress.
I was there to visit the school and plant a food garden, and like most
white South Africans who had been educated under apartheid I had a very limited
knowledge of the history of the ANC and the struggle to liberate South
Africa. But there was no mistaking the
colours on the mural and the message above it.
The mural might as well have been a graffito saying “Mandela was here.”
Like a good historian I did my research, and like a good
anthropologist I explored the location to discover more. Morogoro is a small, bustling city about a
hundred miles inland from Dar es Salaam, nestled against the Uluguru Mountains
that tower above the city in jagged green magnificence. In this spectacular setting the residents of
Morogoro are in many ways an embodiment of the new Tanzania. Proudly Tanzanian and African, they are
hardworking and innovative and live by strong codes of social justice and
hospitality. In Morogoro, as is the case
across Tanzania, a guest must always leave your care in better shape than they
arrived in, which in our case meant leaving town with our vehicle overflowing
with samosas, mandazis, vitumbua and a dozen bottles of Konyagi gin, thanks to
our incredibly kind and generous hosts.
The warmth, dignity and generosity of the Tanzanian people
must have deeply impressed Mandela when he visited the country in 1962, shortly
before his arrest and imprisonment. As
President Jikaya Kikwete mentioned at Madiba’s funeral this week, he left his
boots behind, intending to return for them when his African tour was complete (he
ended up only getting them back in 1995).
Although I could find no evidence that the great man actually visited
Morogoro during his visit, it was in Morogoro that the legacy of his time in
Tanzania would live on. In 1969, with much
of the senior leadership imprisoned and the movement in a certain amount of
disarray, a new generation of South African freedom fighters convened in Morogoro
to chart a new way forward. They
included people like Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Alfred Nzo and Moses Mabhida,
names now familiar to most South Africans. Without going into too much detail on a very fascinating
but complex topic, it was at the Morogoro conference that the liberation
movement finally and formally recognised the role that non-black South Africans
were playing in the struggle, and acknowledged the role that people of all
races, even the whites, would have to play in a post-apartheid South
Africa. It was in Morogoro that the
African National Congress, to a certain extent, turned its back on African
nationalism. As a white South African,
it was at the site of this educational complex at the foot of the Uluguru
Mountains in far away Tanzania that the course that enabled the life and
freedoms I enjoy today was charted. It
is a humbling thought.
This chapter of Morogoro’s history is not commemorated in
grandiose plaques or monuments – in a country where tourism is still all about wildlife,
Kilimanjaro and beaches the idea that mzungu tourists would be interested in
the history of the struggle against apartheid has not quite caught on yet. Hopefully that will change soon, but the
Tanzanians are well aware of the role they played in the struggle and will
gladly chat about it once you bring it up.
In some ways the fact that Morogoro’s historical significance requires
interaction with the locals to uncover is deeply appropriate. The city was founded by escaped slaves from
Zanzibar in the nineteenth century, and the legacy of liberty lives on in the
openness, dignity and pride of the people.
Lupanga Peak looms
above a small farm on the outskirts of Morogoro
When the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much for
you, the mountains beckon. The Ulugurus
are part of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc mountain range, one of the world’s most
pristine and unique ecosystems, and are draped in rainforest that plays host to
many species found nowhere else on earth.
It takes a demanding but rewarding seven hours to reach Lupanga Peak (2150m)
but you don’t have to go all the way up.
Look out for colobus monkeys and three-horned chameleons, while
twitchers can look out for three species endemic to the Ulugurus - the Uluguru
Bush Shrike (Malaconotus alius), the
Loveridge’s Sunbird (Cynnyris loveridgei)
and the Uluguru Grey-throated Mountain Greenbul (Arizelocichla neumanni).
There are several spectacular waterfalls, and many viewpoints from where
you can look down on a city that in many ways embodies modern Tanzania –
rewarding, prosperous, proudly African and free.
Details and other
things to do in Morogoro:
The Solomon Mahlangu Nursery School is within the larger
Solomon Mahlangu Campus, which is in turn one of the four campuses of the
Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
In addition to the historical angle the SUA is also famous as the
headquarters of the HeroRats research programme, in which African Pouched Rats
are trained to detect landmines and, more recently, tuberculosis. More information on the SUA is available at www.suanet.ac.tz and you can find out more
about the HeroRats (and even adopt one!) at www.apopo.org/en/. If you would like to visit the Solomon
Mahlangu Campus itself contact headmaster Moses Achimpota at
achimpotamoses@yahoo.com.
To arrange a Morogoro city tour, cultural experiences and
excursions up the Ulugurus, contact Chilunga Cultural Tourism (http://www.chilunga.or.tz/). Chilunga is a registered charity that ensures
all the proceeds from your visit go to supporting the sustainable livelihoods
of the local communities, and they know the city and the mountains like nobody
else. You can book your tours online,
and they can also help you arrange accommodation in Morogoro.
Morogoro has a great atmosphere, which is shaped by the
contrast of the old German colonial architecture and well-planned street layout
with the chaotic but friendly informality of modern Tanzania. The climate is usually warm but a lot cooler
than on the coast, so walking around the city is a pleasant and engaging
experience. The Main Market has the best
selection of fresh produce in Tanzania, the size and variety of fruits in
particular is astounding. When you’ve
had enough, head to the Rumbo White Bar (any taxi will know where it is) for
the best nyama choma (grilled meat) and Chips Mayai (chip omelette) in town, washed down with Kilimanjaro beer or, if you’re feeling frisky, local
Konyagi gin. Watch the football and
laugh with the locals well into the night.
Enjoying a lunch of Chips Mayai
About an hours’ drive southwest is the Mikumi National Park,
where you can get the Big Five wildlife experience without the hassle, crowding
and exorbitant prices of the Serengeti.
A little further down the road is the more remote and challenging but
hugely rewarding Udzungwa Mountains National Park, one of the world’s top
biodiversity hotspots. For more
information on these and other parks in the region check out the TanParks
website http://www.tanzaniaparks.com.
Getting there:
Morogoro does not have a commercial airport, but good
quality bus links from Dar es Salaam are available for about $5. Sandinavia Express and Sumatra are the most
reputable and reliable companies, and the journey takes about two hours. A number of airlines offer flights into Dar
es Salaam from all over the world.
By Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt)
Monday 6 January 2014
6 of the best: African Inland Beaches
A day at the beach is a classic and favourite getaway, but
let’s face it, it has its drawbacks. The
sand, sun and water combination is what we go for, but in most seaside
locations the wind blows sand in your face, the waves pound you into a pulp and
the salt burns your eyes. A different
type of beach beckons – Africa has some of the world’s largest and most
beautiful lakes, and most of these lakes have great beaches that offer sand,
sun and water without the salt and seaside weather. As an additional bonus, they are often set in
amazing landscapes and near some amazing cultural and wildlife
destinations. So grab your bucket,
spade, towel and sunblock and head inland…
1. Chikale Beach, Nkhata Bay, Lake Malawi,
Malawi
Lake Malawi, or the “Lake of Stars”, is a massive, pristine, crystal
clear inland sea almost 600km long which is home to more species of fish than
any other body of fresh water in the world.
It gives the landlocked country of Malawi one of Africa’s longest
coastlines, and the small town of Nkhata Bay, about halfway up the lake shore,
is the most popular destination. It is a
delightfully relaxed and stunningly beautiful place, but be careful – after a
couple of days here all the pressures and commitments of real life seem very
far away, and you’ll be bargaining with yourself about ways to extend your
stay. Nkhata Bay is full of people who
came on holiday twenty years ago and never went back! Malawians are exceptionally warm and friendly,
and even a quick dip in the lake will have you surrounded by brilliantly
coloured fish found nowhere else on earth.
Best for: Snorkelling,
chilling out
Nearby attractions: The
surprisingly massive Anglican cathedral on Likoma Island, horse-riding and
mountain biking at Nyika National Park.
Ask at your lodge or around town for details.
Getting there: The nearest
city is Mzuzu, about 50km away. Regular
buses run from Blantyre and Lilongwe to Mzuzu, taking six to eight hours. A new ferry service began operation in November 2013 so check this out for a unique way to travel.
2. Matema, Lake Nyasa, Tanzania
Head north along the lake shore from Nkhata Bay and in about five hours
you cross the border into Tanzania, where Lake Malawi is known as Lake
Nyasa. The only Tanzanian village on the
lake is Matema, a sleepy little place wedged between the lake and the
Livingstonia Mountains. There is nowhere
near the same level of tourism development here, but the beach makes up for it
– a huge expanse of perfect sand fringed by palm trees and mountains that seem
to leap out of the water right in front of you.
Being less tourist-oriented it takes some time and effort to uncover the
area’s attractions, but they are worth it.
Or you can just relax on the beach…
Best for: Exploring, solitude
Stay at: Blue Canoe Safari Camp; Matema Lakeside Resort
Nearby attractions : Hikes to
several nearby waterfalls, as well as boat trips to the Nakyala Ritual
Cave. Contact Newton Weston at
EnviCulture to arrange activities
Getting there: Matema can either be
accessed from the south through Malawi by boat or bus, or from the north via
the Tanzanian city of Mbeya. Flights are
available from Dar es Salaam to Songwe airport near Mbeya, from where it is an
hour or so to Matema. The bus direct
from Dar es Salaam takes about 12 hours.
3. Mahale Mountains, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania
Lake Tanganyika is Africa’s deepest
lake, and vies with Lake Malawi as the most beautiful. They are the two most southerly Rift Valley
lakes, and have similar characteristics – fringed by forest-covered mountains
that plummet straight down into deep, clear waters teeming with tropical
fish. Tanganyika is the more remote,
extreme and mysterious of the two. Most
of its 700km east coast belongs to Tanzania, and about halfway up a cluster of
forest-cloaked mountains jut out into the lake, creating the Mahale Mountains
National Park. This is one of the few
places in the world where you can see chimpanzees in the wild, and it is
fringed with some of Africa’s best beaches to boot.
Best for: Wildlife,
snorkelling
Stay at: There are 4 very
luxurious private lodges with price tags to match: Kungwe Beach Lodge; Greystoke Mahale Camp; Flycatcher Mahale Camp and Nkungwe Luxury Tented Camp
Nearby attractions: The Mahale
Mountains National Park is primarily a chimpanzee sanctuary, but there are also
rare baboon and monkey species as well as big game to be seen. Mahale has no roads to speak of so walking
and boating are the only ways to get around the park.
Getting there: There are flights into
Kigoma from Dar es Salaam every day, and from there you can fly (45 minutes),
take a boat (4-7 hours) or board the historic MV Liemba ferry (10 hours) to
Mahale. Arrange transport and activities
with your accommodation establishment before you travel.
4. Ssese Islands, Lake Victoria, Uganda
Lake Victoria is the second largest body of fresh water on earth, a
staggering 340km across, with over 4000km of lake shore. Unlike the Rift Valley lakes, Victoria is
relatively shallow and surrounded by hills and floodplains rather than mountains,
and millions of people live around its shores.
Getting away from the crowds can be a bit of a challenge, but the Ssese
Islands in the Ugandan part of the lake are a tranquil haven for intrepid
travellers. There are 84 islands in
total, with at least ten different accommodation establishments that provide
great places to relax and contemplate the sheer size and magnificence of this
huge inland sea. When the sun goes down,
Kalangala Bay on Buggala Island brings out the party, but in a delightfully low
key way.
Best for: Nightlife, relaxing
Stay at: Most accommodation is
on Buggala Island, the largest in the archipelago: Ssese Islands Beach Hotel; MirembeBeach Resort
If you’re feeling like taking the off the beaten track
thing a little further, head for the unforgettable Banda Island
Nearby attractions: You’ll be
far away from everything except the islands, but if you get bored of the one
you’re on you can always take a boat trip to the next one…
Getting there: Several ferries
transport people and goods from the islands to Entebbe, which is conveniently
the location of Uganda’s international airport.
Water taxis and small boats connect the islands to each other.
5. Gisenyi, Lake Kivu, Rwanda
Rwanda is another landlocked African country that, thanks to the region’s
unique geography, has a beautiful coastline.
The country’s thousand hills end abruptly at Lake Kivu, another Rift
Valley lake and one of the most dramatic.
At the northern end of the lake is the town of Gisenyi, where you can
relax on the beach with a cocktail with a panoramic view of an active volcano
(Mount Nyiragongo). Like the rest of
Rwanda Gisenyi is refreshingly hassle-free and well organised by central
African standards, and a few days on the beach is a great way to finish off a
gorilla safari in the nearby Volcanoes National Park.
Best for: Photography, bird watching, gorillas.
Nearby attractions: Rwanda
offers incredible gorilla tracking experiences at the nearby Volcanoes National
Park, its expensive and requires booking well in advance but is a once in a
lifetime experience. There are lots of
tour companies online, the Rwanda Development Board is a good place to start. Depending on the security situation just
across the border in the DR Congo, it may be possible to arrange an excursion
to visit or even climb Mount Nyiragongo – check with your accommodation establishment.
6. Eliye Springs, Lake Turkana, Kenya
Lake Turkana is the most northerly Rift Valley lake, also called the Jade
Sea. It is an otherworldly destination
miles from anywhere, on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya, with palm trees,
a volcanic desert landscape, ever-changing waters and deeply traditional local
people. It will make you feel like
you’ve dropped into an episode of the Arabian Nights. Very few travellers make it this far into the
wilderness, but the ones that do gather at Eliye Springs on the lake’s western
shore to sip cool drinks, watch the burnished copper sun go down over the Jade
Sea and swap tall tales about how they got there.
Best for: Adventure, solitude, culture.
Stay at: Eliye Springs Resort
Nearby attractions: Two of the
lake’s three large islands are accessible, weather permitting, from Eliye
Springs. Both are national parks and
offer spectacular scenery, lots of crocodiles (don’t go swimming) and occasional volcanic activity. The Lake
Turkana Cultural Festival happens at the lake’s southern end each May.
Getting there: Flight from Nairobi to
Lodwar, then the resort will come and collect you. Alternatively, catch the bus from Nairobi via
Kitale and Lodwar, then hire a taxi to take you to Eliye Springs.
By Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt)
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