Hello Everyday,
Aahh you are in Mbeya, and you don’t have much time to go around because of work or other businesses around, but you really want to steal your time and do something :). Well here is what you can do, I have also added camping options just incase you change your mind and feel like staying overnight.
My name is Shah, call me Mr. Everyday and I am going to start with my favorite places of all time.
1. Kawetere Viewing Area
Kawetere viewing area is the best place to watch the African Great Rift Valley which was formed about 35 million years ago, the area offers a three dimensional view of the valley and it’s the only place on earth where one can watch the valley in three sides (East West and South).
The viewpoint is 33 km from the City center along the Mbeya – Chunya road at an area called Kawetere/Kawetire. It is also a very good place for skydiving (no facilities as for now) and other sports activities. The viewpoint offers best scenes for film sets, photography, and outdoor activities including picnics and smaller parties.
Facts: Formed about 35 millions years ago, the Great Rift Valley is 64km wide and 6400km longer starting from Asia, East Africa to Mozambique.
This is the best place to experience the warmth of the setting sun and it’s mesmerizing dusk over the ranges of Mount Mbeya.
2. Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve
Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve is managed by Tanzania Wildlife Authority, but there is not much wildlife in this reserve :), so what do they have?
-Lyamakunohila Waterfalls
The travel societies named this place ‘the land of waterfalls’, because there is a lot of waterfalls in the park, and the falling water has created a lot of natural ponds or lets say swimming pools along it’s path. So, there is water everywhere, falling almost anywhere 🙂 :).
The park is a home to the famous Kimani Waterfalls; the most beautiful, rocky cliff waterfalls that amaze everyone – anyone.
The park is also famous for the history of Chief Mkwawa who is well known to have won many battle during colonization struggle. The Chief Mkwawa cave has insghtful stories of Chief Mkwawa, including his bathing closet, dinner set (Cylindrical Clay Curved Containers), left-overs of their dishes and kitchen tools including root medicine and grinding stones for millet, sorgum, salt and medicine. The cave has water running down the stream, said to be healing those in need :). I’m not sure, not tested, may be you test for us 🙂
Other falls in the park that can be easly reached inlcude Nyaugenge, Ikovo, Lyamakunohila, Nyalulanga, Mwamba, Makutano and Gorofa, als Kipengere, araedstone, Idzumbo, Idaba, Nsalala, Igavuli and Itago.
The reserve is 110km from Mbeya town and can be reached with ease using any motorcar, not just offroad vehicles.
Camping in Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve is great, you can choose to sleep in fully furnished bandas located some kilometres from Kimani falls, or sleep by the tents located at public campsite near Kimani falls.
-Park Bandas
Take your friends to Kimani
3. Lake Ngosi
I have been to lake Ngosi like all the time, and it never feels usual – every-time I visit this Africa’s giant I feel special, I feel wonderful.
Lake Ngosi is the second largest crater lake in Africa, curved itself in a way that is absolutely Africa, which makes it special, and famous than the first crater lake which is in Ethiopia. At the viewpoint you can see African map presented by a crater full of water rolling at a depth of 74m, we even have island in it, yes and we named them Unguja and Pemba.
The crater is 2.5km long and 1.6km wide which makes it really big and lovely. This place is good for hikers and nature lovers, there is a dense forest called Uporoto in which the lake ca be found.
For those who like an extreme hiking, this is the best place doing it :), although most visitors are always satisfied with the lakes view from the viewpint, some may want to touch the water of the lake, so going down to the lake from the viewing point is tough and fun, about 90 minutes of extreme trekking down and some 120 minutes of returning form the crater pool.
4. Three Amigos
In a single you can visit these prides of Rungwe;-
Kaporogwe Waterfalls
A notable tourists attraction that will leave you speecheless. This is a natural huege water drop on a cave at Isuba village about just 18 km from Tukuyu town.
Kijungu
The word Kijungu is from Nyakyusa Language that means Chungu (Pothole). Kijungu accommodates the entire river Kiwira that flows into a pot-like hollow before flowing down the rocks and take its natural course. Kijungu acquired its name due to the ‘pot like’ shape of the base where the waterfall makes a whirlpool.
Daraja la Mungu,
The local people calls it Daraja la Mungu which literally means a bridge made by God. It links the Lugambo and Mboyo villages at Lufingo ward. This bridge is made of rocky stone height of about 12 meters and the average height of 3 meters wide. This bridge is unique for its stylish style.
5. Songwe Hotspring
The hot-spring is located at a Tanzanian Geothermal Station site in Nanyala village at Songwe region. It offers a natural hot-water swimming pool to visitors and a picturesque landscapes of Songwe region. It’s in Songwe region but nearer to Mbeya. From the hotspring you can also visit batcave site which in just near the site.
tlover tonet
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