BABATI - HANANG CULTURAL TOURS

BABATI AND HANANG
The area also has a rich birdlife with over 400 specials.
Nestled in the Green Hills of Africa between Tarangire and Manyara National Parks, Lake Babati is an undiscovered gem in northern Tanzania, a place where afternoons are spent drifting in canoes, where hippopotamus spend the days lazing in the tall grasses along the lake shore and where the locals welcome you into their hearts.

Lake Babati is where you can climb nearby Mt Kwaraa (2,415m), visit the local "bee ladies" and share in a traditional meal or spend the afternoon with a local fisherman in his dugout canoe, bird watching or just drifting.

Lake Babati can be used as a base to climb Mt Hanang which, at 3,418m, is Tanzania's fourth highest mountain, take a day trip to the Kolo cave paintings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or visit the local Barbaig tribe.
Lake Babati is also Tanzania's only declared Hippopotamus Reserve. Usually found during the day on the lake shore amongst the reeds and grasses, they can be found in the shallows of the lake late in the afternoon, although every now and then they are found right in town.

The local community offers visitors the following attractions:
1. A special Barbaig cultural insight hike
2. An exclusive Mount Hanang climb
3. A fishing adventure with local canoes on Lake Babati while viewing hippos.
4. A chance to participate in Local brick and pottery making and beer brewing.
5. A visit to development projects like cattle and goat diary farming, piped water project, Bio-gas energy project
6. Cycling expeditions through remote areas.

There are various guided tour options as follows:-

1. Managhat Village: You visit Managhat village, original home of the Gorowa tribe, to see diary farming activities, farming with ox ploughs, bio-gas system, local Gorowa huts and optionally a Killer Bee-Keeping Project at the bottom of Mount Kwaraa

2. You walk to Managhat village and climb Bambaay Hill from where you see the beautiful Valley landscape with Lake Bahati and Lake Manyara and the Maasai Steppes to the east. Later, visit a respected Gorowa tribesman Mzee Kwaraa for an insight on Gorowa culture, marriage ceremonies, rain prayers, burial, religious and circumcisions rituals. Options you can row, fish and view hippos on Lake Babati using local canoes.

3. Three days Special Barbaig tour: This tour enables you to mix with the Barbaig tribal and gain cultural insight on their marriage procedures, burial rites, local taboos, way of making ornaments and goatskin dresses, and their daily activities. Try to herd cattle or fetch water the Barbaig way and take pictures with them. Also Mount Hanang trekking and God’s Bridge walks are other interesting options. All tours can be combined with cycling expedition. For birdwatchers and wildlife safari is suitable combo on this cultural tour.

Three Day's Special Barbaig Tour:

Day 1: Arusha to Babati
Depart from Arusha at 0700 or 0800 and drive to Babati 172 km. Within 3 hours we arrive Babati centre. We meet our resident Guide at Kahembe's Guest House. This tour begins with a 70 km on our 4x4 safari vehicle from Babati to Katesh. Lunch in a local hotel. From here you start a 16 km bush walk towards the Mangati plains. In Dirma, a Barbaig nomad village, you will be warmly welcomed at Mzee Gavachu's boma. In no time you will see Barbaig women and men coming to see their new guests. Our Barbaig guide will help to translate where only Barbaig language is spoken. Seated on three legged stools you have dinner prepared by the women. In the huts a bed with a skin only is waiting for you. Dinner and overnight at the local hut on full board basis

Day 2: Full day with Barbaig
Relaxed day where the visitor can mix freely with people and gain the cultural insights from men and women, taking pictures together and knowing more about procedures of marriage, burial of elderly men, religious rituals, local taboos etc. Have a look at how they make the goatskin gowns and the ornaments, how they prepare the famous honey brew called Gisuda. One can try to herd cattle or fetch water the Barbaig way. The only school and dispensary can be visited where you can talk with teachers and nurses. Dinner and overnight on Full board basis

Day 3: Mount Hanang (3 418m) Trekking:
Walk back to Katesh, where you have lunch, further bus trip to Babati or Arusha.
From Katesh, the fourth highest mountain of Tanzania, can be climbed in one day. An early start is necessary with guides and porters through farmland, forest, scrub and grasslands. Finally, after 5 - 6 hours walking, you will reach the summit. Another 3 - 4 hours is needed for the descent. But it is advisable to climb from Gendabi at the foot of the mountain, a 3 hours walk from Katesh. Teachers from the Secondary school will provide accommodation and food. After spending the night in the village you climb and have more time to enjoy the scenery. Summiteers will receive a certificate.

Day 4: God's Bridge Walk:
Drive from Babati to Bacho village at the foot of the Rift Wall where you visit local fish ponds. Along local paths climb the escarpment and visit God’s Bridge with a fantastic view. Descend and walk to the main road where you drive back to Babati, and we provide local lunch at Kahembe Guest House then drive back to Arusha and onward transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or proceed with an option to Tarangire or Manyara National Park for Wildlife viewing


Option a combined tours
All tours can be combined. A cycling expedition can be organized on request. For birdwatchers exclusive safaris are designed. A combination of a visit to the National Parks with our Cultural tour is possible. The five hours drive from Karatu, Mbulu, Dareda to Katesh is of an extreme beauty. From Katesh, the Tarangire gate can be reached within three hours


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CULTURAL TOURISM FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(All income from tourist visit will be used to improve the local primary schools and for conservation of environments, some local community development projects,the preservation of the Maasai culture, developing educational and health care, running a kindergarten school for Maasai children, trees plating, women projects, youth projects, vacation centers, and direct funding for individual entrepreneurs on specific areas)

WILDLIFE SAFARIS AND CULTURAL TOURISM


Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha, Udzungwa Mountain, Katavi, Ruaha, Mikumi, Mahale, Gombe Stream, Kitulo, Rubondo, are among the most known and visited tourist destination in Tanzania. However Selous, Saadani, Mkomazi, Grumeti are the most popular game reserves know in Tanzania with amazing huge wildlife concentrations around the global. Most tourist prefer to even go deeper and experience the life style of the indigenous communities, this is the reason I am forced to promote the cultural tourism, you will enjoy the beautiful scenic views, cultures and daily living activities from all the places we visit. It is fascinating when we combine either Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru Trekking with cultural tours within the local villages, participate on local community projects, and experience the the natural life style of local Tanzanians.

The Tanzania Cultural Tourism programme was officialized in 1997, an initiative was launched in northern Tanzania to open up opportunities to local communities to participate in tourism activities to improve their economic livelihood.










Cultural tourism is people tourism that enables tourists to experience authentic cultures combining nature, scenery, folklore, ceremonies, dances, rituals, tales, art, handcrafts and hospitality – giving a unique insight into the way of life of the people while offering a complementary product to wildlife and beach based tourism.

Cultural tourism has demonstrated it has the potential of directly contributing to poverty reductions through employment and jobs for local people; markets for products; exposure to knowledge and increased confidence in local people to do little known things . It also has the potential of opening up tourism opportunities in rural areas as promising tourist destinations.

The following is among the customized cultural sites:-
1. Babati - The area also has a rich birdlife with over 400 specials.
Nestled in the Green Hills of Africa between Tarangire and Manyara National Parks, Lake Babati is an undiscovered gem in northern Tanzania, a place where afternoons are spent drifting in canoes, where hippopotamus spend the days lazing in the tall grasses along the lake shore and where the locals welcome you into their hearts


2.ENGARUKA - Engaruka, is situated 63 km north of Mto wa Mbu on the road to Oldonyo Lengai and Lake Natron, lies at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. It is an important historic site as some 500 years ago, a farming community of several thousand people chose to develop an ingenious irrigation and cultivation system here. For unknown reason, the farmers left Engaruka around 1700, but the ruins talk volumes about the highly specialized agricultural economy.


3.ILKIDING’A -The village of Ilkiding’a at the foot of Mt. Meru, where the sounds of rivers, birds and people are in harmony, offers a view into the cultures of the Wa-arusha tribe. Ilkiding’a village lies 7 km north of Arusha town, a 20minutes drive. At Mianzini junction, using vehicles, walking is also possible but it will take you 2 hours to reach the starting point of the tour.


4.ILKUROT - Ilkurot is situated about 20 km west of Arusha town.








5.LONGIDO - Longido is on the way to Nairobi. Driving will take you 1.5hours to reach starting point. The tour to the extensive plains around Longido mountains, 80kms north of Arusha, features an insight into the traditions of Maasai cultures. The lush area is home to rare birds and animals.






6.MACHAME - Machame to the north of the Arusha-Moshi road, is a mosaic of beautiful valleys, deep gorges, rivers, waterfalls and farms, and is home of the Chagga people. Explore the life of the people of Mt. Kilimanjaro.











7.MKURU - Situated on the north side of Mount Meru, not far from the irrigated filds of Ngarenayuki and the Momela gate of Arusha National Park, Mkuru is easily recognizable from a distance because of the pyramid shaped Ol Doinyo Landaree mountain.











8.MONDULI JUU - Monduli Juu, situated 50 km northwest of Arusha, is a cluster of four small villages – Emairete, Enguiki, Eluwai and Mfereji.














9.MTO WA MBU - Mto wa mbu is sitated on the way from Arusha to national parks in northern Tanzania, just at the foot of the Rift Valley. Located on the way to Ngorongoro and Serengeti, it is an ideal resting placed for most safari travelers.




10. MULALA - The Mulala village is a typical rural setting on the southern slopes of Mt. Meru and surrounded by spectacular scenery 30kms from Arusha. It lies 1600 -1700m above sea level and you wind your way up the mountain through a maze of lush, green vegetation dotted with small farms.






11.NG’IRESI - Ng’ires is situated 7km out of Arusha, on the slopes of Mt. Meru. It is inhabited by farmers of the Wa-arusha tribe.




12.NORTHERN PARE MOUNTAIN - The Northern Pare Mountain are situated 50 kms south-east of Moshi. Usangi is the heart of the mountains and a centre of economic activities. Local factories produce bricks, stoves, pottery and clothes. Some families brew beer in their backyard, using traditional methods. Every Monday and Thursday, a colourful market is held where farmers from the surrounding villages come to sell their harvests.



13.OLDONYO SAMBU - Oldonyo Sambu is Located 36km north-west of Arusha on the highway to Nairobi. The centre of operations is Oldonyo Sambu Market (Also known as Maiko Market)





14.SOUTHERN PARE MOUNTAINS - Walk along steep slopes, through desnse tropical forest and the village of Pare in the Mbega Hills deep within the southern Pare mountains about 150 km from Moshi Town.

15.TENGERU - In close proximity to the picturesque slopes of Mt. Meru, Tengeru is 13 km from Arusha town along the Arusha.



16.USAMBARAS - The Usambara Mountains situated in the north-eastern part of Tanzania are known for their pleasant climate, beautify viewpoints and fertile slopes. Favored by the Germans and English during colonial times, the area is rich in historical buildings from the period.

17. MBEYA - Mbeya lies about 872 km south-west of Dar es Salaam, its landscape characterized by relief forms created by the volcanic effects of the African Rift Valley.

18. MAMBA AND MARANGU - Mamba and Marangu in the Kilimanjaro area have both natural and cultural heritage to offer the visitor. There are more than seven waterfalls in the vicinity , unique flora with three, flowers and fruit nurseries and fauna. Tour the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and ascend to beautiful viewpoints.

19. KISANGARA - Visit the Kisangara Cultural Tourism site 62km south-east of Moshi in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Pare Montains. High onthe mountains, protected by natural forests, this is inhabited by the people of Pare.












20. Osotwa - Osotwa is situated 1.9 km off the Arusha-Nairobi road from Ngaramtoni junction. Osotwa is a programme by the people dwelling on the slopes of Mt.Meru, blessed with rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage.









21.PANGANI - Pangani, situated about 50 km south of Tanga in the north-eastern corner of Tanzania, is rich with historical sites and structures which reflect the influence of Arabs, Germans, Indians and British in East Africa. Also to be enjoyed here are white beaches and splendid coral reefs which harbour a great diversity of tropical marine life. Saadani National Park, Tanzania's only beach plus wildlife park, is in close proximity to Pangani.


Tanzania

It is a Land of superlative and contrasts, something for everyone: Kilimanjaro to the fabled Island of Zanzibar. The largest and most diverse wildlife concentrations on Earth including the matcheless Serengeti plains, Ngorongoro Crater, Katavi and the mighty Selous Game reserve. The Legacy of the ancient Swahili civilizations, such as Kilwa Ruins once a city of the Arabian Nights. Wonderful places for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing off thousands of kilometers of Indian Ocean coastline and around the Africa’s Great Lakes. And then there is Tanzania’s greatest asset: its friendly people and cuisines. The country is among the world’s leaders in Cultural tourism. This indeed is Authentic Africa.












Currently more than twenty three initiatives operate in various part of Tanzania, under the Cultural Tourism Program, which is coordinated by the Tanzania Tourist board and supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

The programme receives about thirty thousand visitors a year through tour packages and independent travelers with an increase number of tour operators featuring cultural tourism products in their programme. Communities hosting the visitors are gradually registering economy progress.







Welcome to experience Tanzania’s natural and cultural diversity and the warm hospitality of her people.


Cell Phone: +255 787 90 75 77, +255 76790 75 77, +255 655 90 75 77
Email: bariki.elieneza@gmail.com
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Now is the time for you to go deeper and enjoy these cultural tours around Tanzania