There is a problem with spontaneous cultural tourism; that is it must be organized and as soon as this is done…well, sadly the cultural visit is no longer worth doing. To experience true culture; to have that genuine experience; it should be done slowly over a day or maybe two. It cannot be done in a morning or squeezed into a couple of hours one afternoon before you race off to the Serengeti.
So, should you as a tourist just not bother with the Cultural addition to the safari? I would say an emphatic yes, just don’t bother; it is not worth the effort! Especially so if your cultural visit is rushed, half hearted, over organized and created for the tourist.
However, I think if you come all the way to East Africa, you need to see more than the animals. Tanzania is about so much more. Tanzania cannot be rushed. To rush involves missing what is hidden just under the surface; you will experience Tanzania in black and white only. You would be better served visiting the local zoo; it would be a lot cheaper too.
If you don’t have time to spend living in a village; or maybe you fear your constitution is not quite up to eating fried chicken feet and boiled grass; or you just don’t have the time; I would suggest you go for a short expeditionary sojourn around the village or town. Take a local person with you, the hotel or lodge or tour operator will provide someone. Explain you want to see village life and not the tourist attractions. This may not be as easy as it sounds. Your guide may not perceive at first that you want to see Tanzania in all its unattractive poverty.
Walking around the village in Tengeru or on Kilimanjaro or a suburb of Dar, Mbeya or Arusha can be done in half a day and you can meet real Tanzanian people and see how people live. This is as long as you stay away from the ‘traditional blacksmith" in fact as a general rule of thumb it may be a good idea to stay away from the contrived traditional anything.
Another, less strenuous, way of receiving a good condensed slice of culture is to visit a local bar for lunch. Choose an attractive open plan bar with a thatch roof - so you are able to watch life pass by. Get your recently acquired guide to order some roast goat, some roast beef and some roast banana’s and enjoy soaking in the culture whilst you wait for the meal to arrive. Don’t eat any salad or fruit that may accompany the meal in respect for your stomach. If you are not so hungry order chips mayai [chips my-eye] which is a chip omelet - and very nice it is too!
Even better would be to take a day or more to walk in a remote village accompanied by your guide. Take it slowly and stop to talk with the local community. Some of the locals may know a little English and they will want to try it out and practice with you. Those who don’t will appreciate and encourage you [sometimes with great hoots of laughter] any attempts you make to communicate in Swahili. Your meals and overnight can be spent with a local family.
The cultural safari adds another dimension to your visit. You will now be on your way to becoming to know Tanzania just a little. Africa is a wonderful place and Tanzania is a most peaceful destination. Many agents claim that various countries and peoples are warm and welcoming; however this is true of Tanzania. I have lived in may countries in Sub-Sahara Africa and Tanzania’s truly love to receive visitors. So… welcome to Tanzania and above all relax and enjoy this vast and special land.
This Village on Mount Kilimanjaro is not for tourists. This is for your hardened traveler. Someone who wants to see a place untouched by commercialization; unspoiled and clean; a place that has magic and something to share. Tourist by definition tend to rush from one place to the next not really experiencing anything; not seeing anything. One destination blurring into the next; everything beginning to look the same, yesterday the same as today which will be the same as tomorrow.
This village in Northern Tanzania it is a place where you have to walk to experience the life of the community. No safari vehicles here.
Only half an hour from Moshi Town in northern Tanzania is this special place where coffee and bananas are grown to sustain life. People here are poor and life is hard. We as visitors can never appreciate how hard that life can be.
The best way to reach this place by local bus from the centre of Moshi Town. As you wind your way up this rather unfashionable side of Mount Kilimanjaro, the bus shuddering every inch of the way; ever upward; you will notice how green and fertile the surroundings have become. Anything will grow here on this fertile land. It rains often on the mountain and the green of the scenery is a sharp contrast to the dusty browns left behind in Moshi Town.
When the bus finally gives up the journey begins with a 15 to 20 minute walk ever upwards. There are some spectacular views to be glimpsed through the trees of Moshi Town far far bellow. It is cooler up here and so very quiet. I love to visit this place where there are no tourists at all.
Everyone is so friendly and you really feel you are experiencing something special; something that not many tourists get to see. There are still some large traditional houses here, made from dried banana leaves – no windows, one door only and a chimney up through the centre of the roof.
It is hard to take it all in; African mountains are just so very special. Be careful to look where you walk and where you stand as the lines of large ants cross the paths and should you inadvertently stand on one of these lines - the ants [large ants] will climb up your legs and begin to chew.
This village is an ideal place to spend a day with a local family and even sleep for the night. This is a cultural tour, a real cultural experience, not the pseudo-cultural tour offered by many tour operators. If you have the time add a week or two [or longer] onto your safari and spend time working in the local clinic – a new addition to the village - or at the local primary school. To do this you are giving something to the village they will learn from you; as you will learn from them. You will learn a lot about yourself as you spend time in this chagga culture high above the bustling town bellow.
If you want to see and experience African Culture then this village is an ideal place. Set on Kilimanjaro and close to the tourist area; yet set apart and untouched as yet from the throng of commercialization.
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Ian Williamson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Guide Guitar, History and Sports Car. For information on these or any issues pertaining to Tanzania see for cultural and safari information. Ian Williamson's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.