Tribes, Colors and Hakuna Matata.

So far numerous have been the adventures and, certainly, also the nice misadventures that have given you a better understanding of what it means to live in Africa. Are you ready to do something a little outside the box? Fly between baobabs, enjoy the beauty of the Rift Valley and the Maasai steppes.
There are 4 ziplines and about 6 platforms built among these majestic, towering trees.
Book your launch in advance by emailing tanzaniazipline@gmail.com or visit the site by clicking here.

A place that about 130 different tribes call home -- for me, for that reason alone, it's worth a visit.
Here we take a break from the animals and take time for cultural tourism. Local history, quaint villages and a multitude of colors and distinctive lifestyles-that's what awaits you!
This stop is crucial because it causes a win-win effect and allows everyone to benefit. Tourists get to discover how many of the local tribes really live, how the Maasai graze and how the "shambas" of the Waarusha, Wachaga and Wameru are cultivated; the local people generate income that allows them to have higher standards of living; and they spread their way of life to the world by strengthening their identity and keeping their traditions firmly in place.
Savor their dishes and be carried away by the sound of their drums, it will be an amazing tour!

An un-touristy place to sample the authentic flavors of these places. The customers of this place are almost all Tanzanians and this implies two big pros: good food and low prices! The only downside is that you hardly go unnoticed here so if you don't feel like being the center of everyone's (or almost everyone's) attention, consider this location well.
I recommend it because for me it is absolutely worth it and the curiosity I aroused in the eyes and minds of locals for me was an added value because it allowed me to have pleasant chats with people of all ages. Eat a nice typical dish and accompany it with a Tanzanian beer. Be sure to specify to the waiter that you want a cold beer("baridi "in Kiswahili)otherwise he will bring it room temperature.
In the mood for a new flavor? You can try banana beer here. Strange isn't it? I didn't know a drink like this existed but, in fact, among Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania it is very common. The banana does not have a predominant flavor but accentuates the sour taste of the beer. The production is local and the process is quite simple. Are you curious to taste it?

To delve into the local culture, the best place to go is to the market. In Africa, the markets are full of color, noise and bargaining.To me, they all seem like a nice mix between the grand bazaar of Instanbul and the markets of downtown Naples: an experience you shouldn't pass up.
You can also find beautiful souvenirs in this market: from wooden figurines often made by men from the Makonde ethnic group, which is native to Mozambique, to paintings painted with the tingatinga technique, which is a technique that originated in Tanzania and consists of overlapping layers of undiluted paint that make the colors more vibrant and make the subjects depicted seem embossed.

The village of Mto Wa Mbu is surrounded by banana plantations. They grow about 30 different varieties: there is the yellow banana, the green one and the one with red flesh; there is the one for making beer and there is the one for eating raw; there are the plants with flowers and those with banana helmets...In short, whatever banana you want, they grow it here.
You won't have any difficulty finding someone local who will explain everything to you. It will be worth it! The guy I met told me about the kitarasa banana. Have you ever heard of it?
The cultivation of the kitarasa was widely practised, especially during the German colonisation period, due to its high nutritional qualities. The uses to which it was put were manifold: it was used to feed oneself, to relieve pain, to treat diabetes, to treat livestock, etc.
Since the 1970s, however, its cultivation has been almost completely abandoned and only recently, thanks to the support of some associations, have some producers started planting it again.
Want to know more? Sneak among the banana trees and talk to the locals. If you are there in the afternoon, you will probably also be able to observe all the young people who stop working and return to their homes carrying entire boxes of bananas on their shoulders.

The trip is coming to an end and nostalgia I am sure will take over even before you leave.
After takeout lunches and quick food breaks, I recommend you stop and savor everything you haven't yet tasted.
JJ fast food is a stop with a totally Tanzanian flavor: chapati, samosas with meat and vegetables, chipsi na mayai (potato omelet) and mandazi (fried dough balls usually eaten as dessert). What haven't you tried yet? What are you waiting for? Get busy!!! :)
If you are not the driver, I suggest you accompany it with a good glass of live red (specify that you want it dry otherwise you will get sweet) or a local beer between Serengeti, Kilimanjaro or Savannah!

The journey has come to an end. I hope I have accompanied you passionately along these winding roads and I hope you had a good time. I am sure you have encountered hitches but, my dear, they are included in all packages with destination Africa!
Remember that the motto of life here is HAMNA SHIDA, HAKUNA MATATA, meaning no problems. Well yes, there are no problems to worry about. Or rather, there are problems and maybe there are a lot of them but can you do anything to solve them? Most of the time no so you might as well not wallow and just enjoy the HERE AND NOW so beloved by Tanzanians.