Immersing in the Swahili Culture: Revealing the Multifaceted Beauty of Tanzania
Earlier this year, I spent about two months travelling around Tanzania. Located in East Africa, the country borders Kenya and Uganda to the North, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the West, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the South.
During my time travelling around Tanzania and the island of Zanzibar, friendly locals welcomed me into their homes or to simply have a chat. The Swahili culture is very warm, welcoming and laid back. When taking a stroll around the neighbourhoods, local children would call out ‘jambo’ or ‘hello’ and often I would hear adults say, ‘ karibu’ or ‘welcome’.
When travelling, I always like to connect with the locals to learn more about their language, culture and food. It also gives you a different viewpoint of the place, since you’re no longer viewing the country through your own lens but through someone who’s most likely grown up there. This experience not only opens up your worldview, but it forces you to view the location through the local’s eyes. It also allows you to understand a culture deeper rather than making assumptions.
Local transportation
Taking a local mode of transport is also another great way to experience the local culture. It allows you to experience the day-to-day life of locals. It’s also a great way to travel on a budget as shuttle buses and car hire will cost a lot more (often 3x or 4x the price of local transportation). In Tanzania, you can take coaches when moving from one town to another or the dala dala when travelling within a town. But, be prepared to wait a long time while enough people board the coach or dala dala. This may take a few minutes or a few hours. Once, I was waiting for about two hours before we set off. Be prepared to be waiting in hot weather as air-con units are not common on these coaches. From my experience, taking early morning coaches was the best choice as the waiting time wasn’t long and the journey was faster since the roads were quieter.
Various landscapes
Tanzania is a beautiful country with many terrains to choose from. Zanzibar is home to some of the most stunning beaches with turquoise blue waters. For mountain and hiking lovers, mainland Tanzania offers gorgeous lush green mountains to hike up to. The most famous and highest mountain is of course Mount Kilimanjaro. But this can set you back anywhere between $1,000 — $4,000. If you’re looking for affordable hikes, I’d recommend the city of Morogoro. Beautiful mountains that you can hike up surround the city. All the while having the entire viewpoint for yourself. You can also enjoy a refreshing swim in the waterfall lagoons after a long and hot hike.
Overall, Tanzania is a great country to visit. It satiates the hunger of adventure seekers and those looking to chill out by picture-perfect beaches.
