7 Best Things To Do In And Around Kigoma, Tanzania

things to do in Kigoma, Tanzania
Irina
Irina 
Updated
| 3 min read

After having been on a bus for hours through small villages on dusty roads, Kigoma looks like a huge metropolis. It’s not; it’s in fact a rather small town. But it has a nice local vibe and Tanganyika Lake gives it a very special character. It is a place for swimming, sun bathing, relaxing, and eating fish. There are quite a few activities in and around Kigoma. It’s a transport hub for Gombe National Park, but you can easily spend a few days hanging out around the town.

1. Enjoy water sports at Lake Tanganyika

Lake Tanganyika
Source: Photo by user Dave Proffer used under CC BY 2.0

Lake Tanganyika is the main attraction of Kigoma. It it one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Once you get there, you’ll understand why this is the highlight of Kigoma. The water is very clear and full of colourful fish. Make sure to take snorkeling gear with you, so that you can admire the different species of fish properly. Observing the aquatic life certainly comes with a unique feeling. Besides, you can even canoe on lake Tanganyika and discover its wild shore. Don’t forget to put sun lotion on if you want to avoid getting a sunburn. The best place for water sports is Jakobsen’s Beach. Located a bit outside town, it offers a very relaxing environment. You can also rent kayaks from here.

Lake Tanganyika

Address: Kigoma, Tanzania

Visited this place?

2. Meet humankinds' closet relatives in Gombe National Park

Eastern chimpanzee baby
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Roland used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Another sight worth visiting while in Kigoma is Gombe National Park. Nowadays, there aren’t too many places in the world where you can actually see chimpanzees. Gombe National Park is one of the few. Although it is the smallest national park in Tanzania, it is famous all around the world thanks to Jane Goodall. Getting there might be a bit pricey. The easiest way is by boat, but the experience is indeed unique. Don’t go during March and April, because it’s the rainy season and the trails will be very muddy.

Gombe Stream National Park

Website: Gombe Stream National Park

Visited this place?

3. Explore the small villages on the shore of Tanganyika on MV Liemba

Liemba'nın şu anki durumu.
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Emi454 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

If you love boats and sailing, you really have to consider getting on MV Liemba, especially if you’re travelling south from Tanzania. MV Liemba is an old restored ship that can take you all the way to Zambia (Mpulungu), on lake Tanganyika. The big inconvenience is that the boat only travels a few times a month, so if you miss it, you might end up having to wait a week or two. Taking MV Liemba will allow you to see all the small villages on the shore of lake Tanganyika.

MV Liemba

Address: Kigoma, Tanzania

Website: MV Liemba

Visited this place?

4. Watch the sun set at Bangwe Beach Bar

Late night beach party (5548290904)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Tony Hisgett used under CC BY 2.0

Bangwe Beach is the most famous public beach in Kigoma. It’s a great place to relax, especially if you’re travelling with kids. And if you want to have a drink, it won’t be any problem, as there’s a bar close by. In fact, this is among the best places to watch the sun set in Kigoma. What more could you want from life than a place to have a cold drink while watching the sun set on a hot summer day? If you end up there during weekend, you will be able to join a big beach dance party.

Bangwe Beach Bar

Address: Kigoma, Tanzania

Visited this place?

5. Explore one of the oldest markets on the continent: Ujiji Village

Ujiji 2012 Tamino
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user D. Tamimo Boehm, ... used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Only about 8 km (5 mi) away from Kigoma, this small village hosts one of the oldest markets on the continent. This is a place where Livingstone is much more popular than in his native country. You can even find a Livingstone site. Back in history, this was the main settlement in the region. It became famous mostly because of ivory trade. However, after the railway was built in Kigoma, transportation to and from Kigoma became a lot easier, taking the status of Ujiji as the major market. You can visit the port and hang out on the beach for a while.

Ujiji Village

Address: Ujiji Village, Kigoma area, Tanzania

Visited this place?

6. Learn some history while visiting the Livingstone Museum & Memorial

Livingstone Memorial, Tanzania
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Peter A Levey used under CC BY 2.0

Based in Ujiji, Livingstone Museum and Memorial makes you wonder how stories went viral back when Twitter and Facebook were not a thing. The memorial was built around the story of Livingstone and Stanley back in 1871. Given the current state of the monument, it is curious why the admission fee for the museum is so high. If you’re interested in the history of these two interesting personalities and are not bothered by the high entrance fee, stop by to have a look.

Livingstone Museum & Memorial

Address: Ujiji village, Kigoma area, Tanzania

Facebook page: Livingstone Museum & Memorial

Visited this place?

7. Dine at Sun City with local, cheap, and tasty food

Ugali & Samaki
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user RVRikhye used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Sun City has the reputation of the best place to eat in town. It’s nothing fancy, but rather has a local vibe. It’s small, cheap, and offers you the chance to try out local food. Their pilau is particularly good. Another advantage of this small restaurant is its location; it is very easy to find, as it’s located right on the main road, not very far from the train station. In any case, in terms of food, Kigoma doesn’t offer a lot of other options.

Dine at Sun City

Address: Lumumba Street, Kigoma, Tanzania

Visited this place?

Enjoy the wonderful blue colour of Tanganyika Lake

Bujumbura & Lake Tanganyika
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Andreas31 used under CC BY-SA 3.0

A bit different from the towns on the east coast, Kigoma is a nice place to include on your itinerary. Make sure not to forget your goggles, so that you can observe the fish swimming around you. The nice beaches, the fishermen’s market, the train, and the tuk-tuks make Kigoma a special place in Tanzania.

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Irina is a Romanian with a strong aspiration to become a digital nomad and a penchant for change. Initially studying econometrics and securing a noteworthy job in risk management in Berlin upon...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Tanzania
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.