Saanane Island is a fully fledged National Park since July, 2013, covering an area of 2.18 sq km comprises of three islets and aquatic environment. The island lies on the southern part of the main Island.
The park made a record of being the first ever National Park to be located within the City and the smallest National Park in both Tanzania and East Africa. The Park is the home of mammals like Impala, Rock Hyrax, Velvet Monkeys and Wild Cats. The presence of “De-brazas Monkey” underscores its potential as the only Park in the country inhabiting the species. Reptiles are also dominant; they include crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, Agama Lizards, Pancake and Leopard Tortoises, Snakes particularly Python.
The aquatic part of the Park inhabits a variety of fisheries life, mainly Tilapia and Nile Perch.
LOCATION
The Park is located 2km Southwest of Mwanza city centre, and 12 km from VOT Hostel. It lies in the Gulf of Lake Victoria (Latitude 2.5 S and Longitude 32 E).
From VOT Hostel, it takes about 30 minutes to drive to where we can board a boat. The Island is accessed by a regular short boat ride for about 5 minutes from Park Offices, on the mainland. Park Offices are easily accessed about 15 minutes short walk from the City Centre.
TO DO
Saanane Island is an ideal place for game viewing, bird watching, rock hiking, boat cruising, walking, picnics, bush lunch, photographing/filming, meditation and sport fishing. Special occasions like wedding, engagement, team building, family day and birthdays can also be organized.
HISTORY
Saa Nane Island was named after its previous owner, Mzee Saanane Chawandi, a fisherman who turned into a farmer and later shifted to another island (after being compensated) to pave the way for conservation efforts in the early 1960’s. The Tanzania government officially owned the island in 1964 as the first ever government owned zoo. Originally its territory measured some 0.7 square kilometers comprising both dry land and water. However, Saa Nane National Park annexed and includes two other smaller islets known as Chankende Kubwa and Chandkende Ndogo both located in the southern part of the main island into the bargain thus increasing its protected area to 1.32 square kilometers. The main objective was to promote intense and conservation education in wildlife and to promote recreation to the people of Mwanza.
Bujora Sukuma Cultural Museum
It is about 20 kilometers from the city center on the road to Musoma and Kenya. Bujora is part of the little town of Kisesa. To Kisesa minibuses travel from the city center. From the bus stop at Kisesa one walks about 20 minutes uphill, if one does not have a car or does not take a taxi. In the museum are guided tours in English and Swahili which last nearly two hours. Afterwards one can still walk around, take pictures, have a drink and can rest in the beautiful Round Church built like a traditional Sukuma House. The cult objects like altar, tabernacle, pulpit, etc. are shaped in Sukuma fashion.BUJORA CULTURAL MUSEUM
The founder of the museum in the 1950s was the Canadian Father David Clement of the Missionaries of Africa [White Fathers]. His aim was to integrate the Christian religion with the Sukuma culture – “inculturation”. A memorial grave for “Padre Klementi” lies outside of the church. Unfortunately, he died in 1986 in Canada. He also collected the chiefs’ drums, local medicine, household utensils, iron making tools, information about the Sukuma chiefs and dancing groups, etc. in order to preserve the richness and the values of the Sukuma culture.
There is also a Sukuma Research Center and a famous Cultural Choir connected with the parish. Accommodations for visitors are rather simple and need restoration. Sometimes one can order a local meal before the tour. For a performance of a Sukuma dancing group one has to ask in advance and agree about the price [about TsH 200,000]. Contact the chief guide Richard Buluma [mobile phone number 0754637513] or +255 655 707 352
On the way to Bujora one can see impressive African Christian paintings in the Catholic Church– of Nyakato – National Housing, painted by Charles Ndege in the 1980s. Then passing Igoma on the left of the road is a monument to Julius Nyerere and next to it the graveyard of the unknown bodies taken out of the M.V. Bukoka ferry boat after it sank in Lake Victoria in 1996. (Fr. George Pelz)
Bismarck rocks
Bismark Rock is one of Big attraction in lake Victoria which situated in Northern Tanzania. Lake Victoria is the Source of the famous Nile River, Lake Victoria is located in East Africa. Discovered by John Speke in 1858 and named after the then Queen (Victoria) who was at the reins of England that time. The lake rests between three countries namely, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Lake Victoria covers an approximate 68,800 km squared Regarded as the Africa’s largest tropical lake, it is also boasted as the second largest fresh water lake in the world and the headwaters reservoir of the popular Nile River. The volume of Lake Victoria is approximately 2,760 km³, which is merely 15% of the overall volume of the Lake Tanganyika, despite the fact that the latter is nearly half its total surface area. As the lake is moderately shallow, its volume is evidently less in comparison to other great lakes in the African region having considerably smaller surface areas.
Kageye Historical Site
A fishing village located in approximately a 1 hour 30 minutes’ drivefrom Mwanza Airport along Igombe and Kayenze rough road. The village is situated on a relaxing and lovely beach on Lake Victoria. It is easy to recognize the village’s main economic activity as many colorful fishing boats are anchored along the beach and sardines are dried on the sand.
Kageye Historical Site is ideal place for a day trip and has an amazing time to relaxing while getting a history of the place as the important center used during slave trade eras. At the entrance gate, symbols show the former importance of the place. Firstly, as the seat or residence of a Local Sukuma Chief; secondly, as a Harbor and Market for Moslem Arab Traders; and thirdly as a Harbor for the Explorers, Anglican and Catholic missionaries.
There is normally an experienced local custodian that explains in Swahili the attractions left over by the chief for example his house, graves and grinding stones they used during their Era. There is also a tent made of cement which honors the presence of Henry Morton Stanley who stayed at the site during his quest for the source of River Nile. This is the place to know the detailed history of the Arab slave trade and the introduction of Islam and Christian religions in north-west Tanzania in the 1870s.
The story behind
Kageye was among others, a part of the smallest Sukuma tribal chieftaincy. As one of the oldest historical site of the country it hosts a memory of many innocent Africans died during the dehumanizing slave trade. Kageye was a center where slaves from Uganda, and North West Tanzania were kept, enchained then boarded on a horrible journey to slavery bondage through Bagamoyo and Zanzibar. At this place also several white explorers and missionaries died due to the harsh tropical diseases were buried.
Kageye Historical site was developed by a Catholic priest, David Clement, whom later handed it over to the government of Tanzania.
To do
For family outing, lake shore swimming, group picnics and BBQ, photographing and educational tour, Kageye is the place you don’t have to miss. In the city and its neighborhood, there is no place that could outmatch Kageye Historical Site.
Expenses of a personal nature, laundry, telephone calls, drinks and beverages and personal travel insurances.
Tipping/gratitude to the supported staff
International Airfares & Visa entry fees to Tanzania
Airport transfers
Accommodation .
