Road conditions in Western Tanzania
 

Hi,
I'm looking information about road conditions in Western Tanzania : the best way to go from Mwanza to Katavi NP. We are 2 toyota travelling together.
It seems to have some banditry activity in Mwanza - Kigoma roads, so I would like to avoid to live again this bad experience taking a more inland road like this one :
Mwanza -> Shinyanga -> Nzega - Tabora - Sikonge - Inyonga - Mpanda - Katavi
Is it a good idea ? How much time we can reasonnably expect ? Do you know good address to stop on that way ?
Any advice or suggestion will be welcome !
Thank you
Nadraia

--------------
Carnet de voyage Trip express Afrique du Sud - Kenya
Et aussi sur www.aventures-nomades.fr : Afrique Australe, Oman, TDM KapSud (Afrique, Australie et Océanie) ..

Hi all,
Now that I'm back from our trip to Tanzania, I answer to myself because may be it can be useful for others.
- good tarmac between Mwanza and Nzega
- bad track between Nzega and Tabora and sometimes horrible due to roadworks, the good news is that it should be tarmac "soon". Mwanza to Tabora doable in one big day.
- you can camp at Orion Tabora Hotel a very good hotel with a good restaurant and bar : 40000 Tzs shilling for 2 pax, breakfast is included
- between Tabora and Sitalike at north of Katavi NP, very good track for the first 180 km after it's between normal and bad. Not a lot of people but a lot of tse-tse flies !
-from Katavi NP to Kipili at the Tankanyka Lake, quite good tracks even if sometimes roadworks, about 3-4 hours needed
- at Kipili, you must stay at Lake Shore Lodge where you can camp : a lost paradise : 12 USD/ per night per pax, delicious meal on the beach with candles for just 15USD per person. Not really budget place but very reasonable for the place and the services, and the view and the friendly staff .... one of our favorite place in Africa !
- from Kipili to Tunduma via Sumbawanga, not very good track with roadworks, about 8 hours. we were advised not to stop in Tunduma, not even to refuel because really unsafe instead of all the area before that is quiet
- from Tunduma to Mbeya, good tarmac. The better is to stop at Utengule Coffee Resort in Mbazi before Mbeya. Very good lodge with restaurant where you can camp for 10 USD ppax
You can aswell have a walk and visit the Coffee Farm nearby : very interesting in harvest time

This is just for the Western part of Tanzania. It was just a 3 weeks trip in Tanzania but it was wonderful, terrific. We hardly wait to return to Tanzania with really very friendly and nice people !

Nadraia

--------------
Carnet de voyage Trip express Afrique du Sud - Kenya
Et aussi sur www.aventures-nomades.fr : Afrique Australe, Oman, TDM KapSud (Afrique, Australie et Océanie) ..