Geita is one of the fastest-growing towns in Tanzania. Geita first came into prominence as the site of a German colonial gold mine. It is in the center of a gold mining area along with Lake Victoria.
The Geita Gold Mine is the largest in the country and is located 4km west of the town of Geita. The mine is one of AngloGold Ashanti’s flagship mines. Despite being the major gold producer in the country, Geita is also embarked on other tourist opportunities.
Among the tourist activities that are exciting in or around Geita include water sport, game viewing, and cultural tourism. Here I am going to share the most specific and exciting things you can do while in Geita.
1. Discover the Geita Gold Mine
2. Explore Rubondo National Park
3. Sample Some Gold at Geita Gold Market
4. Discover Burigi Chato National Park
5. Taste the Street Food
6. Visit Rusumo Falls
7. Visit the Bujora Sukuma Museum
For the remaining part of this article, I am going to share detailed information about the above-mentioned activities. Keep reading to find out more. But you would like to at least have some basic information about Geita itself. So, let me first tell you briefly about this gold town.
Geita is a town in northwest Tanzania. The town is famous for hosting the Geita Gold Mine, the largest gold producer in the country. The mine is owned and managed by Anglo-Gold Ashanti. Geita is also the capital of the Geita region.
Geita town is home to the Geita Gold Market, the biggest gold market in the country. Farming and pastoralism are the major occupations of the Geita’s inhabitants. Tourist attractions in or around Geita include national parks and waterfalls.
So, if you’ve some time in Geita or around to explore what the god town offers is a great deal. Now let us explore in detail the most exciting and fun things you can do in or around Geita.
1. Discover The Geita Gold Mine
Gold is the World’s major foreign exchange. Geita is the gold-rich region in the country and the home to Geita Gold Mine (GGM).
GGM is an open-pit gold mine located in the Geita district. You will find the mine 4km west of the town of Geita.
It is one of AngloGold Ashanti’s flagship mines. GGM is the iconic symbol of the town of Geita and the largest gold producer in the country.
If you arrive in Geita town, among other things you will easily see the vehicles of GGM.
Also, I can guarantee you will see some of the people dressed on T-shirts printed with symbols of GGM and heavy boots. Do you know who the people are? They are workers in the GGM.
There are various reasons why you would visit GGM while in Geita or around.
First, AngloGold Ashanti is one of the top companies that highly benefiting the country. AngloGold Ashanti is one of the largest and most compliant taxpayers, responsible employers, and driving local business in the country.
Also, AngloGold Ashanti is one of the leading companies that invest in the locals through community-based projects in the country.
More interesting is that, unlike other mines, GGM does not cause great environmental damages. So, if you are in Geita or around and looking for what to do, add visiting GGM to your list.
2. Explore Rubondo National Park
Rubondo National Park is one of the off-the-beaten-track in Tanzania. The Park is one of two national parks in Tanzania located on an island in Lake Victoria. Rubondo national park hosts the record of being the largest national island park in Africa.
Rubondo national park is located on the southwest shores of Lake Victoria. The Rubondo national park includes Rubondo and other small islands of Lake Victoria.
If you’re in or around Geita , it’s a great deal of spare time to explore what this park offers. It is like you are in a dense jungle, in the tall trees and wide range of fine green plants.
The guided walking safaris are the best and can guide you through to where you will spot the animals very closely.
Among the animals, you will have the chance to see the chimpanzee but not fully habituated. Rubondo national park is home to a very special group of chimpanzees.
Their ancestors were brought here in the 1960s by Professor Bernhard Grzimek from the Frankfurt Zoological Society. They were 16 captive-born apes rescued from zoos and shows across Europe. Here they were given a free life in the wild.
The chimpanzees loved their freedom and quickly established a healthy breeding troop. Today, there are over 40 chimpanzees on the island.
The common animals I can guarantee you to see are black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, giraffes, and antelopes. You will find parrots everywhere here. Other popular animals you can see here include hippos and crocodiles.
Are you a bird lover? You will find birds everywhere here. About 300 bird species are recorded here. You will easily see large flocks of the pied kingfishers, open-billed, and marabou storks. Cormorants, darters, fish eagles, and white egrets are also commonly spotted here.
This Park has clear sightings for sunrise and sunrise from the beautiful beaches. The beaches include Flycatcher, Michicoco, and Mchangani.
Another interesting activity here is walking through the forests spotting butterflies. 40 orchid species attract stunning butterflies. So, expect to see a lot of amazing species of butterflies.
3. Sample Some Gold At Geita Gold Market
Tanzania is the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa after South Africa, Ghana, and Mali.
Geita Gold Market is the largest shopping mall for both local and foreign gold dealers in Geita. It is also a leading and first East African stop center for gold exchange.
My colleagues and I came here while on a work trip in March 2020. Do not worry if you have got a ride, here you will find a spacious parking area for visitors to enjoy their stay.
You will have a chance to learn how the golds are melted in the gold melting room. It is exciting to see small miners arriving in the room to clean the gold catch. See the gold being moved to the cleaning offices before selling the yellowish metal.
Other services inside the mall include supermarkets, offices, shops, barbershops, indoor and outdoor activities, and business agencies. Inside the complex, you will also find banking services including Azania and CRDB branches. The complex is under maximum security to ensure transactions are conducted safely and secured.
My colleagues and I spent about one hour going through shops and supermarkets to buy some items. We picked some pieces of gems of our choice as souvenirs. The service providers are professional and charming to the guests.
From there, we headed to the nearby restaurant and enjoyed the real local food.
4. Discover Burigi Chato National Park
Burigi Chato is the third-largest wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania. The Park is ranked the third-largest after Ruaha and Serengeti national parks.
It is located in between the Kagera and Geita regions close to the border of Lake Victoria and the border of Rwanda. The Park is surrounded by the wondrous waters of the Kagera River and Lake Burigi. Lake Burigi and the Kagera river form the key attractions in the Burigi Chato National Park.
Another attraction in the Burigi Chato NP is.
Burigi Chato is situated among the pictorial beauty of the lakes and riverside which is a delight for the eyes of the travelers.
While at Burigi Chato National Park expect to see a beautiful landscape and amazing mountainous and lakes’ sceneries. Visiting Burigi Chato National Park will give the chance to discover the secrets of African savanna all-year-round.
I can guarantee you to spot the great pride of lions in the park. Also, the majestic Cape eland, one of the largest antelopes of the world is largely spotted here.
Other animals you can see in the park are elephants, chimpanzees, buffaloes, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, and giraffes. Also, you can spot many crocodiles and hippo in the lakes and rivers.
If you are a bird lover, Burigi Chato NP is a perfect park to visit. You will find some rare bird species including fish eagles, papyrus gonolek, and bizarre shoebill stork.
The most exciting and fun things to do in the park include a game drive, guided trekking, and honeymoon safari. Also, a photographic safari and cultural safari, water sports like sport fishing are worth rewarding in the park.
The most exciting part of the park to me is that it’s not crowded compared to other parks in the country. To get to the park you can take a cab drive from Chato International Airport.
It is about 40km to the Katete Gate from Chato. Various public and private transports can easily take you to the park. If you are looking for what to do in Geita or around, Burigi Chato NP is worth a visit.
5. Taste The Street Food
Any stay in Tanzania will not be complete without experiencing the Tanzanian local foods. Tasting local foods is a way of exploring the real life of the locals.
You will find nice restaurants which serve the typical local foods in Geita or around. The local foods in most small restaurants have the flavor of their kind that you cannot taste in big hotels.
The foods are prepared by local cooking experts and served by very charming waiters and waitresses. You can easily make friends here as most Tanzanians regard guests as their friends and not strangers.
You will be served with just very local facilities to give you a real sense of African life. Eating street food gives you the chance to eat like locals.
Interestingly, street foods here are light on the pocket but delicious. There are various local dishes you cannot miss in Geita
But here I have shared the common dishes that most travelers try while in Geita or around. They include:
· Chai na Chapati
· Ndizi na Samaki
· Kuku
· Nyama Choma
· Ugali na Samaki
· Wali na Samaki
· Chips Mayai
· Mishikaki
· Fresh Juice
· Wali na Maharage
You will find nice places where you can enjoy these dishes in Geita. Some of the places also offer international dishes at reasonable prices. The foods include Asiatic, Indian, European, and vegetarian friendly.
If you are worried about where to go for food when you are around Geita, there are many places for you to taste nice foods.
Here I am going to put together the most recommendable ones.
· Vumilia Café
· JJ Restaurant
· Chato Madebe Pub
· Runzewe Café
· Vatican Bar
· Johar Restaurant
· Kwa Jafari Café
· Baraqu Café
· Engineer Café
· Hafsa Restaurant
There are many places to hang out for drinks while enjoying music at night.
New Club Usbon is a nice place in Geita with good live music featured by professional DJs. It is located near Alpha Hotel. It is a perfect place for party goers to be after the sunset, especially during the weekends. You will enjoy the stunning environment with an ambiance par excellence.
So, if you are looking for what you can do in or around Geita, consider going for street food on your list.
6. Visit Rusumo Falls
Rusumo Falls is a waterfall located on the Kagera River on the border between Rwanda and Tanzania. It is a nice experience to view the other side of Tanzania from here. It is part of the most distant headwaters of the river Nile. The falls are about 15m high and 40m wide.
I have been there and indeed the rush of water is a great pleasure to see. We walked down to the old bridge and border crossing to enjoy spotting the stunning waterfalls.
The water looked very brown, and I enjoyed taking pictures. It was a nice experience that I cannot forget, and I wish to visit the place again.
Take a guided tour that will give you the chance to learn more insights about the Rusumo Falls. If you are interested in history, the place has a good historical background.
The falls were the scene of the first arrival of Europeans in Rwanda in 1894. That is when the German count Gustav Adolf von Götzen came across from Tanzania.
You will also learn how the Belgians entered Rwanda. They came to Rwanda via these falls after they had taken over the country during WW1 in 1916. The bridge at Rusumo was the only feasible crossing of the river at the time.
During the 1994 Rwanda genocide, thousands of bodies flowed underneath the Rusumo Bridge. Also, the simultaneous stream of refugees crossed over that bridge, fleeing into Tanzania. This was one of the first mass outflows of the Great Lakes refugees’ crisis.
Therefore, this is a nice place worth seeing the genocide memorial stone on the Rwanda side. The stone was placed at the site to pay a tribute to the victims who did not make it.
If you are lucky to be in Geita or around, I recommend you visit the Rusumo falls.
7.Visit the Bujora Sukuma Museum
The Sukuma Museum is an open-air museum based in Mwanza, the city nearby Geita.
The organization is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the history and culture of the Sukuma tribe. Sukuma is the largest tribe in Tanzania and much of their traditions are still practiced today.
You will be happy to see Sukuma elders teaching younger generations the acceptable morals of conduct in their area. Also, interact with locals to learn their culture and hear their good stories. You will have the chance to interact with local artists creating crafts that showcase their culture.
The structures of the museum are very interesting as they resemble Sukuma’s actual lives.
You will have the chance to explore the Sukuma royal pavilion. Hear stories about the tribe’s chiefs called “Mtemi”, their fights, battlers, and lifestyle. I suggest you take a nice photo while sitting in one of their chairs holding the spear and shield.
To make your tour more adventurous but fun, have some time with one of the snakes which are kept in a cage here. These snakes are said to have emerged from the wild where they were hiding by using the songs and dance. This is the same technique that was used by snake charmers, traditional healers, and witch doctors.
Snakes are believed to be important animals in the Sukuma tribe, and they are given nice care. Under the guidance of their care provider, you can hold one or two of them and take a photo with them. The caretakers possess enough skills about snakes and are keen on your safety.
You can also ask for a Sukuma dancing group or learn Sukuma drumming if you like but agree about the price.
Learn about their traditional marriages and their daily practices. After heading to the artifacts where you will be tempted to buy some souvenirs.
If you are lucky and be there during the Bulabo dance festival, you will be amazed. The festival is held every year featuring two traditional dance societies: the Bagika and Bagalu.
They are dancing using a variety of animals including snakes as props. More interestingly, the event also involves other groups of dancers. The groups are allowed to perform and compete using their design of traditional costumes and style.
Then take a tour to the Sukuma traditional homestead and feel the real local lifestyle. Visit a traditional healer and African clinic to learn how you can cure traditionally. You can explore Bujora with its unique Sukuma traditional architectural design.
When you feel exhausted you can cool yourself with drinks and snacks at the shop. The shop is located near the main entrance gate.
The accommodation is available but rarely used. So, give advance notice. At least a half-day tour here is enough to get real information about the Sukuma tribe. It was a nice experience.
Conclusion
Geita is currently becoming more attractive despite that most of the travelers do not know that yet. There are not many attractions as compared to the big cities in the country.
However, all the activities I have shared are fun and breathtaking that you would want to try. So, if you are there or around, I suggest that you choose activities that suit your interest and the nature of your trip. When you do that, you won’t be disappointed.
