Mwanza town: Important business location and port city on Lake Victoria

Facts Mwanza town:

  • Capital of the region of the same name and port city on Lake Victoria
  • Approximately 710,000 inhabitants
  • Founded in 1890 during the time of German East Africa
  • Today an important business location

Highlights: 

Getting there from Arusha: 

  • Depending on the route between 621 and 768 km = 1.5 days by safari car or bus (the shortest route is through the Serengeti, but entrance fees apply)
  • Alternatively by plane in 1 hour

Mwanza town, today the largest port city on Lake Victoria, has a population of over 700,000. As it is also close to the borders with Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, Mwanza is now a major industrial and economic center. Among other things, tea, coffee and cotton are grown in the surrounding area, which are transported from Mwanza to the rest of Tanzania and neighboring countries. In the city itself, you can visit the Robert Koch House, which was once inhabited by the physician, wander around the Mwaloni market or take a trip to the “Jiwe Kubwa”, which translates as the large stone with interesting rock formations and a great view over Mwanza and Lake Victoria. There are also various activities by boat on Lake Victoria itself and a visit to Saanane Island National Park, a ten-minute boat ride away, or Rubondo Island National Park, a good five hours away, is also a good option. Mwanza town is also a perfect starting point for a visit to the western Serengeti, which is only about a three-hour drive from Mwanza.