Tanga Tourism | Tours & Safaris » Tanga Travel Guide

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Bordered by Kenya’s Kilimanjaro region in the north and the Indian Ocean in the east, Tanga is one of Tanzania’s last undiscovered regions. It’s untouched by mass tourism, which means that visitors are guaranteed biodiverse landscapes and authentic interactions with local residents.

Travel along the coast and you’ll discover the footprint-free shores of Sange Beach and Ushongo Beach, which stretch beyond the horizon. There are also smaller, sheltered bays and lagoons (such as Kwale Bay and Manza Bay) fringed with untouched coral reefs. Several islands lie just offshore, covered with pristine forest and speckled with ancient ruins and lonely lighthouses.

Head inland and you’ll reach the Usambara Mountains, which soar to 2,000 metres above sea level and are carpeted in lush rainforest. The mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity hotspot thanks to a wide variety of native flora and fauna, including the colourful African violets.

There are plenty of ways to explore Tanga’s great outdoors. Go kayaking or snorkelling off one of the pristine beaches. Hire a guide to take you hiking through the mountains or take a private safari in one of the region’s off-the-beaten-track national parks, Saadani and Mkomazi, where you’ll spot lions, buffaloes and elephants.

Tanga also has a unique cultural heritage and rich history. It’s a melting pot of Arabian, Indian and African culture, populated by different tribes such as the Maasai and the Wambugu. Visit the Maasai settlements in Handeni and Korowgwe to learn more about the inhabitants’ traditional way of life. Head to the capital, Tanga city, to learn more about the region’s colonial heritage.

Top Attractions in Tanga

Tanga Mini Guide

History, natural,cultural & built heritage.

Tanga Region covers 27,348 km2 (3% of the total area of the country) and has an estimated population of nearly two million inhabitants, with at least 300.000 living in Tanga City. While most people in the hinterland are small farmers and livestock keepers, the coastal rural inhabitants live off fishing and small-scale farming. Others are engaged in trades, boat building, salt harvesting and charcoal making. Tanga has the second largest port of Tanzania.

The region offers a wide range of beautiful places to visit: the long Indian Ocean coastline with its sheltered bays and lagoons, such as Moa Bay, Manza Bay, Kwale Bay, Tanga Bay and Mwambani Bay; Kigombe, Pangani and Ushongo have marvellous beaches – all with fringing and offshore coral reefs and sandbanks. They are bordered by a range of uninhabited islands – some with historical lighthouses and ruins such as Ulenge Island and Toten Island. Some offer accommodation in small resorts.

The many interesting destinations to visit in and around Tanga Region include: historic Tanga City centre, off-shore islands – Toten, Ulenge, Yambe and Karange, Maziwe Island off Pangani, nearby Amboni Caves, Gallanos Hot Springs and Tongoni Ruins. Tanga Regions hosts several protected areas: Saadani and Mkomazi National Parks, Amani Nature Reserve, Coelacanth Marine Park and Maziwe Island Marine Reserve. The region also has lush mangrove forests, pristine semi-arid forests along the coast and on the islands. Tropical rainforests of the scenic Usambara Mountains reach up to 2,000 meters above sea level and are part of the international biodiversity hotspot “Eastern Arc Mountains” with their rich endemic flora and fauna. Particularly famous are the “African Violets” (called “Usambara Violets” in Germany). Other attractions include Maasai and Paré settlements in Handeni and Korogwe and the famous Tanga sisal estates.