Articles
TANZANIA'S CULTURAL TOURISM PROGRAM
RICKSHAW TRAVELS WANTS TO INTRODUCE YOU TO TANZANIA’S CULTURAL TOURISM PROGRAM.
MULALA CHEESE ANYONE?
30 km from Arusha Town in Tanzania, lies a typical rural village called Mulala, a colourful and vibrant village on the slopes of Mt. Meru.
The villagers are mostly subsistence farmers who also keep livestock for milk and beef. Here is where you will find Mama Anna’s cheese enterprise. Belonging to the Agape Women’s Group, created through funding from development NGOs, the women here will welcome you with open arms and allow you into their way of life. Besides their famous cheese, which is now bought by the local hotels for their guests, they have other income-generating projects.
Visitors to Mama Anna’s can watch a demonstration of their cheese making process and purchase the cheese from the women, thus directly benefitting from the tourism industry.
Their work is an inspiration to underprivileged locals who believe they have what it takes to become successful, despite humble beginnings.
This story is a great example of how to introduce social innovation in an established industry that leads to systematic and sustainable change for all participants. It goes beyond Cultural Tourism and transforms itself into a wheel for economic growth using cultural and authentic experiences as a platform for entrepreneurship.
Tanzania is a land of unique landscapes and spectacular wildlife. Standing equally tall is another attraction – the People. Tanzania’s people are among the most welcoming and approachable on earth, with a range of fascinating cultures ready to be shared with visitors.
A cultural excursion or a stay among local communities is likely to become one of the most rewarding experiences of a holiday in Tanzania.
Cultural Tourism is a pro-poor, community based tourism initiative that gives a chance to locals to organize excursions or tours in their natural environment and in turn understanding its value for economical development.
With some creativity and commitment, cultural tourism presents an opportunity for the poor to develop projects that can offer prospects of a brighter future. This in turn ensures that the local population pays more attention to their environment and its wildlife and in future be more receptive to engage in its protection.
A Cultural Tourism Program was first launched in 1996 in Tanzania and has over the years seen a growth from 3 cultural tourism enterprises and 600 annual visitors to 34 cultural tourism enterprises with a staggering 68.000 annual visitors.
It currently benefits directly 1,500 people as coordinators, tour guides, food providers, dancers, contact people and diverse handicraft groups.
Cultural Tourism Programs are beneficial to everyone – visitors have a special, unforgettable experience while the local people generate income and improve their standard of living.
No wonder it features as a successful example of the United Nation World Tourism Organization’s Foundation Initiative - Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty.
As a visitor to Tanzania or any of our neighboring countries, enquire about the cultural tourism activity in that area. Tanzania is a fascinating fusion of cultural influence of more than 100 ethnic groups. Wherever you go, you can take advantage of opportunities to get to know new people, traditional food and culture without having to leave the border.
Some of Tanzania’s best known Cultural Tourism Destinations include Cultural Safaris.
A cultural safari consists of staying in local guesthouses, eating local ethnic food and absorbing the culture of the people who have lived in the area for years. The day is usually spent trekking and visiting farms, houses and local entrepreneurial or development projects.
Here are some of the most popular ones:
Llukurot: Near Arusha Town
- Watch and participate in Masai dances
- Shop for handmade souvenirs made by local artisans
- Talk to traditional healers and bee-keepers
Kisangara: Near Moshi Town
- A visit to various workshops, e.g., carpentry, brick-making etc.
- Watch local brewers make banana beer
- Take a trip to the spice and herbal gardens
- Help prepare a traditional meal after which enjoy cultural interaction with the villagers and local dancers.
Machame: Located on the Arusha – Moshi road
- Explore the life of the people of the famous Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Hike through dense natural forests and farms to acclimatize for the climb along fast flow streams
- Visit several development projects in the area (coffee production, traditional irrigation, afforestation, cross-breeding, bee-keeping, schools, health care, food processing, etc.)
- Visit a coffee farm and sip on locally grown and roasted coffee
Rickshaw Travels can organize any one or more of the activities above and include them in your holiday itinerary.
Whether you are going on a safari in the Serengeti or kitesurfing in Zanzibar, be sure to include a cultural excursion on your to do list.
