5 Interesting Fun Facts of Tanzania

Everywhere you go in East Africa, adventure stands out as the common denominator. When you visit the Serengeti, you can help but learn about all of the fun facts of Tanzania.

This Swahili-speaking country Tanzania is a gem in East Africa. It has a glorious history of the best of the best in the tourism industry.

So blessed is Tanzania that it boasts of the rich diversity in its socio-economic realms as well as culture. If you haven’t heard of courteous women, be sure to get a dose of respect coupled with the friendliness from Tanzanian women.

But this East African nation is known more for its scintillating tourist attractions in the world. Here are the top fun facts of Tanzania.

Mount Kilimanjaro

There are a ton of amazing facts about Mount Kilimanjaro which starts in Arusha, Tanzania but the status that it is the world’s highest free-standing mountain in the world tower above all.

Mount Kilimanjaro’s fame across the world is phenomenal and the undying status of being Africa’s tallest mountain. Among the top fun facts of Tanzania is that this Mountain towers high in the plains of Tanzania measuring 19,341 ft.

It has a tormenting summit that has tormented the courage of thousands of mountain climbers since 1889 when the first successful climbers made it to the snow-capped peak.

Although the last volcanic activity to be reported was 200 years ago, today, Mount Kilimanjaro prides itself on having three volcanic cones; Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo. They are now extinct except for Kibo which is the mountain’s highest peak with a volcanic dormant status.

Serengeti

Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is a haven for game lovers. It is what fun facts of Tanzania starts with. The name Serengeti is derived from a Maasai name meaning the ‘endless plains’ which characterize the topography of the vast national park covering approximately 30,000 square kilometres.

Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s renowned wildlife sanctuaries with thousands of games spread across the grass-ridden plains of the park.

It’s history dates back to 1952 when it was established and is today’s home to the big five and a wildebeest migration spectacle in the world. Wild animals in their thousands cross over to Serengeti from Maasai Mara in Kenya between July and October. It has a population of two million animals.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a paradise on earth, literally speaking. It is the one destination in Africa where all kinds of pockets have an opportunity to enjoy the best of the islands. The three islands; Zanzibar Unguja, Chumbe Island and Mnemba Island are a tale of life on the island. They add the fun facts of Tanzania.

Zanzibar’s Stone Town is another spot that speaks of the good attributes of Zanzibar. It is the cultural centre of Zanzibar. Swahili food is what entices you first in Stone Town.

Stone Town is unique in all shapes and forms. Located in Unguja, the largest Island in the Zanzibar archipelago is made up of two main large Islands; Pemba and Mafia Islands in addition to other smaller Islands. Stone Town’s diversity starts with the vast spice farms and winds up to the sea waters.

Kunduchi Wet ‘N’ Wild Water Park, Dar es Salaam

Besides being the largest water park in East and Central Africa, Kunduchi Wet ‘N’ Wild Water Park in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania also doubles up as a leading leisure and entertainment complex in this commercial city.

It is rated among the top 10 attractions in Dar es Salaam City and is on a 6-acre piece of land.

At a glance, water slides with varying heights – up to 6 storeys – catch the eye and the fascination begins from this point. Colourful pools and water play systems for kids make it even better.

Culture

Swahili culture is intrinsically entrenched in the daily activities of every Tanzanian adding to the list of fun facts of Tanzania.  It is a traditional and moral compass that directs the society on the dos and don’ts of the land. The traditions still held and practised are old but have not lost relevance at all.

There are 120 ethnic tribes that qualify Tanzania to be a homogenous society.

One thing though, the friendliness of the people in Tanzania is to be envied. They create a sense of warmth despite your nationality.

One of the greatest things that you must know before landing in Tanzania is that the right hand must be used when eating because the left hand is culturally not allowed to be used when eating, especially during the communal meals where food is served on a tray and you indulge.

The belief behind this is that the right hand is considered pure. Therefore, the purity that comes with it spells good if it shakes hands or eats.

The left hand is considered “dirty” and solely used for bathroom activities that are unhygienic.

With all these, there is still much more to learn about Tanzania including her farming activities that are extensively huge and feed millions of people. Coffee, tea, animal rearing and horticultural farming are widely practised.