Banana beer and beach camels: discovering East Africa

Jan 19, 2010, 3:27 GMT

Moshi, Tanzania - Riding camels on Kenya's Bamburi Beach, sipping a banana beer at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, being visited by monkeys at the breakfast table: those who organize their own overland bus tours through Kenya and Tanzania and avoid the safaris can save a lot of money - and still experience the unusual.

But the travel routes should be carefully chosen. Travel by car in the northern part of Kenya and north of the coastal town of Malindi can be unsafe due to possible robber attacks, the German foreign ministry has warned. Many tourists in any event make a wide circle around the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

A favourite for both backpacking travellers and local residents are the routes between Mombasa and the Tanzanian capital, Daressalam. There, the ferries set off for Zanzibar. And from Kenya's tourism metropolis of Mombasa to Moshi, at the foot of Kilimanjaro, it is about 7 hours on board an air-conditioned bus.

Advantageous for such a two-country trip are the good air connections. Air charter carrier Condor flies to Mombasa, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, while Air Berlin also flies to Mombasa. Dutch carrier KLM serves routes to Kilimanjaro and Daressalam.

Over a meal of schnitzel and 'Serengeti' beer in the 'Salzburger Cafe' in the Tanzanian town Moshi, fans of the 5,895-metre-high Kilimanjaro tell tales of the 'tour of suffering.' About 30,000 visitors from around the world each year try to scale the mountain. Many don't make it, some suffering from altitude sickness. Some even die along the way.

A block away, locals are drinking their warm, porridge-like banana beer - which they drink from ladles taken from buckets of the brew. One brave visitor from Berlin decided to give it a try - but after a face-contorting sip he quietly slipped away.

Moshi lures visitors as a quiet town on the edge of the famous mountain. More expensive and more hectic is Arusha, two hours' bus journey further to the west and a hub for safari tours.

Some of those who offer excursions to the elephants and lions for 40 euros (55 dollars) a day are con men. A regular safari with a simple tent costs between at least 50 and 70 euros. Those offering comfortable lodgings and a glass of champagne at sundown start at 200 euros and go upwards.

Tanzania is considered to be a genuinely safe country in Africa. But what is most bothersome are self-proclaimed 'guides' and 'agents' who crowd the ferry ports of Daressalam and Zanzibar. A foreigner who directly boards an overland bus often pays more than the locals do. Bargaining is advised, but the best bet is to purchase a ticket at a counter beforehand.

Today, Zanzibar is an autonomous group of islands in the Tanzanian state. It has a great deal of Arabic history and the majority of residents are Muslims. The old historical city district 'Stone Town' is a World Cultural Heritage Site. The coconut palms grow more densely and the streets are narrower. School children greet you. Citrus trees and spice plants carry a bountiful burden.

Zanzibar is a bathing and spice island: 'Carnation oil is good for a toothache, lemon grass helps against mosquitos, and coconut oil in the pot can make even tough goat meat tender and tasty,' says Fuadi Mohammed, a guide at 'Mitu's Spice Tour,' one of the local traditional companies.

Along the route between Daressalam and Mombasa, deserted beaches entice travellers for a stop. Crossing the border with the bus takes less than 30 minutes. The route leads past coconut palms, rice paddies, banana trees and herds of goats and cattle. It's still two hours to go before reaching Mombasa, where beaches, animal preserves and nightlife await.

For further information: www.tanzaniatouristboard.com; www.magical-kenya.com.