LTAS - Getting here

Such remoteness and pristine beauty is a trade off with travel time. We are "selling" ADVENTURE, and getting here is part of that!

Lake Tanganyika is found on the western border of Tanzania. The Lake also borders on Zambia, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

LAKE TANGANYIKA ADVENTURE SAFARIS is based at LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE, three kilometres from the village of Kipili, on Lake Tanganyika. Kipili is one of the few villages on the banks of the Lake with road access to the interiors of the Country. Our GPS co-ordinates are S07.26.056 E030.35.448

Option 2:

From DAR ES SALAAM to KIGOMA – via schedule flight. Please see the information on Lake Access for more about how to get from Kigoma to Kipili on the ferry, The Liemba.

Airline:	Precision Air. For more information please visit their website www.precisionairtz.com
Price:	Tsh257,000 one way or Tsh406,000 return
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	Daily
Departure:	Monday and Wednesday	12h10
	Tuesday	12h20
	Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday	09h15
Arrival:	Monday and Wednesday	14h55
	Tuesday	15h05
	Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday	12h00
Luggage allowance:	20kg per person including hand luggage.

Option 4:

From ARUSHA to KATAVI NATIONAL PARK – Once here we will either:

Transfer you via 4 x 4 minibus to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE (approximately 4 ½ hours).
Meet you at the airstrip with our quad bikes for the start of your Quad Bike Safari. Your adventure will take you around Katavi National Park to a specially set up campsite. The following day we will journey down the escarpment and to the Lake.

Airline:	Zantas Air. This is on a shared charter basis with a minimum of 2 passengers required per flight. For more information please visit their website www.zantasair.com
Price:	$625 per person one way or $1,015 return.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	ARUSHA – KATAVI NATIONAL PARK – MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – ARUSHA. January and February: TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS March and April: NO FLIGHTS AVAILABLE May to December: MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	08h00
Arrival:	12h00
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage.

Option 5:

From KATAVI NATIONAL PARK to KIPILI – via shared charter flight. Our transfer vehicle will meet you at the airstrip and take you to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE (5 minutes from the airstrip).

Airline:	Safari Airlink. As this is a shared charter flight, a minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight. For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$190 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	09h10
Arrival:	11h05
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 6:

From RUAHA NATIONAL PARK to KIPILI – Shared charter flight (on request). Our courtesy transfer vehicle will meet you at the airstrip and drive you to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE, which is only 5 minutes away.

Airline:	Safari Airlink. A minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight as this is a shared charter flight, For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$640 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	07h00
Arrival:	11h05
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 7:

From RUAHA NATIONAL PARK to KATAVI NATIONAL PARK – Once here we will either:

Transfer you via 4 x 4 minibus to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE (approximately 4 ½ hours).
Meet you at the airstrip with our quad bikes for the start of your Quad Bike Safari. Your adventure will take you around Katavi National Park to a specially set up campsite. The following day we will journey down the escarpment and to the Lake.

Airline:	Safari Airlink. As this is a shared charter flight, a minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight. For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$450 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	07h00
Arrival:	09h10
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 8:

From MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK to KIPILI – Shared charter flight (on request). Our transfer vehicle will meet you at the airstrip and take you to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE (5 minutes from the airstrip).

Airline:	Safari Airlink. As this is a shared charter flight, a minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight. For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$330 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	10h15
Arrival:	11h05
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 9:

From KIPILI to KATAVI NATIONAL PARK – Shared charter flight.

Airline:	Safari Airlink. As this is a shared charter flight, a minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight. For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$190 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	11h15
Arrival:	11h40
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 10:

From KIPILI to DAR ES SALAAM – Shared charter flight (on request, via Ruaha National Park).

Airline:	Safari Airlink. As this is a shared charter flight, a minimum of 2 passengers are required per flight. For more information please visit the Safari Airlink website www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Price:	$915 per person.
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Departure:	11h15
Arrival:	16h35
Luggage allowance:	15kg per person including hand luggage. All luggage to be packed in soft bags. Baggage ideally needs to fit into a 70cm x 25cm baggage pod.

Option 12:

From KIGOMA to DAR ES SALAAM – via schedule flight. Please see the information on Lake Access for more about how to get from Kipili to Kigoma on the ferry, The Liemba.

Airline:	Precision Air. For more information please visit their website www.precisionairtz.com
Price:	Tsh257,000 one way or Tsh406,000 return
Airport taxes:	$6 per person (subject to change). This is not included in the above tariff.
Aviation Safety Fee:	$1 per person (not included in the above prices).
Timetable:	Via Tabora DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAYS
Departure:	17h10
Arrival:	19h50
Luggage allowance:	20kg per person including hand luggage.

Road Access

The real adventure starts in Tunduma, if coming in from the south. The self drive traveller - The remoteness of Lake Tanganyika has ensured that it has remained completely unspoilt by the passage of hundreds of tourists. This is its charm. For the adventure traveller, the Lake is an ideal destination where you will be able to use all your latest 4x4 toys and gadgets. The following map shows the roads from Dar es Salaam to Kipili, including all the various important land marks in between. Please contact us for assistance with accommodation options along the way.

The Route:

The road from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya, is a good tarmac road. Mbeya is 1,027km south west of Dar es Salaam. Mbeya is the border town between TANZANIA and MALAWI.

From Mbeya you drive 130km southwest to Tunduma, again on a good tarmac road. Tunduma is the border town between ZAMBIA and TANZANIA.

REMEMBER TO FILL UP WITH FUEL IN TUNDUMA. The next fuel station is in Sumbawanga (224km away).

From Tunduma you head northwest to Sumbawanga. This is a dirt road requiring 4x4 in the rainy season and measures 224km (roughly 5 hours by car).

FILL UP WITH FUEL IN SUMBAWANGA as there is only intermittant fuel in Kipili.

It is currently a 3 hour drive from Sumbawanga to Namanyere on another dirt road requiring 4WD. There are two possible routes that you can take. The shorter route is via Chala (100km). The other route is 18km longer and goes via Kate. AT SOME TIMES OF THE YEAR THE ROAD VIA KATE IS BETTER THAN VIA CHALA. Please contact us for information about which road to take or ask locals on the way and they will advise you as to which route to take.
From Namanyere you head to Katongolo. This is a lovely drive down the escarpment and through the Lafwe Game Reserve. It is 56km long and takes on average 1 hour in a 4x4 vehicle.
The last stretch is from Katongolo to Kipili and is 8km long (20 minutes). Follow the signs to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE for the final 3km portion.

The road network is currently being completely re-surfaced, from Tunduma, through Sumbawanga, Namanyere, Tabora and on to Kigoma. It is the Government's aim to complete a tar road linking Tunduma on the south-western border of Tanzania and Kigoma on the north-western border within the next 3 years and surveying along this route has commenced.

Local Bus Services

The other option is the local Tanzanian bus service. This is the least expensive mode of transport to get you to the Lake. There is a DAILY bus from Arusha and Dar es Salaam to Mbeya. Then a DAILY bus from Mbeya to Sumbawanga and a bus from Sumbawanga to Kirando (via Katangolo) every MONDAY TO SATURDAY. Please ask the driver to drop you in Katangolo and we will come to collect you from there with our transfer vehicle.

Please contact us if you require advice on where to stay in Mbeya, Sumbawanga or Kirando.

Ferry Access / Lake Access

Kigoma is the largest town on the TANZANIAN portion of Lake Tanganyika. There is a schedule flight from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma EVERY DAY EXCEPT FOR THURSDAYS. Kigoma is 320km by boat from Kipili. The national ferry, THE LIEMBA, sails weekly from Kigoma on the north of Lake Tanganyika to Mpulungu in ZAMBIA, on the southern tip of the Lake and then north again to Kigoma. The Liemba is the perfect mode of transport for holiday-makers with a tighter budget in mind.

The Liemba leaves Kigoma every WEDNESDAY around 5pm, traveling southwards and docks in Kipili each THURSDAY evening. It then travels further south to Zambia, arriving in Mpulungu on a FRIDAY.

From Mpulungu it sets sail on its northward journey, returning to Kipili on a SATURDAY and then onward to Kigoma, arriving there on a SUNDAY.

Great Add Ons

Katavi National Park is 4 ½ hours by road from LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE. This is the perfect add-on for guests who would like to include a bush safari in their holiday. The Katavi National Park is an untouched wilderness, teaming with game. The big five, beautiful scenery and walking safaris are just some of the things on offer in this diverse Game Park. After your safari we can either collect you and your family from Katavi and drive you to Lake Shore Lodge & Campsite where you can finish off your holiday at the Lake or meet you with our quad bikes for a Quad Bike Safari from Katavi to the Lake.

Mahale Mountains National Park (13 hours to LAKE SHORE LODGE & CAMPSITE by boat). This National Park is located on the banks of Lake Tanganyika and is one of the few places where chimpanzees can still be seen in the wild. Spend a few days hiking in the natural rain forests to see these bright animals and then either fly to Kipili (see option 8 for more information about this flight) or do a Dive or Kayak Safari with our team, from Mahale to Lake Shore Lodge & Campsite – this promises to be an unforgettable vacation.

We can help you plan a trip of a lifetime!