Getting here is part of the ADVENTURE

 

GPS co-ordinates South 07.26.056 East 030.35.448

FLIGHTS WITH AIR TANZANIA

Getting to us is now even easier and more affordable with the Air Tanzania flights from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda

Flights from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda:

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - Depart Dar es Salaam at 06h00 and arrive in Mpanda at 07h45

Flights from Mpanda to Dar es Salaam:

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - Depart Mpanda at 08h15 and arrive in Dar es Salaam at 10h50.

VEHICLE TRANSFERS FROM MPANDA TO LAKE SHORE

Once in either Mpanda we can arrange for a vehicle to come and collect you from the airport and bring you to Lake Shore. The vehicle transfer costs:

  • $590 including VAT for the vehicle from Mpanda to Lake Shore and back (maximum 6 x pax plus luggage) and takes 4-hours. This spectacular transfer goes first through Katavi National Park and later through the wilderness area of Lwafe Game and Forest Reserve.

  • $360 including VAT for the vehicle from Mpanda to Lake Shore (one way) or Lake Shore to Mpanda (one way).

CHARTER FLIGHTS DIRECT TO THE KIPILI AIRSTRIP

There is an airstrip 7km from Lake Shore (about 15 minutes away). This is suitable for aircrafts up to the size of a caravan as the airstrip is 990m in length. The GPS co-ordinates are -7.450327, +30.607400. Landing fees are $60 per plane and for a plane to overnight there is $60 per night plus $20 for the watchman.

GETTING TO US BY ROAD

From the north (Kigoma):

You would drive eastwards from Kigoma to Uvinza on a tarmac road and then turn south towards Mpanda. The road from Uvinza to Mpanda is a gravel road which can be muddy in the wet season. A 4 x 4 vehicle is essential.

Kigoma to Mpanda will take you about 6 hours.

Mpanda to Sitalike is a new tarmac road (38km). From Sitalike you would drive through the Katavi National Park to Kizi. Please note that although this is a national road and so you do not have to pay park fees, the TANAPA Rangers do not allow you to stop and take photographs of animals on this road without a game viewing permit for Katavi.

From Kizi the road is again tarmac up to Namanyere. At the sign to Namanyere town is a Lake Shore signboard showing you to turn right (this is 64km from Lake Shore). Drive down this road until you come to the t-junction where you will see our next signboard showing you to turn right onto a gravel road. Continue straight until you come to a roundabout and here is another signboard that shows you to continue straight (59.7km to Lake Shore). You will drive down the winding escarpment road until you come to the village of Katangolo. Here you will see another sign showing you to turn left (10km to Lake Shore).

As you enter the village of Kipili you will see a sign to the Kipili port and also Lake Shore Lodge (4.2km to Lake Shore). You turn right here and continue on until our final sign that shows you to turn left (1km from Lake Shore). You will go up a final hill, past the beautiful, old Kipili church and turn right at the gate of Lake Shore Lodge.

Mpanda to Lake Shore will take you about 4 hours.

From the south (Mbeya):

Head from Mbeya towards Tunduma (this is the border town with Tanzania and Zambia).  From Tunduma you will drive northwards to Sumbawanga on a brand new tarmac road.  Please do not speed on this road as the traffic police do have speedguns. From Sumbawanga you will continue on the tarmac road to Namanyere.

You will come to a signboard showing you to turn left to Namanyere and Lake Shore Lodge (64km to Lake Shore). Continue until you come to a t-junction with a signboard showing that you should turn right to Lake Shore (62.4km to Lake Shore). This is now a gravel road until Lake Shore Lodge. Continue straight until you come to a round about where there is another signboard showing to head straight to Lake Shore (59.7km to Lake Shore). You will drive down the winding escarpment road until you come to the village of Katongolo. Here you will see another sign showing you to turn left.

Katongolo is 10km from Lake Shore.  You will drive to the village of Kipili and at the start of the village is a signboard showing you to turn right to Lake Shore and the Kipili port (4.2km to Lake Shore). Continue on until our final signboard 1km from Lake Shore that shows you to turn left.

Mbeya to Tunduma will take you about 1 and a half hours, Tunduma to Sumbawanga will take you about 3 and a half hours and Sumbawanga to Lake Shore will take you about 3 hours.

GETTING TO US BY BUS

From the north (Kigoma):

There are daily buses from Kigoma to Mpanda where you would overnight.  The next day you would take a bus from Mpanda to Namanyere. In Namanyere you would change buses and take another bus from Namanyere to Kirando. You would get off in the village just before Kirando, called Katongolo (just ask the bus driver where to get off). Once in Katongolo you can either hire a motorbike and driver to bring you to Lake Shore (Tsh8,000 per motorbike – about $3.50) or call us (+255 752 388 216 / +255 757 299 371) and we will come and collect you in our vehicle ($20 for the vehicle – maximum 4 x pax plus luggage).

From the south (Mbeya):

Your route to Lake Shore would be to take a bus from Mbeya to Sumbawanga and to change buses and take another bus from Sumbawanga to Kirando. There are 3 buses each day that depart Sumbawanga at different times (the last bus leaves at 12h00). You would get off in the village just before Kirando, called Katongolo (just ask the bus driver where to get off). Once in Katongolo you can either hire a motorbike and driver to bring you to Lake Shore (Tsh8,000 per motorbike – about $3.50) or call us (+255 752 388 216 / +255 757 299 371) and we will come and collect you in our vehicle ($20 for the vehicle – maximum 4 x pax plus luggage).