Tanzania cultural safari is something that you should seriously consider adding on your Tanzania safari tour. Cultural tours in Tanzania take you to discover the diverse cultures of Tanzania. There are 120 tribes in Tanzania which all blend and live in perfect harmony, and with such varied cultures of Tanzania, cultural safaris in Tanzania are unique and are a breath of fresh air when you do encounter any of the various tribes of Tanzania. each of the 120 tribes of Tanzania have unique traditional norms and practices, like traditional dances, music, folklore, rituals, social practices, art, traditional religious beliefs among so many others. With such a diversity in cultures and tribes, Tanzania is not about wildlife and beach safaris alone.
A Tanzania cultural safari in this amazingly beautiful vast country of East Africa have you learning the different practices of the tribe visited, and their way of life with an opportunity to take part in a number of activities with the locals. By experiencing the amazing Tanzania culture and the people, you shall get to appreciate and have a deeper understanding of the locals’ values and their culture. Tanzania cultural safaris offer amazing opportunities for travelers to meet some of the most indigenous and interesting tribes of Tanzania. Tanzania cultural safaris are usually an addition to your usual Tanzania wildlife safari and Zanzibar beach holidays. Below are the various and most sought after Tanzania cultural safari destinations;
The Hadzabe Tribe
The Hadzabe are a people, like the Koisans of South Africa, who speak a language with clicks. The Hadzabe are Bushmen who still live as the old age, as hunters and gatherers, living along the caves of Lake Eyasi. The Hadzabe tribe consists of about 1000 persons only. A Tanzania cultural safari to visit the Hadzabe tribe shall see you acquainting yourself with the unique way of living of the locals, their cultures and norms. You shall get an opportunity to see and learn how to collect honey, fruits and tubers directly from the wild. You shall also learn how to make bows and poisoned arrows, or even make use of them, climaxing your time with the Hadzabe people with a traditional dance and folklore, as well as an opportunity to smoke meat, make fire using sticks, build huts and so much more. If you are lucky to visit when there is a marriage ceremony taking place, you shall get an opportunity to take part in it, and appreciate their marriage ceremony.
The Maasai Tribe and cultural Bomas
The Maasai tribe are a people who fought other tribes in Tanzania so as to capture more and more land for their animals, and do believe that all cattle belong to them and thus as such shall raid those with cows just to take “their” cows. The Maasai stand out of all the tribes in Tanzania because of their pride, assertiveness, intelligence and their friendly nature. The Maasai people are the most visited and of course most famous tribe in Tanzania and Africa as a whole. The Maasai live in the vicinity of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and a Tanzania cultural safari to see the Maasai community has travelers seeing their homesteads commonly known as the Bomas or manyattas and learn so much from the elders of the tribe. You shall get to experience or watch the famous Maasai dance of literally jumping up high, dancing and drumming.
The Datoga Tribe
The Datoga tribe are one of the truly primitive tribes of Tanzania which you can visit on a Tanzania cultural safari for an authentic wild and cultural experience. The Datoga are a primitive and aggressive a people who live near the Maasai people in the northern part of Tanzania. Among the fascinating features and way of life of the Datoga tribe is their dress code of wearing bracelets and collars made of brass and beads, as well as their tattoos usually surrounding their eyes. The Datoga though aggressive re very welcoming to tourists and they are open to sharing with them their way of life and cultural beliefs. When you do visit the Datoga tribe on a Tanzania cultural safari, you shall get an opportunity to take part in activities like making weapons, milk cows, build huts, prepare cattle fences, make traditional beer and also taste it if you may, make food and eat with them if still you are up to it, as well as get to know the various herbs that they usually use to treat their common ailments.
The Swahili Culture
The Swahili culture is a fusion as a result of the intermarriages of Arabs, Greeks, Persians, Romans and even the Chinese which date back to over 2000 years ago. A new breed of people was born out of these intermarriages, especially along the coastal towns of the Indian Ocean that spread even to the inner parts of the country and the rest of East Africa. To experience the authentic Swahili culture, a visit to Zanzibar Island would be the best thing to do, for an opportunity to see the people of a result of the intermarriages of the local Bantu people and the foreigners, from just even their skin colour, as well as their business orientation and the Swahili language which is their mother tongue.
The Chagga Tribe
The Chagga, also known as Wachagga, Jagga, Dschagga, Waschagga, are a local Bantu people and are the third largest ethnic group in Tanzania. The Chagga tribe are known for their sense of enterprise, politics and a very strong work ethics, usually engaging in small scale businesses. The Chagga reside mostly in the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Going on a Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach holiday? Put into consideration going on a Tanzania cultural safari for an opportunity to see, experience and learn of the various tribes and cultures of Tanzania. Get in touch with a reputable tour operator to help you pitch together an amazing Tanzania cultural safari.