Mwanza Tourist Attractions
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Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania with the largest port on Lake Victoria. The port at Mwanza handles most of the cotton, tea and coffee grown in the western part of the country.Mwanza is the cultural center of the Sukuma, the largest tribe in Tanzania. Rocky hills and granite outcrops surround the city. A famous landmark is the Bismarck Rock, a large formation of granite rocks.Early 18th C explorers visited Mwanza to find the source of the River Nile.The city of Mwanza is the ideal base from which to explore the nearby Rubondo Island National Park.
Bujora Sukuma Village Museum
The Sukuma Museum promotes the traditional and contemporary arts of the Sukuma culture. An interactive environment allows Sukuma elders to teach the younger generation traditional history and arts.Missionaries from Quebec set up the Bujora Sukuma Village Museum in 1952. Exhibits include a replica of a traditional Sukuma house and compound, the thatched home of a Sukuma blacksmith, a traditional doctor's house and a Royal Pavilion for Sukuma royal history as well as musical instruments including a drum collection.At busier times of year, the Sukuma Museum presents traditional dances featuring the awesome Sukuma snake dance performed with a live python.
Saa Nane Island
Saa Nane Island, meaning "eight o'clock island", has a large variety of reptiles. Hippo, zebra and wildebeest and some caged animals are found within the wildlife sanctuary. This reserve is literally a 95-acre outdoor zoo.Birdwatchers will enjoy the scenery on Saa Nane while nature lovers can venture onto the rock formations that appear out of the grassy landscape.Boats depart daily from Mwanza to take tourists to Saa Nane Island. A visit to the island makes for a pleasant day trip.