| The sleeping tourist giant that is Lushoto | Send to a friend |
| Saturday, 24 July 2010 16:15 |
 Calm weather, lush farms, marvelous escarpments, waterfalls and rare birds dominate the town. So why is no one mentioning it? Erick Mchome The touring bug hit me a few weeks ago. But as I scathed my brain for somewhere interesting to go, I could only manage to come up with the familiar. Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, played on my mind. I wasn’t enticed. I have been there, done that. That’s until a friend tipped me on Lushoto. “I felt like I was in Europe when I visited the place,” she told me. “Why?” I queried. “Isn’t it a village or something?” I prodded. “Not exactly. It’s got history of it’s own, not forgetting excellent weather. Perfect place to catch up on yourself,” she offered. I was sold. That’s how on a Sunday at 8am, I board a bus from Ubungo Terminal headed to the land of Usambara Mountains. We are at Mombo by midday and as we make a stopover for lunch, I am anxious to know how long it will take us to our destination. “We will be there in an hour,” my neighbour, a man in his 30’s, enroute to see his mother informs me. Then as soon as we depart the weather starts to change. Away from the humidity of the city, it’s now getting cooler and the road more zigzagged. We are mapping Usambara Mountains and I marvel at the green scenery that is the land. Agriculture town Located 370 km Northeast of Dar es Salaam and 1400 feet above sea level, Lushoto, an agriculture town is home to a beautiful escarpment. It’s one pm, when we finally reach Lushoto town. I take a deep breath and take in the cool air, as a gush of chill hits my bones. Gray walks to the mountains, numerous waterfalls, colourful birds, tiny villages deep in the valleys and over obliging people make Lushoto a focal point for eco – tourists. That’s the tidbit of information I had gathered over the Internet. It’s time to take care of my accommodation. And I was informed that a lodge would be a few metres from the bus station. True, the Golden Star Hotel stands magnificently not too far away, and I am surprised that something of its kind exists in such a small town. “Karibu Kaka,” (Welcome brother), the receptionist, Hadija, beckons politely. Dressed in a white sweater, pink blouse and a black trouser, she takes me through the check-in. “A single room goes for Sh. 18,000 and a double for 20,000. Which one do you prefer?” she asks. I choose the single one and she assists me to carry my bags to a room with the view of the mountains. Rav 4’s as taxis I am scheduled to tour the town after breakfast the next day. I walk to the bus stop looking for a taxi, but I cannot spot anything that resembles one. “Brother, do you need a taxi?” a driver in a Toyota Rav 4, calls out. “Yes, do you know where I can get one?” I query. “Hop in. This is a taxi,” he explains. I am startled. I am used to white Chasers and Mark IIs’ in Dar es Salaam. We are soon on our way to Soni Water Falls and later to Magamba rainforests, which is a home to black and white colobus monkeys. There are also Kwa Mongo Mountains, which hosts beautiful butterflies. And though not very well marketed, a number of tourists still make their way down. Joseph Mwayeya, a Tourism Office, Lushoto District, says tourists make their way between June and September. There are no official figures yet of how many visitors the town hosts. “This is a newly created position. I am supposed to look at strategies that will promote tourism in the district,” he explains. It’s just as well. Tourism is a major creator of employment opportunities to the local community, who may work as tour guides and take jobs in the hospitality industry, says Mwayeya. “Businesses too thrive,” the tourism official says. Golden Star Hotel is one such recipient. “We book at least three couples each month who come for their honeymoon,” Hadija says. One such couple, are Martha and Nathan Mbaga, from Arusha who are on a five-day honeymoon in the town. “It is our first time to be here. I love the weather and the calmness. We are really having a good time,” says Nathan a banker. German history The history of Lushoto dates as far back as the 1880’s. The Germans attracted by the weather, that was almost similar to Europe’s, decided to set a base here. They named the town Wilhemstahl after their ruler Kaizer Wilhesm. If the British had not ousted them in world war one, the Germans would have made Lushoto the Capital of German East Africa, which included Burundi and Rwanda back then. “The weather attracted them. They constructed the strong houses which are here todate,” says Peter Shemhonda, a tour guide at Green Tours and Safaris. The Germans influence is undeniable. They build roads and bridges to make mountains areas more accessible. Lutheran missionaries too established schools and hospitals. According to 2002 census, Lushoto is a host to about 420,000 inhabitants, but favoured by good weather and fertile lands the town’s population is on a rapid increase. Today, Lushoto is a home to two colleges; Sebastian Kolowa University College and Institute of Judicial Administration, which together bring about 2,000 new comers. No industries When you think fruits and vegetables think Lushoto. “Most of the fruits we grow are taken to Dar es Salaam because there is little market here and no processing industries. We also sell to juice industries in Kenya,” says Julius Shemtibuko, a farmer who grows oranges and avocados in Magamba area. As I discover, the rich are slowly making their way into the beautiful town by building permanent residences. One such person is former president, Benjamin Mkapa who owns land and a mansion a few kilometers from Lushoto town on the way to Kifungilo Girls Secondary School. “Most people are now looking at this place as a potential town to invest in. It’s expanding very fast and the learning institutions help,” says Isaac Shemhonda, a lawyer at Lushoto town. But not all are telling a success story. There are many poor people. “We still depend a lot on peasant farming,” the lawyer says, of the people who mostly speak Kisambaa. -Ends- Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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