Kondoa Irangi : This is a rock shelter walls in central Tanzania and home to a collection of historic artwork known as the rock paintings. There are rock paintings at Kondoa Irangi village between Singida and Irangi Hills, and there are also rock paintings in Kolo Village near Dodoma. These pictures show the evolution of lifestyles throughout the previous two millennia, since hunter-gatherers and agropastoralist methods of living. It stores the oldest human artistic expression in the world are the cave paintings. There are estimated 1600 cave paintings spread over nearly 200 sites, this site is home to one of the best collections of prehistoric rock art in the entire world. The Irangi Hills is located north of Kondoa with access points in Tumbelo, Kolo, and other places between Singida and Kondoa.
The paintings are believed to have been created by a group of hunter-gatherers from the Sandawe tribe. They are estimated to be over 1500 years old, with the oldest ones dating between 19,000 and 30,000 years. The last authentic hunter-gatherers are the Sandawe people, who are still found in Tanzania. People and wild creatures have been portrayed using the colours red and white, as well as on occasion black and brown using animal fat and plant-based oils. most red pigments are made of iron oxide some including animal blood. The paintings in the caves show animals like antelopes, giraffes, and elephants as well as simplified human characters hunting, performing on musical instruments, and crossing rivers.
The Kondoa region is believed to have roughly 450 rock arts. This collection of rock art led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006. It is situated on the steep eastern slopes of the Masai escarpment, which borders the Great Rift Valley. The rock art sites in Kondoa makes it an integral part of the customs of the surrounding communities. Today this area is used for initiation, healing, and weather-divination. Famous archaeologists and anthropologists Louis and Mary Leaky, who found the Australopithecine known as Zinjanthropus in the Olduvai Gorge in the 1950s, surveyed over 100 rock art painting sites in the Kondoa region. The survey results were published in 1983 in Mary Leakey’s book, “Africa’s Vanishing Art – The Rock Paintings of Tanzania.”
Mbozi Meteorite
This is the most visited Tanzania safari tour destination in the Songwe region is the Mbozi Meteorite, also known as “Kimondo cha Mbozi,” the fourth largest meteorite in the world. It is located 70 kilometres west of Mbeya, on the southwest slope of Marengi Hill, off the road to Tunduma. It is estimated to weigh approximately 25 metric tonnes and is roughly 3 metres long by 1 metre tall. Although the exact date of its impact is unknown by scientists, it is thought to have occurred many thousands of years ago because there are no signs of the crater being left behind upon impact and there are no local myths explaining its origins. the exact location was unknown to outsiders until 1930, but the locals had known about it for centuries; nevertheless, due to different taboos, they chose not to mention it.The meteorite at Mbozi, like most meteorites, is 90% iron, with 8% nickel and trace amounts of phosphorus and other elements. The Department of Antiquities currently oversees it after the government designated it as a protected monument in 1967.
The meteorite’s high iron concentration gives it a dark colour and as it hurled through the atmosphere towards Earth, melting and other heating took place, giving the meteorite a burnished appearance. A trip to the Meteorite Site is always exciting, particularly if you go there with a group and take public transportation to experience some adventure and a greater sense of the rural landscape. As a result, the group can also engage with the locals, who are always willing to exchange opinions with guests.
Amboni Caves
This is the largest limestone cave system in East Africa. They are 8 kilometres off the Tanga-Mombasa road in Kiomoni Village, Tanzania, which is north of Tanga City. It was formed during the Jurassic period, which is150 million years ago. It has and estimated total area of 234 km². 20 million years ago, the region was submerged under water, according to researchers. According to history, the caves were formerly estimated to span at least 200 kilometres. Though there are ten caves in all, only one is open for guided safari tours. The Amboni caves are home to a great number of bats, which were believed to be haunted by a variety of ghosts in the past and are still utilised by the people for worship and ceremonies.
The land was acquired in 1892 by Amboni Limited, a business that was then running sisal plantations in the Tanga Region. The company notified the British colonial authorities about the caves and they designated it as a conservation area in 1922.the actual date of the caves discovery is still unknown but rumours suggest that nearby ethnic groups, including the Segeju, Sambaa, Bonddei, and Digo, frequented them for worship. The Department of Antiquities received the caverns from the Tanganyika government in 1963.Numerous fantastical and breathtaking tales have been related to these caves, and they have been the focus of local mythology. The locals view the caves as mystical formations inhabited by supernatural beings known as “Mizimu,” who are thought to have lived there ever since the caves were formed.
There are certain rooms revered as sacred where certain spirits are worshipped. The name of one of them is “Mzimu wa Mabuvu.” Some people think there is a strong god who can heal them of their illnesses, soothe their pains, or boost their fertility. The unique process of this caves formation was through erosion created these limestone caves. Mturi (1975:18–19) claims that there are several ideas that explain how the Amboni Caves were formed. The vedose process is the name given to the initial theory. This idea states that precipitation takes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and converts it into a weak carbonic acid that can dissolve the calcium carbonate minerals that form limestone. Cavities and caverns are created when this acidulated rainwater penetrates through the limestone.
There is the Phreatic origin which is the second theory. This idea states that erosion from the subsurface water table forms the caves. Rainwater containing carbonic acid quickly percolates through the limestone, reaching the water table and becoming a saturated calcium bicarbonate solution. Until today it still has the ability to dissolve the calcium carbonate. Among the most well-liked Tanzania safari sights in the region are the Amboni caves, which include enormous underground passageways with imposing structures. It is recommended that visitors wear comfortable shoes and carry a pocket-sized camera, as it might be difficult to navigate the narrow paths with a large lens. Guests are advised to store bulky bags in a designated area for later pickup before proceeding into some of the narrow areas.
The vistas of the caves formations are breathtaking. Tanzania safari tourists can take guided tours of almost all of its chambers and passageways. The visit is well worth it if you enjoy sights of amazing formations . For the locals, who worship and give sacrifices in one of the shrines, the caves hold sacred significance for they have for a long been revered by some residents as a site of devotion and prayer for a variety of purposes. First chamber is where the prayers are said, which many people believe to be superstitions. As “gifts that the local villagers offer to the spirits,” various items are placed here throughout player gameplay. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism’s Department of Antiquities is in charge of maintaining the caves.
