Low Cost Hunters

1$- k28 Once we entered Zambia we went to buy a SIM card. You can also buy it from the street vendors but it will not be registered on your name.  2 km away from Tunduma border there is an Airtel Shop office. The process of buying the SIM card took about 10 minutes. The internet bundles are cheaper compared to Tanzania.   Airtel SIM card - k5    Some of the best offers for bundle:   Midnight bundle - 1.5GB - k5   1 hour - 3GB - k5   7 days - 1.5GB - k10 From Tunduma border we took a shared car - 8 people for 5 seats - to  Isoke for k200. Tunduma border - shared private car to Isoke Departure- 4pm Arriving- 8pm Price for 110km - k200/person There are not too many bus companies operating like in Tanzania, so people use to share private cars.   We made  110 km in 4 hours  and   by the time we arrived it was dark.  Zambia has a major problem with the electricity, so each region has a timetable for supplying energy.  The d...

1$-2690 TZS We took the bus from  Mbeya, Nanenane bus Station to Tunduma. First bus leaves at 8am, second at 10am,  we took the one from 10.  The bus left around 10.30am. Its good to be there 30 minutes before because the bus is getting full fast and many people are sitting on the plastic buckets.    The night before we slept at  8-8 Lodge  just 300 meters from the bus station for 20k (decent room, clean, hot water but no wifi).   Departure from Mbeya - Nanenane bus terminal- 10:30am Arriving to Tunduma - 2pm Price for 115km - 5k/person   We had breakfast and lunch in the bus. The bus stops a lot on the way and locals are coming to sell food - chipsy mayay (tortilla), mishkaki (bbq sticks), corn, fruits, peanuts and all kind of drinks.  The bus left us 3km away from the border so we took a tuc tuc for 1k.    We changed money before exit Tanzania, there are a lot of people that are changing money on the black market (1$-k28) ...

  1$ - 7600 burundi franc  From the city center we took a motorcycle for 4k to Parking de Gitega (on Maps.me) the place where the buses leaves to Rutana.  The bus was leaving at 15:00 so we wait around 40 minutes till the bus was already full.  They told us 40k for 2 people but we negotiated to 30k .   The bus left at 15:30 and stopped also in Gitega but was better to take it from the big parking because we found good seats. Once the bus stops in Gitega is almost full.     The journey was nice and on the way there’s a place where it stops and many locals come to sell extremely cheap pineapple -1.5k . Even the driver took around 10 pieces.    The bus stops on the way every time a passenger wants to get off. There is a stop about 10 km before Rutana where you can get off if you want to reach  Karere Falls .   From there you can also get to Source of the Nile , there are about 30 km left. The bus left us at the main station in Ru...

  1$ - 7600burundi franc From Gitega we took a motorbike for 20k . The driver wait us for about 2 hours during the tour and ceremony then he drove us back to Gitega. Once we arrived to Gishora we was told that the performance will cost us 100$.    We arrived there around 10:30 in the morning.  We didn’t had dollars so we told them that we’ll pay in Burundi Francs.  We changed the money at Marche Central in Bujumbura on the black market (1€ ~ 7600bf). If you change at the bank the rate is half price then the black market.  They said us 500k but in the end we made a deal for 200k.  It began with a nice tour around the old houses where the king use to live, explaining us all the history. After about 40 minutes of visiting the old houses, we get out and we had a big surprise.  More than 15 persons were already prepared for the performance with the big drums. The show was fantastic, something that you should not miss if you are in Burundi. The energy o...

  1 € - 2690 TZS We took dala dala from Mbeya to Mwanjelwa Bus Station and there we changed with another dala dala till Uyole junction road. The price was 800 shillings per person. Here we had lunch before going further. We stopped a motorcycle and we agreed that it will take us till the entrance to the Lake Ngosi.   On the map there were like 11km till Lake Ngosi Viewpoint but this was a quite adventure. We left around 3pm, the weather was a bit cloudy but still we decided to go. Paul, our motorcycle driver didn’t knew the road that goes there, so for him was also first time. We reached 2500m, the road was difficult and sometimes we had to walk because was impossible to climb 3 on a moto.       Corn and potatoes crops everywhere. We get to a point where the road stopped and we have to walk through the forest. Nobody was there to ask for an entrance fee, maybe also because was already around 4pm.  We walked about 30 minutes and we were in front of...

  1 € - 2690 TZS We took the early bus at 6am to Sumbawanga that costs us 13k per person . We bought the tickets one day before from Mizengo Pinda Bus Station. To get inside the bus station a fee of 300 shillings need to be paid. The road is very bumpy because is an off road journey but we knew before from the last experience and choosed front seats, otherwise is a big challenge. The bus had a stop where we had a healthy breakfast - bananas and casava.  Around 1pm we arrived in Sumbawanga. The city has not too much to offer but we give it a try. We looked for a lodge with wifi but the prices were to high for our budget 60k at Country Hotel. The room was basic so we decided to go further to Mbeya. We get back to the bus station and found Shabibi Line a bus company with a brand new bus, usb for charging your devices and comfortable seats.  17k the bus ticket per person  Sumbawanga to Mbeya. The scenery is amazing and we arrived around 8pm to Mbeya, a 6 hours journey. ...

1 $ - 2690 TZS  There’s only one bus a day that goes from Kigoma to Mpanda.  We bought the ticket from a counter around Kigoma. There are many companies that are in charge with selling tickets to different destinations. By the time we bought the tickets there were only 2 seats left in the back.    Boarding time 5am  Departure time 6am  Cost 16k each Time to destination 2pm We wake up early morning and took a motorcycle that left us a New Bus Station in Kigoma for 2k. The bus left few minutes after 6 o’clock and was the bumpiest road ever, also because we our back seats. There were also people traveling seating on the floor. We had 2 stops on the way one for toilet that costs 300 TZS and the other one in a place where everyone selling food. Chicken bbq sticks, casava, sweet potatoes, corn, peanuts, ugali or soft drinks. We had some chicken bbq and casava for 4.5k. This was the bumpiest road ever we have experienced in Africa because the unpaved road, so ke...