GUIDES:
English speaking guides who know the area will help you around. A Barbaig-born guide will tell you about Barbaig culture. Our guides wear an identity card of the Cultural Tourism Programme. Don't walk with unauthorised guides

INTRODUCTION:
Babati district is located along the Arusha-Dodoma road in the Rift Valley, south of Lake Manyara Park and west from Tarangire. The town boasts Lake Babati where floating hippos can be seen and which is rich in fish, both  tilapia and Nile perch. Here commercial and farming tribes co-exist with conservative cattle herding tribes to provide a distinguished cultural contrast. In Hanang District close by the beautiful  Mount Hanang (3418m), live  the Barbaig people whose traditional culture is still unchanged and unspoiled. The   women wear traditional goatskin dresses and the men walk around with spears. Visitors can mix  freely with the Barbaig, commonly known as the Mangati living in the Mangati plains. If you are interested in bird watching, 400 bird species will welcome you on your walks in the area

STATEMENT:
Welcome to the fertile lands and farmland where most crops grow on the edge of  the Rift Valley. Here you can walk and see a mixture of tribal cultures and rural life as lived by ordinary Tanzanians off the well trodden Tourist Circuits. 

• A special Barbaig cultural insight hike
• An exclusive Mount Hanang climb
• A fishing adventure with local canoes on Lake Babati while viewing hippos
• A chance to participate in local brick and pottery making and beer brewing
• A visit to development projects like cattle, dairy farming, piped water projects
• Cycling expedition through remote areas

The profit will be used to improve the primary school in two villages. Your visit helps to improve the education of the children.

BACKGROUND:
Babati district is located along the Arusha-Dodoma road in the Rift Valley, south of Lake Manyara Park and west from Tarangire. The town boasts Lake Babati where floating hippos can be seen and which is rich in fish, both  tilapia and Nile perch. Here commercial and farming tribes co-exist with conservative cattle herding tribes to provide  a distinguished cultural contrast. In Hanang District close by the beautiful  Mount Hanang (3418m), live  the Barbaig people whose traditional culture is still unchanged and unspoilt. The  women wear traditional goatskin dresses and the men walk around with spears. Visitors can mix  freely with the Barbaig, commonly known as the Mang'ati living in the Mangati plains. If you are interested in bird watching, 400 bird species will welcome you on your walks in the area.

Facilities:
Full board accommodations in selected local hotels and guesthouses in Babati and Katesh. Selected family homes / huts in the villages with basic standards and without   running water. Temporary self catering campsites can be organised. In the villages women provide food. Lunch boxes can be ordered from Joas Kahembe.

Recommended equipment:
Good walking shoes, sleeping bag (mattress), water bottle, filter or micro-pure tablets,   anti-malaria pills and torch.

How to get there:
All the tours are organized by the coordinator, Mr.Kahembe, at Babati 172 km from Arusha. There are regular bus services Arusha B Babati starting from 7.30 a.m. Within 3 hours you will reach Babati centre. From Karatu it is a 5 hours drive to Babati. Ask for Kahembe's Guest House, a 5 minutes walk from the main bus stand. Transfers can be organized by the coordinator's office at special tariff.

Katesh is a one and a half hours drive from Babati or four and a half hours drive from Karatu. A distance which can be covered by public transport or by private vehicle.  

Half day tour:
You visit Managhat village, original home of the Gorowa tribe but now also a home for migrants. You will see dairy farming activities, farming with ox ploughs, bio gas system, local Gorowa huts and a Killer Beekeeping Project at the bottom of Mount Kwaraa (2415m)

One day tour:
You walk to Managhat village (see above) and climb Bambaay Hill from where you see the beautiful Rift Valley landscape with Lake Babati and Lake Manyara. The Rift Valley Escarpment in the background and the Masaai Steppe at the east. Later you visit a respected Gorowa tribesmans, Mzee Kwaraa, at his home. He will tell you about Gorowa culture, marriage, rain prayers, burial, religious and circumcision rituals. Optionally one can row, fish and view hippo=s on Lake Babati, using local canoes.