Distance: 106.9 km
Ride time: 6:00:07
Average: 17.8 km/h
Max speed: 56.2 km/h
Total: 49396 km
Compared to the last four days of dirt road riding in the middle of nowhere, today’s ride into Kigoma was more manageable. I was back on tarmac, and the road even slowly descending towards the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
I felt pretty knackered when I finally rolled into Kigoma – mostly because I have been riding pretty hard lately, and now I was badly in need of a break.
With 100.000 something inhabitants, Kigoma is the biggest city in western Tanzania. Not that it feels like a big place. The main road through town has a couple of restaurants and banks, but I didn’t see a single supermarket – only small kiosks. On the other hand, compared to the desolate part of Tanzania I have just crossed, Kigoma is a proper metropolis!
The most prominent building in town is the German colonial era train station. Kigoma also has a harbour from where the legendary ferry MV Liemba, built by the Germans in 1913, still departs once a week for Zambia. I would love to come back one day and do this trip.
I found a cheap hotel where power and water came and went in waves, and enjoyed a simple meal at a local restaurant. Tomorrow I will see if I can get a visa for Burundi, and then I will be heading out to Jakobsen beach.
Is the railway station still in use by trains?
Yes Stephen, a couple of times a week the train still leaves for Dar es Salaam. Crossing the country takes 40 hours. I would love to try 🙂 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Line_(Tanzania)