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All Tanzania

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Tanzania

19 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Tanzania

Updated August 16, 2023

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Cities

Zanzibar
Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano erupting
Ngorongoro
Soda and algae formations near the shore of Lake Natron.
Monduli
Attractions
Food & Drink
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Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Tanzania

Soda and algae formations near the shore of Lake Natron.

Monduli, Tanzania

Lake Natron

A salty red wasteland in Tanzania is a breeding spot for endangered flamingos.

Michamvi, Tanzania

The Rock

Sitting atop a rock on Michamvi Pingwe beach, this restaurant becomes its own island at high tide.
Grand Mosque

Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania

Kilwa Kisiwani Ruins

Stunning ruins of what was once the center of one of the greatest empires in East Africa.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar's Night Market

After sunset the heart of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town neighborhood transforms into a culinary playground.
The Underwater Room at The Manta Resort

Tanzania

The Underwater Room at Manta Resort

Stay in your own little bubble.
Kuza Cave.

Kusini, Tanzania

Kuza Cave

This sacred, circular cave is lined with pools so clear and still that it's hard to tell where the water begins.
Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano erupting

Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Ol Doinyo Lengai

This rare volcano spews the strangest and (literally) coolest lava in the world.
Mercury House.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Mercury House

Freddie Mercury's childhood home is now a monument to the iconic Queen rockstar.
See All 19 Things To Do in Tanzania

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Tanzania

Michamvi, Tanzania

The Rock

Sitting atop a rock on Michamvi Pingwe beach, this restaurant becomes its own island at high tide.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar's Night Market

After sunset the heart of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town neighborhood transforms into a culinary playground.
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Tanzania

Islands 4
Geology 3
Houses 3
Archaeology 3
Slavery 3
History 3
Ruins 3
Homes 3

Tanzania Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Avatar image for Max Cortesi
    Max Cortesi
    4
  2. Avatar image for serflac
    serflac
    1
  3. Avatar image for daneder
    daneder
    1
  4. Avatar image for pardeewalmsley
    pardeewalmsley
    1
  5. Avatar image for Molly McBride Jacobson
    Molly McBride Jacobson
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Tanzania.

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Collector of Experiences
    Collector of Experiences
    6
  2. Avatar image for Max Cortesi
    Max Cortesi
    4
  3. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    2
  4. M
    Martin
    2
  5. P
    peeter6
    1

Places Visited

  1. Avatar image for sarah kingdom travels
    sarah kingdom travels
    13
  2. Avatar image for Max Cortesi
    Max Cortesi
    12
  3. Avatar image for Roseparis
    Roseparis
    10
  4. K
    Kenyanz
    10
  5. Avatar image for Ursula
    Ursula
    9

Recent Tanzania Activity

  • L

    luiskroener736

    wants to go to Selous Game Preserve

  • L

    luiskroener736

    wants to go to Changuu (Prison Island)

  • L

    luiskroener736

    wants to go to Slave Market Memorial

  • L

    luiskroener736

    wants to go to Kuza Cave

  • L

    luiskroener736

    wants to go to The Rock

Stories About Tanzania

Podcast: APOPO Rats

An episode that might have you rethink your stance on the humble rat.
by The Podcast Team
August 16, 2023
Medieval buildings at Songa Mnara, one of many coastal Swahili ports and settlements that connected East Africa to Arabia, Persia, China, and Southeast Asia.

Ancient DNA Restores the Origin Story of the Swahili People

New research complicates both modern and colonial-era ideas about the medieval East African civilization.
by Chapurukha Kusimba and David Reich
April 24, 2023

Podcast: Lake Natron

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
April 7, 2022
African wild dogs are often considered to be well adapted to the savanna, but research suggests the animals fare even better in more wooded ecosystems.

African Wild Dogs Survive by 'Living in the Cracks' of a Landscape

The lanky, wily pack hunters fare better than lions in habitats increasingly fragmented by human activity.
by Scott Creel
February 28, 2022

Podcast: Kilwa Kisiwani

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
July 21, 2021
Surf's up—or not—in this microscopic view of a prase opal gemstone.

This Rugged Coastline Is Not What It Seems

An avid microscopist captured an unusual image that has nothing to do with surf and sand.
by Gemma Tarlach
May 26, 2021

Did Early Humans Invent Hot Pot in Geothermal Pools?

A mystery microbe found at Olduvai Gorge inspired scientists to speculate about the origins of cooking.
by Isaac Schultz
September 30, 2020

Exploring the Ruins of a Medieval East African Empire

Kilwa Kisiwani ("Isle of the Fish") was once the heart of Swahili culture and commerce.
by Lizzie Philip
January 2, 2019

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