Iringa
A highland town on an escarpment above the Ruaha, with a colonial-era centre and a hilltop market.
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Iringa sits at about sixteen hundred metres on a bluff above the Little Ruaha, which makes it cool and dry compared with most of the country, and it grew as a German administrative post from the 1890s in country that had been the centre of Hehe resistance under Chief Mkwawa. The town keeps a compact centre of stone buildings from that period, a busy market, and the Gangilonga rock above it from which the whole plateau can be seen. It is the usual staging point for Ruaha.
What you actually see
- The stone centre - administrative buildings from the German period along the main streets.
- Gangilonga Rock - the outcrop above the town with a view over the plateau.
- The market - the town's main trading ground, busy through the week.
- The Isimila approach - the town serves as the base for the nearby Stone Age site.
When to go
May to October is dry and pleasant; nights are cold at this altitude. The wet season from December to April brings heavy afternoon rain. Market days are busiest.
Honest expectations
There is not a great deal to do in the town itself beyond walking it. Accommodation is functional rather than good. It is mainly a stop on the way to Ruaha or Udzungwa.
Nearby
Isimila is southwest, and Ruaha is northwest.
What to pack for Iringa
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.