Bismarck Rock and Saanane Island

Mwanza, Tanzania'S Second Largest City, Is Built Among Giant Granite Boulders On Lake Victoria, The Best Known Being Bismarck Rock, The City'S Symbol. Nearby Saanane Island National Park (2013), The Smallest In Tanzania, Offers A Short Boat Trip, Rock Hyrax, Impalas, Monitor Lizards And Walking Trails On Boulders. · Mwanza, Mwanza

Mwanza, Tanzania's second-largest city with around a million people, sits on the southern shore of Lake Victoria and is built among giant granite boulders, which earned it the name Rock City. The best known is Bismarck Rock, a balanced boulder by the ferry port and the yacht club, free to see and a favourite sunset photo stop. A short boat ride away, Saanane Island National Park, opened in 2013, is the smallest national park in Tanzania, with rock hyrax, impala, vervet monkeys, monitor lizards and a few introduced zebra and giraffe. The honest picture: the rock is a pleasant photo stop, the park is small and zoo-like, and neither would make a long trip on its own. Mwanza is a good lakeside stop on the way to the western Serengeti, with fresh Nile perch, a lively market and a good museum. Treat it as a pleasant day or two between flights, and not as a destination in itself. Another lake city would do for a stopover, so come for the fish, the rocks and the light, and plan the rest of your trip around the Serengeti.

Granite boulders on the shore of Lake Victoria in Mwanza, with the balancing Bismarck Rock at the ferry port, and Saanane Island National Park a 20-minute boat ride from the city, Mwanza, Mwanza, Tanzania

Bismarck Rock is on public ground and can be seen at any hour, but visit by DAY. The island park and boats run in daylight, with the last boat back before dusk. Rough water or wind can CLOSE the crossing. Confirm boat times and park hours with your hotel or the park office.

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