Mwanza
Mwanza City, also known as Rock City to the residents, is a port city and capital of Mwanza Region on the southern shore of Lake Victoria in north-western Tanzania.
With an urban population of 1,104,521 and a population of 3,699,872 in the region, it is Tanzania's second largest city, after Dar es Salaam. It is also the second largest city in the Lake Victoria basin after Kampala, Uganda and ahead of Kisumu, Kenya at least in population size. Within the East African community, Mwanza city is the fifth largest city after Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kampala. It is slightly ahead of Kigali, Kisumu, and Bujumbura in the population of city proper limits. Mwanza city is also the capital city of Mwanza Region, and is administratively divided into two municipal districts within that Region - Ilemela and Nyamagana.
Getting to Mwanza
- 01Mwanza International Airport
Air Tanzania: Dar es Salaam, Bukoba Kilimanjaro.
- 02Mwanza
From Bukoba: After several years out of service, the refurbished ferry between Mwanza and Bukoba has resumed operation under the name MS New Victoria in June 2020.
Worth seeing
The shores of Lake Victoria are interesting to walk along and popular with locals. Also, climb to the top of Capri Point at the west end of Station Road for a nice view of the area.
- 01Bismarck Rock
A fascinating natural rock formation jutting out of Lake Victoria.
Where to eat
Great Lake Victoria's fresh water tilapia fish is a must eat food. A good number of fish industries exist. They export Nile perch fish fillet (sangara fish) to Europe and South Africa. Street food. Oranges, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, cassava, roast maize, taro are all available on the street from vendors for TSh100-1000. Also available are mandazi, bagias, and other local fried breads in some areas.
- 01Sizzler
Wide variety on the menu, local food, Chinese, and Indian dishes.
Getting around Mwanza the local way
- Get inFrom Bukoba: After several years out of service, the refurbished ferry between Mwanza and Bukoba has resumed operation under the name MS New Victoria in June 2020.
- Get inThe timetable remains the same as in previous years: the ferry departs Bukoba every Monday, Wednesday, Friday evening around 21:00 and reaches Mwanza the next day in the morning.
- Go nextBukoba Dodoma Tabora Kenya Uganda Rwanda There is a ferry across the Mwanza gulf that leaves from the city (the Kamanga ferry) and another about 32 km south of the city.
From Wikivoyage: Mwanza, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-03.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.