Rukwa: Waterfalls, Forest and History

The Kalambo Falls are a 235-metre-high, single-drop waterfall near Kapozwa in Kalambo District, on the border between Tanzania and Zambia. They are considered Africa’s second-highest free-leaping waterfall, after Tugela Falls in South Africa. For orientation, several features set them apart: the single drop, their height and their location on an international border. The height refers to the vertical drop; the comparison with Tugela Falls places them in an African context. If waterfalls are your main interest when choosing a destination, this offers a clear point of reference.

Waterfalls and Hot Springs

Other waterfalls can also be distinguished by specific location details. Lwanji Falls are in Kachele village in Kalambo District, while Ntembwa Falls are in China village in Nkasi District. The location given for Kalambo Falls is Kapozwa, also in Kalambo District. The three names therefore refer to different villages or to the specified location near Kapozwa. Kizombwe Hot Springs add another natural feature alongside the waterfalls: clear water with a temperature of 45 to 50°C. This places waterfalls, each with its own location, alongside hot springs with a distinct temperature range. When deciding which natural features interest you most, you can consider these location and landscape details separately.

Forest and Wildlife

Evergreen Mbizi Natural Forest is in Sumbawanga Municipal Council and is considered an area with ecotourism potential. Ashy red colobus monkeys (Procolobus rufomitratus tephrosceles) occur in Mbizi Forest in Sumbawanga Municipal Council and Mbuzi Forest in Nkasi District, and are considered rare. This brings together a forest with ecotourism potential and a species found in two specifically named forests as distinct natural features. The names Mbizi and Mbuzi are similar, but their locations differ: Mbizi Forest is in Sumbawanga Municipal Council, while Mbuzi Forest is in Nkasi District. Those interested in forests and wildlife will find both a general forest setting and the precisely identified range of a rare species.

Historic Sites

The historic sites are associated with different periods and themes. The ruins of Old Bismarck Fort in Kasanga, Kalambo District, were built in 1888 to secure and protect the region’s western border. Old Kipili Mission was built between 1890 and 1895. The mission’s construction period therefore followed the fort’s construction. Their historical contexts also differ: the fort’s construction was connected with protecting the western border, while the mission is defined by its construction period. If you are interested in history, you can distinguish the two sites by their chronology and different themes.

Rukwa in the Wider Context of Tanzania

Looking at Tanzania as a broader travel destination offers a different perspective. The country’s coastline is more than 804 km long. It includes Unguja and Pemba, which together form Zanzibar, as well as Mafia Island. Kilimanjaro National Park covers about 75,575 ha. Mount Kilimanjaro rises 4,877 m above the surrounding plains and reaches 5,895 m at its summit. The coast and Kilimanjaro are nationwide points of reference for Tanzania; the waterfalls, forests, hot springs and historic sites mentioned in Rukwa give your regional exploration its own focus.

Discover more destinations: Mpanda, Mwera, Sitalike, Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Zanzibar Central/South, Morogoro, Lindi.

View the broader travel overview: Tanzania.