ACTIVE & ADVENTURE TANZANIA BY BIKE DESTINATIONS Free to Cycling I


’m halfway across Tanzania’s Arusha National Park when I


realise my fitness regime needs more hills. As a keen cyclist, I pedal 20 miles along a nearby canal every day, but at 1,500 metres above sea level, the smallest inclines have me wheezing for breath. I develop huge respect for locals, who whizz up hills on rusting bicycles, powered by seemingly invisible forces. I’ve signed up for Intrepid


Travel’s new 13-day Cycle Tanzania, the first organised ride through this part of the East African country. The starting point is the city of Arusha,


and from here the route winds through Arusha National Park, before passing through the Ngorongoro District (home of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area), Tanzania’s Rift Valley and Lake Manyara.


w GREEN LIVING Tanzania is lusher and wilder than many safari destinations, with fewer decadently luxurious camps and a bigger focus on accommodation and activities that benefit locals and have minimal environmental impact. Tanzania also attracts active


travellers, with ascents of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru


roam and a safari?


Tamara Hinson does both in northern Tanzania


the most popular boxes to tick. It’s perfect for those who aren’t afraid to venture off the beaten path, or bed down in a campsite where the morning alarm call is the screech of a hyena. And that comes with a lot of plus points. At the Panorama Camp we eat


breakfast while baboons play nearby. And at Mkuru Training Camp, where accommodation options include tents and dormitories, we learn how the camp doubles as a training centre for both locals and tourists, who can sign up for courses in everything from photography to jewellery making. Profits go to various


good causes, including scholarships for local children. Intrepid Travel supports not-


for-profit organisations in several of its destinations, including the International Mountain Explorers Connection, which works to improve conditions for porters. It’s this passion for the destination and the respect for locals that allow visitors to gain such a fantastic insight into the heart of this African gem. And when you’re on a bike, those experiences seem less sanitised.


w VILLAGE VIEW Several operators offer ‘cultural experiences’, but the


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