Iringa Travel Guide: Iringa is a provincial capital in the Tanzanian Southern Highlands, very picturesquely situated on an escarpment at an altitude of 1600 m a.s.l.

It is a peaceful town with surprisingly few tourists.Within reach from Iringa are the Isimila Stone Age site, Ruaha National Park and the western parts of Udzungwa National Park.

It is a great place to base yourself to explore the southern part of Tanzania. Riverside campsite just out of town on the Dar road can help you find the best places to visit.

They have a new campsite at the newly opened Msosa gate to the Uduzungwa mountains, and can help with trips to Ruaha or Mufindi, whatever your budget. They also have a very good language school there.

Places to see in town:

Neema Crafts (www.neemacrafts.com) workshop is a must. Make sure you have a tour of the workshops to see this amazing project for the disabled. paper making (from elephant dung!), weaving, candle making, recyling glass bottles to make beads for beaded jewellery.

A great cafe serving fresh ground coffee, real delicious and safe ice cream, cakes to die for and lovely light lunches and a book exchange to top up on your holiday reading,

This is a great place to network, especially with NGO workers who come to use their Development library in the cafe. Also they have a fabulous physiotherapy unit for disabled people.

Also in town, Gangilonga rock if well worth the climb, but go in a group.Hasty Tasty too is a good if little cramped cafe.

The market is also one of the best in Tanzania, visit the ‘basket market’ for the traditional Iringa Baskets.

There is a good international school here (Iringa international school) catering for nursery to 15 yr olds.