Kongwa

Kongwa is a town in eastern Dodoma Region, located on the central plateau at about 1,000 m elevation. It gained notoriety during the post-war period as the site of a failed British colonial groundnut scheme (1946–1951), when vast tracts of bush were cleared for mechanised peanut farming — an environmental and economic disaster that has shaped the landscape. Today Kongwa is an agricultural and pastoralist centre with scattered game in the open acacia-commiphora plains.

Kongwa is about 70 km southeast of Dodoma on a tarmac road. Buses from Dodoma take about 1.5 hours.

The town is walkable. To explore the plains and the groundnut scheme remains, you need a vehicle.

• Groundnut Scheme ruins — overgrown railway sidings, derelict British-era machinery sheds, and rows of concrete water tanks are scattered in the bush around Kongwa.

• Kongwa Plains — open savannah with zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, and ostrich, accessible via unmarked bush tracks.

• Kongwa Mission — a historic mission station with a church and primary school.

• Game viewing — the open plains around Kongwa host modest populations of plains game; not a formal park but free-roaming wildlife.

• Historical walk — explore the abandoned groundnut scheme infrastructure with a local guide.

• Visit the Anglican mission — by arrangement, the mission welcomes visitors interested in the area's post-colonial history.

Small restaurants in Kongwa serve ugali, beans, and goat stew.

Chai, sodas, and bottled water at local shops.

Kongwa Religious Centre — basic guesthouse accommodation. Otherwise day trip from Dodoma.

Local honey and sunflower oil from the market.

Dodoma (70 km northwest). Mpwapwa (50 km northeast). Mikumi National Park (180 km east). Kilosa (150 km east).