Mpwapwa

Mpwapwa is a historic town at 1,500 m elevation in southeastern Dodoma Region, situated on the slopes of the Mpwapwa Hills overlooking the Wami River valley. It was a key colonial-era station — the Church Missionary Society established a mission here in 1884, and German colonial forces built a fort and a railway link. Today it is a quiet administrative and educational centre, known for the Mpwapwa Teacher's College and its cool highland climate.

Mpwapwa is about 100 km east of Dodoma on the road to Morogoro (part of the new expressway). Regular buses and dala-dalas run from Dodoma (2 hours).

The town is small and walkable. To reach the mission church and hill viewpoints, you'll need a taxi or motorbike.

• CMS Church (St Mary's) — one of the oldest Anglican churches in Tanzania, built in the 1880s by the Church Missionary Society.

• Mpwapwa Fort — ruins of a German colonial fort from the 1890s, with good views of the Wami valley.

• Mpwapwa Hills — walking trails through the hills and miombo woodland, with birds, butterflies, and views over the grasslands.

• Hill walking — guided walks from the mission to the Mpwapwa viewpoint (1 hour).

• Visit the teacher's college — by arrangement, a welcome institution that has trained generations of Tanzanian teachers.

• Mpwapwa Hotel Restaurant — the main eatery, serving ugali, rice, beans, and nyama choma.
• Street food — chipsi mayai and mishkaki at the bus stand.

Chai and bottled drinks are available at the hotel. Pack bottled water from Dodoma.

• Mpwapwa Hotel — basic but clean rooms with a restaurant.
• District Guesthouse — simpler government-run accommodation.

Small market stalls sell local honey, groundnuts, and woven baskets.

Dodoma (100 km west). Morogoro (150 km east). Mikumi National Park (200 km east). Kilolo (80 km southeast, in Iringa).