The Namanga border is situated in Namanga town, dividing Kenya and Tanzania. In Kenya, it is located in Kajiado County, while in Tanzania, it is in the Longido District. The exact town at the border is called Namanga.
The Maasai people are the main occupants on both sides of the border, although there are also multiple tribes from both countries. Namanga primarily depends on tourism, though it also relies on imports and exports from Kenya and Tanzania as well.
The rural population of the town is about 5,500 people, while the urban population is approximately 10,000 people. To some extent, Namanga is a tourist town because it is commonly used by tourists traveling to and from Tanzanian and Kenyan national parks, especially those visiting Amboseli National Park and Serengeti National Park. Tourists visiting Amboseli National Park in Kenya pass through Namanga town.
Namanga offers some of the most stunning views of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and the spectacular Mount Meru can also be seen from Namanga.
To cross the Namanga border, tourists will need visas from both countries. You can apply for an e-visa online to avoid queuing and wasting time at the border, where those without visas will be required to fill in the visa form before crossing. Those with e-visas will be required to show their printouts, so ensure you carry your printed e-visa.
East Africans crossing the Namanga border will need a passport or alternative travel documents and a national identity card.
You need to fill in the entry and exit cards for both countries; for those traveling by bus or shuttle, the cards will be provided. Your passport should also be valid for at least the next six months, and the visa should be up-to-date.
A seven-day grace period is given to drivers with cars bearing number plates from another country; after the seven days elapse, you will be required to pay $20 per month as a temporary road license. You need to fill out a form from the border crossing point or obtain one from a local revenue authority to be allowed to drive for seven days free of charge.
Kenya and Tanzania are both tourist destinations where travelers often wish to visit both countries during their trip to East Africa. The good news is that both countries have agreed that tourists wishing to travel from one country to the other and then return back to the first country will only need a single entry visa and won’t need to apply for a new return visa.
Namanga is located 120 kilometers from Arusha town and 180 kilometers from Nairobi.
The Namanga border is safe, but it’s important for travelers to be cautious as there are many people along the way to the border offering insurance and money exchange services. Although they can be very convincing, you need to be vigilant as not all of them are honest.
Visit the Maasai
The Maasai people have a very distinctive culture and traditional wear, reasons they are famous and well-known by tourists traveling to Africa. Namanga is mainly dominated by the Maasai people, and you can visit their villages and support the community by paying a small fee. At the Maasai village, you will enjoy traditional dance performances and songs, learn about their way of life, and if you want to experience what it feels like to be a Maasai, you can participate in some of their daily activities like cattle grazing and preparing a local meal.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is located close to the Namanga border, covering an area of 392 square kilometers. Tourists coming to Tanzania and wanting to visit Amboseli National Park can pass through the Namanga border and drive to the park. Amboseli National Park is renowned for its beautiful views of Africa’s highest mountains and large herds of elephants.
The word Amboseli is derived from a local Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” due to the white dust on the marram road to the park.
Amboseli National Park is rich in diverse wildlife, with 80 different species of animals recorded, and it’s also a birders’ paradise, boasting over 400 species of birds. Some of the common wildlife at the park include African bush elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, spotted hyenas, giraffes, impalas, bushbucks, and many others.
Birdwatchers can spot species such as greater flamingos, steel-blue whydahs, spike-heeled larks, African swamp hens, common redshanks, rufous-bellied herons, Hartlaub’s bustards, long-toed lapwings, Von der Decken’s hornbills, pangani longclaws, Taveta golden weavers, yellow-necked spurfowls, dusky turtle doves, speckled pigeons, mourning collared doves, white-faced whistling ducks, northern pintails, African black ducks, helmeted guinea fowls, little grebes, chestnut-bellied sandgrouses, Kori bustards, great spotted cuckoos, red-chested cuckoos, red-knobbed coots, and grey crowned cranes, to mention a few.
