Activities

These are indiginous Nyakyusa women weaving mats from banana plants.This is one of the Cultural Tourism product in Ngonga Kyela Mbeya Tanzania 

Tours

EnviCulture trains local tour guides to guide clients to Kyela’s attractions and the villages en route. It is our belief that tourists should be hosted by the people living near the attractions for their own financial sustainability.Tours include the following:


1.THE KILAMBO HOT WATER SPRINGS in Ibonde village is 7 kilometers from the Kyela Township on the Kyela-Mbeya main road.The area is about 5 hectares big which has a widespread of hotwater springs from underground.There are two hills small and big hills called Mwampulo a name having been given to a foreign missionary who lived there during the German colonial rule, within the area there is small forrest good for beekeeping.Despite the water being hot,it is also salty leaving salty residue which the indeginous people used and still bring livestock for grazing the grass around but also licking the graphite to enrich their livestock with the graphite mineral.The Kilambo river which gives the name of the springs is said to have been a very big river but due to deforestation and hence climate change the river has remained with very little water flowing.There is very good scenery of the area but good for bird viewers.The place is good for camping to overnight but also half or full day viewing.


2.THE KATAGHO FOREST.This is a legend forest 6 kilometers from the Kyela Township on the Kyela Mbeya mainroad believed to have been a place where children born lame which was considered a misfortune and shame to the family after all the trials of healing failed,were disposed here and were left to die.Because of a small population then,the forest was very far away from human settlements and this was made a secret place where only elders would come for the activity.Because of many deaths it was such that during the nights cries were heard from a far,flames of fire were were also seen and many other abnormal happenings and this made people afraid of going there.The word Kathago is a Nyakyusa word meaning a place to throw.A tour here would be a half day tour


3.SUSPENSION BRIDGES.Kyela has 2 suspension bridges on the Kiwira river one in Ndandalo village a walking distance from the township and another in Kasumulu area about 12 kilometers from Kyela on the Mbeya-Malawi highway.These are bridges made by wire for the people to cross the river bothways before the construction of the bridge in Ipyana nut also because the bridge is far from other villages these suspension bridge make it easy for people with bicycles,motorcycles and those on foot to cross the river for daily activities.

4.THE KINGILI CRATER LAKE This is a crater lake which does not dry about 20 kilometers from Kyela township,5 kilometers from Ipinda on the way to or from Matema.It is also on the way to or from Tukuyu from Ipinda.


Tree Planting

One of our main Environmental Conservation projects is tree planting. This involves the preparation of nurseries as well as the planting itself. In towns, we plant in open spaces and streets for shade and decoration. In villages, we plant both for firewood for the use of village families, as well as to replace the trees that have already been cut to produce charcoal. This project is in accordance with the Tanzanian government’s target of planting 1,500,000 trees/year in every district throughout the country.

Arts & Crafts

EnviCulture encourages its members to use the resources surrounding them to create art-pieces for sale. Products include hats, mats woven from banana leaves, wood carvings, desk accessories made from bamboo and hand made clay sculptures. This work is intended to revive their creativity and transform them from financial dependence to profit making. It also has the effect of keeping residents (including youth) occupied and away from destructive activities (drugs, alcohol and sex abuse). EnviCulture markets the finished products. 

Drama Group

The group was formed with the aim of awareness creation to the public on Cultural Tourism and Environmental Conservation using visual arts like cultural dances,music and local songs sang individually or in groups.. The participants are members of the local community. The group travels to various villages in Kyela to give presentations creating awareness to the livelihoods. We intend to develop the group to the point of creating audio cassettes, video cassettes and DVDs, for income-generating purposes alleviating poverty.

These are tourists watching hot water flowing from within a rock which is just sensational.The water temperature goes as far as 100 degrees centigrade.The place is called The Kilambo hot springs.

This is our  tree nursery,to supply trees to be planted in human settlements,institutions like schools,churches,mosques as an afforestation within the Kyela district.Tree planting is one of the mitigation steps towards,environmental conservation in Kyela  Mbeya Tanzania,working on climate change

these are our nurseries

This is pottery in Ikombe and Lyulilo where this is a generational hereditary activity for generations