Restaurant Review Iringa: Mama Iringa

 

Dining area

Mama Iringa is an Iringa establishment, a cozy location just outside of town with delicious Italian food and a few rooms that serve as a guesthouse as well. Iringa is blessed with many large and diverse farms that produce a variety of high quality vegetables, meats, cheeses and other food items. The region punches far above it's weight when it comes to quality of food and Mama Iringa takes full advantage of the availability. The restaurant has been around for about 15 years and is run by an Italian woman. The restaurant is small but capable of hosting large groups and an indoor courtyard is an excellent place to have an afternoon coffee. 

While the ambiance and food are great, the most notable food item is the pizza, which I find to be world class. High quality ingredients with a brick oven results in several tasty combinations. I am partial to the Diavola with its spicy sausage but you really can't go wrong.

Kisolanza Farmhouse in September

 

Miombo trees putting out their leaves by the dam

 

A home away from home, even a night at Kisolanza Farmhouse can be rejuvenating (previous trips). I always look forward to the varied farm fresh menu, as well as the network of walking trails to enjoy in the cool climate. This time of year it is dry and cool with some miombo trees just starting to put their leaves out. We saw our first Barn Swallows of the year and there were plenty of birds around. When the sun was shining the weather was comfortable enough to only wear a t-shirt while strolling. 

There were two or three groups of overlanders and we were happy to see them using patronizing the location. Although southern highlands residents enjoy frequenting Kisolanza it is truly built for overlanders. Even though they are usually found in large groups they tend to be a respectful and interesting bunch of folks. There has been a change from these groups being dominated by under 30s to being more frequently composed of over 50s. They have massive converted bus-like vehicles that plod through a few African countries mixing camping with other types of accommodation. Average trips are four weeks long and I assume they have different themes like culture, wildlife, etc.

A weekend trip was just what we needed. It wasn't too cold at night but I couldn't help myself and still enjoyed a fire after a delicious roast beef dinner. 

I love the style of the cabins, a perfect mix between rustic and natural while also having a high standard

Breakfast is a favorite for sure, the don't usually wax poetic about yogurt, but in this case it is a real highlight along with the homemade strawberry jam

Dry season flowers at camp

 

Dry season flowers in the beginning of September

On first glance the dry season climate can appear lifeless with no rainfall for three consecutive months. But at certain times of the dry season there are signs of life with several species of trees and shrubs alike putting out flowers. My excitement for the flowering shrubs has grown due to my appreciation for the rarity of the event. The majority of the year many of the shrubs have a rather tough appearance, I would certainly not describe them as aesthetically pleasing. And shrubs take present in high densities so it's easy to write them off as an uninteresting part of the rugged landscape. 

Wildlife will quickly locate the flowers, whether they are birds or even elephants, all searching for energy to power through the long harsh dry season.

A lone cassia flowering

Ruaha National Park in September

Baobab tree, absolutely ICONIC

September is a great month for visiting Ruaha National Park. The crowds are low and the area is dry providing clearer views of wildlife. The Ruaha River is still flowing and there are some pools of water on the Mwagusi River. The nights are cold but it heats up quickly with typical cloudless sunny days.

I have been told by those in the tourism industry that it is the shoulder season. This means the already quiet Ruaha National Park is nearly empty and virtually any sightings you will have to yourself.

Having breakfast by the Mwagusi River