Mteta Tanzania Guide

All you need to know about Mtera Tanzania Travel Guide, Destinations, Attractions and tourist lodges in Tanzania. You have to know that it was once a small village with 200 inhabitants in the Rift Valley between Iringa and Dodoma , until a huge dam was built across the Ruaha River and created a large reservoir called Mtera reservoir.

The dam was completed in 1981 as a storage reservoir for the power plant at Kidatu. Later two turbines were installed also at Mtera with a capacity of 80 MW, which makes it a major contributor of energy in Tanzania . Mtera reservoir is one of the best places for birdwatching in Tanzania .

The shallow waters at the former Logi Mbuga can be particularly recommended.

To go there you turn west from the main road at Chipogoro. At Logi village guides can be easily obtained.

Another excellent birdwatching site is Pakwaya (or Takanya) mbuga at the main road between Mtera and Chipogoro.

An mbuga is a seasonal wetland and this site is not connected to the main reservoir. Note that it is not allowed to take photos at the dam and the hydropower plant.

As always when visiting rural, non-touristic areas in Tanzania , courtesy visits should be made to the village governments in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Mtera reservoir can be combined with a visit to Ruaha National Park and in fact the two are part of the same ecosystem.

The reservoir is an important water source for the animals during the dry seasons.

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