Duration: 2 – 4 hours (short excursion) – Full-day (longer lake passage)
Services that can be included:
– Guided visit and boarding of the MV Liemba at Kigoma port
– Local guide explaining the ship’s history
– Assistance with scheduling around the ferry’s limited sailing dates
– Onward short lake journey where the schedule allows
– Optional extras: cabin upgrade for longer passages, combine with a Lake Tanganyika boat safari
Price: $25 – $80 / person (a short dockside visit and boarding costs less; a longer lake passage costs more depending on cabin class)
– Free cancellation 24 hours before
– Free consultation on WhatsApp
– Fully customizable duration and inclusions
– The MV Liemba sails only a few times a month, so schedules must be confirmed in advance
– Price depends on schedule, class, and group size
Sail on One of the World’s Oldest Working Ferries
Built in Germany in 1913 and shipped to Lake Tanganyika in pieces before being assembled at Kigoma, the MV Liemba survived scuttling during the First World War and restoration, and still carries passengers and cargo along the lake today.
Depending on the sailing schedule, you can either tour the historic vessel at dock or join it for a stretch of its journey along the Tanzanian shoreline. Message our Kigoma booking managers on WhatsApp for a free consultation and current sailing dates.
A Living Piece of Maritime History
The MV Liemba is widely regarded as one of the oldest passenger ferries still in operation anywhere in the world, having served on Lake Tanganyika for well over a century under German, British, and eventually Tanzanian administration.
Its slow, irregular schedule and weathered decks are part of its charm, offering travellers a rare, tangible link to the lake’s colonial-era history alongside sweeping views of the shoreline as it sails.

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