Katumba: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Katumba is a city of 108,558 people in Tanzania (Mbeya), 1,387 m (4,551 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Songwe Airport (MBI), 51 km (32 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Katumba runs from about 11 h 37 min a day in late June to 12 h 42 min in late December (computed for -9.23° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Katumba is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Songwe Airport (MBI), 51 km (32 mi) from the centre, whose 10,925-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
Flights to Katumba: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Katumba · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Mbeya, 41 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Sumbawanga, 261 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Songea, 275 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mzuzu, 252 km (Malawi)
- Tunduma, 94 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Ifakara, 359 km — buses · car rental
- Iringa, 281 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kasama, 288 km (Zambia)
- Makumbako, 140 km — buses · car rental · tours
Common questions
Which airport serves Katumba?
Songwe Airport (MBI), 51 km (32 mi) from the centre.
How big is Katumba?
About 108,558 people live in Katumba (GeoNames).
What time zone is Katumba in?
Africa/Dar_es_Salaam, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Katumba?
The Shilling (TZS). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Katumba?
Mbeya (41 km), Sumbawanga (261 km), Songea (275 km), Mzuzu (252 km), Tunduma (94 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.