Kondoa's greatest draw is its prehistoric rock art, a UNESCO World Heritage Site scattered across the Irangi Hills. The paintings attributed to the Sandawe people — descendants of the ancient San — span thousands of years and range from faded red animals to vivid human figures engaged in hunting and ceremony. Permits and guides are arranged through the Department of Antiquities office at Kolo, around 30 km north of town.
Beyond the rock art, the eroded badlands near Haubi offer stark, dramatic scenery unlike anything else in Tanzania, while the town itself rewards a slow walk past its German colonial buildings and the grand new mosque that now anchors the market quarter.