The market square at the centre of Kondoa is the social and commercial hub of the town, and also where buses from Arusha, Dodoma, Singida, and Tanga terminate and depart. It is at its liveliest in the early morning, when produce traders set up on the open ground and the smell of frying dough and wood smoke fills the air. The spiced coffee served from small kiosks around the bus stand — strong, sweet, and flavoured with cardamom and cloves — is something that deserves to be sought out.
The market reflects the town's position on the old caravan route: it has a distinctly Islamic feel, with most traders and stallholders Swahili-speaking and Muslim. Women in colourful kanga cloth move efficiently between stalls; older men sit in the shade playing bao on wooden boards. The pace is unhurried even when the square is full.
This is also the best place to find transport to Kolo for the rock art sites: minibuses and pick-ups heading north pass through in the morning, and a seat can usually be negotiated for a reasonable price with a bit of patience.