Materuni Waterfalls Day Tour

Description

Itinerary

Inclusions

This very impressive Waterfall is one of the tallest in the area, spewing crystal clear glacier water 70m into its basin. The beautiful path leading to Materuni Waterfall is located 2500m above sea level. It traverses thru valleys and hills covered by tropical rainforest, past coffee, banana, and avocado "shambas", the Kiswahili word for farms. On a clear day, great views of Kibo and Moshi can be seen. The hike to the base of the Waterfall can be demanding and hiking boots are recommended. Upon reaching the bottom a picnic lunch will be served before returning to Materuni village, the starting point of the hike. Hiking boots and a pole are highly recommended. If a pole is not available the guide will construct one from tree branches found in the area.

On the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro lies the village of Materuni. It is one of the many villages in Tanzania populated by the Chagga tribe. Materuni village produces many perishable goods including yam, sugar, maize, and beans. However, the main crop that is grown is coffee. In the village you will be able to learn about the process from which coffee is grown, to when it is finally poured, steaming hot into the cup. You will pick your own coffee, remove the cover, and then with coffee that has been previously dried out, crush it into coffee granules. After experiencing the complete coffee production process you will be able to enjoy your very own, satisfying and rewarding cup of fresh coffee.

You will also learn how the Chagga tribe lives, such as their home set-up, the types of food they cook and eat, and how they rear their animals.

Day 1: Moshi /Arusha to Materuni Waterfall

Pickup at your hotel in Moshi after breakfast Around 20 -30 minutes outside of Moshi is Materuni waterfalls. As this trip is so close by it is ideal for those people with limited time but who would still like to see some of the nature and beauty that this region of Tanzania has to offer. These falls are smaller than the previously described Ndoro, but still pretty impressive at 150 meters high and definitely a sight worth seeing.

From Materuni Village we will walk some 30 minutes to the waterfall. The walk itself is extremely interesting, as you will see some smaller waterfalls and lots of waterways which are part of the irrigation system of the local farmers who grow coffee, bananas, and many other fruits and vegetables.

At the waterfall, you can even refresh in the cool and crystal clear water – don’t forget to bring your swimwear! Here you will also break for lunch before doing a short tour of Materuni village to see the typical life of the Chagga tribe. The village, located at a height of around 1300 m (4300 ft) above sea level is set within a dramatic landscape of high rises and deep valleys, all covered by tropical rain forest.

Coffee Tour

Materuni village produces many perishable goods including yam, sugar, maize, and beans. However, the main crop that is grown is coffee. In the village you will be able to learn about the process from which coffee is grown, to when it is finally poured, steaming hot into the cup.

You will pick your own coffee, remove the cover, and then with coffee that has been previously dried out, crush it into coffee granules. After experiencing the complete coffee production process you will be able to enjoy your very own, satisfying and rewarding cup of fresh coffee. You will also learn how the Chagga tribe lives, such as their home set-up, the types of food they cook and eat, and how they rear their animals. After the tour, we will drop you at your hotel at end of the tour.

MEALS: LUNCH