Cultural & Day Trips

The Mkomazi National Park is located in the northern part of Tanzania, between Moshi and Tanga. The park finds itself in a beautiful setting with both the Pare and Usambara mountains towering above its boundaries. Depending on the weather, Mount Kilimanjaro can also be seen from the park. In terms of vegetation, Mkomazi marks the southern tip of the Sahel zone which resembles that of a dry, desert like landscape. Due to the climate, the vegetation primarily consist of acacia-commiphora woodlands and towards the western mountains the vegetation changes to a dry land forest.

The main source of water in Mkomazi comes from the Umba River in the southeast. Apart from that, the park sees very little precipitation all year round making game drives along the river area definitely worthwhile.

Tucked just this side of the Kenyan border and near to the busy city of Arusha lies the little-known jewel of Tanzania, Arusha National Park. At its heart is the 4566m Mount Meru, popular with mountaineers avoiding the too-well-trodden paths of Kilimanjaro. Arusha National Park is less visited than the more famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, but it’s for you if you want a beautiful landscape with an incredible variety of flora and fauna – but less people!

Arusha National Park has an awe-inspiring blend of vegetation which includes swamp, grasslands and montane forest and, of course, the mountain slopes of Meru which are swathed in tropical rainforest. It’s a unique eco-system that attracts thousands of animals and birds. Our Forgotten Pearl Day Safari will give you the opportunity of getting up close and personal to the animals on a walking safari, but also lets you take in the landscapes on a glorious game drive.

Ngorongoro crater is just one part of a larger area of interrelated ecosystems consisting of the crater highlands (to which the Ngorongoro Crater belongs) together with larger stretches of plains bush and woodland. Ngorongoro conservation area covers an area of about 8300 sq km. Near its centre is the olduvai Gorge where many fossils have been earthed. Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s best known wildlife – viewing areas. The crater is about 20kms wide and it is one of the largest calderas in the world.

Within its walls is a variety of animals and vegetation, including grasslands, swamps, forests, salt pans, a fresh water lake and rich wildlife. The wildlife found includes Rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalos, wildebeests, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras reedbucks etc.

Tarangire is the least visited of the parks along Tanzania’s northern circuit, and it’s a crying shame. The park’s large elephant population, iconic Baobab trees, and diversity of wildlife make it one of the best parks in the country for taking breathtaking photos or simply basking in the beauty of the world’s largest land mammals.

Game drives through Tarangire are particularly thrilling during the dry season when the animals of the park must cluster closer and closer to the Tarangire River. This offers a great opportunity to see plenty of animals in one place and to witness the predator-prey relationship in action.

Stretching for 50 kilometers along the base of the rusty–gold 600 meters high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. Lake Manyara National Park covers an area of 330 square kilometers which is equivalent to 127 square miles, of which up to 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) is covered by Lake Manyara when water levels are high.

Lake Manyara National Park is located in northern Tanzania. The entrance gate lies 1.5 hours (126 kilometers/ 80 miles) west of Arusha along a newly surfaced road, close to the ethnically diverse market town of Mto wa Mbu. You can reach Lake Manyara National Park by road, by charter, or by scheduled flight from Arusha Airport en–route to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Lake Manyara National Park can be visited during the dry season which is July–October for large animals. The wet season is (November–June) for bird watching, the waterfalls, and canoeing special activity.

The tranquillity and peace of Lake Chala seem a thousand lifetimes away from the bustle of Moshi town, but it’s actually only an hour’s drive away, so perfect for a day trip with a difference. Lake Chala is a caldera lake fed by clean, cold underground streams from Kilimanjaro itself, and it’s renowned for its gloriously changing colours; from deepest turquoise to emerald green to azure and all colours in between.

It’s a perfect place to relax and unwind and you’ve the choice of hiking the picture-perfect countryside around the lake, swimming in its sparkling waters (don’t forget your cozzie!) or kayaking across the border to Kenya. Or all three! It’s a day full of getting up close and personal to one of the greatest (and quietest) treasures of Tanzania.

Nestled in the patchwork foothills of magnificent Kilimanjaro lies the beautiful village of Materuni, home to our Chagga friends and famous for its aromatic, rich coffee. On this fragrant and fun day out you’ll get a chance to make your own cup of coffee the proper way and you’ll find out the secret to the perfect cup of coffee from the local Chagga people. Next you’ll hike the short but challenging route to the Materuni Falls and you can stand under the waters as they cascade into a tranquility pool that’s safe for bathing. And you’ll want to jump straight in – after getting sweaty (ok, glowing!) from your hike, there’s nothing more soothing than floating in the cool waters. Enjoy your packed lunch before or after your swim – there are no rules!

Start your mini-adventure with the short but fascinating drive from Moshi up the lush slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to the village of Materuni, approximately 1,800 m above sea level. This is market garden territory and has the perfect mixture of climate and soil to produce some of the best coffee in Africa. You’ll visit a coffee farm and learn about how coffee is grown, harvested and processed, and you’ll try your hand at roasting and preparing a fresh cup of coffee the Chagga way. After a delightful coffee break (so much better than the ones at work!) you’ll take a beautiful 45-minute hike through the hills and valleys en route to the Materuni Falls. You’ll pass through banana and coffee plantations, up and down mini-valleys, across ridges and through narrow splashing rivulets. Along the way your guide will teach you about local plants and how they are used for food and traditional medicine, as well as giving you more insight into the local Chagga culture.

It’s your chance to ask questions about a lifestyle that’s probably very different from your own! You’ll hear the Falls before you see them, and once they come into view, you might be lucky enough to see a rainbow sheen as the splashing waters split the sunlight. The Falls are hidden away in a pristine valley with cliffs towering to 200ft overhead. The mountain waters falls straight down in a shimmering curtain to splash in the rippling pool where you can float, take a swim

This vast area, which used to be a hunting ground for Europeans during the 1800s, is home to members of many different tribes, peacefully co-existing as neighbors. Although the game has long since migrated, it is still a haven to many animal species, including a variety of birds. When you reach Kikuletwa it will appear as an oasis surrounded by sprawling fig trees, in the middle of this semi arid landscape. You will see crystal clear water bubbling from underground caves, giving the impression that it is boiling, hence the name “Hot-springs”.

Picture When you reach Kikuletwa it will appear as an oasis surrounded by sprawling fig trees, in the middle of this semi arid landscape. You will see crystal clear water bubbling from underground caves, giving the impression that it is boiling, hence the name “Hot-springs”. The water is perfectly refreshing and if you brought your bathing suit, this is your time to take a dip and relax in the shade of the trees. After a picnic lunch we will start making our way back to Moshi via back gravel roads, taking you past the Kilavu river and sugar cane plantations about 30 minutes prior to arriving back in Moshi late afternoon.