What to do in Moshi after Kilimanjaro hike?
What to do in Moshi after Kilimanjaro hike?
Moshi is a vibrant town in northern Tanzania, on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s the administrative district and headquarters of the Kilimanjaro region. If you are going for a Kilimanjaro climb, your base will be in this beautiful town. You will have to drive for two good hours from the Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is the base for most safaris in northern Tanzania.
The common mistake most travelers do is underestimate Moshi. They go there to hike Kilimanjaro. But there are a lot of things to do in Moshi besides climbing this majestic mountain. Our article below features the best things to do in this vibrant town.
Kikuletwa Hot Springs
A one-hour drive from Moshi town leads the way to Kikuletwa Hot Springs. This a warm oasis where you can swim, snorkel, and even dive into the crystal-clear waters. The drive is an adventure in itself. You will view Mount Kilimanjaro from a distance as well as local villages and coffee and banana plantations along the way. If swimming isn’t the only thing you want to do, then try rope swing. It’s a funny thing worth a try. The tour is worth spending five good hours and will take your jet lag or hiking fatigue away.
Materuni Waterfall
Materuni is another thing you don’t want to miss while in Moshi. The falls are 17 meters high, dropping into a valley causing trembling of the surrounding environment. The waterfalls are located in the Materuni Village, 15 kilometers from Moshi. Here, you will get some of the best photos for your memory. We don’t recommend taking a bath because you may be hit by pebbles that fall with water sometimes. There’s also a chance to hike into the pristine forest surrounding these falls.
Coffee tour
The majority of Moshi residents, the Chagga people, are farmers growing coffee and bananas. A coffee tour is a must-do thing while you are in Moshi, especially after or before your Kilimanjaro hike. You will visit large coffee plantations, meet farmers, and more importantly learn how coffee is processed from beans into mug. The best and interesting part is how they grind the beans. Locals collaborate in doing this process by singing vibrant songs. Include a Chagga lunch in this tour for a more rewarding journey.
Moshi Town Tour
You can also simply spy the town of Moshi with a bike, car, or on foot. This town is perfectly designed and made unique to create a unique appeal to both visitors. Go into markets or shops to buy souvenirs. We highly recommend doing this with the help of a motorbike as it enables you to exercise and make yourself fit. In the streets, you can taste a variety of street foods, such as chipsi mayai, mtori, and nyama choma. Open-air markets also sell the best products, from clothes to beads and bracelets.
A visit to Rau Forest
Rau Forest hosts some of the pristine forests and woodlands in Moshi. This forest is located 3 kilometers from Moshi and spans about 1,433 acres (5.8 square kilometers). The main highlight in Rau Forest is a variety of tree species, such as Oxystigma Msoo, Kilimanjaro mahogany, and Milicia excelsa (Mvule in Swahili), the largest and oldest tree in East Africa.
There are colobus monkeys in the forest, forest antelopes, and various birds living in the forest. Last but not least, crowds aren’t common in Rau, making it the right spot to escape the crowd in town for at least 3 hours. Hiking, walking, birding, and photographing are the main activities done here.
Don’t stay frustrated at your lodge after your hike. Get out to breathe fresh air in the outskirts of Moshi. You can take a local guide or do it alone, though we recommend hiring a local guide.
