Materuni Waterfall and Kikuletwa Hot Springs
- Viewed - 280
Description
Materuni Waterfall and Kikuletwa Hot Springs : Materuni is the home of the Chagga tribe and is still an authentic tribal village. This charming place is just 15km away from Moshi Town and is the last village before the Kilimanjaro National Park. You will be picked up in Moshi in the morning, by our English-speaking guide, who will drive you to Materuni Village. Upon arrival, you will register at the village office and your trip can begin.
First you will visit the waterfalls, which are around a 40 minute walk away. On the way, your guide will inform you about the culture of the Chagga, village life and explain the surrounding fauna and flora. The views are truly breathtaking, and with some luck you will see the summit of
Kilimanjaro. When you reach the waterfalls, you will see that they are more than 80 meters high. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is an inviting place for a refreshing swim so don‘t forget your swimwear!
After having enjoyed the scenery, you slowly return with your guide to Materuni village, where you will experience a traditional Chagga lunch. You also will have the opportunity to taste our local banana beer – definitely not to be missed!
But that’s not all. Next the coffee experience awaits you. Here you will learn how coffee is cultivated, dried, roasted and further processed. You will also be invited to help with the
grinding of the coffee, which is traditionally accompanied by Chagga songs and dances – a fun way to immerse yourself in the local culture. Before you say goodbye, you can savour the coffee you made and appreciate the views of the surrounding rainforest.
After the coffee tour in Materuni your trip continues to the Kikuletwa Hot Springs. The ride to the
hot springs takes about an hour and 20 minutes and leads partly over bumpy slopes. First we go past sugar cane plantations, then we come to the African scrubland. Dried river beds, baobab and acacia trees accompany us on our way.
The hot springs of Kikuletwa, also known as Chemka Hot Springs, are close to the village of Rundugai and are one of the most beautiful places in Tanzania to relax. The small pond is surrounded by palm and fig trees with winding roots and the crystal clear, turquoise water invites you to a refreshing bath. Although they are called hot springs, the water in Kikuletwa is not truly ‘hot’ but refreshing, as the water source is fed by Kilimanjaro itself.
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon in just the way you want, in the sun dozing, chatting with the locals at the small bar, or swimming – you determine the course. We leave the hot springs in the late afternoon (just before sunset) and return relaxed to Moshi.
Prices / included services
| Pricing for the Materuni Waterfall & Coffee Tour and Hot Springs (per person) with private transport | ||||
| 1 Person | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons and more |
| 160 USD | 120 USD | 100 USD | 85 USD | 75 USD |
All prices are based on USD and include: English speaking village guide, private transport from/to Moshi with English speaking driver, the Chagga hot lunch, the coffee tour and traditional dance, bottled water and entry fees for the village, the waterfall and the hot springs.
The above mentioned rates are only valid for a group that has booked together and are independent of the total number of participants in the tour. For children the following discounts apply: 1 child under 5 years 100 % (further children under 5 years 50 %), 5-12 years 50 %. Children with a 100% discount are not included in the total number of the group. The stated children’s discounts are limited to 2 children per group. If more children (up to and including 12 years) travel with the group, we are gladly prepared to make you an individual offer.
You may pay for this tour in USD or equivalent in TZS (Tanzanian Shillings) on the date of the tour in cash. Please be aware that USD minted in 2006 or prior will not be accepted.
Visa & Entry
Accesible Tanzania
Travelling to Tanzania
Vehicles rented
Safari Booked
Happy Customers
If you go by car, the hotsprings are a 1,5 hour drive from Moshi and a good 2 hour drive from Arusha. You can organize your own taxi or book a tour with a registered tour business in Moshi or Arusha if you don’t want to deal with organizing it yourself or if you don’t know a reliable driver.
Another way to get there is by combining public transport and cheap local private transport. Start by taking a daladala (minibus) to Boma N’gombe and there, find a bajaji (tuktuk) that is willing to drive you to the hotsprings. Be aware that the road from Boma N’gombe is super bumpy and bajajis are definitely not the most comfortable means of transport.
As for the part in the daladala, it might be less bumpy but there’s a saying in Tanzania that goes ‘There’s 1 thing in Tanzania that is never full: a daladala’, so you should probably avoid this option if you struggle to share your private space with 17 others that are – just like you – sweating their lives away in a packed daladala. If you choose this option, leave early as it will take you much longer than 1,5 or 2 hours to get there.
Of course the price will depend on your means of transport and whether or not you use a tour operator or go there by yourself. And if you chose the taxi or public transport options, you’ll have to put your negotiating skills to the test in order to get a fair price for the bajaji or taxi part or you might end up paying just as much as the price of an organized tour.
The number of people in your group also has an important impact on the price and the difference between the different transport options can become bigger or smaller depending on this.
Here’s an idea of prices for a trip to the Kikuletwa hotsprings with Moshi as a starting point:
- Chemka hot springs day trip with a tour operator:
- A correct price would be around 45 USD per person in a group of 4 to 6 people, 55 USD per person in a group of 3 or 65 USD per person in a group of 2. This includes transport, entrance fees, food, drinks and the services of not necessarily a guide but a driver who knows the place, can give you more information about the hotsprings as well as Tanzania in general and who will take care of everything for you (including watching your stuff while you swim).
- You can find it for cheaper but if you do, it’s highly unlikely that you’re dealing with a registered tour business that pays taxes and licenses and does things by the book.
- By taxi:
- A taxi (normal car, max. 4 people) will take you to the hotsprings for around 100.000 TZS if you negotiate. For this amount they’re supposed to wait for you until you’re finished.
- Entrance fees charged range between 20.000 and 25.000 TZS per person if you go without a tour.
- For a group of 2 this brings the total to aprrox. 75.000 TZS or 33 USD per person excluding food, drinks and the services of a guide.
- Add around 7 USD per person for food and drinks at the hotsprings and you’ll pay a total of 40 USD per person without guide.
- By public transport:
- The daladala ride from Moshi to Boma N’gombe should cost no more than 2000 TZS per person.
- For the bajaji ride you really have to negotiate as they might ask you for more than the price of a taxi. It’s difficult to give an estimation as bajaji drivers can be very stubborn and stick to the way-too-high price they’re asking but you shouldn’t pay more than 30.000 TZS per bajaji. For this amount they’re supposed to wait for you until you’re finished. Keep in mind the fact that 4 people fit in a taxi and only 2 in a bajaji (you can fit 3 for short rides but don’t underestimate how long it’s going to take before you decide to take 1 bajaji for 3 people).
- Entrance fees charged range between 20.000 and 25.000 TZS per person if you go without a tour.
- For a group of 2 this brings the total to 42.000 TZS or 18 USD per person excluding food, drinks and the services of a guide.
- Add around 7 USD per person for food and drinks at the hotsprings and you’ll pay a total of 25 USD per person without guide.
If you have enough time, I’d say any option can work for you depending on your budget and how adventurous you want to get. If however, like many people who visit Tanzania, you only really have 1 or 2 days in Moshi or Arusha and just came back from a safari, you’ll probably be more tired than you’d expect and the tour operator or taxi option might be the better pick. Don’t forget to consider how important it is for you to have a driver that can give you more information as well, as you won’t get that service unless you book a tour with a tour company.
Facilities at the hotsprings are basic but you’ll find a bar/restaurant with simple local dishes, squat toilets, a place to rent goggles, tire tubes etc. and a changing cabin. They recently put some tables and benches but it’s usually not enough for everybody and they’re also not the most comfortable (or even just straight).
You should definitely bring a towel, a bathing suit and sun screen. If you have a GoPro or any other device that can shoot underwater videos and images, I’d definitely recommend that as well. But I’m sure the half-up-half-under pictures higher up in this post have already convinced you of that 
ACTIVITY INCLUDES:
-
Experience the strong natural currents when close to the water vents
-
Practice your water entry techniques using the rope swing
-
Take the pretty “Sugar Road” back to Moshi, passing Baobab trees and one of the largest sugar cane estates in Tanzania.
This activity is located near Moshi, a 2 hours drive from Nyumbani Hostel. We started our adventure at 9 o’clock in the morning and drove through the morning traffic of Arusha. After passing a few villages, evading a herd of donkeys and admiring the nature(on a clear day you´ll see the Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain of Africa) we reached our destination: The Kikuletwa Hot Springs also known as Maji Moto or Chemka Hot Springs.
I’ve rarely seen such clear and blue water! With big trees, palms and other plants surrounding the clear water, it seemed like we discovered a hidden oasis.
We´ve been there early, which I would recommend to take good photos because later it gets really crowded. If you have goggles or a GoPro, bring it! The sights under water are really stunning and material for good photos.
It’s possible to borrow a rubber ring for 5 000 shillings, which is definitely more relaxing because the current is pretty strong and swimming can be transformed into a small workout. 
Besides, there is a swing loop to use and jump in the water or try other stunts. If that´s not your thing just watch the guests or locals doing spins and somersaults at the robe or jumps from the five metre high tree. That´s a small attraction for itself.
While swimming or dipping your toes in the water you may feel a tickle. These are small fish which are eating your dead skin, mainly on your feet. Sounds weird or even disgusting, but remember somewhere else people are paying a lot of money to get this kind of pedicure.
After a few hours you will definitely be hungry. There are local restaurants where you can grab lunch. It is freshly made and very delicious! After swimming and being in the water, a real treat!
These Hot Springs are worth a visit, so will get a unique experience in this hidden paradise.
Price Range
Booking Inquiry
Location / Contacts
- Address : Arusha, Tanzania
- Phone : +255687590560
- Mail : info@serengetitrips.com
- Website : http://serengetitrips.com/
Add Review