Side Trips

Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park features a variety of landscapes from volcano craters to rain forests. Filled with the cool water descending form the slopes of Mt. Meru, the park boasts a number of beautiful crater lakes that can be seen with an abundance of hippos enjoying their pools. You can do some hiking with an armed ranger at the Ngurdoto Crater and the Mt. Meru Crater. The wildlife includes colobus monkeys, velvet monkeys, bushbucks, buffaloes, red forest duikers, hippos, elephants and giraffes. Birdlife, especially waterfowl, is abundant and interesting.

Marangu Tour
After breakfast we will drive to the Kinukamori Waterfalls in Marangu where you can have a nice walk to see the waterfalls from the bottom and from the top. Then a local guide will show us the village of Marangu and its culture and traditions. Lunch includes the best of local cuisine: Nyama choma (spiced roasted meat) with banana soup and drinks. Try Mbege, the traditional brew of the Chagga ethnic group, a fermented alcoholic beverage made from finger millet and bananas. You will also see coffee plantations and the irrigation system set up by the villagers for their crops.

Masai Boma
Visiting a Masaai village in the Machame/Sanya Juu Area, you will have the change to enter a typical Masaai house and learn about the Masaai's everyday life. The highlight of the visit is the demonstration of the traditional warrior's dance and women's singing.

Jungle Walk
A local guide will pick you up from the hotel and will first walk with you through the rice fields which are fed by the water of the nearby springs. You can have a nice chat with the local farmes who are very friendly. Then you will reach a lush rain forest which is home to many birds, several species of monkeys and other wildlife. After 2-3 hours we will return to the Springlands Hotel to have lunch. Later in the afternoon you might want to take our shuttle bus to get to know Moshi town.

Lake Chala
Lake Chala is situated at the Western slopes of Kilimanjaro near the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, about two and a half hours drive from Moshi. With a depth of more than 3000 m it is the deepest inland water body in Africa. Its water is incredibly clear and plenty of fish can be seen, but swimming is not recommended. The walk at the lake offers interesting views, but is a bit challenging. It is common to spot lizards, baboons, different species of monkeys and snakes.

Nyumba ya Mungu
Nyumba ya Mungu ("The house of God") is a hydroelelectric water reservoir fed by crystal clear water running down the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming and walking around the dam to enjoy the spectacular views. Also local people can be visited. The lake is about two-hour drive from the Moshi.