Machame Cultural Tour

Machame area is a mosaic of beautiful valleys, deep gorges, rivers, waterfalls, farms and it is the home base of the Chagga people. Here you can experience and witness the only agro-forestry “best practice,” an intensive farming system of intercropping of mixed crop using traditional irrigation. Machame is an ideal place for acclimatization before climbing the mountain. From many points the snow capped peak can be seen.Sieny-Ngira tour: This tour starts form the centre at Kyalia, and takes you through Kalali market to Masama. Sieny catchment forest is historically a sacred place of natural forests, bridges and caves where the local people worshipped during the traditional festivals. Big caves were used to accommodate about 200 Chagga with their animals. Another prominent attraction is the natural bridge called “Daraja la Mungu” or “God’s Bridge,” crossing the Marire and Namwi rivers, which feed a waterfall.

Ng’uni hiking: The Sienye-Ngira tour is combined with a hike to Ng’uni via Tema where there are views of Bomang’ombe, Kilimanjaro International Airport and Nure hills. At Ng’uni you can expect to learn how to build the oldest Chagga traditional house called Mbii. On request food and accommodation can be arranged in the traditional house. Before you return home your guide can take you to Mzee Urassa who will brief you on stingless bee keeping.

Nronga Tour: The tour begins with an uphill walk from Kyalia to Nronga village. The guide will tell you about the natural and climatic conditions that the Uhuru Peak summit climbers face at high altitudes. At Nronga you will be able to visit the women’s milk purification centre. Women will explain how the dairy cooperative empowers women of the area and stimulates economic growth. From Nronga descend to the Kalali women group, specialists for Cheese production near Kalali market. Kalali, like other places, has its colorful market days every Monday.

Nkuu Tour: Starting from Kyalia the walk takes you through the fertile banana and coffee farmlands where you can learn about an intensive cropping system of mixed crop farming. On request, traditional food will be made for you or you may become involved in the preparation and cooking of Chagga food. On your return you can choose any route according to your interest. Lyamungu Tour: This tour starts at Kyalia and leads you through Muwe, Nkuu village, river Weruweru to Lyamungu village where you can learn how coffee production assisted local people to become economically independent. Your guide will take you to the Lyamungu Coffee Research Institute where you will learn more about coffee production and can smell the aromas of different coffee types. Your stay in Lyamungu will also take you to the Narumu Women Pottery Centre, natural forest and the source of the Weruweru river. Home stays are available.

Mfuranungun View Point: This tour is ideal for acclimatizing because of its mountainous area. You start walking from Kyalia towards Nkwawangja, Nkweseko to Mfuranungun, where you can see Moshi town, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Lake Nyumba ya Mungu (House of God) and surroundings. Also, it is a source for most of Machame’s water springs. On your return you will learn about horticultural practice at Nkwewele, then hike via Mulotu to Marukeni. Finally you descend to the river Semira, which is stocked with trout.

Development Project: The profit will be used to subsidize various women and youth development activities within the area.