Nestled in the lush foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Chagga village of Materuni offers one of northern Tanzania’s most rewarding cultural experiences. This day trip combines a scenic hike through banana and coffee plantations to the spectacular 80-metre Materuni Waterfall with a hands-on coffee-making workshop led by local Chagga farmers. You pick ripe coffee cherries, roast them over an open fire, grind them by hand, and taste the freshest cup of Arabica coffee you will ever drink. The experience includes a traditional Chagga lunch cooked by village women and an opportunity to learn about the community’s centuries-old farming traditions, all against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro’s glaciated summit.
Depart Arusha at approximately 8:00 AM for the one-and-a-half-hour drive to Materuni village. Begin with a coffee workshop where you process beans from cherry to cup. After coffee tasting, hike approximately forty-five minutes through plantations and forest to the Materuni Waterfall, with an option to swim in the natural pool. Return to the village for a traditional Chagga lunch. The hike is gentle with some uneven paths. Return to Arusha by approximately 4:00 PM.