Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour: Day Trip from Moshi

This Materuni Waterfalls day trip from Moshi shows you a side of Kilimanjaro that many visitors miss. Just 30 km from Moshi, the Chagga village of Materuni sits at around 1,500 metres on the mountain's lower slopes, where farmland meets the edge of the rainforest and Kilimanjaro appears between the trees.

The heart of the day is a hike to the Materuni Waterfall. The round trip takes about two hours and passes through banana groves, small coffee farms and patches of montane forest, with views back across the green slopes towards the plains. The waterfall drops 80 metres into a natural plunge pool, and the cool spray and sound of falling water make it a peaceful place to rest after the walk.

The second half of the day is spent at a working coffee farm in the village. Here you take part in every step of making coffee the traditional way: picking ripe cherries, hand-pulping the beans, sun-drying them, roasting over an open fire and finally brewing and drinking a cup of single-origin Arabica in the village that grew it. It is a hands-on, unhurried experience that connects the coffee in your cup with the people and land behind it.

Along the way you learn about Chagga culture and daily life on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, from farming methods to family traditions. The day is relaxed but active, with some uneven and sometimes muddy paths, so comfortable walking shoes are a good idea.

This trip suits travellers staying in Moshi, climbers looking for an easy day before or after Kilimanjaro, families and anyone interested in culture, food and nature. Groups range from two to twelve people.

Materuni is a Chagga village on Kilimanjaro's lower slopes, about 30 km from Moshi, and this day trip combines a walk to the waterfall with a village visit. The path goes through coffee and banana farms and across a stream, to a waterfall around 80 m high that you can approach for a swim in the pool if the water level allows. The trail is slippery in places, so wear shoes with grip.

After the hike, a Chagga family shows you how Kilimanjaro coffee is picked, dried, roasted and brewed, and you taste it. Lunch is a traditional village meal. The pace is relaxed and suits most fitness levels, and the trip is a good rainy-season option because it does not rely on views of the summit. Hotel pickup and drop-off, guide, entry fees and lunch are included.