A day tour takes you to the slopes of Kilimanjaro today. On a private coffee farm in Rombo, you will learn everything you need to know about the cultivation of the black pick-me-up: from the tender plant to the roasted bean. Depending on the season, you can also sample home-grown peanuts and fresh fruit. You will continue on foot through the village, where you will gain an insight into rural life, to a small cave that served as a hiding place for the local Chagga from the Maassai warriors. You will be introduced to the traditions and rites of the Chagga by a local family. A tasty lunch in an original Chagga hut will give you new strength to end your eventful day at the weekly market, depending on the day of the week. Then return to your lodge.

 

Note: the weekly market takes place twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays), so the order of the excursions can also be swapped to give you the opportunity to visit the market.

 

Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x packed lunch, 1x dinner

From lush lakeside forests to breathtaking volcanic savannah, the impressive flora around Lake Chala ranges. A large number of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses, some endemic to Chala, adorn the landscape. The diversity is amazing and beautiful in this harsh environment.

 

You will go on a guided hike, which can last between one and four hours, depending on your fitness level:

 

The “River Bed Trail” follows the bizarrely shaped, colourful “dry” riverbed to the Kenyan border and then back to the edge of the crater lake. You always have the foothills of Kilimanjaro and the mighty mountain itself in view.

 

For the “Chala Hill Trail”, you need to get up early to make the most of the cool morning hours for the ascent. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a breathtaking 360° view across the lake to Kenya, Lake Jipe, Kilimanjaro and the vast plains of the region.

 

Good hiking boots and poles are recommended for the “Lake Walk”, a rocky path that takes you down to the lake shore.

 

There is a multitude of creatures to discover along the way on all hikes. These include not only the 200 different bird species, but also smaller mammals such as diademed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons and dik diks (a small and somewhat shy antelope species). Due to its proximity to Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, with a bit of luck and a pair of binoculars you can even occasionally spot migrating elephants.

 

In the afternoon, you can glide across the cool crater lake in a kayak and enjoy the volcanic shoreline panorama.

 

Walking time: approx. 1-4 hours.

 

Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x dinner

After breakfast, your stay at Lake Chala Safari comes to an end. You can enjoy the peaceful idyll of this secret treasure for one last moment before travelling back to Moshi, Arusha or the airport.

 

Meals: 1x breakfast