Materuni Waterfall Hike & Coffee Tour Near Moshi, Tanzania

Materuni Waterfall is a booming waterfall just 15-kilometers from Moshi Town. When combined with a coffee tour in the village, it makes for a perfect day trip before or after your Mount Kilimanjaro climb. With about eight kilometers of walking throughout the day and 300 meters of incline, this adventure is a great warm-up for the legs while also getting to immerse yourself in the local culture.

The tour begins by observing the entire process of making a cup of coffee, from seed to mug. After a locally produced lunch, you head off to explore the massive Materuni Waterfall.

BOOKING THE MATERUNI WATERFALL HIKE AND COFFEE TOUR

I really like how this tour has been packaged by the local village. They have turned one waterfall into a cultural experience that was very enjoyable but also benefits different members of the community from the coffee farmers, to artisans and of course the local guides. I booked the tour through Altezza Travel and the tour included pick-up and drop-off from the hotel as well as a packed lunch.

MY EXPERIENCE ON THE MATERUNI WATERFALL HIKE & COFFEE TOUR

This adventure to Materuni began from the Aishi Machame Hotel near Moshi and we made the 1.5-hour drive to Materuni Village passing through Moshi Town. Upon arrival, we signed in and began the steep walk up the muddy road to reach the small abode where the coffee tour would take place. It’s a beautiful setting and on a clear day, you will have tremendous views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The local coffee growers take you through the entire process (you get to help too) of turning a coffee bean into a mug of coffee… The Tanzanian way. It was actually a very insightful process with lots of singing and talented work from the growers.

Each step was an intricate part of the process from bean to mug and it finished with a freshly brewed Materuni coffee. Here’s a visual look at some of the different steps involved in the process.

After enjoying a freshly brewed mug of coffee, we were treated to a locally produced lunch spread. On the menu were banana and yam soup, vegetables, rice, and chicken. A delicious and hearty meal was what we needed before setting off on our trek.

Caffeinated and energized we set off on our waterfall trek to Nambe Waterfall, the gem of Materuni. During our trek to the falls, we had to endure some heavy rain, which made for a funny and slippery time on the muddy path. Slow and steady did it, or ‘pole, pole’, as they say here in Swahili.

The journey along the way passes through the forest neighborhood so you can observe the local dwellings and chat with some locals. There’s an abundance of fruit throughout the route with bananas, guava, and avocados in plentiful supply. You’ll also pass a few ‘forest pubs’ where they’re serving the banana wine, which I was assured is much stronger than regular beer or wine.

Nambe Waterfall is just absolutely massive. We visited after a week of heavy rain and the spray at the base of the falls was intense! It’s no wonder this ravine is so vibrantly green and lush. At the falls on a calmer day, I imagine it is possible to take a dip but in the midst of the rainy season, I was keeping my distance from the powerful force smashing down into the basin of the waterfall.

After enjoying the waterfalls we made the trek back through the forest to complete the adventure. A total of eight kilometers walked with 320 meters of elevation meant we had worked off our local lunch at the same time as enjoying one of the top waterfalls in Tanzania. I hope you enjoyed this guide to Nambe Waterfall in Materuni Village.