Chemka Springs – Kikuletwa Hot Springs Tour (Rundugai Village)
Chemka Hot Spring is a perfect place to explore for tourists who are looking for in authentic adventures in Tanzania northern circuit. Chemka hot spring is at the mid of Arusha and Moshi whereas this location makes it a perfect gateway to explore the off beaten roads leading to mesmerizing paradise of Chemka Hot Springs and when you are there you can have a visit to Masai Village. This should be a must.
Those who have enough time, they may choose to overnight with a local person and spend some time with the locals in a remote village called Rundugai Village to learn about daily life routine in rural Tanzania.
Rundugai Village is located 40 kilometers from Moshi Town, 76 kilometers from Arusha, and about 25 kilometers from Kilimanjaro Airport. If you are close to Boma Town, only 10 kilometers of off-road drive separates you from a memorable experience in Tanzania.
Kikuletwa Hot Springs which is also called Chemka Maji Moto by the locals is indeed the most exciting spring to swim in North and the whole of Tanzania. Chemka Hot spring is surrounded by amazing roots of fig trees which look like a hidden paradise. This spring is never crowded with people and so chances are; you will have the natural pool for yourself and your friends/colleagues!
Though its name is hot spring, water in Kikuletwa is actually not hot, instead, it is refreshing water since it comes from Mount Kilimanjaro.
While in Chemka hot spring, swimming is a must and so the urge to have swimsuits. This swimming tour will blow your mind. After the fun experience, you can go and have a cooked lunch in Rundugai village prepared by the local ladies at Kikuletwa.
There are many artificial Masai villages used for tourism purposes in Tanzania, but if one is looking for the real thing then go for Masai Village near Rundugai; it is a place to come and visit.
In a real Masai village, there will be a number of activities to participate in with the Masai families. Here we will be permitted to enter their village. On this visit what we need to observe is respect for the village and to make sure we do not take pictures without their permission. We will have the opportunity to mingle with the real Masai. Social skills are needed in the process to interact with them so as to get much information from them.
Having water in the Masai Boma in daily routine is a real hustle whereby one has to go miles to fetch water for normal domestic use. Therefore Tourists may help by joining Masai women on donkeys or you can help with cattle. You can also opt to spend a night at Masai village on request. This visit will end with homemade lunch by the local if one doesn’t choose to a sleepover.
Masai boma tour can be done by bike from Boma town which will take you three to four hours to get there. Tour can be done by car, about an hour of off-road drive from Boma town.
If you visit on Monday, we can start the Rundugai village tour on Monday Masai Market. This is a real Masai Market, by which Masai come to sell their cattle, crops, handmade crafts and earn for themselves money. Rundugai area is known for its growing of many crops.
As you will see the rough landscape of Rundugai you will be amazed at how fertile the soil has. We will pass by tomato fields, onion fields, occra, and eggplant fields.
If you like we can stop at Kikuletwa hot spring for a quick dip in clear waters and then end the tour with a local lunch. Cooked bananas, beans, ugali, chapatti, pilau, cooked vegetables and other homemade food typical for Tanzanian meal.
