Magic Monduli Juu Trek

Day 1: Moshi or Arusha to Monduli Juu

Make sure you fill up with a hearty breakfast as you’ve a full day ahead of you! We’ll pick you up from Moshi or Arusha and take the Serengeti road for the fascinating drive north through the bustling town of Monduli to Monduli Juu, a little cluster of small villages nestling together north of the town. These villages are steeped in authentic Maasai culture, and the Maasai people are welcoming and keen to share their culture with you. You’ll get an opportunity to learn about traditional Maasai medicine from a local midwife and a herbal doctor, and find out how the medicinal herbs are gathered and prepared. You’ll be welcomed in a traditional boma, or round, earthern home and learn about the daily lives of these hardy nomadic people. In the afternoon we’ll set up home at the pretty little campsite of Osero nearby and eat our evening meal by campfire. Now’s the time to decide how challenging you’d like tomorrow to be; to climb or not to climb? Tomorrow it’s an ascent of Monduli Mountain or a less challenging but equally beautiful shorter trek.

Day 2: Monduli Juu to Naramatu

It’s an early start for a tasty, hearty breakfast in the cool African dawn and after we strike camp you’ve a choice of a full day or half day hike. The full day hike is an 8-hour (18km) hike up to the eastern peak of Monduli Mountains. It’s a beautiful but challenging trek through dry thorn scrub and cattle country, rainforest and cedar-clad ridges and at every step of the way you’ll find abundant insect and birdlife as well as indigenous species like bushbuck. Our shorter hike is a more gentle but no less splendid 3-hour (9km) hike which follows some of the path of our longer hike but you won’t need to scrabble to the peak. You’ll take in all the beauty of this fascinating corner of Tanzania but you’ll have more time to yourself. The half day hike is perfect for photographers and artists: the hike will inspire you and help you gather materials and ideas, and your downtime is perfect to play with artistic ideas. Enjoy a hearty dinner at the Naramatu campsite and it might be an idea to get an early night – there’s more trekking tomorrow!

Day 3: Naramatu to Jackson Campsite

We hope you jump out of bed raring to go because today’s a real treat! After a good breakfast it’s time to set off on a 17km hike – and what a hike! Your journey takes you from the campsite along to the Great Rift Valley, and you’ll be greeted with some of the most amazing views in all Tanzania – along the Great Rift Valley, all the way out to majestic Kilimanjaro and its brother Mount Meru. It’s the best geography lesson ever! Rest your tired legs overnight at the Jackson Campsite.

Day 4: Jackson Campsite to Moshi or Arusha

Today’s the last day of your tour so take the opportunity to get up early, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the pre-dawn birdsong and the colours of the dawn sky as the sun rises. We’ll see you off with a leisurely but filling breakfast but don’t worry, there’s still time for a few more photos. Settle back for the drive to Arusha or Moshi where our tour will finish.