3-Day Chaga Culture Stay in Moshi: Cooking, Hiking & Banana Beer

Cook, garden, and learn banana beer with a Chaga family at the foot of Kilimanjaro

A 3-day homestay in Moshi with a Chaga family who live next door to your guesthouse, where you cook local meals, help with gardening and animal care, visit NGO projects like schools and hospitals, taste homemade banana beer, and hike a nearby hill in Kibosho. Accommodation and all meals are included. A live English-speaking guide helps you navigate the experience.

The experience

Green Stay sits 15 minutes from Moshi, where you stay in a high-standard guesthouse while your hosts (Hilda, Beda, Gaudencia and their children) live in the adjoining house. The setup lets you step into daily Chaga life without leaving comfort behind. The garden holds chickens, sheep and pigs. You join in with feeding and tending them, or work the soil alongside the family. On clear days Mount Kilimanjaro rises in the distance.

Cooking happens both ways: in the modern kitchen or over firewood the traditional method, learning how locals prepare meals from scratch. You'll taste banana beer brewed on-site and learn how it's made, passed around in the spirit of friendship. Weekday visits to nearby NGO facilities (a school, church, hospital and community projects) show you the work happening in the region beyond the homestay. A short hike up a hill in Kibosho rounds out the days, moving at a pace that suits the group.

Check-in is after 2:00 PM on your arrival day. Breakfast and lunch don't start until day two. You leave before 11:00 AM on checkout. If your dates shift, you can reschedule once free of charge up to 10 days before arrival, with new dates within two months subject to availability. Materuni Waterfalls and a coffee tour are available as add-ons if you want to extend beyond the homestay activities.

What’s included

• Accommodation in a high-standard guesthouse for three nights.
• all meals during your stay (breakfast and lunch from day two onward, dinner through day three).
• cooking classes using traditional and modern methods.
• gardening and animal care with the family.
• banana beer tasting and production lesson.
• visits to local NGO facilities including school, hospital and community projects on weekdays.
• a short guided hike in Kibosho.
• and a live English-speaking guide throughout your stay.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Paid on siteUS$ 113

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Kanga Homestay

Is this one for you?The days move at a homestay pace (no rushing between sites, no early starts), so you have time to absorb how the family lives. This suits anyone wanting to slow down and learn by doing rather than watching, though the hike and farm work mean you're on your feet and active each day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What do I actually cook during the 3 days at Green Stay?

You prepare traditional Chaga meals using local ingredients, learning techniques from Hilda and her family in their modern kitchen or over a firewood fire. The exact dishes depend on what's in season and what the family is making that week. All meals during your stay are included.

Can I visit the NGO projects every day, or only on certain days?

NGO visits happen on weekdays only: the school, hospital, church and community offices are not open on weekends. The homestay arranges these visits as part of your stay, so timing depends on which days fall during your booking.

What is the hike in Kibosho like?

It's a short hill hike, not a mountain climb. The pace is gentle and suited to the group. You're walking with your hosts or a guide who knows the route and can point out the landscape around Moshi.

Will I see Mount Kilimanjaro from the homestay?

On clear days you might catch a glimpse of Kilimanjaro from the garden, though views depend on weather and cloud cover. The homestay sits at its foot, so the mountain is nearby even if visibility shifts day to day.

Are transfers from Moshi or the airport included?

Transfers are available on request after you book, arranged directly with Green Stay. The homestay is 15 minutes from Moshi town, so the drive is short once you've arranged pickup.