Materuni Waterfalls & Kikuletwa Hot Springs from Arusha

The waterfalls are an 80-meter drop into a pool deep enough to swim in.

A full-day tour from Arusha to Materuni Waterfalls and Kikuletwa Hot Springs includes a guide in English, Spanish, Italian or French, hotel pickup, lunch and drinks. You walk 40 minutes through Chagga village to reach the falls, swim in the pool below, then spend the afternoon soaking in warm geothermal springs surrounded by palm trees. The tour runs 10 hours and covers both sites in one day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Materuni Village and Waterfalls

• Pick up from Arusha or Moshi
• Drive to Materuni Village
• Register at village office
• Walk to Materuni Waterfalls
• Learn about Chagga culture and nature
• Swim at waterfall pool
• Relax at Kikuletwa Hot Springs
• Enjoy local foods and Kilimanjaro beer
• Return with views of Mt. Kilimanjaro

The Experience

You get picked up from your hotel in Arusha in the morning and driven to Materuni Village, which sits 15 kilometers from Moshi Town at the edge of Kilimanjaro National Park. The village is home to the Chagga tribe and still operates as an authentic settlement—your guide will explain the culture, village life and the plants and animals around you as you walk. The 40-minute hike to the waterfalls follows a path through the landscape, and on clear days you can see the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance.

Materuni Waterfalls drop more than 80 meters into a pool at the base, and the water is cold and inviting for a swim—bring your swimwear. After time at the falls, the tour moves to Kikuletwa Hot Springs, also called Maji Moto, a geothermal spring surrounded by palm trees and fig trees about an hour from Arusha. The water is warm and blue, good for swimming and photographs, and you can spend the afternoon soaking and relaxing. The views of Mt. Kilimanjaro on the return journey frame the day.

Lunch and soft drinks are included, along with a beer if you want one. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language, and the air-conditioned vehicle handles the driving between sites. The full day takes 10 hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a guide in your choice of language.
• lunch and soft drinks or beer.
• access to Materuni Waterfalls and Kikuletwa Hot Springs.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Serengeti Wildlife Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this if your day is free from morning through late afternoon; the 10-hour span covers both sites with all driving included, so you can't fit another activity before or after.

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Top questions

How far is the walk to Materuni Waterfalls from the village?

The walk to Materuni Waterfalls takes around 40 minutes from the village office. Your guide will walk with you and explain the Chagga culture and the local plants and animals along the way.

Can I swim at both the waterfalls and the hot springs?

Yes, you can swim at both sites. The pool at the base of Materuni Waterfalls is deep enough for a refreshing swim, and Kikuletwa Hot Springs is warm and open for swimming and soaking throughout the afternoon.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, a guide, lunch and soft drinks or beer. Entry fees and guide wages are paid separately in cash at the start of the tour.

Will I see Mt. Kilimanjaro on this tour?

On clear days, you can see the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the walk to the waterfalls and again on the return journey from Kikuletwa Hot Springs, depending on weather and visibility.

What languages does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language, so you can request your preferred language when you book.