CULTURAL TOURISM

MAMBA MARANGU CULTURAL TOUR PROGRAM

At the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro outside the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park lie the beautiful towns of Mamba and Marangu. At Babylon Lodge we organize planned walking tours through valleys and waterfalls depicting mountain village life.

Magnificent views of valleys and waterfalls offer great entertainment for nature lovers and bird watchers. Walking through the well maintained coffee and bananas plantations will lift your spirit.  This is a slow walk and it meant to relax as you learn more about the culture and the life of the people around Mt. Kilimanjaro region.

This is normally a two day tour but if you don’t have enough time this can also be done in one day. You will depart from the Babylon Lodge at around 9:30am after your breakfast and you will start the walk slowly to explore the Kilimanjaro.

If you are staying at a different hotel in Marangu there is no problem. We will ensure our guide is there in good time to start the Cultural tour program.

The cultural tour on the slopes of Kilimanjaro will include:

v  Guided tours leading to panoramic viewpoints ideal for photographing waterfalls and Mount Kilimanjaro. As your walk through the banana and coffee fields you will be in a position to see the elegant Mt. Kilimanjaro from different angles and also to take great photos.

v  A chance to pass historic sites of clan wars and ancient legends including large caves for hiding during the chagga-Maasai wars. A morning visit to the ancient Makundi area recalls clan wars and historic legends. You can also enter the large hiding caves which were used to protect women and children during the Maasai-Chagga wars.

v  A visit to local blacksmiths who continue using ancestral methods to prepare Maasai spears and tools. You will be in a position to see the men at work heating the iron in hot fire and beating it into shape to get the required items. This method has long been forgotten in most parts of the world and seeing the chagga men do this will be like going back in time!

v  Opportunity to experience Chagga culture with a visit to a traditional chagga house. This chagga hut will amaze you and you will be in a position to witness the chagga architecture. The hut although not looking so big from the outside it had the ability of being used for sleeping, cooking and keeping animals! The hut has been maintained in the traditional way and walking into it will make you feel like you know the chagga people better.

v  A visit to a chagga beer making factory. You will have the opportunity of visiting a chagga beer factory. Here you will learn how the (mbege) chagga beer is brewed from the materials needed and the process that is followed until the final product. For those who are courageous they can even have a taste of the same!

v  A visit to waterfalls. This might not be the greatest waterfall that you might have seen but the relaxing environment and rich history of the place will leave you fascinated. This waterfall which gets its water from Mount Kilimanjaro has a rich history of the chagga people.

GUIDES

v  All our guides have been living in the Kilimanjaro area for many years and are conversant in English. Many of them are experienced guides for Kilimanjaro treks and can recount tales of their climbing adventures. They are also familiar with the surrounding area and are sure to captivate you with interesting stories and facts about the different cultures, nature and the people of the area.

PRICE

The price for the cultural tourism program cost USD $ 40 per person per day

This amount includes:

v  A well experienced guide who knows the area well. All our guides are friendly, charming and well trained to ensure you enjoy every step of your trek.

v  Entrance fee to all the cultural areas.

v   Babylon Lodge being located at the centre of cultural sites you will have a chance to have lunch and a short break at Babylon lodge before continuing with the tour. You can also carry a lunch box that will be sumptuous and you can take it under a shade! The tasty lunch will be prepared at the hotel and after lunch you will enjoy seasonal fruits as desert.

v  If you have any question please don’t hesitate to contact me. I will be glad to answer any questions. For more information on our cultural tourism program please visit our website www.babylonlodge.com