7.1.2023: Materuni Waterfall, coffee farm and warm springs.
After a resting day at the lodge I start for a second safari. Today, the drive goes to Moshi and to the Materuni Waterfall, followed by a visit of a local coffee farm. The afternoon then birngs a visit to the warm springs at Kikulekwa/Chemka.
Spectacular sunrise today.
Morning panorama from the Original Maasai Lodge. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Sunrise in a few minutes.
Interersting view: a sunlit cloud partly in front of Kilimandscharo.
Starting the walk near Moshi, 700 m above the city. Angel´s trumpets growing in the forest near a beck.
First we walk between banana - ...
... and coffee plantations Coffe plants growing in half shadow beneath high trees.
Coffee flowers.
We enter a narrow valley which we walk up to finally reach the Materuni waterfall.
The Materuni waterfall is about 80 m high, its water is flowing down from Kilimandscharo.
My Guide ... and me.
We visit a coffee farm. It is not possible to walk anywhere here without a guide, even with perfect paths like here.
Fruit, vegetable and coffee are grown on the slopes of Kilimandscharo - on free areas between high trees.
We are served a lunch and are explained how to process coffee from dried beans.
First, the beans are peeled in an old mill and dried.
The the second peel is removed in a mortar.
To remove the peels, the mixture of beans and peel is thrown up, ...
... and the wind removes the peels, the beans fall back into the basket.
Next step is roasting on open fire, with stirring.
Once more removing of peels, ...
...
...
... a the roasted beans are tamped ...
... and sieved.
Finally, water is cooked on the fire, powdered coffee is added ...
... and strained after a minute or so.The coffee is drunk without milk, but with sugar. It tastes yummy.
All these steps are accompanied by people dancing around (at least for the tourists).
After more than an hour´s drive, we reach the warm springs of Kikuletwa/Chemka. Inmidst the dry steppe an oasis appears, with huge palms and fig treesOf course there is an entrance fee to pay.
Saturday afternoon the areas is extremely busy.
Deep, cryastal clear water with about 28 °C is inviting to have a swim.
Only a few people can swim, so floating tires are offered.
Only a few mostly white people are swimming without a tire.
This old black manis one of the few exemptions.
Swimming without tires causes appreciative acclamation by some blacks.
Shortly before sunset, the car park is emptying.
We drive back to Moshi to the Keys Hotel, where we stay overnight.