Olpopongi Maasai Village Tour, West Kilimanjaro

This 2-day tour to the Olpopongi Maasai Cultural Village takes you to experience the Maasai life in West Kilimanjaro. Tanzania is a melting pot of about 125 ethnic groups that coexist harmoniously. The Maasai are the tribe you’re most likely to be familiar with. The Maasai have a long cultural history that includes exquisite beading and elaborate hairstyles that express the wearer’s status and stage of life.

This interesting two-day trip immerses you in real Maasai culture and traditions. In the 100 percent traditionally built Maasai Village, you’ll spend a day and an overnight with the Maasai people.

Maasai art and dancing, spiritual rituals, medicinal and herbal treatments, crafts, and, of course, their hearty and delicious cuisine can all be found here. You’ll be taken on a tour of the hamlet, including its teeny-tiny museum, as well as a herbal stroll in the wilderness with Maasai herbal specialists. Spend the evening around the campfire in intense cross-cultural discourse before retiring to a traditional Maasai hut for the night.

Olpopongi Maasai Village Cultural Tour

The Olpopongi Maasai Cultural Village & Museum in Tanzania is the country’s first authentic Maasai Boma and Museum with overnight accommodations. Olpopongi, just 74 kilometers from Moshi, offers a unique Maasai and wildlife experience in the West Kilimanjaro Maasailand. You will experience real Maasai life and culture while in the community. The money raised from your trip goes towards providing water, food, employment, personal income, medical treatment, and education to Maasai households in the area. All Maasai – jewelry on display was handcrafted by Maasai women from various surrounding communities. All museum visits and walking safaris are led by Maasai guides who are fluent in English.

Where is Olpopongi located from Moshi?

Moshi is about 74 kilometers away from the Olpopongi Maasai Village. You will experience real Maasai life and culture while in the community. The money raised from your trip goes towards providing water, food, employment, personal income, medical treatment, and education to Maasai households in the area.

Day 1: Moshi to Maasai village

We’ll pick you up early in the morning for the journey west of Kilimanjaro to Maasai settlement. Relax on the two-hour drive into the magnificent outback, where you’ll encounter a variety of species, including zebra and elephants, depending on the season. On clear days, you’ll be able to see not just Kilimanjaro but also Mount Meru, Kilimanjaro’s twin peak. Just before midday, you’ll arrive in the Maasai hamlet, where the friendly Maasai will meet you with a traditional welcome song and dance, as well as some cool mango juice. You’ll be shown about the town by your guide before checking into your hut, where you’ll spend the night.

After settling in, you’ll visit the little museum, where your guide will teach you all about the Maasai people’s history, social structure, and tools – with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion. You’ll have a typical Maasai meal to keep your energies up (don’t worry, veggies are supplied for!) After some time to relax, you’ll meet a midwife and herbalist in one of the painted huts, where you’ll learn about traditional plant medicines and the Maasai’s deep spiritual connection to the land.

After a coffee (or tea – we haven’t forgotten about tea drinkers in this coffee-loving country!) break You’ll go on a herbal stroll into the bush to learn more about the plants and their uses, as well as possibly a little foraging in the jewellery shop for wonderfully made beadwork. Day one comes to a close with a fire-building activity and a barbeque beneath the stars, before you retire to your Maasai hut for the night.

Day 2: Maasai village to Moshi

To get the most out of your trip, get up early to see the pink-and-apricot sunrise, clear, crisp air, and dawn birdsong; however, you may always sleep in a little longer. Whatever option you pick, you’ll have a delicious alfresco breakfast and then have some time to speak with villagers, explore further, and take some last photos of this wonderful historical center and the people you’ve met. We’ll transport you back to Moshi just in time for lunch after the farewells.

The cost for the one day Maasai Village tour trip includes and excludes the following items