Tanzania Cultural :Ng’iresi cultural tour

Ng’iresi is situated 7 km out of Arusha on the green and steep slopes of Mt. Meru. The inhabitants are all farmers of the Wa-arusha tribe. The Wa-arusha are family of the Maasai, but have gradually shifted from pastoralism to agriculture. Some of them are still living in the traditional bomas, others try hard to build up stone houses; some still depend on their cows, while others have cultivated large plots.

The village perfectly shows the transition from traditional into modern African life. On the steep slopes agriculture is not an easy activity.

 If farmers don’t take preventive measures, soil erosion takes place rapidly. Many farmers now have started to place contour lines and build terraces. The irrigation system in the village further helps the farmers to increase their harvest.

Some villagers even participate in other innovative projects like a fish nursery, a bio gas system and a cross breeding project. 

In January this year, Ng’iresi fulfilled it’s own dream when construction of a house for teachers was completed. In  Olgilai, and adopted village of the Ng’iresi Cultural Tourism Programme, a classroom for the primary school was built. The children of the Ng’iresi area will now enjoy an improved educational environment thanks to cultural tourism.

Half day tour: In this tour you will be welcomed with coffee and tea at Mzee Loti’s farm and get an explanation about the biogas, crossbreeding and soil conservation projects on the farm. Next, you make a walk to some nearby bomas, where you can see the various styles of traditional Maasai and Wa-arusha houses. Then you start climbing Lekimana Hill, from where you have a beautiful view over Arusha town and the surrounding Maasai plains. On a clear day Kilimanjaro is visible. You descend Lekimana Hill on the other side so that you can visit Ng’iresi primary school. Back at Mzee Loti’s farm, you get a traditional meal cooked by women in the village.

Day tour: This tour adds a visit to the catchment forest on the higher slopes of Meru. Here you can see the spring that is the main water source for the village. A few meters downstream the farmers are building an intake for the irrigation system. Groups with a special interest can plan a visit to a traditional healer at the edge of the forest. Further downhill a fish nursery is visited in the backyard of a farmer. The day is finished with a dinner at Mzee Loti’s farm.

Day and a half tour: During this tour, you spend the night camping at Mzee Loti’s farm. From here you start climbing Kivesi Hill the next morning, this is an old volcano with a natural forest on top. Baboons and gazelles can be seen in the forest. You descend the hill on the other side and return to Arusha.

Traditional medicine tour: All tours can include a visit to a traditional healer living in the area, but tourists who are keen on learning more about traditional medicine can spend a half or full day walking through the slopes of Meru collecting herbs and plants that have been used by local people for thousands of years. A sheet listing the various plants will be given with their Latin and common name in the local dialect. Your guide will help you collect samples of the numerous medicinal species.
MEALS: Meals are prepared by the Juhudi women’s group ( a local family may prepare meals for smaller groups). The women can make various traditional African meals, but can serve western food as well.

FACILITIES: At Mzee Loti’s farm there is a simple but clean toilet, from the pit-latrine model. From the first revenue, a small bathroom will be built that can be used by guest who spend the night at the farm.

Visitors can put up their tents on one of the shambaas around Mzee Loti’s house, a watchman will guarantee the safety. During rain, visitors can shelter in Mzee Loti’s house.

GUIDES: Our guides are all villagers who have lived many years in the village. They speak good English and can tell interesting stories about history, culture and daily life in the village.

They are also well informed about the different development projects in the area, and can tell you the ins and outs about the Wa-arusha culture.

DEVELOPMENT FUND: Ng’iresi Primary School was built in 1975. The building consists of seven classrooms, and 510 children attend the school. The classrooms are rather crowded and there are not enough learning materials for everyone. Through tourism revenues, desks and new classroom have already been added, but far from enough has been done. From the money earned by a tourist visit, 4 US$ will go to a school development fund, used for improvements of the school.

1 US$ can buy two schoolbooks, 5 US$ is enough for wood from which the children can make a desk and for 10 US$ the school can buy a topographic map of the country