Tanzania has a wide range of authentic, indigenous traditions to be shared with the rest of the world. Proudly boasts of being enriched with 120 tribes and traditional culture.
From the Banana eaters and Arabica Coffee growing enterprising Chagga's of Kilimanjaro, to the colorful Maasai's of the Ngorongoro highlands, the hunter gatherers, Hedzabes and Ndorobo “bushmen” of lake Eyasi, the Hiraqwi people of the 500 years old mysteriously abandoned lost city of Engaruka, the Mbulu's of Mt. Hanang (2,800 m) and the coast “sahil” Swahili people who habitats along the 804 km stretch of the Indian ocean coastline. Undoubting there is surely something you'll find in common, amongst this vast range of cultures and traditions of the Tanzanians.

Cultural Excursions:

This enlightening excursion involves visiting inhabitants of remote areas different from the common touristy routes.
They are meant to provide the individual involved the insight of the local community's cultures and traditions.

You will get a chance to learn about the natives foods and alcohol and their preparations, houses and local construction methods of schools, "you might even find yourself engaging in trying to assist to build one", teaching, hunting using local hunters tools, the local music and equipments [manufacturing] and traditional dances and compositions, ritual and initiations ceremonies like circumcision and weddings. Handcrafts and costumes making besides attending the cattle and goats, are amongst the daily village activity's.

Visit traditional herbalists who'll be happy to share their knowledge or demonstrate by treating your blood pressure, diabetes, piles, tummy or a headache from a root, A aphrodisiac, seed, leaf or bark of a mysterious looking plant will amuse you. etc.

The Maasai:

These spectacular groups of Bantu people are tall and slender cattle and goat herders, living off blood meal, meat and milk. Men wear distinctive red garments and have elaborately decorated beads or tattooed faces, bodies and clean Rasta braids.

The Moran (young warriors) carry spears, a club and a dagger wherever they go while the women shave clean baldheads and often wear lots of coiled colorful beads as well as copper and silver rings around their necks, arms and legs, they are also the home builders and ornament makers besides children raising.

LTS organizes cultural excursions to the Maasai villages of Ngorongoro, Ngaramtoni, Monduli, Longido mountains (2660 m) and Sanya juu - Ol'doinyo Muruwa, Marangu's Kinukamori waterfalls, Mambori waterfalls and Mfirra Nungun at Machame, Uru Materuni waterfalls, Pare and Usambara Mts. These excursions show the insight of the lifestyle of this genuine nomadic Bantu tribe.

The Hedzabe, Hi, Sandawe and Datoga people:

This hunter - gatherers live on the South Western shores of the shallow alkaline Lake Eyasi in the Rift Valley wall escarpment. They speak in unique click - cluck tongue sounds that make a very interesting rhythm to listen to when been spoken, even though you don't understand. The four clans live close together even though each looks down on the other.

They wear no cloths and live not in houses and don't tilt land, they live on hunting small mammals like dik-dik's, klipslingers and duiker's, rabbits mongoose, hyraxes wild pigs and rats and eat and drink honey wine for booze and dig out roots and wild fruits for food, while all despite of age smoke the holly weed or "ganja''.

They are the last indigenous tribe of a people who chose to live the Stone Age lifestyle, they will amaze you by making a fire in seconds with ought any lighters! (Adams way). Even the women go topless and just a small leather hide or bead strings suffices to cover their most private. Unlike the Maasai's, the women don't have to do the un necessary house building labor. what for! The most valuable property's are their ornaments of copper, brass and colored bead wear they decorate with besides tattooing there faces and bodies.

The Chagga's:

The Chagga people are found around the Southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and constitute the third largest group in the land. Living in a fertile, watered region, they are greatly advantaged for its idealistic coffee production, which also meant a higher level of income and involvement in various community based activities under there Mangi (chief).

It's due to the attraction of the mountains, which caused its early affects by the first Europeans/ missionaries, which meant that the initial provision of western education in the area progressed ahead of the rest of the country.

GEOLOGICAL EXCURSION:

Tanzania is blessed with almost all natural resources. We at Lengai Treks and Safaris design and organize customer oriented itineraries to various mining sites around the country. These trips are meant for people who want to learn or engage in the precious minerals sector. A visit for a view of mineral deposits or just to learn in brief, the prospecting methods used in excavating minerals such as Diamonds, Ruby, Gold, Emeralds, Sapphires, Alexandrite, Tanzanite, Garnets and other colored gemstones and mineral prospecting sites is highly rewarding.

AGRO TOURING:

These excursions involve visiting farm areas of coffee plantations and factory estates, sugar estates and production industries around Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, touring spice farms, endemic to those areas. Rice fields, banana plantations and fish farms.

We at Lengai Treks and Safaris design quick single day's customized itineraries that combine cultural and wildlife driving safaris, hiking / walking, boating, trekking with donkeys, camel and horse riding in view of the mountains.

A strong cultural integrity bond is established through a “people to people” contact by learning their ways of living, food and beverages preparation, livestock herding and cultivation as you visit these villages. The economic benefit earned by the host community, organizations and other authority's concerned in managing and conserving the areas, create a major impact to everyone involved.

Nyumba Ya Mungu Dam:

A man made electricity dam situated about 96km from Moshi city; it's a freshwater lake containing Tilapia, catfish, turtles and other small soft water mammals that are spotted occasionally. Local fishermen occupy the lake, sailings on traditional dhows with there fishing nets during the day and night, certain areas are swim able and you can taste your anchor by fishing.

MAMBORI WATER FALLS:

A 20 mt drive close up to the Mweka's descent route gate.
There is a stunning secret down pouring, power shower gathered by numerous tiny streams of spring water, which gushes out of the crags of Kilimanjaro, which is the result of melting glaciers from the KIBO dome !!

A full day guided hike through the coffee and bananas, covered with avocado trees will lead you down to more than 250 meters valley below, for a cool power shower you've probably never had in a river pool before. Have your picnic lunch party by the falls, later afternoon you start trekking up your path which can be a little challenging.

MARANGU WATERFALLS: Kinukamori

In the village of Marangu there are several small but interesting water falls pouring from the glaciers of Kilimanjaro. They are also safe for swimming and make great picturesque spots, Short hikes around the forested hills and valleys can be rewarding. Picnic sites are plenty for your choice.

TRADITIONAL HIDEOUT CAVES: Machame, Lukani, URU & Mamba:

There are strange and frightening giving shivers upon glancing and hearing tales about the hiding caves used by the Chagga ancestors during the late 15 th to 18 th century's local ethnic and tribal wars.

The wars occurred mainly due to territory holding and superiority amongst the local chief's. Major war was fought against the Maasai invaders who mostly robbed cattle, they still claim to date, that all the cattle in the world, was created and therefore should belong to the Maasai's.

Paragliding safaris are rare but are undertaken around the Kilimanjaro, Pare, the Usambara and Meru mountains, and along the rift valley highlands, over breathtaking landscapes of the country.

It's forbidden to paragliding over national parks though. There is now a MICROFLIGHT operating over the Lake Manyara's Great Rift valley escarpment wall.
Please contact us for detailed information regarding paragliding and cultural combined itineraries of your choice.