Farms and Paddies
Walk or cycle through irrigated rice fields and banana plantations and learn how the town feeds itself and the region.
Tanzania Cultural Experiences
Mto wa Mbu Cultural Tourism
At the foot of the Rift Valley wall, beside the gate to Lake Manyara, the busy town of Mto wa Mbu brings together people from all over Tanzania among banana groves, rice paddies and papyrus. Explore it on foot or by bicycle with a local guide.
- Location
- Next to Lake Manyara gate
- Known For
- Many cultures in one town
- Experiences
- Walks, cycling & local lunch
- Duration
- Half day to full day
Discover Mto wa Mbu
All of Tanzania in one village.
Mto wa Mbu is a lively small town at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, close to the entrance gate of Lake Manyara National Park. It was one of the first places developed under Tanzania's Cultural Tourism Programme, set up with the support of the Tanzania Tourist Board and the Dutch development organisation SNV, and today it welcomes a steady flow of travellers on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
The town is known locally for its remarkable mix of people: representatives of around 120 Tanzanian ethnic groups are said to live here, drawn over the years by fertile land and the irrigation schemes that water its rice fields and banana farms. The name means "river of mosquitoes", and anyone who spends an evening by the streams will understand why.
A network of guided walking and cycling tours, run by local guides as part of the cultural tourism programme, takes visitors through farms, markets and homesteads. Half-day and full-day tours can be arranged to suit your plans, and guiding is available in English, French, Spanish and German.
Why visit
Meet the people behind the landscape.
Mto wa Mbu is one of the easiest and most rewarding places in Tanzania to experience everyday local life.
Many Cultures
Meet families from different Tanzanian peoples and learn about their origins, settlement, social life and ceremonies of birth, marriage and death.
Local Lunch
Share a home-cooked meal with local hosts, or join the cooks in the kitchen and prepare a traditional dish together.
Miwaleni Waterfall
Follow a green, papyrus-lined trail to Miwaleni waterfall and a small papyrus lake.
Balaa Hill Viewpoint
Climb Balaa hill for wide views over the village, the Rift Valley wall and Lake Manyara.
Right by Lake Manyara
Easy to combine with a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park on the same day.
Location
Where is Mto wa Mbu?
Mto wa Mbu lies on the main road between Arusha and Ngorongoro, about 120 km west of Arusha (around two hours' drive) and roughly 40 minutes before Karatu. The gate of Lake Manyara National Park is just outside the town, and the Rift Valley escarpment rises directly behind it.
Tours can start from Arusha, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Moshi, Manyara or Karatu, and most travellers include Mto wa Mbu on the way to or from Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
When to visit
When to visit.
Mto wa Mbu can be visited at any time of year, and each season shows a different side of farming life.
Dry Season
Pleasant, dry weather that is perfect for cycling and walking, and the main safari season.
Short Rains
Short showers and fresh green fields; planting time on many farms.
Warm & Dry
Hot, sunny days and lush banana groves, ideal for village tours.
Long Rains
The wettest months; walks are still possible between showers and the countryside is at its greenest, though mosquitoes are more active.
Month by month.
A month-by-month look at life in Mto wa Mbu.
Warm and green, with banana groves in full leaf.
Hot and mostly dry, a good month for cycling tours.
The long rains begin and the rice paddies fill with water.
The wettest month; plan shorter walks and bring insect repellent.
Rains ease and the countryside glows green.
The dry season begins with comfortable temperatures for walking.
Cool, dry and busy with safari travellers passing through.
Dry and pleasant, perfect for combining a village walk with Lake Manyara.
Warm and dry, with clear views from Balaa hill.
Hot and dry before the rains, with good conditions for cycling.
The short rains bring fresh growth to the farms.
Green and festive, with a lively market atmosphere.
Explore the area
What you will find in Mto wa Mbu.
Tours are tailored to your interests and the time you have.
FarmlandRice Paddies and Banana FarmsIrrigated fields and banana plantations where you learn how crops are grown and harvested.
Papyrus trailMiwaleni Waterfall and Papyrus LakeA green, shaded walk past the papyrus lake, where Rangi (Irangi) people gather materials for weaving baskets and mats, to the Miwaleni waterfall.
ViewpointBalaa HillA short climb with breathtaking views over the village and Lake Manyara.
HomesteadsChagga Farms and Maasai BomasVisit Chagga farmers originally from the Kilimanjaro region and Maasai families in their bomas, where women build the traditional enkaji house.
Town centreMarket and Craft StallsA busy market and craft area full of produce, colourful fabrics and Makonde-style carvings.
Spotlight
Cycle through the villages.
The most popular way to see Mto wa Mbu is by bicycle. Your local guide leads you along quiet tracks through rice paddies and banana groves, stopping to meet farmers, visit a Maasai boma where women build houses from grass, ash, poles, cow dung and mud, and taste local banana beer if you wish. A lakeshore cycling route continues towards Lake Manyara, and the ride often ends with a home-cooked lunch shared with a local family.
Other options include village and nature walks, a hike up Balaa hill, a Maasai tour by bicycle or bajaji, a Rift Valley tour and a homestay in Mto wa Mbu or with a Maasai family.
Safaris to 中文
Tours that include Mto wa Mbu
Safaris and cultural tours that include time in Mto wa Mbu.
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day A Luxury Tour by Air (Mto wa Mbu, Ngorongoro, Serengeti)
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 9 days
9-Day Ultimate Tanzania Luxury Safari (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Mto wa Mbu)
Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Classic Northern Tanzania Great Experience
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 15 days
15-Day The Best of the Northern Circuit Taste
Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Lake Natron
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 9 days
9-Day Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 3 days
3-Day Big 5 Safari
Ngorongoro
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day Big 5 Safari Tours
Ngorongoro
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 6 days
6-Day Big 5 Safari Tour
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Enigmatic Journey
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Stay in 中文
Where to stay near Mto wa Mbu
Lodges and camps on the Rift Valley escarpment and around Lake Manyara.
Gold tier
Lake Manyara, TanzaniaEscarpment Luxury LodgeA stylish boutique lodge perched high on the rim of the Great Rift Valley, with private decks overlooking Lake Manyara aRift Valley escarpmentView lodge
Platinum tier
Lake Manyara, TanzaniaKilimamoja LodgeA five-star resort on the rim of the Great Rift Valley with sweeping views of Lake Manyara, Mount Meru and, on clear day5-star escarpment resortView lodge
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Usually replies within minutesHeritage
A town built by many peoples.
Mto wa Mbu grew from a small settlement into a thriving market town as irrigation opened up land for rice, bananas and other crops. Families came from across Tanzania, including Chagga people from Kilimanjaro, Rangi from the central highlands and Maasai from the surrounding plains, and the result is one of the most varied communities in the country.
Through the cultural tourism programme, visitors can learn about each group's origins and settlement, lifestyle, body adornment, social organisation and ceremonies such as marriage, birth and death. The Hadza of Lake Eyasi, with their gathering of fruits, tubers, berries and honey in the wet season and hunting with bows and arrows in the dry season, can also be visited on an excursion from the area.
The programme was designed so that tourism benefits the people of the town directly. Fees support local guides, families and community projects, which makes a tour here one of the simplest ways to make your safari more responsible.
What does Mto wa Mbu mean?
It means "river of mosquitoes" in Swahili, after the streams that flow through the town.
How long is a cultural tour?
Half-day tours of three to four hours are most popular, but full-day tours can be arranged.
Do I need to be fit for the cycling tour?
No. The routes are mostly flat and easy, on simple bicycles, and the pace is relaxed.
Can I combine it with Lake Manyara?
Yes. The park gate is just outside town, so a morning tour and afternoon game drive work well.
What languages are tours offered in?
English, French, Spanish and German guiding can be arranged.
Can I cook with local families?
Yes, guests can join local cooks in the kitchen to prepare and share a traditional meal.
Should I worry about mosquitoes?
Use repellent, especially in the evening and in the rainy season, and follow your doctor's advice on malaria prevention.
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