Northern Tanzania is famous for its National Parks and the great peak of Kilimanjaro, but about a half an hour’s drive away from the gate of the world renowned Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the village of Karatu.

In addition to being a stone’s throw away from where your Safari may actually begin, Karatu offers a few activities that are a must-do for both residents and non-residents alike. Combine some of these activities with wide variety of accommodation options and you have several worthwhile experiences before your safari has even begun!

Cultural Activities in Karatu

Karatu is rife with culture. With the following activities you’ll come out of Karatu with some extremely special sights, sounds, smells and tastes to add to your bucket of mementos.  

• Village Walk Mto wa Mbu
Go for a 2 hour stroll through the local farming village of Mto wa Mbu, unique for housing over a 120 different tribes. On the walk you’ll go through the market, local homes (or shambas, as known in the native Swahili), schools, and milling machines. Opt for lunch at a home or at the Swahili Canteen Restaurant.

• Village Tuk-Tuk ride 
If the walk is too strenuous, or perhaps you’d like to experience it in a different way, you could opt to do the tour in a local Tuk Tuk, a three wheel vehicle with open sides so you can experience all the sights smells and sounds! 

• Maasai Boma Tour
A firm favourite with so many – you could get the chance to visit a Maasai Boma – a collection of huts where the Maasai reside. This is as authentic an experience you’ll get to live with the semi-nomadic tribe as you’ll ever get, where you’ll get to see the way they live. You’ll get to learn to about Maasai culture, get traditional tattoos painted, or even milk their precious cows!

• Maasai Market Tour
If your stay falls on a Thursday, you could visit the local Maasai market to do your souvenir shopping. Loads of local Maasai gather to showcase their crafts and their food, including the faous BBQ! 

• Farm Tour
See the innovative farming practices of Mto wa Mbu villagers and Learn about irrigation system that sustains local crops, including the 32 varieties of bananas

• Local Home prepared Hot-Lunch
Enjoy a delicious home cooked meal in a local moma’s home. Over lunch, a guide will provide a history of the region and the many local tribes. Visitors can expect to leave with a full stomach, many great stories, and African new friends.

• Tinga Tinga Paint Class
Take 2-3 hours and create your own Tinga Tinga painting to take home. A local artist provides all the materials and guides you step-step through your painting, while you enjoy a beverage of your choice and the village environment!

• The Local Brewery
A visit to the Local Brewery that prepares the local Banana Beer (known in Swahili as Mbege). The Local villagers of Mto Wa Mbu love their local, traditional brew of the Mto Wa Mbu Villagers. This alcoholic drink is made from ripe fermented bananas.

Adventure Activities in Karatu:

If it’s active adventure you’re after, Karatu has go just the thing! The following activities have enough in them to appease everyone – be it the adrenaline junkie or the novice!

• Canoeing Lake Manyara (Lake Manyara National Park)
You’ll be canoeing in an actual national park!
Lake Manyara, home to incredible array of wildlife, is known for it’s housing of 400 different species of birds, a cornucopia for the orthinphile! You could also get very close to buffalos, girraffes and even elephants from within the safety of your canoe. The breath-taking scenery and the tranquillity promises this to be an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

• Forest hike - Manyara
In the deep dense Manyara forest, you’ll be taken for a guided walk for the through to spot and observe some of the forest animals including bushbucks, monkeys, birds and other animals. Prepare for a whole different array of sounds sights and smells.

• Biking at Mto Wa Mbu and Great Rift Valley
Mountain Bike through the farming village of Mto wa Mbu to go through the various different cultural sights on offer there. After the village tour, cycle to the lake shore in sight of stunning views of the Rift Valley, the lake itself, and possibly some wildlife.

• Lake Manyara Treetop Walkaway
The Lake Manyara Treetop walkway is another way to witness the aerial wildlife. You’ll be at the top of some of the largest trees, with a view to see nature’s greatness in an entirely different perspective! 

• Night Game-Drive in Lake Manyara National Park
A night game drive in the Lake Manyara National Park is a chance to view game from an entirely different perspective. The nocturnal animals are on the prowl and the relative coolness of the evening may even prompt everyone’s favourite feline predators into action!

• Zip-lining Tour
Tanzania’s first Zip-line! 
Keep your eyes open for wildlife as you zip majestically through the lush green forests, taking in some spectacular scenery. The Zip-line offers 4 zips and 5 eco-platforms.

• Quad-biking Tour
Experience the joy of driving a quadbike while visiting different areas of Karatu on different tours. A firm favourite is the Coffee Tour, where after a drive through the local farms you’ll come up to the foothills of the Ngorongoro, after which you’ll be led to a picturesque coffee estate. You’ll be given a brief introduction to coffee farming and roasting with adjacent views leading up to the Lake Manyara escarpment., following which you can gorge on a picturesque picnic lunch (picturesque because of the views and the picnic itself!).

If Karatu has captured your hearts like it has ours, please let us know and we could put together some (or even all!) of these activities in a package for you complete with accommodation, food and transport.