Materuni Waterfalls

Set on the lush, mist-covered lower slopes of Kilimanjaro at around 1,700 metres, Materuni is one of the most rewarding and accessible waterfall hikes in northern Tanzania. The trail winds through dense Chagga banana and coffee shambas, crossing timber bridges over rushing streams before opening to the dramatic 80-metre cascade that plunges into a cool, emerald pool. You can swim beneath the falls — a welcome reward after the 45-minute uphill walk. The day is made truly special by the coffee experience that follows: a Chagga family guides you through every step of their centuries-old process, from selecting ripe red cherries on the bush to pulping, fermenting, sun-drying, hulling, dry-roasting over charcoal, and finally hand-grinding the beans before brewing a rich cup of single-origin Kilimanjaro arabica that no supermarket will ever replicate.