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The clear turquoise pool at Chemka (Kikuletwa) hot springs, fig-tree roots and branches hanging over the water — 2400×1600
The clear turquoise pool at Chemka (Kikuletwa) hot springs, fig-tree roots and branches hanging over the water — 2400×1600
Home/Day trips/Chemka Hot Springs
Day trip · Half day · From Moshi

Chemka Hot Springs

A clear, spring-fed pool under big fig trees in the middle of dry, dusty plains — about an hour from Moshi, the last stretch on a rough dirt road, and a few unhurried hours in the water.

MoshiChemkaMoshi
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LengthHalf day · 5–6 hours
WhereChemka (Kikuletwa), south of the Moshi–Arusha road
Starts & endsYour hotel in Moshi (or Arusha)
PaceEasy — swimming and sitting
Best monthsJune–February, outside the long rains
OverviewThe routeThe dayRatesIncludedAdd-onsWhen to goGetting thereFAQEnquire
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IOverview

A pool of clear water where you least expect one.

Chemka, also known as Kikuletwa, is a spring-fed pool on the plains south of the road between Moshi and Arusha. After an hour of dry, open country the fig trees appear, and under them is water so clear you can see the bottom — fed from below, with small fish in it and roots hanging into it from the banks. It is pleasant for swimming, and a good place to do very little for a few hours.

It is popular with local families and visitors alike, especially at weekends, so it is not a secret and not always quiet; weekday mornings are calmer. There is nothing to do here but swim, float and sit in the shade, which after a climb or a safari is often exactly what people want.

Major attractions · 3
  1. 01The spring-fed pool at Chemka (Kikuletwa)
  2. 02Fig trees over the water
  3. 03The dry plains below Kilimanjaro
Trip detailsPrivate
Length
Half day · about 5–6 hours door to door from Moshi
Pick-up
Your hotel in Moshi; Arusha on request (a longer day)
Start / end
Moshi, both ways
Activity level
Easy — swimming is optional
Group size
Maximum per vehicle
Meals
None included — bring snacks, or ask us
What to bring
Swimwear, towel, sun cream, water shoes or sandals, a change of clothes, cash for small purchases
Best period
Jun–Oct · Dec–Feb
Minimum age
Ask us
Request a free quote →Questions? WhatsApp +255 762 914 714
IIThe route

Out onto the plains, the last part on dirt.

About an hour each way from Moshi, the last stretch on a rough dirt road. From Arusha allow roughly an hour and a half or more each way. The solid line is the way there and back; the dotted lines are other roads nearby.

Route map: Moshi to Chemka hot springs and back N Moshi Chemka Hot Springs
  1. 01Moshi → Chemka → Moshi~2 h road
Overnight stopPassing throughSchematic, roughly to scale
IIIThe day

The day, hour by hour.

The whole day as it usually runs, from pick-up to drop-off. Times are approximate and bend around the traffic, the weather and how long you want to stay.

Swimmers in the clear pool at Chemka hot springs, fig trees and dappled shade above — 1600×1200
ChemkaADD IMAGE · Swimmers in the clear pool at Chemka hot springs, fig trees and dappled shade above
01/ 01

About an hour each way, the last part on a rough dirt road.

03°21′S 37°21′EDay 1 · Moshi → Chemka → Moshi

A few hours in the water at Chemka

Travel
~2 h road
Length
5–6 hours
Meals
None — bring snacks
Sleep
Homeward
  1. About 09:00

    Pick-up from your hotel in Moshi and west along the main road towards Arusha.

  2. About 09:30

    Off the tarmac and south onto the plains on a dirt road: dusty, bumpy and slow, through dry farmland and scrub.

  3. About 10:00

    At the springs. Entrance is settled at the gate unless it is already on your quote; your guide shows you where to change and leave your things.

  4. About 10:15

    In the water. Swim, float, climb out onto the roots, find some shade. Nobody is keeping time.

  5. About 13:00

    Out, dry off, and back up the dirt road to the tarmac.

  6. About 14:00

    Dropped at your hotel in Moshi.

Go on a weekday

Chemka is busiest at weekends and on public holidays, when local families come out from the towns. A weekday morning is noticeably quieter.

IVRates

Priced by group size, because the vehicle is shared.

Park fees, accommodation, vehicle, guide and meals as listed — per person, no booking fees. Rates move with the month and lodge availability; your quote is fixed once you book.

Private · price per person, sharing
Group size1 person2 people3 people4 people5 people6 people
From yearraterateraterateraterate
Single supplementamount
Children

Child policy: ages, sharing discount, lodge minimum ages

What moves the price

What changes itHow much

  • How many share the vehicle

    The vehicle and driver-guide cost the same for one person or six, so the per-person price falls as the group grows.

  • Where you are picked up

    Moshi is the standard. A pick-up in Arusha adds noticeably more driving each way.

  • Entrance fee

    Set at the springs, per person, and shown on your quote as its own line.

Not sure which level suits you? Tell us your dates, group and budget and we will send an itemised quote with named properties.

Request a free quote →
On request
On request
VThe fine print

What is in the price, and what isn’t.

✓Included

  • Private vehicle and driver-guideYours for the day; nobody else joins
  • Pick-up and drop-offAt your hotel in Moshi (Arusha on request)
  • Drinking water in the vehicle

–Not included

  • Entrance feeIncluded in the price, or paid at the gate? Amount
  • LunchNot included — bring snacks, or ask us to arrange a packed lunch
  • TipsWe send guidance with your booking
  • TowelsBring your own from the hotel
VIAdd-ons & changes

The plan is a starting point, not a package.

The changes people ask for most, each with what it costs you in days or hours. Not in the standard price — arranged on request, and most can be combined.

Day beforeprice

Materuni waterfall and coffee

Up on the green slopes above Moshi: a walk to a waterfall and coffee roasted with a local family. The two make a good pair.

Makes senseTwo free days in Moshi
Materuni waterfall & coffee farm →
After the climbprice

Your first day down from Kilimanjaro

Book it for the day after you come off the mountain. The drive is easy and the water does the rest.

Makes senseClimbers
The Lemosho route →
Half dayprice

Lake Duluti from Arusha

If you are staying in Arusha and would rather not spend the time on the road, Duluti is half an hour away: water, forest and a canoe.

Makes senseYou are based in Arusha
Lake Duluti canoe & forest walk →
Full dayprice

Arusha National Park

Giraffe, buffalo, colobus monkeys and the Momella lakes, close to Arusha — if you want animals rather than a swim.

Makes senseOne free day and you want wildlife
Arusha National Park →
+2–3 daysprice

Go on to a short safari

From Moshi to Arusha and on to Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Makes senseYou have a few days
The three-day express →
VIIWhen to go

Rated for this route, not for the country.

Chemka is good in every month; the springs feed the pool whatever the weather. The dry months are hot and dusty on the plains, which is exactly when the water feels best. In the long rains, April and May, the dirt road can be muddy and slow, and the pool may be less clear after heavy rain — ask us before you go.

Jan
Warm, dry spell
Feb
Warm, dry spell
Mar
Rains building
Apr
Long rains, muddy paths
May
Long rains
Jun
Dry, cool
Jul
Dry, cool
Aug
Dry
Sep
Dry
Oct
Dry, warm
Nov
Short rains
Dec
Green, warm
Three bars — the route at its bestTwo — good, with trade-offsOne — possible, and quiet
VIIIGetting there

Getting there.

Pick-up

From your hotel in Moshi

We collect you in the morning and return you to the same door. About an hour each way, the last part slow on dirt.

From Arusha

A longer half day

Chemka lies between the two towns, closer to Moshi. From Arusha the drive is longer each way, so the trip takes most of a day. Tell us where you are staying and we will give you honest times.

With a climb or safari

The day after

A swim is the best thing for legs after Kilimanjaro, and an easy day between a climb and a safari. It can sometimes be combined with a Kilimanjaro Airport transfer; ask us.

What else to budget.

Not part of the safari price, in order of how much they matter.

  • Entrance feePaid at the springs
    Amount, and whether included
  • Food and drinks at the springsIf available on the day
    Varies
  • TipsDriver-guide
    Guideline
IXWhy book with us

Only what we can prove.

01

Arusha, since 2010

A Tanzanian company, locally owned, running safaris and climbs from Arusha for more than fifteen years.

02

Licensed and registered

TALA-licensed through the Tanzania Tourist Board and registered with BRELA. Ask us for the numbers; we will send them.

03

One guide, one vehicle

The vehicle and driver-guide are yours for the day. Nobody else joins you.

04

Every fee on its own line

The entrance fee is shown separately on your quote, so you can see what goes where.

XQuestions

The ones we are asked most.

It is spring-fed and pleasant for swimming rather than hot like a bath. Most people find it comfortable to stay in for a long time.

Yes, but take care: parts of the pool are deep and the banks are uneven. Ask us about life jackets and any rules at the springs before you go.

Sometimes there is food and drink for sale at the springs, but we do not promise it. Bring snacks, or ask us to arrange a packed lunch.

The last stretch is a rough dirt road — bumpy and dusty, slow after rain, fine in a 4×4. It is the least comfortable part of the day, not a dangerous one.

Yes. It is a longer drive each way, so it becomes most of a day rather than a half day. We will give you honest times for your hotel.

Begin here

Send us your dates. We will send you the real version.

Named camps, the right direction of travel for your month, every fee on its own line — and a straight answer if another plan would suit you better.

Rather talk it through?WhatsApp us+255 762 914 714
Safari request Chemka Hot Springs One day · 5–6 hours · private
01When, and what for?
How fixed are the dates?
What do you want from it? Pick any
02Who’s coming?
Travelling as
03How you like it
Style of camp

Not a commitment. It lets us send something realistic instead of something you have to reject.

04Where to reach you
We need a name to write back to.
That email address does not look complete.
Step 1 of 4
Other safari plans
4–5 hours · Day tripLake Duluti Canoe & Forest WalkRead the plan →
6–7 hours · Day tripMateruni Waterfall & Coffee FarmRead the plan →
4–5 hours · Day tripArusha City & the Cultural Heritage CentreRead the plan →
7–9 hours · Day tripArusha National Park & the Momella LakesRead the plan →
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