Exploring Moshi, Tanzania: What Everyone Gets Wrong

At the beginning of the summer, I had the privilege of spending two weeks traveling around East Africa. While some highlights included a safari in Masai Mara and relaxing on the beach in Zanzibar, one of my favorite parts was exploring Moshi, Tanzania. 

Moshi is an incredible city right next to Mount Kilimanjaro. I had a great time in the heart of the city itself, as well as exploring nature outside of it. 

This article is part of my Trip Report: Starting Summer in East Africa including:

• My Comically Bad Luck Flying to Africa
• No Compensation for an Involuntary Business Class Downgrade?!?
• Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge IAD
• Review: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD
• Review: Lufthansa B747-8 Economy IAD-FRA 
• My First Flight on the Queen: My Thoughts
• Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge FRA
• Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge FRA 
• Review: Lufthansa A330 Business Class FRA-NBO
• Review: DoubleTree by Hilton Nairobi Hurlingham
• Review: Air Kenya into the Safari
• JW Marriott Masai Mara Review: Luxury in the Savannah, a Truly Unforgettable Safari
• Is the JW Marriott Masai Mara Worth $3k a Night?
• Review: Aspire Lounge Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO)
• Review: Kenya Airways NBO-ZNZ E190
• Exploring Tanzania: My Thoughts on Zanzibar
• When Flights Don’t Go as Planned: Delayed in Zanzibar
• Review: Air Tanzania ZNZ-ARK
• Mt. Kilimanjaro Day Hike: My Thoughts
• Exploring Moshi, Tanzania: What Everyone Gets Wrong
• Review: Twiga Lounge by Aspire Lounge Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Weirdest Flight Delay I Have Ever Had… 
• Review: Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa Executive Regency Suite
• Exploring Addis Ababa: My Thoughts
• Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge Addis Ababa
• Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine B787-8 Business Class ADD-IAD
• My 18 Hour Odd Business Class Experience: A Stop in Lome, Togo?

Exploring Moshi Tanzania

Without a doubt, the highlight of my time in Northern Tanzania was the day hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. We stayed in Moshi before and after this hike, as it was the closest location to the mountain, rather than driving multiple hours from Arusha.

Moshi, Tanzania, is a nature lover’s dream destination. In addition to the accessibility to Kilimanjaro, there are countless other amazing hikes and activities. We decided to go on a tour on our last day that included a hike to a gorgeous waterfall, as well as a visit to a coffee farm.

The natural beauty of the area simply amazed me. Further, the experience of making our own coffee was certainly fun and unforgettable. 

The highlight for me is always the people I meet. In this case, speaking with individuals, such as our guides and the hotel manager, was amazing. It is very special to hear someone’s life story and learn from their different and unique perspective.

What Everyone Gets Wrong

I feel like in school and throughout our youth, we were taught that Africa is the place where one finds safari animals and poor villages containing mud-built huts. Although there is poverty in parts of Tanzania and Africa, as there is in even the richest countries of the world, this vision of “what Africa is” could not be farther from the truth. 

I had a few people ask me why I was spending multiple weeks in Africa and if I would get bored of being on a safari for that long a period of time. To me, there was so much more to do throughout the countries and the continent, in addition to seeing the beautiful animals. 

I wanted to see the beaches in Zanzibar, the city in Nairobi, and my biggest bucket list: the rainforest around Kilimanjaro. The diversity of landscapes throughout, not only the continent but the individual countries, is breathtaking. 

There is so much more to Africa than safari (which I do highly recommend). In exploring Moshi, Tanzania, I witnessed this diverse landscape, which opened my eyes even further to this bias.

The Last Point

I know that I have said it before, but always remember your biases. Try to be open to new experiences when they come your way. I was open to the idea, despite the concern of some family members, to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro and explore Moshi, Tanzania, and it was 100% worth it.