3 / 5 - One review
How to get there
10 km from Moshi and 90 km from Arusha by car
When to go
From July to October and from January to February
Minimum stay
A few hours
Mweka (Tanzania)
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David Debrincat
Practical information on Mweka
Reviews of Mweka
Located 10 km from Moshi and 90 km from Arusha, Mweka is the finishing point for trekkers who've hiked the Machame, Umbwe or Shira routes. These days it is prohibited to begin the ascension from here.
My suggestion:
If you arrive in Mweka on a Sunday, you'll see villagers dressed in their very best clothes. The children get particularly dressed up for this day of mass.
My review
After the arduous days spent reaching the roof of Africa, everyone is relieved to arrive in Mweka. It's in Mweka that you tip the guides and porters. They will begin singing the song and dancing the dance of Kilimanjaro, in honor of the summit conquerors. You get given a certificate as a record of your achievement. For many,this is the most joyful day of their trip to Tanzania.
The only tarmacked road through Mweka is lined with stalls and souvenir shops. Tourist buy T-shirts and local arts and crafts items here. The porters get meat and fruit to take back to their families. I advise you not to give mountain equipment to the children that come and beg you for it. Their parents send them so that they can then resell everything on the market. Instead, offer your surplus items to the porters, without whom your ascension would have been impossible. You've just shared the adventure with them and they have a genuine need for the equipment.
In short, you don't spend a great deal of time in Mweka. It's just a quick stop before returning to Moshi or Arusha.
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David Debrincat
124 travelers' photos
