Size: 3,600 square kilometres
Location: En route Ngorongoro
Known for: Cultural Diversity
Bird Species: 400+
High season: June to October
Best Time: All year around
To Do: Walking, farm visit, maasai visit, maasai market visit miwaleni village
Migratory Birds: Nov - Apr.
Population: 11,405+ people
Mto Wa Mbu Village is located in the midst of 2 wildlife corridors - age old paths that animals use for migration. Animals commonly seen in the area include Elephant, Hippo, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Zebra and Gazelle as well as Monkey and Baboon. The Big Five can also be seen in nearby national parks.
Mto wa mbu is the busy gateway to most of the famous norhern national park, situated very closely to the Lake Manyara National Park. You will pass through here en route between Arusha and Ngorongoro. Over the years, Mto wa Mbu has become the hub of Tanzania tribes, with such diverse, it estimated all of Tanzania’s 120 tribunal groups are present here – living with one another happily side by side.
With the presence of plenty lodges, campsite, hole-in-the-wall eateries, petrol stations, money changes, souvenir stalls and just about anything else that could tempt a passing safari vehicle to disgorge its inhabitants, this place has evolved into something of travelers centre.
Mto Wa Mbu Village has a very active cultural programme that seeks to show visitors the traditional way of life of the villagers through various activities and also a range of community projects that are in place. You can visit top spots in the area, taste Tanzanian foods and experience authentic cultural interaction.
A small fee is charged for each activity which is then used to support income-generating projects such as the production of energy-efficient stoves and the development of irrigation systems. Students will find the village and its people to be a great resource for information on Tanzania. Everyday topics can be explored as well as more complex subjects like politics, history and culture, wildlife and legends.
The village is located in Northern Tanzania 120km (74 miles) away from the town of Arusha, by tarred road. There is regular bus transport between the village and Arusha or visitors can fly-in to Lake Manyara airstrip. The main water sources in the area are the Mahamoud, Kirurumu and Magadini Rivers.
There are a number of excellent walking, hiking and biking tours offered in the village ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day (bikes can be hired in the village):
Village Tour
Village Lunch
Farm Visit
Balaa Hill
Maasai Tour
Maasai Market Visit
Miwaleni Lake and Waterfall
Lake Manyara
When selecting your accommodation for your itinerary, it's important to bear in mind that the type of accommodation you choose can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of your trip. It will also determine whether your itinerary falls into the budget, medium, or luxury category. We recommend that you consult with our safari expert to identify the accommodation options that best align with your budget and requirements.
Full Board: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
4x4 Landcruiser with Pop-up roof
