Text and Photos : Amy Richmond
For a relaxing day in a typical rural setting, visit the village of Mulala on the slopes of the Meru Mountain. Here you will be warmly greeting by Mama Anna and the Mulala Agape Women’s Group. These women have united together to support each other in various income generating projects such as a cheese making, bread making, sewing, and cultural tourism. Mama Anna started the Cultural Tourism Programme in Mulala in 1997 and the proceeds have been used to improve the local school buildings, dispensary, and water supplies.
By visiting Mulala you can take one of various walking tours through local shambas and up the slopes of Mt. Meru. Your guide will take you to visit the local schoolhouses and other development projects as well as experience the daily lives of the Meru tribe. The Meru people of Mulala are mostly subsistence farmers growing vegetables, fruits, and coffee. As you enjoy a spectacular view of Mt.Kilimanjaro, your guide will also point out plants used as local medicine as well as different species of birds and chameleons. After your trek, the women’s Agape group will gladly prepare you a traditional Meru meal served in a relaxing hut built for their visitors. Along with ugali served with locally grown crops you can enjoy Mama Anna’s award winning cheese and banana wine ! Facilities also include a camping space with a kitchen and bathroom.
Location :
To get to Mulala you can arrange a trip at the Tanzania Tourist Board Office in Arusha or you can contact Mama Anna and go directly to the village by yourself. Take a daladala from Arusha to the Usa River Junction (get off at Dik Dik hotel signboard - about 60 km) where Mama Anna will send the village Landrover to pick you up for a fee. You may also choose to walk from the Usa river junction to the village. Follow the signposts for Mulala, for an uphill walk that will take about 3 hours.
Contact
Mama Anna
P.O. Box 100 Usa River, Tanzania
Tel. : 027 2507515
Email : agapetourism@yahoo.com
Languages : English, Swahili, or Meru
Tourist Board Office in Arusha
Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB)
47 E, Boma Road
P.O. Box 2348, Arusha
Tel : (+255) 27 250 3842
Email : ttb-info@habari.co.tz
Internet : www.infohub.com/vacation_packages/2667.html
Cultural Information :
The Cultural Tourism Programme in Tanzania was developed by SNV- the Netherlands Dutch Development Organisation -and the Tanzania Tourist Board in 1995 to help local villages directly benefit from tourism. Over a dozen modules were created through community based decision-making and are now run by local community groups.
Range of activities and services provided :
Target : families, groups, individuals
Recommended seasons : all year round
Types of tours : half day to full day walking tours
Accommodation : Campsite including toilets, a kitchen, and traditional meals can be prepared by the women’s group