Biking takes place in mto wa mbu, a village nestled in the Rift valley between Africa’s eastern and western escarpments 2 hours from Arusha. It is one of the most culturally diverse villages in Africa with over 18,000 inhabitants from 120 different tribes. Its primary industry is agriculture.
During this 2-hours biking excursion, you will get a feel of the local flavor of Mto wa Mbu’s eclectic mix of cultures.
This biking tour winds between banana and rice plantations while visiting 5 tribal communities.
Along the way it will be explained how these diverse groups cooperate in sharing water and land resources, learn how bananas are planted and harvested for various purposes and visit a local “Pub” enjoying its banana beer set within surrounding banana palms.
You will watch the makonde tribe sculpt handmade wood artwork from black dense wood in the tradition of their Mozambique ancestors and be invited to try their method of wood sculpting yourself and visit a local school and watch its students and meet their educators. Following the bike ride you will have a local lunch.
Our lunch in Mto Wa Mbu will be an event unto itself. It will be at a unique venue that is actually the extension of a local resident’s kitchen. It combines a form of community economic development served by a local resident who transformed her kitchen into a business with a great variety of local african dishes.
All foods are cultivated in the local area and nothing is imported. The setting for lunch is in a palm shaded area off the beaten path.
