Mbahe Weekend

By Carolyn

In August our wonderful neighbors and friends Tara and Simon invited us to join them for a weekend in Mbahe (lots of words in Swahili start with "m" followed by a consonant. That first m you just say like "mmmm" as in "mmmm mmmm good" so it's mmmm ba hey.) about an hour east and then north on the border of Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. It's where many of the Kili climbers ascending the mountain go into the park. Simon grew up in this village, and along with his brothers, and he owns property where they grew up.

Simon runs a climbing company and has built out his section of the property to house climbing clients so they can spend a couple days adjusting to the altitude and getting a village experience. Most climbing companies tag on a couple days for their clients to have a village experience.

Simon's is such a special place - in a lush, serene village on the slopes of Kili with organic gardens, wonderful food, great lodging and tranquil walking trails to the village center, local primary school, waterfalls, coffee plots and more. Our other neighbor friends joke that now it's all downhill for us because we have already experienced the best village weekend around.  We loved the weekend especially because we love their family. Here are a few photos.

Where climbers get to spend a couple days before starting out - to experience rural village life. 

Really cool Tanzanian water heater

That is some pig!

On a walk nearby

Hauling greens for animals

Gorgeous waterfalls and wading spot

Simon explaining coffee plants to Keith

a little green guy

Mbahe village's central field for soccer, recess and Sunday relaxing.

Morning in Mbahe, mountains in the distance.

Ian's heaven - frisbee throwing on a grassy hillside in a rural village.

Simon and Keith - good living.

Keith - oh yeah.