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FASCINATING MAASAI CULTURE
Would you like to experience the real Maasai culture and spend a few days in a traditional Maasai boma, a so-called "village" but rather as a homestead? We are delighted to offer experiences and authentic village stays with the Maasai in Tanzania. You can book a stay with the Maasai in Northern Tanzania in different locations: Mto Wa Mbu, Ngorongoro, West Kilimanjaro, and Moipo, Kilimanjaro district. All these three locations are unique and offer different things and landscapes. In Moipo, we have a Maasai village where Anniina, the founder of the Visit Natives, lived for almost a year with her Maasai family while she conducted her fieldwork in Tanzania. It's a very secluded and remote place for travelers who want to explore the remote savanna far away from tourism. In West Kilimanjaro, instead, travelers can see some wild game such as wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, elephants, and different antelopes as the Maasai village is inside a Wildlife Management Area. If you only have a few days, we recommend our authentic Maasai experience in Mto wa Mbu, where you can stay one night if you cannot stay longer. We have different experiences, from a few-day trip to multiple-day trips where you can immerse yourself in Maasai traditions, rituals, and ceremonies. You can observe wildlife in the savanna, learn about bush medication, and make colorful jewelry, including some highlights. We always tailor the trip according to your wishes! But one thing is sure: you will experience the real Maasai life in the African savanna.
Maasai are indigenous people who ruled over much of East Africa a hundred years ago. Maasai belong to the Nilo-Hamitic group of peoples who speak the Maa- language. Traditionally, the Maasai rely on meat, milk, and blood from cattle for food. They are pastoralists who have a special relationship with their land and cattle, and they have preserved their unique and fascinating culture against the pressure of modern times, including their many rites of passage, which are rituals that transport the participants from one stage of life to the next. These days, Maasai live in northern Tanzania and northern, central, and southern Kenya, with a population of approximately one-half million. OBSERVE SPECIAL MAASAI RITUALS AND CEREMONIES One of our very unique experiences is attending the Maasai warrior's bush camp called "Olpul." The Maasai culture is famous for its unique age-set system. All Maasai men belong to a certain age set after they are circumcised. The Maasai warriors share a close kinship, and they share everything. For example, a Maasai warrior is not allowed to eat alone. In this bush camp, the Maasai warriors - the moran - slaughter goats or cows, and they only eat meat and drink a special soup to get stronger warriors. Maasai warriors are well known for their jumping dance and singing, which recall legendary cattle raids and battles, among other things. Warriors can end up in a trance because of the bush medication and roots they eat at the helpful ritual.
With us, you are never a tourist! The Maasai family welcomes you as a long-wated guest. Maasai hosts invite you to observe and attend any ceremonies, feasts, or rituals while visiting a Maasai village (boma) in Tanzania.
MAASAI LIVING INSIDE THE NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA One of our Maasai villages that you can book a visit with is inside the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Ngorongoro has been described as one of the world's wonders, and in 1978, the Ngorongoro Crater was declared a World Heritage Site in recognition of its uniqueness. Ngorongoro encompasses some of East Africa's most dramatic scenery, a mosaic of volcanic craters and calderas, and is one of the greatest of the world's wildlife wonders. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers over 8 280 square meters. This is an experience to book for travelers who want to see the wild animals and some excluded and unique African safari while staying with the Maasai. When visiting the Ngorongoro Crater, you are almost guaranteed to see lions as so many occur inside it, and they often lie out in the open.
We think there is no better guide to discover and explore this unique place than the Maasai themselves. The Maasai can freely roam Ngorongoro, and they are the only people still allowed to descend to the Ngorongoro Crater to water their cattle and goats as Maasai live in harmony with the wildlife. Few places can offer the diversity of animals, volcanic scenery, and unique indigenous Maasai culture found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Like many of the world's indigenous people, the Maasai of Ngorongoro face challenges living in their ancestral lands. For the Maasai, their land and pastoralism lifestyle is their cultural survival. The purpose of our trips is also to educate people about the struggles that the Maasai face to maintain their traditional lands. We stand alongside the Maasai communities.
EVERY TRIP HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT
For every stay booked with us, we give most of the payment to the Maasai hosts and donate to the broader Maasai community in every location. In the past years, we have installed solar panels in Maasai houses, delivered water tanks, purchased health insurance, and paid school fees to those Maasai children who want to study but have difficulties paying school fees. We believe in tourism that is fair and which benefits the local indigenous Maasai people. Our aim is that every trip respects local cultures and nature in a way that is socially fair, culturally adjusted, ecologically sustainable, and economically abundant for the local population. You can read more about the impact of our trips here. By traveling the world a better way, we can make a difference. Welcome to visit the Maasai with us!