The Kikuletwa Hotsprings (also named Chemka or Rundugai Hot springs) is one of the most beautiful and refreshing places in Tanzania. Here you can swim in crystal clear, turquoise, warm water. It’s small oasis in the middle of absolutely nowhere, literally! Simply an amazing experience that’s definately worth the visit when you’re in Tanzania. From Arusha, the trip will take about 2 hours.
The drive from Arusha to Kikuletwa Hotsprings will start on the main road towards Moshi or Arusha (depending on your location). After driving on the main road and hopefully catching a glimpse of mount Kilimanjaro, we’ll leave the main road and exchange it for an adventurous off-road path, straight into no man’s land. The road will take you through gorgeous African country side, past bush land, dry riverbeds, baobab and acacia trees. This vast area is home to members of many different tribes, which we will pass by on our way over to the Kikuletwa Hotsprings.
Once arrived at the hotsprings, you can swim, ropeswing, explore, relax and enjoy the beautiful green oasis. You can rent snorkling goggles to overview the underwater-world and search for hiding turtles. If you’d like to relax, put out your towel, order a coconut or even have a very local massage.
The Kikuletwa Hotsprings is home to one very specific type of fish, named the Garra Rufa fish. If that doesn’t ring a bell, it’s those fish they use for pedicures that eat the dead skin off of your feet! The Rungudai Hot Springs is their natural habitat, so don’t be scared if you feel something nibbling on your feet. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the free pedicure. Outside of the hotsprings people actually pay a lot of money for this treatment, but here it’s completely free! There’s also a chance to find turtles and catfish in the hotsprings.
The Hot Springs has many names, which can be quite confusing. It’s often called the Chemka hotsprings, Rundugai hotsprings, Kikuletwa hotsprings and Maji Moto. They’re still one and the same.
The local meaning of Chemka is boiling, this refers to the way in which the water appears to boil as it emerges from underground. Maji Moto simply means Hot Water. If you want to know more about the origin of it’s names? Ask our local guide! He’ll tell you everything!
*This Day trip is both possible as a private excursion or it is possible to join a group. If you’d like to join a group. Please send us an enquiry and we will find a group for you to join!
For the backpackers under us: this tour can also be done by public transport for a truly local experience. For the more time-bound traveler, we recommend private transport, as public transport is often delayed and occasionally overfilled. Send us an enquiry.
The hotsprings are often combined with a trip to the Materuni waterfalls as a full day trip. Special prices apply if you’d like to combine these trips. Both are great to do seperately for maximum relaxation and exjoyment, but if you don’t have an endless amount of free time, it’s great to combine these two.
