Times in Tanzania: Excursion to hike in Machame

This weekend we had the opportunity to go on our first excursion since arriving. A co-worker told me about a group that meets bi-weekly for hikes. She sold it quite well, saying that it wasn't necessarily a huge group activity and that it was a mix of people running or walking, with a small dinner and drinks available afterwards for 5,000 TZS ($3.11). She said they choose a new location each time and they lay out the route for joggers/hikers, the only thing you need to provide is transport.

I figured we would give it a shot and in fact, I was quite excited. I thought of it as some sort of hiking club-- if anything I would be exposed to a variety of natural areas surrounding Moshi. Apparently the group had been operating for about ten years and I was curious to see what it was like.

We got a ride with my coworker's friend and headed up in a group of eight. Most of the people were her roommates whom I had met before. They are all young people, a mix of volunteers and struggling NGO workers. They live in a house with eight people so they have a strong sense of camaraderie, though they also give the feeling of a clique, common when people live together. Either way, they are an enjoyable group of people to see from time to time and I was certainly grateful for the ride, as I would have no idea how to reach this place.

The hike was held in Machame, a sprawled out village on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro about 25km northwest of Moshi. The area is beautiful, a stark contrast from the relative plains of Moshi, with densely packed stands of banana, coffee, and a variety of flora. However, when we pulled into the meeting point, I was immediately put off by the massive congregation of wazungu (foreigners). There were about 40-50 wazungu and maybe four black people. I was happy to see that many of the people were older with children, though the whole setting made me feel uncomfortable. It seemed a bit exclusive and classist. It also became apparent that it was more of a social activity, something I understand but contradicts my motivations for going on hikes in natural areas.

A domesticated pack of Wazungu (foreigners).

Still, I tried to have an open mind and after the moderator explained the hike to everyone, we set off. We stayed behind the main pack, mainly to dodge the crowd but also to increase our chances of seeing some interesting birds. The moderator came by after about a half hour and chatted with us. He snickered when we said we were bird-watchers (for me that's a stretch) and said he had a birder out a few weeks ago and we moved at about his pace. He advised that if we reached the bottom of the river gorge within a certain amount of time we should just turn around instead of attempting the loop. We thanked him for organizing the hike and for giving sound advice.

The hike was a bit strange and basically wove through homes on the outskirts of town. The trail was marked by flour scattered on the ground every few meters. It was nice to see the town but it was obvious that a massive pack of wazungu had preceded us. Much like we observed the town folk, they observed us. It was a bit like a parade, with children lined up to point and greet, something I was not thrilled about. It also made me feel uncomfortable that many people were taking pictures of the ramshackle houses and not greeting the people who passed (though this wasn't everyone). This made us fall back from the crowd rather quickly.

After we separated from the crowd I settled down a bit and began to appreciate the beauty of the area. We walked along the ridge of valley and then down to a river. Most of the locals using the route were going to their home village across the river. It was quite steep and certainly a work out for an everyday commute. When we got to the bottom of the river we diverted off the planned trail and followed the river. We walked through a mix of farmland and secondary growth enjoying the sound of the river and the shade from the trees. Eventually we doubled back and our timing was perfect as we merged with the main group on their return trip.

When we got back to the lodge we enjoyed a nice meal of chapatis and ingredients for a Tanzanian-type burrito. I chit-chatted with a few people and came to the conclusion that I would highly enjoy this type of excursion if I had kids and/or was new to the area. There were probably more than 10 families with children and it appeared to be a great time to have the kids play, get some exercise, and most importantly, get out of the Moshi bubble. And although it seemed like a great time to get to know people, I won't lie, I was too put off at this point to do much intensive socializing.

In the end, the trip was nice, but I doubt we will go on another one of these excursions again. Perhaps we'll tag along on a few to remote areas if only to familiarize ourselves with "trails" but I foresee us doing more independent exploring once our Swahili is up to par and we have our own transport.