Moshi

Moshi is home to three main cultural groups: the Chagga, the Maasai and Pare. However, most Maasai are employed as watchmen or are selling traditional medicines, and their homeland is further north. The Pare are from the Pare Mountains from about 50 km on the way to Dar es Salaam.

Usually you will be able to find people with a decent command of English, but people appreciate it if you are able to use a bit of the native language, Swahili.

To get into Tanzania you must have a visa. This can be done in your home country by finding an embassy or consulate, or when you arrive in the airport or at a border crossing.

Don't over-economise on bus travel, since the cheaper companies often don't have very high safety standards, and you don't want to risk having a drunk driver. This is a very serious warning!

No need to do anything other than walk within the city, though it is strongly advised not to walk around at night, for your own safety.

There are plenty of taxis. As always, negotiate a price before getting in (most fares shouldn't cost more than a couple of dollars). It's a good idea to get the mobile phone number of one for emergencies. Always agree a price before you get in the car.

Local transport around Kilimanjaro can be easy if you take local buses called "Daladalas". They are 16-seater minibuses which usually transport about 30 people and/or children and livestock at any given time. Daladalas can be used to go within Moshi or to the surrounding villages, for instance Machame and Marangu, and are very cheap (less than a dollar). Listen to the conductor shouting the destination as they drive past, and feel free to shout your destination to him. They sometimes have stickers in the front window stating where they go to. Local transport should cost TSh 500-3000. It's not recommended to travel by daladala or by taxi up muddy tracks if it's been raining very hard. It's also essential to check that the vehicle is in a reasonable state of repair and that the driver is sober.

Motorcyle taxis (Boda bodas) are numerous but are the most dangerous way to travel. Drivers are legally required to provide a helmet, just make sure that the strap is working. Some drivers are quite reckless and there have been reports of drivers taking passengers to remote areas to rob/rape.

To hire your own Land Cruiser and driver is around TSh 100,000 a day.

To hire your own motorcycle is around TSh 35,000 per day, or less if rented for a week or more.

• The market can be fun to visit, even if you're not interested in buying anything.
• There are many religious institutions, most notably the mosque near the center of town.
• Visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery opposite the Magistrate's Court.
• Visit the former German administration office between Kilimanjaro Co-operative Bank and BP petrol station on Mawenzi Road/Nyerere Road. You can still see the metal pillar which was used for hanging convicted people.

There are several smaller communities outside of the main town of Moshi that are worth taking a look around.

• Following Kibo Road north out of Moshi you will come to the YMCA and will be in Shantytown, which is an area of relative wealth. Several restaurants are located out here as well as a few hostels and hotels.
• Following Station Road out of Moshi to the east you will be in Majengo, a significantly worse off area than main Moshi.
• Following Boma Road out of town to the west you will be in Soweto, which has many more expensive homes and is also home base for a large European volunteer organization. There is the FalconCrest Hotel and Pub, as well as the Scorpion Pub for a night out. There is a good market near the Scorpion Pub.

• Give a Heart To Africa, Moshi (Ushirika). NGO, vocational school for adult women. 
• Honey Badger Lodge and Safaris, Msaranga (6 km out of town on the way to Dar Es Salaam, turn right at Msaranga petrol station), ☏ +255787551190. 24 hours. A hotel, campsite, lodge and safari company. A family run place with an excellent swimming pool, bar area and children's play area. They can organise all your local tours and safari anything ranging from a night of local drumming and food to climbing the mountain or seeing the national parks. 
• SAIDIA Tanzania, Honey Badger Lodge (6 km out of town on the road to Dar Es Salaam), ☏ +255787730235. Tailor-made volunteer programmes. Any length of time, any skills, any interests accommodated. No programme fee, volunteers just pay accommodation and food. Self-catering is an option. Rooms US$10 (self catered) or US$18 (fully catered) per night. No fee. 

Major banks ATMs in Moshi accept international credit and debit cards accredited with Master card, the plus logo, and Visa card. Stanbic Bank and Equity Bank have MasterCard/Visa ATMs. Make sure your card issuer is aware you are travelling in Tanzania as your card may be blocked for security measures. They all deal in local currency, the Tanzanian shilling. To convert currencies there are several foreign exchange offices near the banks.

As of August 2009, don't expect to be able to take US dollar traveller's cheques and change them to US cash in Moshi. All the banks in town and most forex offices refuse to do it. If you're desperate, the only place that would do it is Executive Change Bureau, on Boma Rd., but they charge 10% commission. If you're going to Moshi, better bring US cash, or verify in writing that the places you are planning to deal with will accept US traveller's cheques (and what the fee is, if any) if you plan to carry them.

For souvenirs, Downtown Moshi is probably cheaper than the big 'out-of-town' places for tourists, which hideously overprice things. Even better, with a 15-minute walk from town on the Dar Road, you will find a community of artists who create the wood carvings and paintings that sell in town. They will sell direct to you at a far better price than can be found in shops. There are lots of fabric shops up and down the main street, as well as tourist shops selling carvings and paintings. If you do get hassled by street sellers, do not be afraid! Their only interest is to take you to a shop where you might buy something and they receive commission for taking you there (they are not the artists themselves!). Generally speaking there isn't a lot buy, but a lot to look at. If you've just been up Kili, the 'Just done it' t-shirts are probably worth a look! Or if you've spent a lot of time drinking, you might want to pick up a Safari or Kilimanjaro Lager t-shirt! Tanzanite is sold in several shops.

• The market is fantastic, and should be thoroughly explored. It consists of many narrow alleyways selling fruit, vegetables, meat, dried fish, general household stuffs, tapes, clothes, and of course the cheapest souvenirs (A drum costing TSh 30,000 in the main streets would cost TSh 5,000 here).
• There are several bookstores but most deal primarily with school and religious texts. There are many stationary shops with everything you could need.

Most restaurants offer a variety of food and range in price from TSh 2000 to TSh 8000 for a meal.

• El Rancho Kilimanjaro Restaurant (El Rancho Restaurant), Ibra Line, Off Lema Road, Shanty Town, ☏ +255 782 149 502, toll-free: +255 272 755 115, erkiliorder@gmail.com. 11:00AM to 11:00PM - Monday to Sunday - Open 7 Days a Week. EL Rancho Kilimanjaro is an Indian Specialty Restaurant in Shanty Town, Moshi, Tanzania. The Restaurant provides healthy, delicious & tasty Indian Food. (updated Jul 2019)
• 🌍 IndoItaliano. In town opposite the Buffalo Hotel. Good pizza, nice balcony location for lunch or dinner, sometimes you might even see some white people working there, doing their practical training for a chef or a waiter. As the name suggests, in addition to the popular pizza and Italian food, there is also good Indian dishes. Beer and wine served. 
• 🌍 the Salzburger Cafe. Kenyatta Street. Somewhat like a steakhouse, decent food but limited menu. Restaurant has Volkswagen decor and waitresses wear leopard print outfits, quite interesting. 
• 🌍 Deli Chez. Hill Street. Usually a lunch time destination but is open for dinner, a bit expensive, located on Hill Street. The menu is quite varied with Indian, Chinese in addition to pizza, burgers and American dishes. A good number of vegetarian choices. Ice cream and milkshakes. No alcohol available. Closed on Tuesdays. 
• 🌍 Coffee Shop. Hill Street (in the center of town near Deli Chez). The favoured lunch time location for tourists, good soup, spaghetti, milkshakes, very fair prices, and near internet cafes; the coffee shop will also bake cakes on order (for birthdays and such). Closed on Sundays. 
• Kilimanjaro Coffee Lounge (formerly Tanzanian Coffee Lounge), Chagga Street. The alternative lunch option, very good bagels and fruit & veggie plates, excellent smoothies. 
• 🌍 Union Cafe (near NMB bank). Run by KCNU - coffee growers cooperative, roasts coffee beans on premises. Espresso drinks, sandwiches, milk shakes, pizza, burgers, salads and breakfasts. Open 7 days/week. 

There are also many other nameless restaurants that serve as decent lunchspots, you should look for a busy restaurant, that's always a good sign. If wanting to try the local food ask for ugali (translates as stiff porridge, a bit bland but harmless) or "wali na maharage" (beans and rice).

• 🌍 Pub Alberto. Offers BBQ at night inside the pub near the dance floor but it is a bit sketchy. 

Heading along the road of the banks and Immigration office there is Abba Ali's Hot Bread Shop that sells excellent bread, honey, doughnuts and other deserts, especially nice cakes. Opposite the bakery is Aleem's Grocer, a decent grocery store.

A great place to buy groceries is at the local market, which can be found easily from the double roads or the alleyway by the Tanzanian Coffee Shop on Chagga St.

Restaurants outside Moshi:

• Panda Chinese. Off Lema Road in Shantytown. Run by the only Chinese family in Moshi, decent food, ideal for large groups, a favourite of tourists for dinner. 
• Italian Passion (near town). Good wine, decent food, dinner. 
• Impala Hotel. Ideal for a Sunday afternoon of sitting by the pool and taking lunch. 
• Honey Badger Lodge (J & Ds restaurant), Msaranga (6 km out of town towards Dar, turn right after Kiboroloni), ☏ +255787730235. 9AM-9PM. A relaxed restaurant bar which offers a fusion of quality Swahili food with international flare. Served the local way. Guests can dine with others or alone as they wish. You can call in ahead to book dinner from the set menu or request a special group BBQ. US$1-12. 

As Moshi is situated on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro it is largely populated by members of the Chagga tribe. Chaggas are known for their keen business sense, their warm hospitality and their love of a good drink, so getting a beer in Moshi is rarely much of a problem! In the daytime and early evening you can head to the Police mess, The East Africa Bar, the KNCU restaurant (up on the top floor of the KNCU building) or the Siesta inn (a 15-minute walk from the main street). All these places serve food so you can keep your stomach lined as you sip a few of the fine local beers (don't bother with European imports - they're no better than the local stuff, but considerably more expensive). Some of the local beers are Kilimanjaro, Safari and Tusker. The most common local liquor is Konyagi.

• Glacier. A nice outdoors pub usually with local music nights. Mostly meant for group nights out to sit around the fire and a favourite spot for tourists. Located off Lema Road in Shantytown. 
• 🌍 Pub Alberto. If you feel the need to keep the party going into the small hours then you'll need to make your way. Open until around 3:30AM, Pub Alberto enjoys a reputation as something of a seedy dive. Indeed, the dance floor is usually a writhing mass of tourists, local people having a good night out, and ladies of negotiable virtue touting for business! If you do go to Pub Alberto then leave your valuables at home and only take the money you'll need for a good night's drinking. It's not as bad as some people make out and as long as you're sensible you'll have a fantastic night! 
• La Liga. Best and biggest night club in Moshi. It costs TSh 5000 to get in, beers and ciders are TSh 2500. Music is mostly European, but they play also local bongo flavour. Very popular place. Sundays are ladies' night, which means ladies don't have to pay entrance fee. 
• Honey Badger Lodge (Leila's Bar), Msaranga (6km out of town on the road to Dar es Salaam, turn right at Msaranga petrol station), ☏ +255787730235. till late. A spacious outdoor bar. You can relax and swim in the day and sit by the bar by night. 
• 🌍 Pamoja. Relaxed bar and hotspot for volunteers. 

Be sure to avoid touts. If you are travelling as a couple, a good idea is for one person to sit in a lobby or restaurant with the bags, while the other scopes out rooms. You are likely to get a cheaper price without them, and not be targeted by sneaky touts that will raise the price US$5-10 for you for their commission. Often they follow you and stay outside signaling reception.

Moshi is a popular tourist destination so most will not be offended by your clothing choices. However, women will gain much more respect by wearing clothes covering their legs at least to the knees, as local ladies rarely show their legs.

• There is a post office near the Clock Tower on Market St. for mailing letters and packages, you can also rent a P.O. box. There is also a DHL office opposite the Dar Express office on Station Rd.
• Kili Hub is a co-working space providing fast internet, back up power and a place to work and Skype for the whole day for only a couple of dollars.
• There are several internet cafes in town, two are located Hill Street near the Coffee Shop, Fahari and Duma (beside The Coffee Shop). Duma acts as a safari tour operator as well as an internet cafe. Located near the Clock Tower is one called EasyCom. Rates for usage vary, but usually around TSh 1500 per hour. Another cafe, called Dot Cafe, is near the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd. (TANESCO) on Rengua Street. The first internet cafe in Moshi, Twiga is on Old Moshi Road, up the road from KNCU Hotel. It offers fast internet connection. They also rent out novels, movies and have trekking/camping equipment for hire.
• If your phone operates on GSM 900/1800 and uses a SIM card then you can buy a Tanzanian SIM card (Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo or Zantel) (cost is Tsh 1000). You can also buy a phone locally for around US$50. You have to prepay for minutes by buying credit. Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo and Zantel offer relatively fast internet (buy mb bundles by sending sms), which can be used on your phone as well as laptop (using phone as a modem).
• All internet cafes in Moshi use the same backhaul internet connection, so if the connection is down in one cafe, it's usually down in them all.
• Some internet cafes offer Skype, although others allege that internet telephone services are illegal in Tanzania (presumably because the state owns the telephone system and does not want to loose out on international phone charges).

• There are several hospitals and dispensaries, most notably KCMC. However to even see a doctor you have to pay around TSh 50,000. There are other clinics in Moshi but again there is usually a charge just for admittance. If you travel just outside Moshi to the village of Soweto there is St. Joseph's Hospital (10 minutes by taxi), run by nuns, and you only pay for tests and medication.
• There are many different religious centers, a large mosque is present in town, there is a prominent Catholic Diocese , a few SDA churches such as Majengo SDA Church , a Sikh Temple, plus many others. There are many churches which have both English and Swahili services.
• There are dental services in town, just look around. There are also optometrists with very decent prices for glasses!
• The Immigration office is located up Boma Rd from the Clock Tower, just a bit further than the banks. You can renew visas here.
• There are several banks with 24-hour ATM machines. They are usually protected round the clock by an armed guard.
• There are several Forex Bureaux De Change in Moshi that charge reasonable rates. Most hotels will also exchange travellers cheques, although at a less favourable rate. It's not impossible to pay for general goods and services in US dollars, although locals prefer shillings.

You can get to Zanzibar in one day, if you take the early bus (6:30AM) to Dar es Salaam, operated by Dar Express, and from there take the ferry at 4PM to Stone Town. The Dar Express office is located near the clock roundabout on Station Rd, opposite the Kahawa house.

There are several day trips possible. Mkomazi, Arusha, Tarangire and Manyara National Parks are possible as day trips. Banana/Coffee plantation tours on the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro along with a visit to one of the waterfalls that are nearby. Union Cafe (listed in the restaurant section), owned by Kilimanjaro Coffee Growers Cooperative organizes the most popular coffee plantation tour (Kahawa Shamba Tour). Lake Chala and hotsprings are also popular excursions.