Serval wildlife

Explore a different way to travel.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Serval Wildlife is for you! This luxury ecotourism lodge and wildlife haven is tucked away in the Siha District of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Explore our carefully curated ecosystem with over 3000 hand-planted endemic flora that directly benefits the exquisite animals that reside within Serval Wildlife while you enjoy the mesmerizing views of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro from the 5-star villas.

Currently, it is home to a variety of different animals, such as majestic African Lions, Calm Colobus Monkeys, Graceful Masai Giraffes, Nocturnal Bat-eared Foxes, Exquisite Elands, Oafish Ostriches, and Mischievous Blue and vervet monkeys! It offers unforgettable direct interactions with a variety of free-roaming wild animals.

If you want a fascinating, exclusive, and unparalleled experience, then Serval Wildlife is for you.

At Serval Wildlife, we ensure that these interactions are positive and enrich the animals as they are carefully monitored by trusted and experienced keepers who prioritize safety, animal health, and welfare. Interactions may vary daily as our animals interact with humans at their own will and guests must wait for the animal to approach, this allows our animals to interact at will and leave an interaction by simply leaving the area as they please.

Embark on an extraordinary adventure with Rich-one luxury safaris at Serval Wildlife Sanctuary, an unparalleled destination offering an exclusive and unforgettable wildlife experience. Unlike traditional wildlife viewing methods, our sanctuary allows you to intimately interact with animals, feeding them, petting them, and capturing incredible moments as they roam freely.

Located in the Kilimanjaro area of Siha District, just a 35-minute drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport, Serval Wildlife Sanctuary stands as the epitome of upmarket ecotourism. Our carefully managed ecosystem boasts over 3000 hand-planted unique flora species, directly supporting the diverse wildlife that calls our sanctuary home.

Stay in luxurious 4-star villas and awaken to mesmerizing Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro views. As you explore the sanctuary, encounter majestic African lions, tranquil colobus monkeys, graceful Masai giraffes, nocturnal bat-eared foxes, exquisite elands, oafish ostriches, and mischievous blue and vervet monkeys.

For an unparalleled adventure, pair your safari experience with a thrilling climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. After conquering the summit, unwind in the serene ambiance of Serval Wildlife Sanctuary, just a short distance away.

Our knowledgeable keepers prioritize safety, animal health, and welfare, ensuring your interactions with the animals are enriching and respectful. As guests, you’ll wait for animals to approach, allowing authentic and meaningful encounters.

Rich-one luxury safaris invites you to experience the magic of Serval Wildlife Sanctuary, where every moment promises wonder and excitement. Join us for an exclusive and unmatched wildlife adventure that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

Where is Serval Located?

Serval Wildlife Sanctuary is located within Siha District in the Kilimanjaro Region with easily accessible roads for all types of cars to our lodge; a 35-minute drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport, 60 minutes from Moshi town and approximately 90 minutes from Arusha City.

Animals Available at Serval Wildlife Kilimanjaro

Currently, the Sanctuary is home to a wide range of creatures, including majestic African lions, peaceful colobuses, graceful Masai giraffes, nocturnal bat-eared foxes, exquisite elands, oafish ostriches, and mischievous blue and vervet monkeys. This allows for extraordinary up-close encounters with a range of wild animals that are at large.

The science behind it…

Animals have two mindsets that lead to actively seeking out behavioral interactions: survival critical interactions and situation-related behaviors. Survival critical interactions relate to genetically embedded behavioral responses such as seeking food, escaping threats from predators, and maintaining a healthy state. Once these needs are consistently met, animal behavioral interactions become situation-related behaviors. At our lodge, our animals have a healthy mental state as all their basic needs are met and significantly exceeded. As such, our animals exhibit more situation-related behaviors than survival-critical behaviors.

Do the guides and caretakers ever stop interactions?

The health and welfare of our animals are our top priority. Caretakers and guides will always keep the animals’ best interests in mind. As such, we ensure that the interactions are strictly positive and enrich the animals. If we feel that the animals are uncomfortable due to the actions of a guest or alternative circumstances, the interaction with that individual animal will be terminated.

How do you determine that the interaction remains optimistic for the animals?

Through research and various publications such as the five domains model, we have a clear framework that ensures the interaction remains positive in the following ways:

  • The animal can quickly leave the interaction if it would like to
  • The animal feels a sense of company and safety as there will always be a familiar staff member with guests during direct interactions.
  • Guests participate in enjoyable routine activities that the animal regularly participates in
  • The consistent presence of familiar humans, such as their caretakers, allows the animals to feel calm in the presence of unfamiliar guests.

 

Serval Wildlife Sanctuary Day Trip from Moshi or Arusha

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from your hotel around 9:00 a.m. and drive for 1.5 hours from Moshi or 3 hours from Arusha to Serval Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Siha District of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The park is home to a variety of animals, including lions, monkeys, giraffes, elands, zebras, and ostriches.

This tour offers unforgettable interactions with these free-roaming animals. You will also have an opportunity to explore an ecosystem with over 300 hand-planted endemic flora that directly benefits the exquisite animals that reside within Serval Wildlife. At the same time, you will enjoy the mesmerizing views of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.

If you would like to spend the night at Serval Wildlife, it is an ecolodge with luxury villas that are 120 square meters in size. Each villa can accommodate two adults and two children and includes a king-size bed, a dining area, a full bathroom with double sinks, a dressing area, and an outdoor porch. The price is $950 per night, and the package includes a full board, free WIFI, and a free minibar. The rooms are all air-conditioned and run on 100% solar energy.

We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone

Items included:

  • Entrance fee
  • Lunch
  • Bottled mineral water
  • Transportation
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Wildlife Guide

 

The sanctuary is over 1000 acres. Animals are ethically obtained from zoos and injured animals from the wild to instill natural behaviors and eventually rehabilitate them into the wild with the assistance of TAWA and TAWIRI, Tanzania wildlife authorities. The Tanzanian Government owns the animals that reside within the wildlife sanctuary and is often brought in by TAWA as orphans or injured wildlife. The animals get treated and trained, and then are prepared for release into their natural habitat within TANAPA-protected parks. The wildlife sanctuary also serves as an endangered species reintroduction center to translocate animals to parts of its natural range where populations have significantly declined or been lost. They are aiming to establish a viable population within translocated areas. The most recent animals for release are lions brought to us from other zoos due to their mother rejecting them at a very young age. Upon arrival these animals were in poor condition, they were trained and nursed back to health. With assistance from TAWA, these animals are being softly released from captivity into their natural habitat.

Coffee Tour

As if Tanzania’s natural beauty, landscape, wildlife, and beaches aren’t enough to attract tourists, the country is also known for its huge coffee farms, where fresh coffee beans from coffee plantations are extracted to make sure you get the perfect blend of coffee.

What more could a coffee lover ask for than the scent of freshly brewed coffee right from a coffee farm?
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then you should definitely go on Arusha’s Coffee Plantation Tour!

The tour usually involves a stroll in Arusha’s coffee lodges, followed by the tasting of different brewed coffee varieties. You actually get to see the entire process from scratch! From the extraction of the coffee beans to the addition of milk or any other additive you like to the final cup, you get to see the whole process right in front of you! In fact, you can even pick the coffee beans by yourself!

This coffee tour will make you witness the process of coffee making from the farm to the Factory

Arusha Coffee Tour lets those with an insatiable thirst for coffee enjoy, Arusha’s Coffee Plantation Tour is a visit to paradise. Nothing beats the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans!

Your tour guides will also inform you about how old the farms are! Some of them are even a hundred years old! See for yourself the difference between the new farms and the old farms

Start and end in Arusha! With the In-depth Cultural tour Visit Arusha Coffee Plantation, and you have a 1-day tour package taking you through Arusha, Tanzania. Visit Arusha Coffee Plantation includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport, and more

Arabica and Robusta coffee are Tanzania’s largest export, so of course, they have refined the art of coffee making to near perfection. Grown in Tanzania’s rich volcanic soil, coffee is the primary source of income for many Tanzanians and a tour around one of the many outstanding plantations is well worth the trip. Learn more about the process, taste different brews, and see for yourself what all the hype is about.

Maji Moto Chemka Hot Springs

Chemka Hot Springs are an oasis in the hinterland of the Kilimanjaro region, . Located in 1-hour drive from Moshi town. Chemka Hot Springs is the best place to visit after a Kilimanjaro hike or a safari adventure.

At these idyllic underground springs with the crystal clear, turquoise water, you can enjoy the perfect rest after a strenuous Kilimanjaro climb or adventurous wilderness safari. But also for day-trippers, they are an ideal destination. Whether it’s the old, the young, the quiet or the active, the Chemka Hot Springs invite you to linger, swim and explore.

The pond is very deep, in some places up to 10 meters, but the water is so clear that you can see the bottom well all the time. On the shore under lush trees you can camp, enjoy your snacks or soak up the sun.

Arusha city tour

Tour Duration: FULL DAY

Number of People: 1-20

Tour Type: Walking, Cycling & Drive

This Tour will let you discover the beauty of Arusha city from Clock Tower (halfway between Cairo Egypt to Johannesburg South Africa) and walk to Maasai Market, proceed to the Arusha Declaration monument and museum, and central market to learn different African spices, vegetable,s and fruits, visit Arusha City bus terminal, then later drive to Cultural Heritage Centre for shopping and visit Snake park and Maasai boma at the same place (option to visit snake park) after enjoying different kinds of snake, birds, crocodiles, tortoise, etc drive back to your hotel.

Although Dar es Salaam is larger, Arusha tends to be visited more by tourists as it is the gateway to the northern safari circuit to Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, and Arusha National Park. The closest park to this City is Arusha National Park. It is likely to be the start of your adventure to the famous parks of northern Tanzania.

Colourful and fragrant food and vegetable markets Tengeru or Usa River will amaze you with a vast variety of well-known as well as unusual products. Visit the clock tower, which marks the centre of Africa.

Take a look at the archaeological artefacts in the old Boma German museum. Explore the local art scene and cultural souvenir markets.

Visit graves of Polish war refugees in Tenguru, where a local guide will present the significance of this cemetery.

Stop around the town and soak in its unique vibe, whether sipping a local beer or indulging your palette in local food. Arusha is a town worth visiting, a great day to spend between the bush adventures.

Tour Inclusions:

  • Car, guide fee, entrance fee
  • Walking and drive
  • Shopping time
  • Possible to customize the tour
  • Mineral water during tour

Tour Exclusions:

  • Lunch or dinner in town (option and extra charges direct)

Materuni Water Falls

Materuni Waterfall and Coffee Plantation Tour

A tour of Materuni Village and Waterfalls is a great way to spend a day away from the bustle of town life. The walk to Materuni Waterfall offers a glimpse into Tanzania’s nature, allowing you to prepare your body for the forthcoming climb to Kilimanjaro or ease your muscles after the climb.

The tour starts with a walk to Materuni Waterfall. It is an opportunity to see how local fruits like avocados, mangos, lemons, and bananas grow and learn some of the local history, traditions, village economy, and agricultural and cultural life. When you get to the waterfall, you can refresh yourself in the natural pool, so swimsuits will be handy!

The tour will continue with a visit to the local village lying in the coffee plantations. The villagers will demonstrate the process of coffee farming and guide you through the preparation of coffee from a bean to a cup. Sing and dance along with the Chaga people as they grind, roast, and boil the beans. When the coffee is ready, the villagers will serve lunch—a national Chagga meal.

This very impressive Waterfall is one of the tallest in the area, spewing crystal-clear glacier water 70m into its basin. The beautiful path leading to Materuni Waterfall is located 2500m above sea level.
It traverses through valleys and hills covered by tropical rainforest, past coffee, banana, and avocado “shambas,” the Kiswahili word for farms. On a clear day, great views of Kibo and Moshi town can be seen. The hike to the waterfall’s base can be demanding, so hiking boots are recommended. As this trip is so close to Moshi town, it is ideal for those with limited time but would still like to see some of the nature and beauty that this region of  Tanzania offers.
Materuni is one of the few villages of wonder in Northern Tanzania, sitting at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The village is blessed with all the beauty worth visiting for a holiday, weekend outing, or vacation. While in the village, the scenic view of Moshi Town and Mount Kilimanjaro is astonishing. This green village with fresh air from green vegetation welcomes visitors to explore the beauty of the land and the cultural heritage of the Chagga people.

Your hike can include a cultural experience such as brewing banana beer or roasting coffee the traditional way.

Materuni Waterfall is a booming waterfall just 15 kilometers from Moshi Town. When combined with a coffee tour in the village, it makes for a perfect day trip before or after your Mount Kilimanjaro climb. With about eight kilometers of walking throughout the day and 300 meters of incline, this adventure is a great warm-up for the legs while immersing yourself in the local culture. The tour begins by observing the entire process of making a cup of coffee, from seed to mug. After a locally produced lunch, you head off to explore the massive Materuni Waterfall.

Materuni is one of the few villages of wonder in Northern Tanzania sitting at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The village is blessed with full of all the beauty worth visiting for holidays, weekend outings, or vacations. While in the village, the scenic view of Moshi Town and Mount Kilimanjaro is astonishing. This green village, which has fresh air from green vegetation, welcomes visitors to explore the land’s beauty and the Chagga people’s cultural heritage.

This very impressive Waterfall is one of the tallest in the area, spewing crystal-clear glacier water 70m into its basin. The beautiful path leading to Materuni Waterfall is located 2500m above sea level. It crosses valleys and hills covered by tropical rainforest, past coffee, banana, and avocado “shambas,” the Kiswahili word for farms.

Activities at Materuni Water Falls And Kuringe Water Falls

  • You pass through coffee and banana plantations.
  • Chance of meeting a variety of primates, including Black and white Colobus monkeys.
  • Explanation about local people/life and tradition of Chagga people
  • Enjoying the nature of the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Explanation of different flowers
  • Visit the waterfalls, get an explanation, and enjoy swimming if you like.
    Hiking up to the boundary of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park 2400m
  • You will learn how to make local coffee and drink your own coffee
  • You will learn how to make local beer if you like
  • The best viewpoint for the snow peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro if not covered by cloud

Where is Materuni Water Falls
Materuni Water falls is actually known locally as Nambe Waterfall, which means ‘first-born’. It has this name as it is the first waterfall from Mount Kilimanjaro’s slopes. However, for location purposes, this waterfall is known as Materuni, which is the name of the village in which it is located. Materuni Village is named after the Materu tribe, which is the majority in the village. That’s just a backstory on why the official name is not Materuni, but it is what you will see on Google Maps’ pin location below. Just 15 kilometers from Moshi, this waterfall is a great day trip for those near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Masai market

Best things to do in Arusha, Tanzania

The Maasai Market is a haven for lovers of street shopping. Located near the Arusha Clock Tower, visitors are in for a treat with more than 100 stalls that sell everything from local arts, and souvenirs to quirky jewelry. A must-visit, this colorful market is ideal for those who love to bargain.

Tanzanians are masters in handicrafts and art. Don’t miss out on to bargain for a beautiful souvenir!

The markets have an enormous amount of stalls selling all sorts of local arts and crafts, from paintings to jewelry, wood carvings, and clothes. The people are very friendly and it is a great experience, especially since you will be accompanied by your guide who can help you to negotiate and help you to find the best stalls.

Of course, you’re going to be besieged by salesmen. But at the same time here competition is fierce and prices are falling to a reasonable level. Moreover, the choice is vast, you will necessarily find your happiness. Outside there is the YeYo Maasai (mothers) who sell their own work, mostly pearl jewelry, and inside there are a lot of souvenirs of all kinds, but mainly Maasai. Compare, bargain, and make your bets!

Souvenirs (and a few high-quality items) are here at Curios & Crafts Market, often incorrectly called the Maasai Market. Hard bargaining is required, but it’s worth persisting, as the market has the widest selection in central Arusha.

Find out more about Maasai Market and Curios Crafts

Where is Maasai Market and Curios Crafts?

Arusha is home to Maasai Market and Curios Crafts. Spend the day exploring the area and seeing some of the local attractions. If you want to find things to see and do in the area, you might like to visit Arusha Clock Tower and Njiro Complex.

Things to see and do near Maasai Market and Curios Crafts

What to see near Maasai Market and Curios Crafts

  • Arusha Clock Tower
  • Arusha International Conference Centre
  • Lake Duluti
  • Arusha Declaration Monument
  • Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium

Things to do near Maasai Market and Curios Crafts

  • Njiro Complex
  • Natural History Museum
  • Arusha Golf Course
  • Cultural Heritage Centre

How to get to Maasai Market and Curios Crafts

Flights to Arusha

  • Kilimanjaro (JRO-Kilimanjaro Intl.), 26.9 mi (43.3 km) from central Arusha
  • Arusha (ARK), 6.7 mi (10.9 km) from central Arusha