The Village

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Engikaret Maasai Village and Primary School is located 50 kilometers from the town of Arusha heading towards Longido and Namanga, which is on the border of Tanzania and Kenya. The village is vast with unforgiving terrain full of thorny pine trees and bushes and is situated at the base of Mount Meru. In this village, you can see Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, and Mount Longido at once. In the early morning and evening, the deep colors of the sun’s rays cover the sky with yellows, orange, red, purple, and blue shades.

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Furthermore, Engikaret is seen as a refuge for birds and mammals. Some of the common birds seen are Masked Weaver, Ostrich, Guinea fowl, Kori Bustard, Silverbill, Secretary Bird, Red and Yellow Barbet, and Sunbirds. There are mammals here that are not seen in other parks, such as, the Gerenuk, Lesser Kudu, and Klipspringer. Common animals seen are the Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, Impala, and Silver-backed Jackal.

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During the dry season, the winds blow strong in Engikaret Village lifting the loose dirt forming whirlwinds that whip through the plans creating havoc for all those that travel through its path. The river beds are empty and the moist soil turns arid. During the rainy season, the loose soil becomes thick as cement making it hard to walk any distances. The rivers and streams move swiftly ripping at the edges of the earth. The fallen soil turns the water a deep brown or bronze making it difficult for the natives to collect water for the day.

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The Maasai people deal with severe conditions daily. In the early mornings and late afternoons the  Women, children, and Warriors set out to herd the cattle and goats, collect water, wood, and different types of vegetation for food. Each day they wake up with a smile on their face, understanding their duties for the day.

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The Community and Culture

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The Maasai culture is pastoral by nature. They trust their values; believe in their convictions, and live their lives by the teaching of their elders. Going to school was never an option. Children were needed to work in the grazing land.

However, the Engikaret Maasai Primary school now teaches over 600 boys and girls. The students range from 5 to 18 years of age. Our students attend the Pre Primary Program ages 5-7 years old, Primary Education Program, ages 7-16 years old, or the MEMkWA Program, ages 11-18 years old.

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Maasai families are pastoralists who live in small and big traditional bomas which are scattered over the plains. Visit the village and experience how Maasai women work according to age groups and gender. Women deal with domestic chores with the help of the young boys (Layoni), walk with them on their journey to gather water and prepare for their daily activities.

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Visit mud-built bomas and share moments with Maasai women whilst sipping tea. Listen to the language of Maasai colors while watching the women design beadwork and crafts whiles witnessing the old ways of survival in modern times. Walking safaris are available or you can spend quality time in the village is also a heartwarming experience and you will hold memories never forgotten.      
                
All Items the women make are for sale. The profit of your visit will be used to commence and support the Women’s Program towards self-reliance and to assist the primary school and fight against poverty in the community, Karibu!

 

Camping 

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The camping area where you will stay is kept clean and well maintained by the community. Tents are situated inside the fence and will feel the cool breeze that blows in from Mount Kilimanjaro. It is equipped with a campfire ring and you can see beautiful sunsets and sunrises every morning and evening. 

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It is recommended that you bring a tent and sleeping bag, plenty of water for drinking and bathing, food for meals, snacks, sun hat, trousers, long sleeve jersey, sunscreen, bug repellent, camera and batteries (for the camera), and binoculars.

 

Day Tour Itinerary

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Engikaret Plain's day tour itinerary was designed to offer visitors, a short but unforgettable experience. Your guide will pick you up at your accommodation at 6.00 am. Then, you’ll depart your lodge to Engikaret Lark Plains for a lovely full day of bird-watching.

 

As soon as you arrive there, you’ll meet the Masai local guide as an Engikaret Village representative. It’s a formality of the village government that all visits to the plains must involve him in. He will join you on this tour for about 2 hours. After, you will continue with the tour in the peripheral areas regardless of his absence. Later in the afternoon, the driver-guide will drive you back to the lodge in Arusha for dinner and overnight stay depending on your budget.

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INCLUSIONS

• All park fees (entry and transit fees)

• Box lunch Mineral water on board safari vehicle  

• 4 by 4 vehicles + tour guide 

 

EXCLUSIONS

• Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)

• Tips and any items of personal nature

• Accommodation in Arusha

• Airport transfers.

 

Please contact us to develop detailed pricing for your bespoke itinerary. Once your itinerary options are priced locally we can offer you the best value for each element and this will assist you to decide on your final itinerary. We are able to offer the most competitive and transparent pricing in this way.

All quotes and communications are without any obligations.

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For guidance only, example cost for this experience is US$300 per person for two people