Easy5-6 hours

Chemka Hot Springs

A hidden oasis with warm turquoise water so clear you can see the bottom 10 meters down.

About This Tour

About two hours from Moshi, tucked away down a bumpy dirt road, is one of Tanzania's best-kept secrets. Chemka is a natural pool fed by underground springs that keep the water at a perfect temperature year-round. What makes it special is the clarity—the water is transparent in a way that seems impossible, with shades of blue and green that change as the sun moves. Old fig trees lean over the edges, their roots dipping into the water. Ropes hang from branches for jumping in. Small fish swim around your feet. It's the kind of place where you show up planning to stay an hour and end up spending the whole afternoon floating, snorkeling, or just sitting on the wooden platforms watching the light play on the water.

Highlights

Swim in some of the clearest natural water you'll ever see

Jump in from rope swings and overhanging branches

Let tiny fish give your feet a nibble

Snorkel without needing a boat or ocean

Have lunch right at the water's edge

The ideal recovery day after hiking or safari

Day Itinerary

8:30 AM

Pickup

Your driver collects you from your accommodation in Moshi. The drive to Chemka takes about two hours, heading east toward the town of Moshi Rural and then onto rougher dirt roads. The landscape changes from busy town to quiet farmland to dry bush country dotted with baobab trees.

10:30 AM

Arrive at Chemka

The springs are tucked away from the main road, down a short path through the trees. When you first see the water, the color stops you—it's an unreal turquoise blue, completely clear to the bottom even where it's deepest. Wooden platforms and benches line the edges under the shade of massive fig trees.

11:00 AM

Into the Water

The water stays around 25°C year-round, warm enough to swim comfortably for hours. The pool is about 10 meters deep in the middle, with underwater springs pushing water up from below. Rope swings hang from tree branches for jumping in. Bring a mask—snorkeling reveals just how far you can see underwater, plus small fish that dart around your feet.

1:00 PM

Lunch

We set up lunch on tables right at the water's edge. Expect fresh fruit, sandwiches, grilled chicken or fish, and cold drinks from a cooler. You eat in the shade watching other swimmers, then get back in the water whenever you want.

2:00 PM

Keep Swimming

The afternoon is unstructured. Float on your back watching clouds through the tree canopy. Practice your rope swing technique. Find a quiet spot on the bank and read a book. Some people nap. There's no schedule—just enjoy being in a beautiful place without any pressure.

3:30 PM

Head Home

Dry off and load back into the vehicle for the two-hour return to Moshi. The drive often catches golden late-afternoon light over the plains, with Kilimanjaro sometimes visible to the west if the clouds have cleared.