Riding Adventures on the Foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Makoa-Farm, an old coffee estate, has been lovingly restored and now incorporates an intimate small lodge. We have two cottages, each with a private veranda and stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Further a guesthouse suitable for families - children are welcome - and a comfortable en suite guest bedroom in our colonial style farmhouse. Produce from our own farm and kitchen garden (the bounty of which we happily share with monkeys, duikers and a myriad of other small creatures) is used to prepare the wonderful meals on offer.
Nowadays Makoa-Farm is a fully working 358-acre coffee farm with the perfect terrain for walking, horsriding or just relaxing. In addition to twenty five horses it is home to a variety of interesting and fun animals such as donkeys, pigs, cattle, small four-legged creatures like rabbits and guinea pigs and different kinds of poultry and fowl. The occasional orphaned or injured wild animal spends time as an in-patient in the animal hospital. Susi and Hugo, the pet pigs, Gin and Tonic, the tame bush pigs, and many others add to giving Makoa a delightful old country feel.
We, Elisabeth and Laszlo, your hosts, are experienced Veterinary Practitioners who care for the needs of the domestic and 'wild' creatures of the area and provide a constant warm welcome to two- and four-legged visitors alike. We were both professional Endurance riders in the past and draw on our many years experience to share with you our passion for horses and the African wilderness.
The landscape and scenery are as diverse as they are enchanting. Much of the farmland is devoted to conservation, bordered by two rivers, each filled with towering trees - a habitat we are committed to preserving. The birdlife is phenomenal, monkeys, small antelope and nocturnal game abound, and are frequently seen and heard.
The farm is near Kilimanjaro's Machame Gate with access to the spectacular rainforest on the mountain's lower slopes. The area is home to the Chagga people whose small villages and coffee farms dot the hillsides. On the plains to the south, Masai graze their cattle. The area is rich in diversity and surprisingly free of the tourist trappings.
Experience this lovely part of Africa from your veranda. Or you may spend hours exploring the farm and its environment from horseback, on foot or with your feet up watching the many changing faces of the mountain. All a refreshing change from being enclosed in a safari vehicle. This is an experience not to be missed!
The Location: Makoa-Farm is a 45 minute drive from Arusha, 20 minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport and just 20 minutes from the old German town of Moshi.
