Photo by Lewiken, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
🇹🇿 Tanzania · Kilimanjaro Region
Photo by Lewiken, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
🇹🇿 Tanzania · Kilimanjaro Region
♨ Temperature
30°C
⛰ Altitude
760 m
⚗ pH
7.6
💧 TDS
380 mg/L
🌊 Flow rate
—
📅 Established
Known to local communities for generations
✓ Verified on 2026-07-22
Chemka Hot Springs — the word 'chemka' means 'boil' in Swahili — are a series of clear, geothermally warmed springs in the Kikuletwa area of the Kilimanjaro Region, about 50 kilometres west of Moshi and less than 100 kilometres from the summit of Africa's highest mountain. The springs emerge from a volcanic aquifer at approximately 28–32°C and fill a series of natural pools shaded by enormous fig trees whose root systems descend directly into the water. The clarity of the water is exceptional — visibility to several metres depth — and the geological origin is clearly volcanic, linked to the deep hydrothermal system of the East African Rift. The combination of clear warm water, ancient fig tree canopy, the distant white cone of Kilimanjaro visible on clear days, and the solitude of a setting removed from major tourist circuits makes Chemka one of East Africa's most distinctive thermal natural sites.
| Sodium | 68 mg/L |
| Bicarbonate | 240 mg/L |
| Silica | 35 mg/L |
| Calcium | 28 mg/L |
| Fluoride | 1.2 mg/L |
The Kikuletwa springs are part of the geothermal expression of the East African Rift System, the geological structure that is slowly separating the African continent. The Chagga people, who have farmed the slopes of Kilimanjaro for centuries, have traditional knowledge of the springs and surrounding landscape, using the warm waters for bathing and irrigation. The fig trees at Chemka are likely centuries old and form a micro-ecosystem supporting birds, insects, and fish adapted to the constant water temperature.
Chemka is a gathering place for local Tanzanian communities — families from Moshi and Arusha who know it as a weekend retreat — and increasingly for international visitors seeking an alternative to the conventional safari or Kilimanjaro climb. The springs represent a different Tanzania: intimate, quiet, warm, woven into the everyday rhythms of the surrounding farming communities rather than packaged for export. A rope swing from the fig tree branches into the clear pool captures something of the uncurated pleasure of this place.
The springs at Chemka flow from a natural geothermal aquifer without mechanical intervention. The surrounding landscape — Masai and Chagga agricultural land — is under increasing pressure from population growth and water extraction. Responsible tourism programmes led by local guides aim to generate income for the surrounding community while limiting direct environmental impact on the spring source and the ancient fig tree ecosystem.
Websitewww.tanzaniatourism.go.tz
AddressKikuletwa, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania