Tours & experiences

Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class in Moshi with a Local Family

About this experience

Marissa, her husband William and mother-in-law Shida host you in their simple, modest home. Join this warm and welcoming family in their mud house for an understanding of the local food and culture. Don't leave town without trying their meat stew!

Start by helping Shida grate coconuts using a traditional tool called buzi. Then learn to make ugali, a traditional corn meal dish. Making Ugali is an art - simple but labor intensive, a real treat to learn! Enjoy your meal sitting on benches outdoors with the entire family. Ugali is eaten communal style, with each person picking cake with their hand, rolling it into a ball, and using it to scoop vegetables or stew. A few other dishes you may try are uji (a millet and peanut porridge), beef and green banana stew) and rice with spiced beans. Dishes are cooked in coconut milk and simmered over a wood fire, giving it a distinct and delicious flavor! End your experience by sharing peanut brittle and Shida’s local brew with friends and family.

At a glance

  • Duration: 3 hr 30 min
  • Private experience

Choose your tour option

Select a date and travellers to compare current prices and departure times.

Cooking class + lunch + RTT
Pickup included
Cooking class + dinner + RTT
Pickup included

Plan your experience

Time on the tour3 hr 30 min
Getting therePickup offeredSee pickup details
Guide languagesEnglish (live guide)
Tour arrangementPrivate experience

Set aside 3 hr 30 min for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.

Compare the available options before choosing: their itinerary, inclusions and pickup arrangements can differ. Check the price for your date and whole group.

What is included

  • Private transportation
  • Private cooking class with your host Marissa
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Transfers are included for city hotels (for airport/airport hotel transfers, there is an extra cost)
  • On days Marissa is not available, her husband William and his mother will be your host

Itinerary and highlights

This is a unique opportunity to visit the home of a local and explore traditional culture and cuisine. Shida, Marissa and William live in a simple, modest home in a small village in Moshi. In your one hour hands-on cooking class, help Shida to prepare fresh coconut milk using a traditional tool called 'buzi', it is a small wooden seat with a sharp grinder at the end that is used to shave the coconut meat. The coconut milk is used to prepare the vegetables and stew dishes. Then learn to make ugali, a traditional corn meal dish that is served with sauteed vegetables. Shida loves cooking this for her family. Making Ugali is an art, and is simple but labor intensive, a real treat to learn!

See the overview, available options and booking details for the experience schedule.

Meeting and pickup information

  • Your host will pick you up and drop you off at your Moshi hotel listed in your booking.

Languages and tickets

  • English — Guide
  • Mobile Only

Tour operator

  • Traveling Spoon

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Questions about this experience

How long is this experience?
The supplier lists a duration of 3 hr 30 min. Check your chosen tour option for its specific itinerary.
What are the pickup arrangements?
Your host will pick you up and drop you off at your Moshi hotel listed in your booking.
Which guide languages are listed?
English (live guide).
What ticket format is listed?
Mobile ticket.
What ticket age bands are listed?
Child tickets: age 5–11; Adult tickets: age 12+. Check the practical details for participation requirements.
What is the cancellation policy?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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