Most visitors to Moshi are here for Kilimanjaro, but the town and its surroundings offer more than just the mountain. The Materuni Waterfall and Coffee Tour is the best half-day excursion — a walk through Chagga coffee farms on the lower slopes, ending at an 80-metre waterfall and a cup of the local brew. Day walks through other Chagga villages pass through coffee and banana plantations, with waterfalls and viewpoints along the way.
Farther afield, Lake Chala is a striking volcanic crater lake on the Kenyan border, and the Kikuletwa Hot Springs (Chemka) to the west is a remarkable oasis of warm clear water in dry Maasai steppe. Moshi's Central Market is worth a morning for coffee shopping and local colour.
For Kilimanjaro, the Machame Gate is the starting point for one of the mountain's most scenic routes. Even non-climbers can drive up to the gate and walk into the montane forest. Moshi is also a base for safari trips to the northern parks — Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. Multi-day safaris typically depart from either Moshi or neighbouring Arusha.