guest information
We deeply appreciate your choice to stay with us at the Maasai Eco Boma Lodge. This document offers essential information about the property and highlights the importance of your stay for our community. If you require any assistance during your visit, please feel free to contact any member of our staff. We hope you enjoy every moment of your stay and consider returning to our lodge in the future!
OVERVIEW OF YOUR STAY
Check-in is at 4 PM, and check-out time is 10 AM. While you are welcome to stay longer after check-out, we will need to clean your room for the next guest.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a welcome dance to show our appreciation. After settling into your room, you will have the opportunity to join a village tour before dinner to meet members of our local community. After dinner, enjoy a dance around the campfire with our community, another way for us to welcome our guests.
The next morning, you have the option of either a morning walk with the warriors to explore the landscape or attending the school parade, where you can watch the pupils sing and speak together. After your chosen activity, breakfast will be served. Before you depart, the mamas will set up a pop-up bead shop where you can browse and purchase their beautiful beadwork, if you wish.
Please note that guest activities are always subject to change. If there is anything specific you would like to experience during your stay, kindly inform our boma staff. Some additional activities you may enjoy include: carrying water with the mamas, beading with the mamas, plastering the house with the mamas, participating in welcome and evening dances, savoring traditional food, herding goats and cattle, making fire, morning walks around the local area, visiting traditional houses, and attending the Saturday Maasai market.
MEALS:
All meals are served buffet style in our dining area. Typically, breakfast is at 7 AM, lunch at 1 PM, and dinner at 7:30 PM. These times can be adjusted upon request to accommodate your group. If you have any dietary requirements, kindly inform our staff upon your arrival.
WATER:
Upon your arrival, a fresh bottle of water will be provided in your room. Additionally, bottled water is available in the dining area. If you wish to purchase bottled water, soda, or other beverages, our staff can arrange orders from Makuyuni on your behalf.
POWER:
The lights in the huts are solar-powered. We kindly ask that you turn them off when leaving. Free Wi-Fi is available via a portable modem usually located in the dining area, and our staff will gladly assist you with connecting. If you need a plug socket, they can be found in the school office, where electricity is generally available from 9 AM to 4 PM.
SHOWERING:
All huts at the boma are equipped with working showers. The water in the shower is cold but warms up from the sun by midday. Alternatively, you can request a bucket of hot water to be prepared for your use, with no problem at all. Please allow at least 30 minutes for hot water to be ready. If you know you'll need hot water in the morning, please inform a boma staff member the night before, so they can have it ready for you by breakfast (approximately 6:30 AM).
While we have sufficient water for our volunteers and guests, water scarcity is a persistent issue in this area due to limited rainfall and infrastructure. Therefore, we kindly ask you to be mindful of your water usage.
CLEANING & LAUNDRY:
Our boma staff clean the huts daily, and fresh bed sheets are provided for your comfort. If you require laundry services during your stay, please inform our staff, and they will be happy to assist you. Clotheslines for drying your clothes are available next to the boma kitchen and behind the first two huts.
ILLNESS:
We are fortunate to have an on-site medical professional available at the school. If you become ill during your stay at the boma, you can receive medical support for a small fee. Should further treatment be necessary, we can escort you to a hospital. Please note that guests are responsible for the cost of any medication or hospital visits.
INSECTS:
Each bed in the huts comes with a mosquito net. We recommend using it at night to keep mosquitos at bay. Our staff will gladly help you secure your mosquito net before bed, if needed. Should you encounter many mosquitos or other insects, please inform a staff member at the boma. They can spray the room with insect repellent. Our staff members are always available to assist with any unwanted insects!
LOCAL COMMUNITY:
Sometimes, visitors to the boma like to share items or sweets that they have brought with them. While we appreciate this gesture, we aim to avoid creating a culture of begging or expecting gifts among our community. To help us with this, please refrain from handing out sweets or toys directly to the local community or school children. Instead, kindly show any donations to our boma staff, and they will ensure that the items are distributed to the appropriate person or group. For example, stickers or pencils may be given to class teachers to be used as rewards for good work.
LANGUAGE:
Swahili is the national language of Tanzania and is widely spoken by the majority of the population. The Maasai people have their own language, Maa. In our community, some Maasai individuals speak only Maa, but most also speak Swahili. The school operates as an English-medium institution, so English is spoken by both children and staff members. Here are some useful greetings in Swahili and Maa:
Swahili
Mambo (Hello - can say to everyone)
Poa (Response)
Jambo (Hello - can say to people a similar age or younger)
Si jambo (Response)
Shikamo (Hello - say to elder men only)
Marahaba (their response)
Habari (How are you? - can say to everyone)
Salama / Nzuri (Response - good)
Lala salama (Good night)
Asante (Thank you)
Maasai
Supai (Hello - can say to everyone)
Ipa (Response)
Takwenya (Hello - for mamas only)
Iko (Response)
Ira supat (How are you?)
Ara supat (Response - I am fine)
Kidua (See you later)
Serre (Goodbye)
Ashe naleng (Thank you)
BEADING:
The local mamas are exceptionally skilled in beadwork, creating a variety of items including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, belts, bags, bowls, containers, animal figures, decorations, talking sticks, and much more! As your stay at the boma comes to an end, the mamas will set up a pop-up shop in the dining area where you can purchase these beautiful beaded goods. There is no obligation to buy anything, but if you choose to, the money goes directly to the mamas who created the item, providing a vital source of income for them and their families. If there is something specific you would like, please inform a boma staff member, and they can arrange it with a local mama.
SUPPORT:
We are always looking for ways to support Nashipay Maasai School, with our primary goal being to provide quality primary education for our children. Many of our pupils cannot afford their education, so we must find ways to support them. By staying with us, you are already contributing to the school—thank you!
If you would like to continue supporting us after your stay, there are several options. Donations can be made directly to Nashipay Maasai Initiatives, which we will use as needed, whether for building a classroom, a hut, supporting a pupil, or buying school equipment.
Another option is to sponsor a pupil. Sponsorship for one year starts at approximately $300 US and covers school fees, stationery, teacher salaries, and food. You will receive a report about your sponsored child three times a year and will be contacted to see if you would like to continue the sponsorship.
Additionally, you can support us by following and sharing our social media accounts (@maasaiecoboma on Instagram and Facebook) or by leaving a review on TripAdvisor [here]. Reviews are greatly appreciated, as potential guests often read them before deciding on a place to stay. By sharing our mission with others, we can attract more guests and more support for the school. We are also available on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Lastly, you can support us by signing up for the school newsletter. To do this, please inform a staff member, and they will add you to the list. We greatly appreciate any form of support as we strive to achieve our goals!
