Day 1 – 13 | Safari & Kilimanjaro
Tarangire National Park – Game drive
Lake Manyara National Park – Game drive
Serengeti National Park – Game drive
Ngorongoro Crater – Game drive
Mt. Kilimanjaro – Hiking (7 days) Lemosho Route
Day 1: Arusha – Tarangire National Park
After breakfast meet your safari driver guide at the lobby and leave for Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch boxes for game drive. Tarangire is the fifth largest National park in Tanzania well known for its beautiful landscape and larger elephant population found nowhere on earth. Tarangire River and the majestic baobab trees dwarfing some animal species which comes underneath are among the highlights of this park. Tarangire – Lake Manyara ecosystem forms a cycle of annual migration of over 3000 elephant, wildebeest and zebras. Apart from elephant population you may expect to spot giraffe, buffalo, zebra, hippos, warthog & the three rare species of Lesser & Greater Kudu, Oryx and the Ash staling. Later drive to the camp for overnight.
Accommodation at Roika Tarangire Tented Camp
Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast at the campsite, you will be picked up and drive to the Lake Manyara main gate. After completing all the payment formalities check in and begin your game drive to this wonderful park well known for its tree climbing lions and over 400 of bird species, primate-filled forests and grassy plains. A large area of the park is covered by the alkaline Lake Manyara, the seasonal breeding grounds for large colonies of flamingos and many more waterfowls. The park is also home to giraffes, hippos, wildebeests, impalas and groups of noisy monkeys and baboons. After an extensive game drive leave the park in late afternoon and drive to the camp for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at Kirurumu Manyara Tented Camp
Day 3: Lake Manyara – Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, you will travel via the cooler highlands towards the southern Serengeti and at midday you will reach the plains of the Serengeti to Naabi hills gate for check in, (you can have your packed lunch here while checking in), and you are now in Serengeti. After lunch, game drive on your way to the central Serengeti possibly your driver guide will have already known where the big herds are located. Sunset game drives on your way to the campsite. This park is the largest in Tanzania and has a diversity of habitats and landscapes – short grass plains, savannah, thick bush, swamps and lakes. Bizarre rock formations called kopjes dot the grassy landscape where predators are often seen. The Serengeti is famous for the yearly migration when hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras trek to find fresh grass and water.
Accommodation at Embalakai Luxury Tented Camp
Day 4: Full Day Serengeti
Leave the camp early morning with breakfast box for an early morning game drive in the Serengeti to where the big herds are located; you might spot lots of nocturnal animal coming back after a long night of hunting or a group of lionesses planning a hunt or a hard of buffalo lazily grazing before getting hot. Break for breakfast in the bush and proceed with game drives until afternoon. Take your lunch break at Seronera visitor’s center and afterward a little rest before embarking on your afternoon game drive. Later evening drive back to your campsite before or after the sunset.
Accommodation at Embalakai Luxury Tented Camp
Day 5: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Wake up early morning before breakfast; go for sunrise game drive in Serengeti National park. Later return to the camp around 9am for late breakfast, on your outward journey to the park gate, you will enjoy some more game viewing on the way before you leave the Serengeti Park. While check out at the same time embark on the plains bordering the Ngorongoro towards your camp located on the Conservation area for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at Ngorongoro Wild Camp
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
After early breakfast, leave the camp and descend into the crater floor for about 6 hours of game drive. This massive collapsed volcano is home to over 25,000 mammals ranging from the “Big Five” – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. The area also supports a vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, eland, warthog and giant hippos to some of the more than 500 bird species can be spotted in this area. Another big draw card to this picturesque place is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. After an extensive game drive, you will leave the crater and drive back to Arusha town.
Accommodation at Silver Palm Hotel (Included)
Day 7: Arusha (1400m) – Londorossi Gate (2100m) – Mti Mkubwa camp (2750m)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Habitat: Montane forest
After eating breakfast at your hotel, your guide will deliver you a short brief on the day. You will drive two hours from Arusha (1400m) to Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). In the village near Londorossi Gate, you will receive a packed lunch and can buy mineral water for the hike. Then the final 45 minutes of the drive leading up to the gate will be on a bumpy forest track requiring 4WD vehicles. At the entrance gate, the guides and porters distribute the supplies and register with the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). You are now ready to begin your 3-hour hike into the rain forest. Be on the lookout for Colobus monkeys! Along the way, you will stop for an afternoon lunch break and arrive at Mti Mkubwa (“Big Tree”) Campsite (2750m) in the early evening. The porters, who arrive at the campsite before the clients, will set up your tent and boil water for drinking and washing. The chef will prepare a snack then dinner for the clients. At nighttime, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared!
Accommodation at Mti Mkubwa Campsite
Day 8: Mti Mkubwa Camp (2750m) – Shira 2 Camp (3840m)
Hiking time: 6.5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
After an early morning breakfast, you will begin your ascent out of the rainforest and into the heather moorland zone. You will cross many streams and walk over a plateau that leads to Shira 2 Camp (3840m). At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and its glaciers in the East. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
Following an early morning breakfast, you will leave the moorland environment and enter the semi desert and rocky landscape. After 5 hours of walking east, you will be come face to face with the Lava Tower (4630m). Packed lunches are served at the Tower and hikers have the option of climbing the massive Lava Tower weather permitting. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects from the altitude including headaches and shortness of breath.
After lunch, you will descend from Lava Tower (4630m) to the Barranco Campsite (3950m). The 6800m descent gives hikers a huge advantage to allow their bodies to adjust to the conditions of high altitude. The descent to camp takes around 2 hours to reach. It is located in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall (“Breakfast Wall”). Drinking and washing water and dinner will be served as hikers view the sun setting.
Accommodation at Barranco Camp
Day 10: Barranco Camp (3950m) – Karanga Camp (3950m)
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Distance: Approximately 5 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
This is a short hiking day meant for acclimatization. After an early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the Wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. You will spend the night at Karanga Camp (3950m) and enjoy dinner and washing at the site.
Accommodation at Karanga Camp
Day 11: Karanga Camp (3959m) – Barafu Hut (4600)
Hiking time: 2-3 hours
Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
After breakfast, you will begin your ascent. The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4550m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!
Accommodation at Barafu Camp
Day 12: (Summit attempt) Barafu Camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kilometers ascent and 23 kilometers descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Your guide will wake you around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about 6 hours, you will reach Stella Point (5685m), located on the crater rim. After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will continue ascending for about 2 hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.
At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Mweka Hut (3100m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rain forest. Mweka Camp (3100m) is located in the upper rain forest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have a dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.
Accommodation at Mweka Camp
Day 13: Mweka Camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Forest
Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Arusha for long overdue showers and more celebrations at your hotel.
Drop of at your hotel in Arusha
Items included:
Tented camp safari according to the itinerary
Full board accommodation while on Mountain
Licensed mountain guide, cook and adequate porters
