Combination of Kilimanjaro and safari 8 days
This East African adventure is a combination of Kilimanjaro mountain climbing on the 6-day Machame route and 2 days on safari. Enjoy all the incredible wonders of northern Tanzania from your own feet or the comfort of a safari vehicle.
You'll trek on the Machame Route, the second favorite route to Uhuru Peak on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Due to the different vegetation zones during the trekking, the route has very beautiful scenery. Machame is one of the routes with the best success rate on the entire mountain. However, the trail is considered difficult, steep, and challenging and is better suited for more adventurous climbers.
You'll spend your final two days on safari in Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Stalk the Big 5 and go birdwatching. Spend time with your guide as they tell stories of giraffes, wildebeests, and leopards on the plains.
Services
Included:
- Oxygen systems and pulse oximeters
- First Aid Kit
- Cook and adequate porters to carry both trip provisions & passenger private bags
- Professional safari and mountain guide
- 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Park fees
- Coffee
- Free Wi-Fi
- Soft drinks
- All accommodations
- All meals during safari
- Taxes
- All transfers
Excluded:
- International flights
- Gratuities
- Personal mountain gears
Optional:
- Night game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
- Masai Cultural visit
Itinerary at a Glance
Trekking From Machame Gate To Machame Camp
Begin Your Trek on Mount Kilimanjaro
Trekking From Machame Camp To Shira Camp
Adventurous Ascent on the Mountain
From Shira To Barranco Camp Via An Ascent To The Lava Tower
Challenging but Rewarding Trekking Day
Trekking Barranco Wall To Barafu Camp
Trekking the Barranco Wall
Summit Day!
Summit Day! You Made It!
Descend To Mweka Gate
From the Mountains to the Savannah
Tarangire National Park
Discover Tarangire National Park
Ngorongoro Crater
Adventure in the Wild Ngorongoro Crater
Detailed Itinerary
Trekking From Machame Gate To Machame Camp
Day 1: Begin Your Trek on Mount Kilimanjaro
Your first day begins with an early morning briefing, followed by breakfast and later a drive to the Machame Village from Moshi. You'll feel the excitement start to grow as the sun rises and you approach the trailhead.
Your ascent begins by first entering the rain forest. Heavy rains often transform the trail on this side of the mountain into mud, so you'll be slipping and sliding as you make your way through.
After having lunch at the halfway point, you will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. The views from there will blow you away as you look out across the expanse of the African savannah.
Trekking From Machame Camp To Shira Camp
Day 2: Adventurous Ascent on the Mountain
Wake with the sunrise and enjoy a campfire breakfast on the mountain. Begin the second day of your climb by walking for an hour to the top of the forest. Then, you'll begin two hours of walking through a gentle moorland.
After lunch and rest, continue up the rocky ridge to the Shira Plateau. Once you reach the towering Shira Plateau, you will be able to see Kilimanjaro’s Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. At times, the Western Breach walks are draped with gorgeous curtains of ice.
After another short hike, you will arrive at the Shira campsite to have lunch. Later, participate in an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 300-meter gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp, you will be served a hot dinner while huddled in warm blankets.
From Shira To Barranco Camp Via An Ascent To The Lava Tower
Day 3: Challenging but Rewarding Trekking Day
Today your hike begins by climbing east upward. This path becomes steep above the highest vegetation towards the higher points of Kilimanjaro, making the climbing and scrambling difficult but exciting.
After several hours, walk through a rocky landscape to Lava Tower. This remnant of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic past is several hundred feet high and the trail passes right below it. If you have the energy, climb quickly to the top of the tower for fun.
After lunch near the Lava Tower, you will descend for 2 hours below the lower cliff of the Western Breach Wall to Barranco Camp in a valley. This provides a scenic sunset that stretches to the horizon line while waiting for dinner.
Trekking Barranco Wall To Barafu Camp
Day 4: Trekking the Barranco Wall
After an early breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall. This adventurous route will challenge even the most experienced trekkers. Along the way, you will have a short rest with the opportunity to take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.
In a good walking pace, you will slowly start the challenging hike to Karanga Camp. A delicious hot lunch will be served upon arrival at the camp reaching the camp. Relax for a while to catch your breath.
The last challenge of the day will be the ascent to Barafu Camp where you can see the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. Enjoy a hearty dinner and get to bed early to be ready for the summit day, which is long and demanding.
Summit Day!
Day 5: Summit Day! You Made It!
At 11:30 PM, you will wake up to steaming tea and biscuits. You will then take off into the night for your overnight trek between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers.
You'll reach Stella Point on the crater rim which is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers. At Stella Point, you'll stop for a short rest and a chance to see an outstanding sunrise from the mountain.
You cannot stop for long as the extreme cold and fatigue will make it difficult to start again. Keep going and push through to the Uhuru Peak rim where you might even encounter snow.
On the summit, you can enjoy your accomplishment, knowing you are creating a day you will remember for the rest of your life. Celebrate with your hiking buddies!
Descend To Mweka Gate
Day 6: From the Mountains to the Savannah
After camping overnight at the Mweka Camp in the upper forest, make the rest of your descent back down the mountain. At the park gate, you can sign your name in the register and receive your summit certificate. This is without a doubt the most exciting souvenir you'll bring home from Tanzania.
From the Mweka Gate, you will continue down to Moshi town for hot lunch at one of the fine restaurants, the perfect way to celebrate your successful climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. To finish off the evening, you'll proceed to Arusha to your hotel including a warm shower and leisure time in Ilboru Safari Lodge.
Tarangire National Park
Day 7: Discover Tarangire National Park
In the morning, meet your personal safari guide and set out for Tarangire National Park. You'll cross a good tarmac road across gently rolling Masai plains with scattered acacia trees. As we zip along we pass many Masai people in their colorful dress walking on the roadside, riding bicycles, herding cattle, and driving donkey’s carts.
Next, we'll explore Tarangire National Park, well known for its large elephant herds and a multitude of other creatures. From the open roof of our state-of-the-art safari jeep, we'll experience the seasonal swamps, savanna, and life-giving Tarangire River. We'll encounter a variety of creatures including zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, and giraffe. It is possible we might even glimpse lions stalking prey or leopards relaxing in the trees above.
Ngorongoro Crater
Day 8: Adventure in the Wild Ngorongoro Crater
Very early in the morning, we will descend down onto the Ngorongoro Crater floor for a day of wildlife viewing in one of the most incredible places on Earth. Here, animals roam freely through the unfenced reserves.
One of the seven wonders of Africa, the crater covers roughly 260 square kilometers. Ngorongoro is one of the premier places in Africa to view the big five in their element as well as wildebeest, gazelle, reedbuck, and about 500 bird species.
Around lunchtime, we will stop for a delectable picnic near the Hippo Lake and continue on for more wildlife viewing in the afternoon. Later, ascend up the steep road out of the crater for our road trip back to Arusha where your safari will end.
