Tour Overview
Imagine a ‘safari’ in the classic sense – vast stretches of savannah, flat topped acacia trees silhouetted against deep orange sunsets, thousands of animals streaming across the horizon – this Expedition “Kilimanjaro trekking and Classic Safari” is that image made real!
Each park offers something unique
Tour Itinerary
Arrival & Briefing
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation where your guide will meet you for a full briefing and equipment check.
Overnight: Ameg Lodge
Trek Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Elevation Gain: 1,200 meters / 3,900 feet
Your head guide will meet you for the drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate (approximately 45 minutes). After registration, you will climb along a winding trail through a beautiful lush forest. Since this zone experiences the most rainfall on Mount Kilimanjaro you should be prepared for afternoon showers. These can make the trail slippery at times! The climb is steady, gradually easing as you approach camp at Machame Hut (9,800ft). The camp is located on the edge of the forest and giant heather zones.
Approximately: 6-7 hours of walking today.
Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Elevation Gain: 840 meters / 2,800 feet
Today is a little shorter. It begins by climbing a steep ridge to reach a small semicircular cliff known as Picnic Rock. There are excellent views of Kibo, the summit cone of Kilimanjaro, and the jagged rim of the Shira Plateau. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones. It is filled with the lava flow from Kibo and its rim has eroded and been blasted away by weather and volcanic action. Once on the plateau, the trail becomes gentler as you continue your Mt Kilimanjaro Climb to Shira Camp. On a clear day, the views from here are spectacular.
Approximately: 5-6 hours of walking.
Trek Day 3: Shira Camp to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
Elevation Gain: 710 meters / 2,300 feet
Your climb today will take you steadily up and over the expansive ridgelines of the high desert to Lava Tower. The trek to the base of Lava Tower is about 4 hours. This tower is a 300-foot-high volcanic plug. If time and energy allow, you can scramble to the top of Lava Tower for fabulous panoramic views.
From Lava Tower we begin our steep descent into the Barranco Valley, passing large flowering plants which look like trees, the scenecios. This is good practice for your descent from the summit in a few days and will take 1-2 hours. Although you will end your day at almost the same Mount Kilimanjaro Elevation as you started, today is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day. Barranco Camp is in a beautiful, sheltered valley below the imposing Barranco Wall.
Trek Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp via Barranco Wall
Elevation Gain: 350 meters / 1,150 feet
Elevation Loss: 250 metres / 820 feet
After breakfast, we leave Barranco Camp and begin our climb up the Barranco Wall. This is an impressive scramble where you will be rewarded with fantastic views back towards camp. The porters climbing the wall are also an impressive sight. From the top, at 4,200m, you will follow an undulating path around the mountainside. On a clear day, you are treated to spectacular views of Kibo to your left and Mount Meru to your right, each standing as representation of the formidable Kilimanjaro Height. After descending into the Karranga Valley your climb takes you up a short steep path to Karranga Camp.
Approximately 3-4 hours of walking.
Trek Days 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation Gain: 650 meters / 2,150 feet
Today you will spend the morning climbing steadily onto Barafu, which is Swahili for ice! This camp is located on the ridge below the summit cone. You have now completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. This walk will take around 3 hours meaning that you will arrive at Barafu in time to spend the afternoon resting and enjoy an early dinner in preparation for the summit climb. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this position.
Trek Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Elevation Gain: 1,295 meters / 4,200 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,785 meters / 9,100 feet
In the early hours of the morning, you will begin your final ascent to the summit of Uhuru Peak. This part of the climb takes approximately 6-8 hours. It can be very cold at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day and therefore you will want clothing for both extremes. Just when you think you’ve had enough of climbing in the dark the sun will rise and you will be rewarded with a rich red sky framing Mawenzi.
At Stella Point (5,750m) you join the crater rim. From here, climb gently to Uhuru Peak which is the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Standing at the summit, you experience the full Kilimanjaro Altitude of 5,895 meters, the tallest peak in Africa. Following your time at the summit, the descent will take you to Mweka Hut, with lunch served en route. This descent takes about 6 hours. Later in the evening, enjoy your final dinner on the mountain and a well-deserved rest.
Trek Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Descend to the gate through the lush forest (2-3 hours), looking for monkeys along the way. You will be collected from Mweka Village and taken to your hotel in Moshi.
Day 8: Experience The Local Culture & Meals – Transfer to Arusha
As the founders we are born in the slope of Kilimanjaro we would like to show you this beautiful way of life of Kilimanjaro people, today you will have chance to experience fresh local meals and beers as celebration of your successful summit In late afternoon you will be transferred to arusha for overnight.
Safari Day 9: Tarangire National Park
Travel to Tarangire National Park, taking approximately 3-4 hours. Tarangire is a sanctuary to an unusually large elephant population. Majestic baobab trees are an interesting feature of the park. Animals concentrate along the Tarangire River, which provides the only permanent water supply in the area. There is a great diversity of wildlife including lions, leopards, cheetah, and up to six thousand elephants. Enjoy an afternoon game drive.
Overnight: Tarangire
Safari Day 10 & 11: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast you will commence your drive to one of the most famous game parks in Africa, the Serengeti, taking approximately 4 hours. Serengeti is home to millions of wildebeest during the migration and over the huge flat plains, you are likely to find lions, cheetah, leopards, hyenas, and many other small predators.
Your guide will choose the best wildlife viewing locations for the time of year. Spend time at the hippo pool, watching these enormous animals laze about in the cool water alongside the crocodiles, watch a lion stalking its prey, or be staggered by the scale of the great wildebeest migration.
The journey from wide, open plains to the kopjes, volcanic rocky outcrops that provide protection and shelter for a wide variety of animals. This diverse and interesting landscape will provide you with the ultimate in-game viewing.
Overnight: Serengeti
Safari Day 12: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater
An early morning start in the Serengeti to try and find cats before they retreat from the blazing sun during the day. After a few hours of the game, drive travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area The Ngorongoro caldera is the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. At approximately 20 kilometers across and 600 meters deep, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder.
Ngorongoro Crater is unique that almost all it’s wildlife lives within the crater walls; here you’ll have the opportunity to find the game easily. You’ll want to wake early to make the most of your day exploring the crater, where rhino, in particular, can be seen regularly, as well as the pride of lion and other predators like the cheetah.
Overnight: Arusha
Day 13: Departure
Today you will be transferred back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in time for your flight.
Trip Includes
Trip Excludes
- Park Fees
- Camping Fees
- Rescue Fees
- Head Guide
- Assistants Guides
- Cook, & Porters Salaries
- All Food & Drinking Water
- Camping Tents
- Emergency Oxygen
- Transport To / From Park Entry
- 18% VAT Tax
- Accommodation in Moshi including breakfast pre- climb and complimentary celebration dinner from Mallya Tours and lunch post climb
- Two airport transfers
- All Game Drives
- Accommodation At Lodges/Tented Camps/Basic Camping;
- Safari Jeep & English Speaking Driver/Guide
- All Food (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) & Drinking Water
- At Least 1 Pair Of Binoculars
- Hiring of personal equipment including clothing , sleeping mat, sleeping bag etc.
- Tipping to your crew. (The standard recommendation is USD$22 per day to the head guide , $20 per day per assistant guide, 20 per day to the cook and 10$ per day per porter)
- Private Toilet upon request
- Visas
- Tipping for your driver/guide. The recommended is approximately USD$30-$40 per day. This is divided between everyone in the vehicle
- Tipping for your cook (camping safaris only). The recommended is approximately USD$15-$20 per day, also divided between everyone in the vehicle
- Drinks (unless specified)
- Visas & vaccinations
- Spending money
