Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Moshi
You'll get picked up from Kilimanjaro Airport, or from Nairobi or Arusha if that works better for you, and head to your bed and breakfast in Moshi. Once you're settled in, there's a pre-trek briefing where your guides go through what to expect, and you'll check all your gear to make sure everything's ready for the climb ahead.
Included Activities
- Pre-trek briefing
- Equipment check
Landmarks/POIs Kilimanjaro Airport - Day 2
Machame Gate to Machame Camp
After breakfast, you drive 45 minutes to Machame Gate where the guides and porters get all the equipment organized. The trek itself starts through thick forest, the kind that actually supplies most of Kilimanjaro's water. You'll break for lunch at Halfway Clearing, then keep climbing to reach camp near Machame Hut ruins at 3,000m/9,843 ft, where you might catch views of Kibo's snowy dome.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Halfway Clearing), Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided trek through montane forest from Machame Gate
- Lunch at Halfway Clearing
Landmarks/POIs Machame Gate Mount Kilimanjaro Kibo - Day 3
Machame Camp to Shira Plateau
This is a shorter day but it kicks off with a steep push up to Picnic Rock, a curved cliff face that gives you great sightlines of Kibo and the jagged edge of Shira Plateau. From there the trail eases up as it crosses the plateau to your camp near Shira Hut at 3,840m/12,598 ft, which has nice views of Kibo, the rock formations around you, and Mt. Meru sitting above the clouds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Climb to Picnic Rock with rest point
- Trek to Shira Plateau and Shira Hut camp
Landmarks/POIs Picnic Rock Shira Plateau Mount Meru - Day 4
Shira Plateau to Barranco Valley
You'll start with a gentle climb across moorland with wide views all around, then walk on lava ridges underneath Kibo's glaciers. After lunch near the Lava Tower junction, you head down into the Great Barranco Valley at 3,900m/12,795 ft. The valley's protected by huge cliffs, and from there you can see out across the plains below.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch near Lava Tower junction), Dinner
Included Activities
- Gentle ascent across moorland plateau
- Walk on lava ridges beneath glaciers
- Lunch near Lava Tower junction
- Descent to Great Barranco Valley
Landmarks/POIs Western Breach Great Barranco Valley - Day 5
Barranco Valley to Karanga Camp
A steep climb up the Barranco Wall comes first, then you're on an uneven trail on Kibo's south-eastern side with really good views of the southern ice fields. The ground shifts from rock to loose scree with some vegetation mixed in. You reach Karanga Camp at 4,100m/13,451 ft for lunch in a narrow valley, and this is your last water stop before Barafu.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Karanga), Dinner
Included Activities
- Steep climb up Barranco Wall
- Undulating trail with views of southern ice fields
- Trek through scree terrain to Karanga Camp
Landmarks/POIs Barranco Wall Karanga Camp - Day 6
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
You start with a short but steep climb out of Karanga, then settle into an easier path on compacted scree that opens up with wide views. The climb to Barafu campsite at 4,600m/15,092 ft is steady. Spend the rest of the day resting and getting ready for tomorrow's summit push, then get an early night since you're heading up around 1 a.m.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Steep climb out of Karanga
- Trek on compacted scree to Barafu
Landmarks/POIs Barafu Camp - Day 7
Barafu to Stella Point to Uhuru Peak
You'll start your summit push by torchlight around 1 a.m., going up loose volcanic scree on well-graded zig-zags to hit Stella Point at 5,735m/18,814 ft by sunrise. Rest there and take in the sunrise over Mawenzi. If you're feeling strong, you can do the two-hour round trip along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak at 5,896m/19,341 ft, where you'll pass glaciers and ice cliffs. The descent back to Barafu is quick, then you head further down to camp at the edge of Mweka Forest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Summit climb by torchlight to Stella Point
- Optional trek along crater rim to Uhuru Peak
- Descent to final campsite
Landmarks/POIs Stella Point Uhuru Peak Mawenzi - Day 8
Mweka Forest to Moshi
You make your way down through forest with thick undergrowth covering most of the trail to reach Mweka National Park gate. From there you transfer back to Moshi for a hot shower and cold drink to celebrate finishing the climb.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Descent through Mweka Forest to National Park gate
Landmarks/POIs Mweka Gate - Day 9
Moshi to Arusha
After breakfast, you transfer to a campsite near Arusha to get ready for your safari. It's a recovery day after the trek, so you'll have time to relax, rest up, grab an evening meal, and stay overnight at the camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 10
Arusha to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, you drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There's a picnic lunch included, and in the afternoon you head out on game drives where you've got solid chances to see the Big Five and other wildlife. By evening you'll be camping in Serengeti National Park with dinner included.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Transfer through Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park
- Picnic lunch
Landmarks/POIs Ngorongoro Conservation Area Serengeti National Park - Day 11
Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro
You get an early start with breakfast before the morning game drives in Serengeti, when it's cooler and animals are moving around more. After a picnic lunch, you head toward Ngorongoro and visit a Maasai village at some point during the day. You'll have dinner and camp above the crater.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning game drives in Serengeti National Park
- Picnic lunch
- Visit to Maasai village
- Evening game drives towards Ngorongoro
Landmarks/POIs Serengeti National Park Ngorongoro Crater - Day 12
Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast you descend into Ngorongoro Crater for morning game drives. It's called the Noah's Ark of Africa because of how many animals live in this protected space. You'll have a picnic lunch, then transfer back to Arusha by late afternoon with camping and an evening meal included.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Descent into Ngorongoro Crater
- Morning game drives in Ngorongoro Crater
- Picnic lunch
Landmarks/POIs Ngorongoro Crater - Day 13
Departure
You'll get transferred for your onward travel to Nairobi or Kilimanjaro Airport, wrapping up your combined trek and safari trip.
Landmarks/POIs Kilimanjaro Airport
