$4,741 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Nairobi - Masai Mara
Nairobi - Masai Mara
Pick up from the airport or your hotel before driving via Narok town to the Masai Mara National Reserve, home of the Masai tribe. The proud, young Masai warrior-nomads with their plaited hair, red cloaks and spears will challenge your curiosity.
The 700-square-mile game reserve itself is the Africa of your dreams, complete with wild animals grazing amid the superb rolling landscape of gentle hills and acacia woodlands. Check in to your camp and have lunch at 12:30pm. There will be time to settle in before your first game drive at 4:00pm. Return to the camp before dark and enjoy dinner at the camp.
- Main Destination:
- Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
- Accommodation:
- Enkorok Mara Camp
Wildlife in Masai Mara NR
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Masai Mara - Lake Naivasha
Masai Mara - Lake Naivasha
Today you have the option of going on a hot air balloon ride (cost not included). You will take to the skies for the ultimate Masai Mara wildlife adventure, soaring in a hot air balloon over herds of game to the inner reaches of the park. You’ll ascend in the early morning when winds are calmest. Watch as the professional crew fills the balloon with hot air. Slowly the big, colorful bag begins to bulge and take shape! After your incredible flight, it’s time to come back down to earth for breakfast. You might wonder what all the ordinary people are doing on this perfect African morning! Before leaving, the pilot will present you with your balloon flight certificate, and then you’ll enjoy a game drive en route back to the camp
If you don't opt for the balloon ride, you will have your breakfast in the camp and then check out before going on a game drive before leaving for Lake Naivasha. At Lake Niavasha, you will have an option of going on a boat ride or just relaxing at the next camp.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Naivasha (Naivasha, Kenya)
- Accommodation:
- Lake Naivasha Resort
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Lake Naivasha - Arusha
Lake Naivasha - Arusha
After an early morning breakfast, we will depart for Arusha via Nairobi. Our journey will take us across the border into Tanzania, arriving in the picturesque town of Arusha in time for lunch. Arusha sits at the foot of rugged Mount Meru and is the gateway to most of Tanzania’s safari sites. The afternoon will be spent at your leisure.
- Main Destination:
- Arusha (City, Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Mvuli Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Arusha - Serengeti
Arusha - Serengeti
After breakfast you will be transferred to the famous Serengeti National Park. This park is to Tanzania what the Masai Mara Game Reserve is to Kenya. Covering 14,763 sq km, the Serengeti is dominated by vast, open plains and an abundance of wildlife. A picnic lunch will be provided en route, and the afternoon will be spent viewing game and absorbing the breathtaking scenery. Your dinner and overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Central Serengeti Luxury Camp
Wildlife in Serengeti NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Serengeti - Ngorongoro
Serengeti - Ngorongoro
Today you we will transfer to the Ngorongoro crater via Olduvai Gorge. Ngorongoro is an impressive 20km wide volcanic crater with 600m walls. The views from the crater rim are breathtaking, and there is an ever-present abundance of wildlife due to the permanent water supply on the crater floor. Olduvai Gorge is famed for being the site where 3.5 million year-old fossil fragments of an early human civilization were discovered. We will enjoy lunch overlooking the crater, and the afternoon will be spent at your leisure.
- Main Destination:
- Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Octagon Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Karatu - Arusha
Karatu - Arusha
Today you will make your way to Arusha. A pre-departure group meeting with your mountain guide is scheduled for the early evening.
Situated in the heart of a major coffee growing region, Moshi is an attractive, small town of about 150,000 people that sits at the base of Kilimanjaro. Despite the teasing proximity of the snow-capped mountain, Moshi is not the cool highland settlement you might expect. Instead, lying at an altitude of 810 meters, it has a surprisingly humid, sticky climate that is reminiscent of the coast. Moshi means “smoke” in Swahili, but the origin of this name is something of a mystery.
- Main Destination:
- Arusha (City, Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Mvuli Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Machame Gate- Machame Camp
Machame Gate- Machame Camp
After breakfast we will drive approximately one-hour drive to the village of Machame. Depending on the road conditions, it may be possible to drive 3km further from the village to the Machame gate in Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park (1815m). After registering at the gate office, you will start your ascent and enter the lush rain forest. Here you will listen to the sounds of many exotic birds and possibly see monkeys like the black and white colobus. These monkeys are black with a long ‘cape’ of white hair and a flowing white tail. We cover a lot of distance today, though the gradient is gradual. We climb the lower slopes of the mountain and end at the Machame Campsite, just beyond the rain forest and within the fascinating heath-land.
Hiking Time: 6-7 hrs
Total Distance: 18km
Starting Altitude: 1490m
Final Altitude: 2980m
Habitat: Montane forest.
Accommodation: Budget Camping
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Machame Camp - Shira Camp
Machame Camp - Shira Camp
Rise early and climb steeply through the savannah heath land, seeing trees such as Giant Heather and Erica. You will encounter gentler ascent through the lower alpine moorland, which is notable for its beautiful wild alpine flowers, unique giant lobelia and giant groundsel (senecio kilimanjari) plants. If it is a clear day, you will have direct views of Kibo Peak, which is the ultimate goal of your adventure. After a short lunch and rest, you will traverse west across the Shira plateau towards the river gorge and the Shira campsite. Your night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.
Hiking Time: 6-7 hrs
Total Distance: 9km
Starting Altitude: 2980m
Final Altitude: 3840m
Habitat: Moorland.
Accommodation: Budget Campi ng
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
-
Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Shira Camp - Barranco Camp
Shira Camp - Barranco Camp
Today we turn east and continue to climb “pole pole” (slowly, slowly) through increasingly rocky and barren terrain. We will eat lunch and then ascend the rocky scree path to the Lava Tower (4630m). The trek starts to become more difficult as the trail steepens, and most hikers will start to feel the effects of the altitude, such as weakness and lack of breath. From the Lava Tower, we descend steeply for two hours and more than 600m into the Great Barranco Valley. This descent affords fantastic views and some great photo opportunities of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. You will also experience the clear benefits of this acclimatization day as we lose altitude on the way to our camp. Barranco Camp is set on a col (flat area) enclosed on three sides by the Breach Walls and the Kibo massif itself. Hanging glaciers glint in the sunshine above.
Hiking Time: 7-8 hrs
Total Distance: 15km
Accommodation: Budget Camping
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Barranco Camp - Barafu Camp
Barranco Camp - Barafu Camp
Today we tackle the Great Barranco Wall – an imposing face above your camp. A steady climb up the eastern wall takes us just below the Heim Glacier, where we may catch some awesome views of Kilimanjaro. Our trail continues down into the Karanga Valley, and then joins up with the Mweka route – our descent trail. In this valley your porters will stop to collect water as there will be none up ahead. Here the temperature grows colder as we follow the trail climbing through this empty and dry landscape up to Barafu Camp. In preparation for your final ascent tonight, you will familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark and prepare your equipment and thermal clothing. Sleep may be difficult, but you will lie down after dinner to rest for the 1345m final ascent.
Hiking Time: 7-8 hrs
Total Distance: 13km
Starting Altitude: 3950m
Final Altitude: 4550m
Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Accommodation: Budget Camping
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Day 11
Barafu Camp - Summit - Mweka Camp
Barafu Camp - Summit - Mweka Camp
Today you will be awakened in time to leave camp by around 12:00am. After a warm drink and a light snack, you will begin the most difficult but also most rewarding day of the trek – your hike up to the top of Africa. Climbing through the dark, you will ascend passing between the Rebmann and Tarzel glaciers. After approximately six hours of slow but strenuous hiking, you will reach the rim of the main crater, Stella Point, at 5685m.
It is here where you will be rewarded with a breath-taking sunrise (weather permitting), which we will enjoy while taking a short rest. From Stella Point the ascent trail to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, is normally snow-covered. Take a few minutes to appreciate your accomplishment, as this is a day to remember for the rest of your life!
Total Distance: 7km to summit, 23km descent
Starting Altitude: 4550m
Summit Altitude: 5895m – Uhuru Peak
Final Altitude: 3100m
Habitat: Stone scree, ice capped summit, alpine desert.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Mweka Camp - Mweka Gate - Moshi
Mweka Camp - Mweka Gate - Moshi
Today you will wake up full of oxygen and ready to descend thanks to the much lower altitude. Enjoy the forest on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Upon arrival at the Mweka gate, successful hikers will receive their summit certificates (gold for Uhuru Peake, green for Stella Point). From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village for lunch, normally a muddy, one-hour hike. Upon arrival to Moshi in the afternoon you will relax, enjoy a much-deserved shower and a congratulatory beverage. Drop off at the airport or to a hotel of your choice thereafter.
Hiking Time: 4-5 hrs
Total Distance: 12km
Starting Altitude: 3100m
Final Altitude: 1980m
Habitat: Montane forest.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
