Great Lake Expedition
- Located In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $220 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Haile Jimmy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A+ Hikking company and experience
Our experience with Great Lake Expedition was amazing! Surpassed our highest expectations.
The whole crew was unbelievable. The porters all worked so hard, our chef Fideli made some of our favourite meals on the trip (and this is compared to luxury safari lodges), our server Kimambo was incredibly kind/efficient/hard working and our driver Ezekieli was really personable, we had some great chats with him.
And of course, our guides both went out of their way to make sure we completed the summit trek. Emanuel was with me when i got altitude sickness on the mountain and pushed me to keep going. I could not have done it without him. Both he and Baraka were very knowledgeable about the mountain, made sure we paced ourselves properly and were so fun to talk to and be around.
Before we departed for the hike the team took the time to go through the equipment check list to make sure everything we brought was up to par. We got the standing tent and portable washroom which made the hike a little more luxurious than it would have been otherwise. The tent itself and all he equipment we rented was in great shape and/or brand new.
We will absolutely recommend Great Lake Expedition to any one we know looking to climb Kili.
I've done a lot of organized portered hikes and i'm so happy to say this was by far the best experience i've ever had.
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Email Theresa Ulbrich | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely love the Great lake expedition team!!
I went with my fiance and we had an amazing time. With just the two of us we felt like rockstars as our crew handled every detail and we summited safely.
We also followed up with a 5 day safari that was equally amazing.
The Lemosho route has become the new favorite, and we were worried Machame would be busy, but we did it September 2021 and there were only two other couples on the route. This changed after a couple of days when the Lemosho and Machame routes combine. I highly recommend the 7 day Machame as you get ample time to acclimatize, and you start from the bottom in the rainforest so you have actually climbed the whole thing.
At every camp, Great Lake Expedition seemed to have found the best and most private space to camp.
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Email Jimmie Martinez | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional services and amazing experience!!
We booked a 8 day Kilimanjaro Climb through Lemosho route and followed by a 8 day Safari in Tanzania's National Parks. This is a fully organized trip, including the airport transfers, hotel accommodations, climb costs, safari costs, National Park fee... etc (excluding tips/gratuities where applicable)
From the beginning to the end, starting from answering the questions about their packages and trip details, and to the successful completion of Kilimanjaro trek, Great Lake Expedition team were amazing in supporting us and making sure we had best experience possible, and a successful summit. Starting with the trip planning process, Ezekiel was awesome in responding promptly to our questions, and providing all the details needed for us to plan the trip. Payment process was simple and the invoice was just as it should be - crystal clear, and no hidden charges.
Once arrived in the airport, we were chauffeured to the hotel in an AC car with Wifi, water bottles. Hotel was great, setup in a nice setting, with decent rooms.
Day before we start the trek, Great Lake Expedition staff (Ezekiel and Raphael) performed gear checks and helped plan additional gear we needed to take with us on the mountain. Like rain poncho, waterproof duffel bags, snow pants, winter gloves... etc were so critical to survive the rainy and super-cold days on the mountain. We were so glad we rented these extra gear from Great Lake Expedition. We also rented portable toilet, which was a life saver. Could not have done without it, and I highly recommend getting one.
The best part of the trek was the attentiveness and super-friendly and hyper-caring guides. We were lucky to have John as the lead guide and 7 other highly professional guides - all English speaking and very knowledgeable of the mountain and the routes. Without these fantastic guides, our Kili climbing experience would not have been the same. In fact, many of the climbers would not have made it to the top, if it was not for the guides, and the superman like strong porters. Man, the porters were so inspiring and humbling. How they carried 10 times the weight of what we carry, and how fast they up and down the mountain, and with such a basic and rudimentary clothing and gear. Porters dont just do their porter job, but they go above and beyond in supporting us. Particularly the summit porters. Without Summit porters helping us, many of the climbers' experience would be miserable.
Overall, Great Lake Expedition did fabulous in the trip planning and executing the trip for us, with every detail thought through and planned well.
Would I go on another trek with Great Lake Expedition. For sure!
Would I recommend Great Lake Expedition to friend and family? Heck yeah. You should go through Great Lake Expedition, if you want your experience to be flawless and 100% enjoyable. No kidding.
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Email Sarah Mckenzie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowleagable and experienced guides and company!!
The guides and porters were professional and top notch. They made the trek seamless from morning until night, and allowed our team to focus on the journey. Our guides were proficient with the mountain, and detailed for us each day's task/challenge. The food was delicious, water was drinkable and good, and there was plenty of both. I highly recommend Great Lake Expedition to anyone looking to take the Lemosho Route, or hiking the mountain in general. All 15 members of our crew summited, regardless of experience. We were in excellent hands. I've never met a group of guides or porters more committed to ensuring we were comfortable and setup for success. Thank you to Fred and his team!!
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Email Sasha Miktovic | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommended!!
One of the most amazing experiences I've ever had!
Great Lake Expedition has an excellent team, great camping structure and wonderful food. The guide spoke very good English and I didn't, but he really made an effort to understand me not to mention solid knowledge of hiking at high altitudes. I went alone with the team and I felt super safe and welcomed by everyone, not to mention the care with both my health condition and little care (pampering) that makes all the difference. I highly recommend Great Lake Expedition.
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Email Elvis Lopez | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience with the great company and crew
Me and a friend did the 7 day Machame Route in mid-July 2021. It was a private tour, as we were the only clients, along with the 12 people in the crew (porters, chef, waiter, guide, 2nd guide and the "pilot" carrying the portable toilet). It was the most amazing experience! And we are very grateful for the crew for taking us up on the mountain.
We chose a mid-range company, to ensure that we did not get bland/basic food and cheap mattresses. By choosing a mid-range option, we knew we would get a good experience.
After some research, and talking to different companies, we chose Great Lake Expedition, as they are a part of the KPAP (Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project), meaning that they will ensure a decent pay to the porters. Many low-budget companies will cut the wages for the porters to give you a cheaper price!
The communication with the office was very good, and Damsoni answered all of my many (and sometimes weird) questions. This made us feel very much sure that we would have a good experience with the company.
The hotel we stayed at before/after the climb was close to the office, and was really nice. A great pool (which we relaxed by the day after the climb), the food was tasty, and the rooftop was a nice place to take in the view over Moshi and listen to some music.
Our guides (Saidy and Elias) were a good mix of serious and funny, and we had a lot of good talks on the trails! The crew was really nice - but due to Covid-19 protocol, we didn't mingle as much as you would usually do on the trips. We has a good dialogue with the guides, and would discuss how to proceed.
The food was so tasty and plentiful! Thanx to the chef and Shabani, our friend and waiter!
We made it all the way to the top, and the view was amazing! Thank you again for making it possible :)
We would definitely recommend climbing Kilimanjaro with Great Lake Expedition - and we have already recommended them to our friends
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Email Christina Pereira | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lemosho route up kilimanjaro July 2021
Right from the start we knew Great Lake Expedition were a special group, we received a tremendous welcome at the airport by our Head guide Jameel and this flowed through our whole trip. I travelled with my brother and sister in law who were celebrating their 32th wedding anniversary and a very good friend. The Great Lake Expedition managed to keep our spirits high, fed us amazing food and who else could provide a celebratory cake at 4k metres. Also when times get tough and altitude sickness kicks in they are there to encourage, help, support and at times literally drag you up their mountain. We chose the Lemosho route because it is quieter, but also has breathtaking scenery and allows you a more peaceful experience at the beginning. The Great Lake Expedition provide you with tents, sleeping mats, loo's at camp, songs, overwhelming amounts of food; special mentions for me are Juma, Elly, Suma, Uncle Tom, Chopper and Felix. When you come to Kili, bring extra money for good tips, they really deserve it and leave your best kit at home, you can donate any warm clothes, poles, boots and socks...so you can make the team more comfortable. Thanks Great Lake Expedition without you I would not have made it to the top of Africa
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Email Anneth Macheda | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just....Thank you!!
Incredible human experience! A perfect organization for an extraordinary journey! The staff is amazing (guide, porters...) and the company (Emanuel and Damsoni) do the best possible to help you in your trip (covid test, airport transfers, accommodations, food...). If you want to go on a safari or climb the Kilimanjaro it is with Great Lake Expedition that you must leave! Go!!
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Email Janeth Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a life time!!
We had a solo trip with Great Lake Expedition with my son. They were patient and kind throughout - even with a. At times, tired, cranky 12 yer old. They made sure he submitted, even on the most difficult accent and helped him get off the mountain safely, even changing the itinerary to spend an extra night at base camp to ensure we submitted. Overall cannot imagine a better trip or a more dedicated team!!
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Email Jurgen Kier | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!!
I can’t say enough about our recent trip to Kilimanjaro and our experience with Great Lake Expedition! From the guides meeting us at the airport to the owner spending the day with us with absolutely no obligation, helping us get COVID tested a week after our climb. Every porter was so friendly and Simon as they sped past us hauling our camp ahead of us each day. Our five guides were all so positive and supportive of us all. My daughter was a bit nervous the day before the summit attempt, one of our guides Flavi sat with us and explained how we would feel physically and to be nervous was totally normal and that the guides were there to help in and way. She felt so much better mentally and ended up having a much better summit experience because of his kind knowledgeable words. It really felt like we were all in it together “one team, one dream!” The summit was great however, one of my favorite memories was when one of the two porters that summited with us held my daughters hand on the way down the mountain. Another special moment was having all the porters leaving base camp in the rain, sleet and snow to climb up part way to greet us and congratulate us in our accomplishment. The last 30 minutes of our decent into base camp was continuously meant with big smiles, offers to take our packs, hand shakes and encouragement. At every camp site out tents were pitched and our duffel bags in the tent. One of my biggest surprises was the quality of the food. Every morning and evening we gorged ourselves on multiple course meals with fresh delicious ingredients. We had a glutton allergy and a vegetarian in our group and the chefs made excellent extra dishes for them that we all joined in and ate because the portions were huge. If our lead guide Simon overheard something we desired it would just appear, be it a birthday cake at over 16,000 feet, to popcorn awaiting out tired arrival at camp, to individual pizzas and beer awaiting us for the van ride after the end of our climb! I would recommend Great Lake Expedition to anyone who want a wonderful experience with very qualified local guides, local porter, and a wonderful local owner.