Day 1: Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport, transfer to Arusha city, evening briefing with Kilimanjaro Guide

Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport, Transfer to Arusha city.

There will be a trek orientation with your Kilimanjaro guide today and an opportunity to get any rental items that you may need and also pack for the trek. You can leave extra luggage that is not needed on the trek at the hotel.

If you have time, we recommend arriving one day earlier and have a rest day before starting your trek.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mid-Range Accommodations: Mount Meru hotel in Arusha

Day 2: 7-DAY GROUP MACHAME TREK / Drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Machame Gate, Hike to Machame Camp (BLD)
Drive from hotel in Arusha city to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 2 hours. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We depart the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. At lower elevations the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

• Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft
• Distance: 11km/7mi
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Montane Forest

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Machame Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 3: Hike Machame Camp to Shira Camp (BLD)
After breakfast we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the valley along a steep rocky ridge. The route now turns west onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira campsite.

• — Elevation: 3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft
• — Distance: 5km/3mi
• — Walking Time: 4-5 hours
• — Habitat: Moorland

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Shira Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 4: Hike Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp (BLD)
From the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elev 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

• Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
• Distance: 10km/6mi
• Walking Time: 5-6 hours
• Habitat: Semi-desert

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Barranco Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 5: Hike Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (BLD)
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

• Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
• Distance: 5km/3mi
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Karanga Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 6: Hike Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp (BLD)
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

• Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
• Distance: 4km/2mi
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Barafu Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 7: Hike Barafu Camp to Summit, down to Mweka Camp (BLD)
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa! From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

• Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
• Down to 3090m/10,150ft
• Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
• Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
• Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Mweka Camp, sleeping in the mountain tent

Day 8: Hike Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, drive to Arusha city (BL)
After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes). Don’t forget to tip your guides and porters.

• Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
• Distance: 10km/6mi
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Habitat: Forest

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Mid-Range Accommodations: Mount Meru hotel in Arusha city

Day 9: 5-DAY SAFARI / Drive to Lake Manyara or Tarangire for afternoon game drive (BLD)
Depart for Lake Manyara National Park with picnic lunch and game drive till late afternoon. Lake Manyara is tucked beneath the Rift Valley wall. A thin green band of forest flanked by the 600 metres sheer high red and brown cliffs of the escarpment and the shores of the soda lake which gives name to the park. Famous for its tree-climbing lions, Manyara features nearly 400 different species of bird, red-billed quelea, pelicans, cormorants and thousands of flamingos.

OR (option)

Depart for Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch and game drive till late afternoon. Tarangire is famous for its huge herds of elephant and baobab trees. Throughout the dry season, thirsty antelope and elephant trek hundreds of kilometres to drink at the Tarangire River.

• Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
• Luxury Accommodations: Tarangire River Camp

Day 10: Drive to Serengeti, afternoon game drive (BLD)
Drive 3-4 hours to the Serengeti for afternoon game drive. Arguably Africa’s greatest national park, the Serengeti (meaning “endless plains”) is a massive park and home to a yearly migration of more than a million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle undertaking their long trek to new grazing grounds. In return, a wealth of predators including lions, leopards, cheetah and hyena also inhabit the region.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Luxury Accommodations: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp

Day 11: Serengeti National Park Game Drive (BLD)
Full day game drive in Serengeti, lunch at Visitor’s Center.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Luxury Accommodations: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp

Day 12: Serengeti National Park Game Drive, Olduvai Gorge, Maasai Village (BLD)
Drive Serengeti to Ngorongoro with game drive en route. Optional visits to the Olduvai Gorge and Maasai village.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Luxury Accommodations: Gibbs Farm

Day 13: Ngorongoro Game Drive, return to Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport (BL)
After breakfast descend down the crater for a 6 hours tour.
Ngorongoro Crater is a spectacular setting and contains an abundance of wildlife with over 20,000 large animals including Tanzania’s remaining black rhino. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unique in that it allows over 40,000 Masaai pastoralists with their cattle goats and sheep to live alongside the abundant wildlife in a natural setting.
Late afternoon return to Arusha or airport for onward journey.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch