Vacation Overview
Tour Details
Tanzania: Kilimanjaro's Machame Route & Serengeti Wildlife
Fourteen days. Africa's highest peak and its greatest wildlife stage — back to back. Kilimanjaro's Machame Route threads through forest and glaciers before Uhuru Peak delivers the summit sunrise. Then the Serengeti opens up in all its stampeding glory, Ngorongoro Crater descends, and Tarangire's elephant herds round out a trip that packs more into a fortnight than most manage in a lifetime.
Highlights
Tackle the Machame Route — Kilimanjaro's most scenic and celebrated path, Trek through forest and moorland before glaciers and high-alpine deserts take over, Stand at Uhuru Peak at sunrise and witness the curvature of the earth, Roam the iconic Serengeti in search of wildebeest and prowling lions, Descend into Ngorongoro Crater — one of the largest intact calderas on earth, Spot towering termite mounds and elephant herds in Tarangire National Park
Accomodation
While on the mountain (7 nights), we provide full-service alpine camping at designated communal campsites. Your porters will be carrying your tents, which they will pitch for you at these sites. The campsites are fairly basic, and exposed to the elements. They will not have electricity, nor shower facilities, and toilet facilities are basic long drop latrines, which could become dirty at times (especially when it is raining), as many other hikers sharing the same facilities. Your crew will prepare basins of warm water for washing daily. All meals on the mountain will be prepared for you by your group's cook. The tents are two-person dome tents which are assembled by the porters. All tents have built-in insect nets. Mattresses are also provided, which are warm and comfortable. Drinking water: On day 2, you should bring bottled water from the hotel for your first day's hike. Beyond that, purified (filtered) mountain water will be provided for you for the duration of the hike. Barafu Camp: The night before your summit attempt, on Day 5, you will be staying at a high altitude camp where there is no water facilities. You porters will carry water up to the camp for cooking, bathing, and drinking. This trek is not for the faint of heart, and the camp sites on Mt. Kilimanjaro are basic. However, many come out of their camping experience on the world’s largest free-standing mountain not only gratified, but ultimately rejuvenated by such an experience of a lifetime. Please note, if you need to alter the itinerary for any reason (e.g. travel delay or illness or in the event of having to descend from your climb early due to altitude sickness, injury or exhaustion), any unscheduled meals or nights spent in a location other than the tour itinerary will be at your own expense. The start/end hotel has a number of services and facilities available as follows; Internet, laundry, gear hire, luggage storage, telephone services, TV lounge, outdoor dining area and a shuttle service to/from Moshi as the hotel is located just a few kilometres from the centre of town.
Group Leader
For your hike on Mt. Kilimanjaro, you will be lead by an experienced certified mountain guide. To round out the team, you will be joined by an assistant guide (for groups of more than one person), a cook, and a team of porters. Your guide has been trained in mountain guiding skills, first aid and emergency response, flora and fauna, and group management. All guides are licensed by KINAPA, the National Park Authority. Your cook is an experienced cook who will prepare a variety of nutritious, and hearty meals. As a general rule, each hiker will be accompanied by 2 porters, who assist in carrying both your bag and the team’s gear (tents, food, etc). Please note English is often the 3rd or 4th language of the Tanzanians in the area of Mt. Kilimanjaro, therefore your guide will speak a basic English. The porter will carry a maximum of 15kg of your belongings and 5kg of personal gear. All our Porters will carry a maximum of 20kg and there is a strict weigh in by the Kilimanjaro Park authority. This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.
Group Size Notes
Max 14, avg. 10
Meals Included
13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 9 dinners
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Moshi Women's Cooperative Visit, Moshi
Your G for Good Moment: Mto wa Mbu Community Visit and Lunch, Mto wa Mbu
Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group.
6-day guided group trek up Mt Kilimanjaro's Machame Route with local guides, cooks and porters. All permits and fees. Two safari drives in Tarangire National Park. Coffee harvesting tour in Karatu. Scenic safari drive in Ngorongoro Crater. Sunset safari drive in Serengeti. Full-day safari drive in Karatu and Serengeti National Park. Free time in Serengeti National Park. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Daily Itinerary
G Adventures: Tanzania: Kilimanjaro's Machame Route & Serengeti Wildlife
Day 1: Moshi
Arrive at any time.
Day 2: Moshi/Machame camp
Hike the lower slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro to Machame Camp.
Most of the day is spent in the gorgeous and fascinating, forested slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, most of which is considered to be rainforest zone. Depending on the weather, the trail will be soggy and possibly muddy if it rains.
Day 3: Machame camp/Shira 2 Camp
Hike through lower alpine moorland to Shira 2 camp and observe the spectacular views of Kibo Peak.
Day 4: Shira 2 Camp/Barranco Camp
Hike to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower. Enjoy the fantastic view of Western Breach and the Breach Wall.
Day 5: Barranco Camp/Barafu Camp
View the Great Barranco Wall and climb up the eastern wall, passing below the Helm Glacier.
Day 6: Barafu Camp/Mweka Camp
Hike during the night to the Summit via Stella Point. Watch the sunrise before descending to Mweka Camp.
The route from Barafu Camp to the summit is mentally and physically, the longest, most challenging day of the entire trek. Despite the difficulty, the memory of conquering Mt Kilimanjaro will stay with you forever.
Day 7: Mweka Camp/Moshi
Continue descent through the forested, lower slopes to Moshi. Meet the mamas of the Moshi Women’s Cooperative, a G supported project, for a climbing ceremony.
Arrive to Moshi in the afternoon. Time to relax, take a shower, and celebrate with a drink. Cheers to climbing Mt Kilimanjaro! Before dinner, you will be welcomed and congratulated on your climb by the mamas of the Moshi Women’s Cooperative, a project supported by G Adventures. They will present you with a gift and a certificate to remember all your efforts on the mountain.Opt to pre-book the Lala Salama Spa & Beauty Aromatherapy Massage, which partners with Moshi Women's Cooperative, by adding it to your checkout page, or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.
Day 8: Moshi/Arusha
En route to Arusha, enjoy an included stop at the G Adventures-supported Moshi Women’s Cooperative. Pick up any last-minute supplies in Arusha.
Travel to the picturesque town of Arusha. En route, stop at the Moshi Women’s Cooperative to learn about what this project offers. Meet the women, learn more about their lives, and opt to purchase some souvenirs.In the evening, you may be joined by other G Adventures travellers arriving from Kenya or starting the safari portion of their Tanzania trip. Check for details of the time and location of a welcome meeting, typically around 18:00.
Day 9: Arusha
Spend the day as you please in Arusha. Relax after the more active portion of your trip and prepare for the next leg of wildlife and beauty through Tanzania's landscapes.
Day 10: Tarangire National Park
After breakfast the group will travel to Tarangire National Park. This park is special due to its large elephant population, presence of ancient baobab trees, and a unique dry season migration. The elephants gather around the Tarangire River that flows through the park. Enjoy a safari drive upon arrival to see the diverse wildlife here for yourself. Sit down for a picnic lunch inside the park before continuing onwards to Karatu where you will spend the evening.
Day 11: Karatu
Spend a free morning in Karatu. Choose to have a leisurely wake up and relax at the hotel or pre-book the optional Lake Manyara Morning Safari Drive. Later, in the afternoon engage with local farmers on a coffee tour where you will learn about the harvesting of the beans and participate in hands-on sorting and roasting. Dinner will be had at the hotel in the evening.
Day 12: Karatu/Serengeti National Park
Today will be an early start as the group travels to the Ngorongoro Crater. Once here, you will go on a scenic wildlife safari drive. This geographical wonder is the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. The uniqueness of this environment has allowed for a self-contained ecosystem that offers visitors a high concentration of wildlife like, lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo. Enjoy lunch in the park amid this serene setting before departing for Serengeti National Park. Enter through the Naabi Hill Gate and experience a safari drive en route to your tented camp for the evening where you can relax under the stars.
Day 13: Serengeti National Park
Choose to set an early morning wake-up call and pre-book the Serengeti Balloon Safari for epic views from the sky. Then, after breakfast set out on a full day safari drive through the Serengeti. Sit down for a picnic lunch inside the park, scan the landscape for wildlife, and listen to bird calls all around. Return to your tented camp and relax for the evening amid your outdoor surroundings.
Day 14: Serengeti National Park/Arusha
Gather for a breakfast at camp amid the morning life of the Serengeti before beginning the journey back to Arusha. Stop along the way for lunch at Mto wa Mbu, a G Adventures-supported initiative. Arrive to Arusha in the late afternoon where your tour will end. Please do not book onward travel prior to 9PM.