Kilimanjaro - Machame Route & Serengeti Adventure
Overview
Itinerary
Arrive at any time.
- Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
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.
- Machame Gate to Machame Camp: Start at the Machame Gate where the group will register and begin hiking. The slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro are a rainforest zone, so trails can be wet and muddy. Keep a look-out for black and white colobus monkeys and exotic birds. On the first day of hiking the group covers a long distance with a gradual gradient. End the day at the Machame Campsite above the rainforest.
Hike through lower alpine moorland to Shira 2 camp and observe the spectacular views of Kibo Peak.
- Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp: Start with a steep ascent towards the edge of the forest. Climb the steep ridge and stop for a break. Before reaching camp, continue hiking to Shira Cathedral and enjoy the view of the peaks.
Hike to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower. Enjoy the fantastic view of Western Breach and the Breach Wall.
- Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower: Climb slowly through the rocky terrain to the Lava Tower (4600m, 15,092 ft) from the Shira 2 Camp. The route becomes increasingly challenging and steep. Some hikers might start to feel weak or short of breath from the altitude so go slowly— “pole pole” as they say in Swahili—to avoid exasperating the symptoms.
- Lava Tower to Barranco Camp: Descend from the Lava Tower 650m (2133 ft) to the Great Barranco Valley. Hike about 2 hours to reach the valley, acclimate to the elevation and take in the view of the Western Breach and Breach Wall along the way. Reach the Barranco Camp and enjoy the beautiful landscape as a reward for the day’s difficult hike. The Breach Wall surrounds the Camp on three sides and the area has an amazing view of hanging glaciers and the Kibo massif.
View the Great Barranco Wall and climb up the eastern wall, passing below the Helm Glacier.
- Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp: Take a look at the view of the Great Barranco Wall from camp then get ready to climb up the eastern wall. The route is a steady incline that passes below the Helm Glacier and meets with the Mweka route on the way down. Get some rest at the Barafu camp, the site is a on a narrow, rocky, ridge with no barriers to block the wind. Get equipment like headlamps, hiking poles and thermal clothing ready to go for the very early morning start the next day.
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.
- Barafu Camp to Stella Point: Wake up call today is at 11pm in order to reach Stella Point (5756m, 18,885 ft) in time for the spectacular view of the sunrise (depending on weather). Enjoy a snack and warm drink and get ready for the ascent in the dark up the northwest scree. Go slowly as the terrain is rocky and difficult, pass between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers before arriving at Stella Point.
- Stella Point to Summit: Start the 1 hour, gradual ascent to Uhuru peak (5895m, 19341 ft) along the snow-covered trail. Temperatures near the summit can range from -23° C (-9°f) in the morning to just below freezing overnight. Arrive at the summit at last! Take a deep breath and celebrate a successful climb.
- Summit to Mweka Camp: Begin the descent from the summit towards the Barafu camp, where the group will pack up and enjoy a quick rest. The route down will use the same rock and scree path as the ascent and will pass back through moorland and forest terrain. Reach Mweka hut in the late afternoon.
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.
- Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate: Hike downhill to the Mweka Gate. Enjoy the lower altitude and the view of the forested slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro. The route can be muddy underfoot so take care. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village for lunch, normally a muddy 1 hour hike. Upon arrival to Moshi in the afternoon, relax, or opt to have that much-deserved shower and congratulatory beverage.
- Moshi Women's Cooperative Visit: This project is supported by the Planeterra Foundation and G Adventures. Women and girls are often the first to be excluded from educational programs in Tanzania, with most girls being pulled out of school by Grade 3 to help out around the home. Our ground partners provide free adult business education for women in Moshi, and Planeterra and G Adventures have rented a cooperative space to allow these students to practice their academic skills and save income to start their own business. Feel free to shop for for souvenirs and speak to the women who run the cooperative about their lives and how the project has assisted in building a brighter future.
- Lalasalama Spa & Beauty Aromatherapy Massage: Want to revive sore muscles with a relaxing massage? Lalasalama Spa & Beauty has joined with The Moshi Women’s Cooperative, a project supported by G Adventures, which provides business education to local women. Have the Moshi Mamas come to your hotel and indulge in a 30 min massage after completing your hike to the roof of Africa!
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.
- Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery as you journey to your next destination.
- Moshi Women's Cooperative Visit: This project is supported by the Planeterra Foundation and G Adventures. Women and girls are often the first to be excluded from educational programs in Tanzania, with most girls being pulled out of school by Grade 3 to help out around the home. Our ground partners provide free adult business education for women in Moshi, and Planeterra and G Adventures have rented a cooperative space to allow these students to practice their academic skills and save income to start their own business. Feel free to shop for for souvenirs and speak to the women who run the cooperative about their lives and how the project has assisted in building a brighter future.
Experience the Mto wa Mbu community with a guided cultural walk and traditional lunch with a local family. Take a wildlife safari drive in Lake Manyara NP. Travel to Mto wa Mbu and take part in a cultural walk to learn about life in the area. Meet the women who run the rural town's tours and enjoy a delicious home made traditional lunch. Spend the afternoon viewing wildlife along the main road that winds through a lush cool forests of Lake Manyara National Park, overgrown with ficus trees and covered with bromeliads. This area is truly stunning, as the western wall of the Rift Valley escarpment provides a gorgeous backdrop. Search for the phenomenal birdlife, tree-climbing lions, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.
- 7-Seat 4x4 Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.
- Mto wa Mbu Community Visit and Lunch: Take part in a cultural walk to learn about life in this East African town. Mto wa Mbu has attracted some 18,000 residents from 120 different tribes. During the two-hour tour, visit the community's local market, go right to the farmer's fields, see how huts are constructed, and meet artisans in their shops. Afterwards, sit down with our new friends and enjoy a traditional lunch of meat and plantains.
- Lake Manyara National Park Afternoon Safari Drive: This western wall of the Rift Valley escarpment is truly stunning. It provides a backdrop for your search for the park's phenomenal bird life (including raptors), tree-climbing lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, baboons, and buffalos. Look up and see some of the more than 400 species of birds, including pink flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, and storks. Beyond wildlife, Lake Manyara NP is home to giant fig trees, acacia woodlands, mahogany trees, and grassy flood plains. The contrasts of this area are simply breathtaking; the open plains, huge escarpment, central alkaline lake, dense woodlands, and distant volcanic peaks coming together in an area best described by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I have seen in Africa.”
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive en route to the central Serengeti. Drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on to Serengeti National Park. En route marvel at the sheer vastness of this territory, and spot the multitude of animal and birdlife while cruising through this acacia-accented savanna.
- 7-Seat 4x4 Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.
- Serengeti National Park Safari : This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.
Rise early for a full-day wildlife safari drive in the Serengeti. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush and continue the search for the "big five" while taking in the vastness of the Serengeti plains.
If you have pre-booked a Serengeti Balloon Safari, your flight will be in the morning. You will miss the morning wildlife safari drive with the group, but you will have spectacular views from above. If you have not yet pre-booked, add it to your checkout page, or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.
- 7-Seat 4x4 Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.
- Serengeti National Park Safari : This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.
- Serengeti Balloon Safari: Spirited aloft in a hot-air balloon, view the wildlife and terrain of the Serengeti that only the birds see. Enjoy a champagne breakfast and keep that shutter-finger good and limber—you’ll be using it plenty over the course of your hour in the air. Please note, additional fees will apply for passengers exceeding the 120 kg (265 lbs) weight limit.
Take a morning wildlife safari drive as you depart the Serengeti, then continue wildlife viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater, before getting a spectacular view of the crater from your campsite on its rim. The rich pasture and permanent water of the Crater floor supports a resident population of more than 20,000 to 25,000 large mammals.
Please note that due to the high-altitude location of our camp, temperatures can drop at night. We recommend bringing extra layers to wear during the evening and following morning.
- 7-Seat 4x4 Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.
- Serengeti National Park Safari : This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.
- Ngorongoro Crater Afternoon Wildlife Safari Drive: Head down into the crater and to all the best spots to view wildlife. Spot zebras, gazelles, buffaloes and warthogs. The swamp and forest are home to hippos, rhinos, elephants, baboons and monkeys. Keep your eyes peeled and camera ready to capture a pride of lions or a lone leopard walking along the crater floor.
Visit an authentic Maasai village and the G Adventures-supported Clean Cookstove Project, then return to Arusha where the tour ends on arrival. Onward flights can be booked from 6pm, or extend your stay in Arusha by a night, or two.
- 7-Seat 4x4 Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.
- Clean Cookstove Project Visit: Visit a Maasai village in the Monduli District and witness the benefits of the G Adventures-supported Clean Cookstove Project. In Tanzania, 95% of people rely on cooking with wood and coal. Women and girls spend hours walking to collect wood every day (making them vulnerable to assault and unable to use their time to go to school). Indoor smoke from open-fire stoves causes cancer, emphysema, pneumonia, blindness, and burns. Take a guided tour of these villages and meet the women that have been trained as stove engineers, visit bomas (traditional homes), and observe (or get your hands dirty) by helping the Stove Team build a stove in a home. See the beneficial impact of the clean-burning stoves on the health and daily lives of the Maasai villagers, especially the women.
Trip Inclusions
- Conquer Africa's highest peak.
- Explore Tanzania's best wildlife parks.
- Dance with the Maasai.
- Savour local specialities with traditional meals.
- Meet local artisans on a village tour.
- 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 G for Good Moment: Clean Cookstove Project Visit, Mto wa Mbu
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
- Mt Kilimanjaro's 6-day Machame Route trekking permits and guides, cooks, and porters
- Lake Manyara wildlife safari drive
- Serengeti wildlife safari drives
- Ngorongoro Crater wildlife safari drive
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
- 7-seat 4x4 safari vehicle, private minibus, trekking
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer), certified mountain guide, certified safari guide/driver, local representative, cook, porters, camp crew
- Simple Hotels (3 Nights), Full-service Alpine Camping (5 Nights), Full-service Camping (4 Nights)
- 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 9 dinners
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included.
Operator
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Get the best of both worlds with G's Classic trips as your knowledgeable CEO (Chief Experience Officer) leads you to iconic highlights and hidden gems, while ample free time lets you discover what excites you most. Enjoy included meals showcasing local flavours, plus opportunities to dive deeper into the food scene independently. Stay in comfortable hotels, authentic homestays, and unique accommodations that capture the spirit of each destination.
Dates & Pricing
AUD
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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