Tanzania: Kilimanjaro's Lemosho Route & Serengeti Safari

Arrive at any time.

Begin the Lemosho trail of Mt Kilimanjaro ending for the day at the Mti Mkubwa Campsite.

Climb into the moorland over the Shira ridge and down to the plateau and the Shira 1 Camp.

Travel across the Shira plateau, with time for short acclimatization walks. Because the hiking time is only about 3 hours today, use the free time to take a number of short acclimatization walks around and above the Shira 2 Camp. This camp is more exposed than the previous night's camp. It may be windier and colder, with temperatures dropping to below freezing.

Climb through rocky scree to the Lava Tower. Descend into the Great Barranco Valley to acclimatize and camp.

Tackle the Great Barranco Wall up into the alpine desert of the Karanga Valley.

Trek through the alpine desert up to Barafu Camp. Prepare for the midnight start of the summit attempt. In preparation for the final ascent the same night, you will familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark, and prepare your equipment and thermal clothing for the summit attempt. Sleep may be difficult, but lie down after dinner to try and rest for the 1295m final ascent.

At midnight, begin the summit trek. Conquer the rim of the main crater, then cross the scree and snow to Uhuru Peak. Descend to Mweka Camp. This stretch is the longest, and the most mentally and physically challenging of the trek. But the feeling of conquering Kilimanjaro will stay with you forever.

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

• Lake Manyara Safari Drive: Lake Manyara is known for its diverse birdlife, including flamingos that flock to the lake's alkaline waters. Enjoy a morning safari drive through the park and search for wildlife like elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and the distinctive tree-climbing lions. You will begin around 6AM and finish by 1:30PM to head back to the hotel in Karatu.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.