Overview
Itinerary
Arrive at any time. Arrive in Moshi and head to the hotel. Attend a pre-departure meeting with the local guide to go over last minute details of the trip.
Please note: While it is our intention to adhere to the route described, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. On Day 1 of the tour you will be advised of any amendments.
- 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 through the forested, lower slopes to Mandara escarpment. Most days the hiking will begin early in the morning, with hikes of around 5 to 6 hours. The guides will set a moderate pace, so as to allow for time to acclimatize to the altitude changes. Guides will continually repeat the words, “pole pole” (po-ly, po-ly), which means “go slowly” in Swahili.
- Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut: Walk 4 hours to the Mandara Hut (2743m, 8999 ft) after registering at the gate. The slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro are classified as rainforest zone so there will likely be rain in the afternoon while travelling under the lush canopy. Enjoy the view while hiking through the lower terrain and possibly spot some of the exotic wildlife in the area. The Mandra Hut has sleeping bunks, running water and flushable toilets.
Hike through the heather and moorland zone to Horombo Hut.
- Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut: Continue up through the upper rainforest zone and reach the moorland zone at 3000m (9842 ft). In this zone plants grow to outrageous heights like the giant lobelia and giant groundsel that can reach up to 5m (16 ft). Enjoy the view of the semi-alpine zone's plants and ravines. Reach Horombo hut (3720m, 12205 ft) and get some rest.
Proceed onto the Kilimanjaro Saddle, through a desertlike alpine zone, to Kibo Hut.
- Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut: Start the slow trek through the heathland and enter the alpine desert zone. Because of the increase in altitude, hike a slow pace today to allow time to get acclimatized but pay attention to any signs of altitude sickness. The ascent to the saddle of Mt Kilimanjaro is between the peaks of Kibo and Mwenzi, get a great view of Kibo after crossing the saddle. Rest for the night at Kibo Hut (4703m, 15430 ft) and prepare for the upcoming hike to the summit.
Night hike to the summit via Stella Point. Appreciate the beautiful sunrise from the roof of Africa, then descend back to Horombo Hut.
- Kibo Hut to Summit: Wake up just after midnight to start climbing to the summit. Gillman’s Point (5861m, 19229 ft) on the crater rim is easier to reach when the scree slope is frozen so the climb is best done before daylight. The view of the sunrise from the summit is also worth the early start. From Gilman’s Point, continue on to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
- Summit to Horombo Huts Camp: Take a quick moment to enjoy the view and celebrate a successful climb before starting the descent to Horombo Huts Camp. Enjoy a well-deserved rest during the last night on the mountain.
Descend the mountain, passing through villages and plantations on the slopes en route to Moshi. Meet the mamas of the Moshi Women’s Cooperative, a G supported project, for a climbing ceremony.
- Horombo Huts Camp to Marangu Gate: Continue the descent to the Marangu Gate, passing by the Mandara escarpment on the way. Enjoy the easier descent and hikers who successfully reached Uhuru Peak will receive a summit certificate.
- 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.
- Savour local specialities with traditional meals.
- Watch the sun rise from the roof of Africa.
- Enjoy a local lunch with a family in the Mto wa Mbu village.
- 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 Marangu 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 Camping (4 Nights), Alpine Huts (4 Nights)
- 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 8 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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