15 Days Kilimanjaro and Wildlife safari

Day 1:
Arrive from home, pick up from the airport and transfer to your hotel/Finished your Mt Kilimanjaro climb, pick up from the mountain gate and transfer to your hotel, overnight stay at Arusha Tourist Inn (BB) or another

Day 2: Londorossi Gate to Forest Camp(FB)
Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft
Distance: 6 km
Hiking Time:3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
Pick up from your hotel in Arusha and drive to Londorossi Gate, which takes about 4 hours, where you will complete entry formalities. Then drive to the Lemosho trailhead (another hour to reach the trailhead). Upon arrival at trailhead, we eat lunch, then commence through undisturbed forest which winds to the first camp site.

Day 3: Forest Camp to Shira Camp 1(FB)
Elevation (ft): 9,500ft to 11,500ft
Distance: 8 km
Hiking Time 5-6 hours
Habitat: Moorland
We continue on the trail leading out of the forest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 camp. The view of Kibo from across the plateau is amazing.

Day 4: Shira Camp 1 to Shira 2 to Moir Hut(FB)
Elevation (ft): 11,500ft to 13,800 ft
Distance: 14 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Moorland
We explore the Shira plateau for a full day. It is a gentle walk east toward Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. Then we continue to Moir Hut, a little used site on the base of Lent Hills. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth.

Day 5: Moir Hut to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp(FB)
Elevation (ft): 13,800ft to 13,000ft
Distance: 7 km
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: Semi Desert
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.” Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Day 6: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp(FB)
Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft
Distance: 5km
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.

Day 7: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp(FB)
Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft
Distance: 4 km
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, 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. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

Day 8: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut(FB)
Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft)
Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent
Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent
Habitat: Arctic
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), 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 (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all they way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.

From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

Day 9: Mweka Camp to Moshi(FB)
Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft
Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
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, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to Moshi and to Arusha for your overnight stay at Arusha Tourist Inn or another(BB)

End of Mt Kilimanjaro climb

Day 10: Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park:
Pick up from your place of stay/Hotel in Arusha after our breakfast and transfer to Lake Manyara. Together with your picnic you will head into the Lake Manyara National Park for your full day game drive. This national park is one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, consisting of a massive but shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds of the park), located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The Park’s varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of Elephants; Lake Manyara is unique for a Tree-climbing Lions, as well as large flocks of Flamingos attracted by the algae in the lake. Later in the evening you will drive to Karatu for your Dinner and overnight at Jambo Campsite (FB).

Day 11: Lake Manyara National Park – Serengeti Plain:
After breakfast we head towards the Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, we descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. We head to the central Park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the Park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. We arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti. Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite (FB)

Day 12: Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Conservation Area:
After breakfast, we go for a morning game drive in the Serengeti, later in the afternoon with your picnic lunch and game enroute we depart to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We may stopover at Olduvai Gorge, boasting with a history dating back to the dawn of time. It was here, that the anthropologists Drs. Lois and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of the’ Nutcracker Man’ and ‘Handy Man’, both very significant links in the chain of human evolution. (This stop over is optional and at additional cost) Arriving Ngorongoro crater rim late in the evening, Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite(FB)

Day 13: Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire National Park
After breakfast we descend 600m into this magnificent Crater for a full-day game drive. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most densely crowded African wildlife areas in the world and is home to an estimated 30,000 animals including some of Tanzania’s last remaining black Rhino. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro National Park supports a vast variety of animals, which include herds of Wildebeest, zebra, Buffalo, Eland, Warthog, Hippo, and giant African Elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park is its huge population of predators, which include Lions, Hyenas, Jackals, Cheetahs and the ever-elusive Leopard. We will enjoy a picnic lunch on the crater floor.later in the evening drive to Tarangire National Park area for your Dinner and overnight at Kigongoni Campsite(FB)

Day 14: Tarangire National Park – Back to Arusha.
After breakfast we depart for the Tarangire National Park. The Park runs along the line of the Tarangire River and is mainly made up of low-lying hills on the Great Rift Valley floor. Its natural vegetation mainly consists of Acacia Woodland and giant African Baobab Trees, with huge swamp areas in the south. Both the river and the swamps act like a magnet for wild animals, during Tanzania’s dry season. The Tarangire National Park is reputed to contain some of the largest Elephant herds in Africa. This African National Park is also home to three rare species of animals – the Greater Kudu, the Fringed-eared Oryx, as well as a few Ashy Starlings. After a picnic lunch we do an afternoon game drive. later in the evening drive back to Arusha for your overnight stay back at Arusha Tourist Inn(BB) or another