12 Days Kilimanjaro Climb with Safari
12 Days: 6 Day Kilimanjaro Climb via Machame Route with Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara Safari
Kilimanjaro Climb-Machame Route 6 Days Itinerary is popularly known as the “Whiskey” route, begins at Machame Gate, and takes 6 days, located in the southern base of mountain, within its green, abundant rainforest. We climb to the Shira Plateau, then traverse the mountain beneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Icefield, before summiting from Barafu Hut. Machame is a good choice for people who want to enjoy a scenic hike on a challenging route in the shortest amount of time.
After the Kilimanjaro Climbing you will have two days to enjoy the Safari to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara.
Day Safari Overview:
4 Days Serengeti Migration popular program, will explore two of Africa’s 7 natural wonders. Watch the breathtaking wildebeest migration at Serengeti and spot one of the rare rhinos in Ngorongoro Crater. On this safari, you will experience an African adventure beyond your wildest dreams.
Day 1 Kilimanjaro Airport – Arusha
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be welcomed by our transfer driver and taken to the Green Hills of Africa. The rest of the day will be at leisure and you can either relax at the hotel or explore the town of Arusha (taxi required). In the evening you will attend a briefing in preparation of the upcoming trek. Dinner and overnight at the Arusha Center Inn.
Day 2 Arusha – Machame Gate (1,790 m) – Machame Camp (3,010 m)
After breakfast you will be picked up at the Green Hills of Africa and taken to the entrance gate of Kilimanjaro National Park. While your guide is busy with the registration forms, you can watch the mountain team prepare for the climb and once this is all done, your Kilimanjaro adventure will begin. In no time you will be deep within the magnificent mountain rainforest with ancient trees, primeval ferns, liana, lichen and moss that carpets the ground and drapes from the trees. You will hear and with a little luck, even spot the beautiful black and white colobus monkeys in the treetops. After 5 to 6 hours, you will reach today’s destination – the Machame Camp which is situated just above the tree line at 3,010 m. Here, at the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, you will have your first dinner followed by an overnight stay in tents.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 3 Machame Camp (3,010 m) – New Shira Camp (3,845 m)
After an early morning start, the path steepens and the landscape changes into moor- and heathland and the open landscape allows you to see the impressive mountain range. Today’s stage is shorter than the previous day and you will arrive at the New Shira Camp by mid-afternoon. The camp has a breath-taking view of the mountain and during sunset, the evening sun lights the rock face and glacier of Kibo.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 4 New Shira Camp (3,845 m) – Lava Tower (4,640 m) – Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Today you will climb about 800 m but you will be camping at an elevation only slightly higher than the previous night. This will allow your body to acclimatise better. The trek begins with a long ascent above the Shira Plateau in the direction of the Lava Tower (4,640 m). The vegetation becomes sparser as the landscape changes to an afro-alpine desert. The route passes through the sweeping Barranco Valley with its lobelia and giant senecio plants. After 6 to 7 hours, you will arrive at the most beautiful camp on the mountain – the Barranco Camp.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 5 Barranco Camp (3,960 m) – Barafu Camp (4,640 m)
Today’s stretch starts with the climb of the “Barranco Wall”. Safety is paramount and your guides will assist you wherever necessary. Following the ridge as it traverses up and down, you can enjoy the splendid views of the south glacier of Kibo. In the Karanga Valley you will have lunch, followed by a 2 to 3 hours climb to Barafu Camp (4,640 m). Once at the camp, you can relax, have dinner and call it an early night.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 6 Barafu Camp (4,640 m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) – Mweka Camp (3,080 m)
After hot tea and a light snack, the climb begins at around midnight. By torchlight, you will climb the screes of Kibo. After 5 to 7 hours of ascending in the dark you will arrive at Stella Point, the crater rim of Mt Kilimanjaro. Another 1 to 2 hours climb along the crater ridge will lead you to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Here you will see Kilimanjaro in all its glory, enjoying the 360° view over the landscape below as the sun rises. You are now standing on the “Roof of Africa”. The simple descent runs almost along the same route and shortly before midday you should arrive at Barafu Camp, where the porters and the cook will be waiting for you. After a warm meal and a well-deserved break of approximately 1 to 2 hours, you will be on your way down to Mweka Camp (3,080 m) where supper and a well-earned rest await you.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 7 Mweka Camp (3,080 m) – Mweka Gate (1,630 m) – Arusha
The final leg of your amazing adventure begins after breakfast with a traditional farewell ceremony from the mountain crew. Then a gentle 2 to 3 hours’ descent through the rainforest continues to Mweka Gate, where your driver will be waiting for you. He will take you back to the Green Hills of Africa and after a warm shower, the rest of the day is free to relax, unwindat the pool or celebrate your achievement.
Breakfast; Dinner
Day 8 Game drive from Arusha to Serengeti National Park
We head towards the Serengeti National Park. En route game drives and there is an opportunity to visit Olduvai Gorge. It is within this steep sided ravine that Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries in the 1950s. Here in a small museum we are able to see evidence of our ancestors that have been dated back 2.5 million years. After lunch we drive into the Serengeti itself and the rest of the afternoon is spent game viewing in the vast plains that are broken only by stands of acacia trees and the occasional kopje. In December, January and February we will normally meet the migration with large herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. There are always plenty of resident animals, such as giraffe, buffalo, and elephant, and many large predators such as lion, cheetah, and leopard. We return to our special tented camp for the night.
Dinner and overnight at Nyati Tented Camp: Full board.
Day 9 Another full day game drive in Serengeti National Park
We have another full day in this wonderful park, rising early to make the most of our time. Our guides will choose the best spotting locations for the time of year; we can spend time at the Hippo pool watching these majestic animals laze about in the cool water happily living alongside the crocodiles, watch a big pride of lions, be in the middle of the migration, sometimes surrounded by wildebeest, sometimes by zebras, which travel with the wildebeest. We journey from the wide open plains to the kopjes: these volcanic rocky outcrops provide protection and shelter for a wide variety of animals and from the top we can look out across the vast grasslands of the Serengeti. This diverse and interesting landscape will provide us with the ultimate in game viewing, we will hopefully see all of the plain games; elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lions and it you are lucky the elusive leopard and cheetah, as well as huge amounts of interesting bird life, from the elegant secretary birds to the flightless ostrich. We return to our special tented camp for the night.
Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Nyati Tented Camp: Full board.
Day 10 Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha
After breakfast we depart for Ngorongoro Crater passing through the forested slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands before arriving at the rim of the crater…We’ll descend into the crater which is one of the most densely crowded game areas in the world, home to nearly 40,000 animals…Here we’ll have a good chance of seeing the big five: lion, leopard, rare Black Rhino, buffalo and elephants…Along with the big five; we will also see herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle…After a picnic lunch we’ll continue our game drive than depart the crater.
Dinner and overnight at Octagon Lodge: Full Board.
Day 11 Game Drive to Lake Manyara National Park
Meet our professional tours guide/driver in Arusha town, who will deliver a short safari info briefing, after which, we travel to the Lake Manyara National Park. We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge. After lunch we head into the Lake Manyara National Park. This impressive 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) 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, Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos attracted by the algae in the lake.
Dinner and overnight at Arusha Center Inn
Day 12 Transfer to Kilimanjaro for your flight
After breakfast you will be transfer to Kilimanjaro for your flight to your homeland
Rates are dependent on how many people are in a group and what type of accommodation you desire. If you have a different amount of people, please contact us and we will gladly arrange the trip of your dreams!
Camping Accommodation:
2 People: $ per person
4 People: $ per person
6 People: $ per person
Luxury Lodge Accommodation:
2 People: $ per person, sharing Double or Twin room
4 People: $ per person, sharing 2 Double or Twin rooms
6 People: $ per person, sharing 3 Double or Twin rooms