Combo Tour 10 Days – Climbing and Safari

Elevation: 5,380 ft to 9,350 ft
Distance: 11 km/7 miles
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest

The drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate takes about 1 hr. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. As we leave the park gate, we walk through the dense rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge until we reach the Machame Camp.

Elevation: 9,350 ft to 12,500 ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: Heath

This is a shortest day but steeper one. You will Wake up and get breakfast, start proceed your hiking for the second day where you will trek several uphill where there are several viewpoints from which you can see the plains and forests below and Kibo peak above and also mount Meru which is the second highest mountain in Tanzania, also as you gain high altitude you will notice changes in vegetations and the trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro famous high altitude plants, Scenecio kilimanjari and Lobelia deckenii.

Elevation: 12,500 ft to 15,190 ft down 13044ft
Distance: 10 km/6 miles
Hiking Time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

We continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – tall volcanic rock formation. We descend down to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.

Elevation: 13,044 ft to 13,106 ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One steeper climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.

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Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft
Distance: 4 km/2 miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.

Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft descent to 10065ft
Distance: 18 km/10 miles
Hiking Time: 13-14 hours
Habitat: Arctic

Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. 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.

Elevation: 10,065 ft to 5,380 ft
Distance: 10 km/6 miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest

On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka gate to drive us back to the hotel in Moshi.

After breakfast the tour departs. First stop is Arusha Town for any last minute purchases before we head off on safari. Afterwards we head towards the Tarangire National Park for a Game drive with picnic lunch at the park. Tarangire is well known for its huge elephant population and baobab trees. It forms the centre of an annual migratory cycle that includes up to 3000 elephants, 25,000 wildebeest and 30,000 zebras.
Dinner and overnight at 3 STARS HOTEL/LODGE/TENTED LODGE

After breakfast we head to Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views and a large variety of habitats, Acacia woodlands, water forests, baobab strewn cliffs, algae-streaked hot springs, swamps and the lake itself. And thanks to this the small Park is able to support a large number of animal species and incredible bird life. Manyara has the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world and the lions here are also renowned for their tree climbing. Dinner and overnight at 3 STARS HOTEL/LODGE/TENTED LODGE

After an early breakfast, you will descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro conservation Area supports 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 dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot, late afternoon transfer to Arusha For dinner and Overnight or airport drop off.