Kilimanjaro climb and safari

Today you will be picked up from your hotel after breakfast and drive to Kibosho. The journey takes about half an hour and then you reach the small mountain village of Uru Msu- luni. Depending on the harvest time, you can see the coffee bushes in white blossom splendor or with red fruits in all stages of ripeness. As coffee needs a lot of shade, most plantations are found in combination with banana trees. The guide shows the process of coffee development from the plant to the hot drink. Here you will pick your own ripe coffee berries, peel, roast and grind the beans and finally drink your well-earned, home-made coffee before returning to Moshi.

After breakfast  you will drive with your team from Moshi to Machame Gate. The porters take over all the luggage, the formalities are completed and the ascent begins in the late morning. After a beautiful hike through rainforest and heathland, you will reach Machame Camp at an altitude of 3100 meters in the sweet afternoon. From here you have a fantastic view of the Shira peaks and Kibo.

After breakfast, you leave the rainforest, follow an ascending path through a valley and continue along steep precipices. From there you can see the three peaks of Kilimanjaro: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. After four to five hours you pass the “Shira Cathedral” and after a short hike you reach the camp on the Shira Pla- teau at 3840 m.

Today you embark on a six-hour stage for active acclimatization, . You climb slowly up to the lava tower (approx. 4600 m) and then on to Barranco Camp. Enjoy the magnificent landscape with its lush vegetation and the view of the far-reaching southern glaciers of Kibo.

Today we start a little later. While the others are busy packing, you can enjoy the warming rays of sunshine. After a relaxed breakfast, we take the one-hour section up the Barranco Wall. The view of the Karanga Valley is stunning. After a short rest, the path leads slightly downhill, then uphill and downhill again. The landscape is characterized by river courses and stony meadows. After about three hours you will see Karanga Camp behind the valley of the same name.

Today you can also start the four-hour stage at your leisure. The gentle ascent allows you to quickly find the right walking rhythm. On the left, the gigantic Karanga valley  and the view of the south-eastern Decken and Rebmann glaciers opens up. You will soon be able to see your destination. You cross a last valley and finally the steep uphill meters to Barafu Camp. The sudden view of the 5100-meter-high pinnacles of the Mawenzi is spectacular. Barafu Camp, the destination of this stage, is situated on the ridge of a volcanic spur.

Around midnight you set off for the “summit assault”. The steady, steep ascent to Stella Point (5745 m), which is located on the crater rim, leads over a small amount of scree. The ascent is not technically difficult, but quite arduous, especially due to the high altitude. Here you can enjoy a fantastic sunrise. After 150 meters in altitude, you reach the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak (5895 m). The descent leads via Stella Point to Millennium Camp.

The last day in Kilimanjaro National Park does not require much effort. The path leads through densely overgrown rainforest. After a five-hour hike towards the valley, you will reach the Mweka Gate. After handing over the summit certificate, our driver will take you back to Moshi.

You will be picked up from your hotel in Moshi and drive to Lake Manyara National Park at the foot of the East African Rift Valley. With a bit of luck, you may spot the tree lions for which the national park is famous. The barely overgrown plain at the salt lake Lake Manyara offers you a clear view of the natural spectacle with baboons, giraffes, zebras, hippos and numerous elephants.

Early risers can enjoy the spectacular sunrise over the crater. Then drive down the steep crater rim. Always have your camera at the ready, because nowhere is the density of animals higher than here. The crater, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to almost all species of East African wildlife. With a bit of luck, you may spot the endangered black rhino here, which is a member of the “Big Five” alongside the buffalo, lion, elephant and leopard! After the game drive, you will drive to Tarangire National Park to spend the night.

Today we head to Tarangire National Park, which is particularly famous for its  high  number  of elephants.  The name of the park comes from the river of the same name, which is the only water supply for the wild animals in the dry season. The national park is an elongated park with a varied landscape. Hills, savannahs and swamps alternate. The huge baobab trees are particularly striking.

Today our driver will take you back to Kilimanjaro Airport, from where you will fly back to Europe or to your connecting stay in Zanzibar.