Safi Safaris ~ Private Safaris

MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMB AND WILDLIFE SAFARI 12 days Accommodations: Luxury Tented Camps, Luxury Mobile Camping, simple but excellent camping on Kili Season: Throughout the year, April and May are not recommended Fitness Rating: Moderate/Difficult. You need to be pretty fit to climb Kili, but no special climbing skills are needed. Cost: High/Medium First you climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, through the rain forests, alpine and desert to the snows of Kilimanjaro. This takes around one week. For this safari we suggest that you climb via the Machame route, to allow you a few days on safari. Although we have kept this safari to 12 days, to allow you to compare with our other safaris, we would really recommend a few days extra. A day of rest and acclimatization before you start your ascent of Kili and a few days longer at the end on safari. And you might even prefer to climb Kili by one of the other and longer routes.
Day 1	Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. We'll meet you there and transfer you to Moivaro Coffee Plantation and Lodge.
Day 2	Machame Camp-10,000 feet. Enjoy breakfast and meet with your guide to check your equipment and conduct a briefing for your Kilimanjaro climb. Depart for Machame village where your Kili climb commences. From the village, you will walk up to the park entrance and then walk approximately another 6 hours through the dense forest of rubber trees and giant fig trees. You will also see begonia flowers and other tropical vegetation. After a while, the tropical forest gives way to tall grasses and giant heather. The camp will be set up near the old metal huts which were once used for shelter.
Day 3	Machame Camp to Shira Camp-12,500 feet. You will be woken up in the morning with a steaming cup of tea or coffee at around 0600. Weather permitting, you will be greeted by a fabulous view of Uhuru peak when you leave your tent. The day's trekking takes you through a steep track through a savanna of tall grasses, volcanic rock and bearded heather. You will then encounter giant groundsels, tall and seemingly guardians of untouched treasures. The steep path will lead you through a ghostly landscape of volcanic lava, caves and foamy streams framed by the giant groundsels. You will then come to Shira plateau and 3 to 4 hours later at Shira Camp. You will have walked for about 6 hours.
Day 4	Shira Camp to Barranco Camp-13,000 feet. You will again be woken up at the same time with a hot drink. The site to greet you this morning is the entire Shira plateau. You will walk steadily up to the pass at Lava Tower (15,000 ft), then descend towards Barranco Camp. The descent will take you along an immense canyon called Grand Barranco where you will encounter the groundsels once again. There are numerous tiny waterfalls, fed by stream coming from the mountain, which converge here to form one river. Camp is set up here at almost the same altitude as the night before. The day's trek is again about 6 hours.
Day 5	Barranco to Karanga Camp-13,000 feet. You will have another 4 hour walk on this day leading you to Karanga camp which is almost at the same level as Barranco. On this day, you would have done a bit of real climbing at the Barranco cliff (not difficult) and your trek will generally be up and down on the slopes of the mountain most of the way. Lunch will be at the camp. Spend the afternoon resting at the camp and walking in the Karanga valley.
Day 6	Karanga to Barafu Camp-15,2000 feet. You will have another 4-5 hour walk to Barafu camp. It will be mostly a climb on a moraine with a view of the Mawenzi peak towering majestically to their right and Kibo peak overhead seemingly just out of reach. You will be encouraged to turn in early this evening as the next day is the longest one of the trek.
Day 7	Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp-10,200 feet. The steaming hot drink will arrive very early on this momentous day. You will be woken up at midnight and will start climbing at around 0100. Temperatures range between -15 to -20° C. You will make your way up a winding path flanked by the Ratzel and Rebman glaciers. Walking between these glaciers has a surreal effect. After about 6 hours of walking, you will come to the edge of the crater, between Stella and Hans Meyer points. You should reach the summit after a further hour. You will now be at the tallest peak in Africa at 19,340 feet. You will descend for about 3 hours to Kibo Hut where you will rest and enjoy some refreshments, then descend to Mweka camp for the night. Total trekking on this day is about 13 hours.
Day 8	Mweka Hut to park gate. From the camp to the gate, you have 4 to 5 hours of walking. You will walk through the same kind of Forest as the one you encountered on the way up. On arrival at the gate you will have lunch and then you'll be taken to Moivaro Lodge in Arusha for an afternoon of well-deserved rest and relaxation. Dinner and overnight at Moivaro Coffee Plantation and Lodge.
Day 9	After breakfast drive in comfort to Tarangire National Park, arriving in time for lunch at Tarangire Safari Lodge. This tented lodge is the ideal place for rest and relaxation after your climb. Sit on the terrace or the veranda of your tent to watch the animals come down to the Tarangire River to drink, have a swim in the lodge pool to ease any aches and pains and if you are feeling up to it, take an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight in this comfortable, family style lodge with the most amazing views.
Day 10	Spend today exploring Tarangire National Park, take a picnic lunch or go back to the lodge for lunch and a second afternoon drive. Look for the huge herds of elephant and buffalo for which this park is justly famous, wildebeest in great numbers could be coming to drink at the only dry season water or there may be no wildebeest in the park at all. Look for leopard in the rocks or trees, stop to wonder at the strange baobab trees, catch sight of giraffe, and look around you at the beautiful landscape. On very clear days, catch a glimpse of Kili. Return to your tent for a hot shower, dinner and go to sleep with the sounds of the bush ringing in your ears.
Day 11	Drive to Ngorongoro Crater. Arrive in time for lunch at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, perched on the crater rim. The view down into the crater is amazing, so take time to enjoy it. After lunch drive down into Ngorongoro Crater and into another world, from lush montane rainforest to an arid zone, which is packed with wildlife. Spend this afternoon game driving. The animals in Ngorongoro largely ignore cars and carry on with their own lives. The chances of seeing a wildlife interaction - a lion or hyaena kill, animals mating or caring for their young - are not unlikely. At the end of the day ascend again for drinks, showers, dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena.
Day 12	Your last day on safari. Drive back into Ngorongoro Crater for a half day crater tour. Take a picnic lunch with you, and your bags and have your lunch in the crater, watching the hippo. Before leaving the crater to drive back to Arusha take time to look once more for the rare black rhino. You will have seen prides of lion, perhaps hyaena, cheetah and jackal, zebra, wildebeest and many other animals and birds. Arrive in Arusha in time for an early supper before leaving to catch your plane.
Prices will be quoted based on specific itineraries. The itineraries above are samples only, and some lodges, hotels and camps will change based on your travel times and needs and availability. We also reserve the right to change any itinerary. We want to maximize your enjoyment of your holiday, but we are not always able to predict the climate or the concentrations of game ahead of time. When changes are necessary, we will let you know as soon as possible. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any tour at any time in which event a reasonable refund will be made. Bookings will be accepted by our Arusha office or by designated travel agents, and will be confirmed upon receipt of a 30% deposit paid 60 days prior to booking date. Final balance payment will be due to our office or bank account 30 days prior to departure. For cancellations prior to 60 days, deposits will be returned, less any handling fees incurred. Cancellations with notice of between 60 and 14 days, the deposit of 30% is charged, and between 14 and the day of departure, the deposit, plus 20% of the full price is charged. The company and its agents act only as agents of the passenger in all matters relating to tours. The appropriate law of the country in which the tour takes place dictates the company's liability to passengers. However, the company accepts no responsibility for any personal illness, injury, delays, loss or damage from any causes whatsoever. Communications are sometimes difficult within Tanzania. We find e-mail to be the most reliable and easy means of communications. Return to Private Tours Main Page Home ©1999-2010, Safi Safaris Ltd. P.O. Box 10132, Arusha, Tanzania Contact us at tanzania@safisafaris.com or fill in our Tour Inquiry/Application form

MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMB AND WILDLIFE SAFARI
12 days

Accommodations: Luxury Tented Camps, Luxury Mobile Camping, simple but excellent camping on Kili
Season: Throughout the year, April and May are not recommended
Fitness Rating: Moderate/Difficult. You need to be pretty fit to climb Kili, but no special climbing skills are needed.
Cost: High/Medium

First you climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, through the rain forests, alpine and desert to the snows of Kilimanjaro. This takes around one week. For this safari we suggest that you climb via the Machame route, to allow you a few days on safari. Although we have kept this safari to 12 days, to allow you to compare with our other safaris, we would really recommend a few days extra. A day of rest and acclimatization before you start your ascent of Kili and a few days longer at the end on safari. And you might even prefer to climb Kili by one of the other and longer routes.

Day 1

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. We'll meet you there and transfer you to Moivaro Coffee Plantation and Lodge.

Day 2

Machame Camp-10,000 feet. Enjoy breakfast and meet with your guide to check your equipment and conduct a briefing for your Kilimanjaro climb. Depart for Machame village where your Kili climb commences. From the village, you will walk up to the park entrance and then walk approximately another 6 hours through the dense forest of rubber trees and giant fig trees. You will also see begonia flowers and other tropical vegetation. After a while, the tropical forest gives way to tall grasses and giant heather. The camp will be set up near the old metal huts which were once used for shelter.

Day 3

Machame Camp to Shira Camp-12,500 feet. You will be woken up in the morning with a steaming cup of tea or coffee at around 0600. Weather permitting, you will be greeted by a fabulous view of Uhuru peak when you leave your tent. The day's trekking takes you through a steep track through a savanna of tall grasses, volcanic rock and bearded heather. You will then encounter giant groundsels, tall and seemingly guardians of untouched treasures. The steep path will lead you through a ghostly landscape of volcanic lava, caves and foamy streams framed by the giant groundsels. You will then come to Shira plateau and 3 to 4 hours later at Shira Camp. You will have walked for about 6 hours.

Day 4

Shira Camp to Barranco Camp-13,000 feet. You will again be woken up at the same time with a hot drink. The site to greet you this morning is the entire Shira plateau. You will walk steadily up to the pass at Lava Tower (15,000 ft), then descend towards Barranco Camp. The descent will take you along an immense canyon called Grand Barranco where you will encounter the groundsels once again. There are numerous tiny waterfalls, fed by stream coming from the mountain, which converge here to form one river. Camp is set up here at almost the same altitude as the night before. The day's trek is again about 6 hours.

Day 5

Barranco to Karanga Camp-13,000 feet. You will have another 4 hour walk on this day leading you to Karanga camp which is almost at the same level as Barranco. On this day, you would have done a bit of real climbing at the Barranco cliff (not difficult) and your trek will generally be up and down on the slopes of the mountain most of the way. Lunch will be at the camp. Spend the afternoon resting at the camp and walking in the Karanga valley.

Day 6

Karanga to Barafu Camp-15,2000 feet. You will have another 4-5 hour walk to Barafu camp. It will be mostly a climb on a moraine with a view of the Mawenzi peak towering majestically to their right and Kibo peak overhead seemingly just out of reach. You will be encouraged to turn in early this evening as the next day is the longest one of the trek.

Day 7

Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp-10,200 feet. The steaming hot drink will arrive very early on this momentous day. You will be woken up at midnight and will start climbing at around 0100. Temperatures range between -15 to -20° C. You will make your way up a winding path flanked by the Ratzel and Rebman glaciers. Walking between these glaciers has a surreal effect. After about 6 hours of walking, you will come to the edge of the crater, between Stella and Hans Meyer points. You should reach the summit after a further hour. You will now be at the tallest peak in Africa at 19,340 feet. You will descend for about 3 hours to Kibo Hut where you will rest and enjoy some refreshments, then descend to Mweka camp for the night. Total trekking on this day is about 13 hours.

Day 8

Mweka Hut to park gate. From the camp to the gate, you have 4 to 5 hours of walking. You will walk through the same kind of Forest as the one you encountered on the way up. On arrival at the gate you will have lunch and then you'll be taken to Moivaro Lodge in Arusha for an afternoon of well-deserved rest and relaxation. Dinner and overnight at Moivaro Coffee Plantation and Lodge.

Day 9

After breakfast drive in comfort to Tarangire National Park, arriving in time for lunch at Tarangire Safari Lodge. This tented lodge is the ideal place for rest and relaxation after your climb. Sit on the terrace or the veranda of your tent to watch the animals come down to the Tarangire River to drink, have a swim in the lodge pool to ease any aches and pains and if you are feeling up to it, take an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight in this comfortable, family style lodge with the most amazing views.

Day 10

Spend today exploring Tarangire National Park, take a picnic lunch or go back to the lodge for lunch and a second afternoon drive. Look for the huge herds of elephant and buffalo for which this park is justly famous, wildebeest in great numbers could be coming to drink at the only dry season water or there may be no wildebeest in the park at all. Look for leopard in the rocks or trees, stop to wonder at the strange baobab trees, catch sight of giraffe, and look around you at the beautiful landscape. On very clear days, catch a glimpse of Kili. Return to your tent for a hot shower, dinner and go to sleep with the sounds of the bush ringing in your ears.

Day 11

Drive to Ngorongoro Crater. Arrive in time for lunch at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, perched on the crater rim. The view down into the crater is amazing, so take time to enjoy it. After lunch drive down into Ngorongoro Crater and into another world, from lush montane rainforest to an arid zone, which is packed with wildlife. Spend this afternoon game driving. The animals in Ngorongoro largely ignore cars and carry on with their own lives. The chances of seeing a wildlife interaction - a lion or hyaena kill, animals mating or caring for their young - are not unlikely. At the end of the day ascend again for drinks, showers, dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena.

Day 12

Your last day on safari. Drive back into Ngorongoro Crater for a half day crater tour. Take a picnic lunch with you, and your bags and have your lunch in the crater, watching the hippo. Before leaving the crater to drive back to Arusha take time to look once more for the rare black rhino. You will have seen prides of lion, perhaps hyaena, cheetah and jackal, zebra, wildebeest and many other animals and birds. Arrive in Arusha in time for an early supper before leaving to catch your plane.

Prices will be quoted based on specific itineraries. The itineraries above are samples only, and some lodges, hotels and camps will change based on your travel times and needs and availability. We also reserve the right to change any itinerary. We want to maximize your enjoyment of your holiday, but we are not always able to predict the climate or the concentrations of game ahead of time. When changes are necessary, we will let you know as soon as possible. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any tour at any time in which event a reasonable refund will be made.

Bookings will be accepted by our Arusha office or by designated travel agents, and will be confirmed upon receipt of a 30% deposit paid 60 days prior to booking date. Final balance payment will be due to our office or bank account 30 days prior to departure.

For cancellations prior to 60 days, deposits will be returned, less any handling fees incurred. Cancellations with notice of between 60 and 14 days, the deposit of 30% is charged, and between 14 and the day of departure, the deposit, plus 20% of the full price is charged.

The company and its agents act only as agents of the passenger in all matters relating to tours. The appropriate law of the country in which the tour takes place dictates the company's liability to passengers. However, the company accepts no responsibility for any personal illness, injury, delays, loss or damage from any causes whatsoever.

Communications are sometimes difficult within Tanzania. We find e-mail to be the most reliable and easy means of communications.

Return to Private Tours Main Page

MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMB AND WILDLIFE SAFARI 12 days

MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMB AND WILDLIFE SAFARI
12 days