Itinerary

Day 1 Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 metres – to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet). Kilimanjaro is one of the world's most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates. And their memories.

Private transfer between Kilimanjaro International airport and your Kili trek hotel.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

In the event of serious illness, all travellers are covered by Flying Doctors Insurance. This covers the cost of emergency air evacuation service needed to fly back to Nairobi for treatment. This insurance does not cover the cost of medical treatment.

Situated at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, Aishi is located a few kilometres from the Machame Gate where climbers commence their ascent of this most majestic mountain by way of the picturesque Machame Trail. Just 3 degrees south of the equator, the two world famous peaks of Kibo (5895m) and Mawanzi (5194m) are permanently snow-capped. Specialising in organised climbs, Protea Hotels Aishi provides all necessary tenting and equipment, as well as the most experienced guides and porters to make this unique experience a holiday always to remember.

Overnight at Protea Hotel Aishi Machame .

Day 2 Kilimanjaro

Machame Gate to Machame Hut (9,300’) (Hike time: 7.5 hrs, Elevation change: +1200 M Approx.distance, 10km, Final elevation 3100 M) Early pick-up at Hotel and to Machame gate (5,400’) where trekking formalities take about 30 minutes. From the gate, the first hour follows an easy track through dense forest. The path continues along the ridge, rising steadily with several steep sections. The gradient eases slightly as the forest merges into heather-covered ground toward Machame Hut.

This six day climb is probably the most beautiful up Kilimanjaro. All supplies/equipment you bring will be portered and a cook prepares all your meals. There are two porters per person, one lead guide and one cook/guide. Tent is included. Sleeping mat, sleeping bag, walking sticks and proper clothing, etc, can be rented in destination before hike.

Overnight at Machame (6d).

Day 3 Kilimanjaro

Machame Hut to Shira Hut (12,300’)

(Hike time: 7 hrs/Elevation change: +800 M/Approx.distance, 6km/Final elevation 3800 M)

From the Machame Hut we cross the stream onto its west bank and follow the path up the steep rocky ridge criss-crossing before reaching Shira Hut at the base of a semi-circular wall of rocks. We will have ascended 900 meters (3,000’) in 5-7 hours and about 6 km (3.72 miles) of walking.

Overnight at Machame (6d).

Day 4 Kilimanjaro

Shira Hut to Barranco Hut (12,800’)

(Hike time: 5 hrs/Elevation change: +100 M/Final elevation: 3900 M)

From Shira Hut hike to Lava Tower (15,000’), we proceed to Barranco via the Great Barranco Wall. This route offers panoramic views of Kibo through Karanga Valley as we hike high and sleep low, dropping back down to Barranco after lunch. Today’s hike will take most of the day. The Barranco campsite is located on elevation of 3950m.

Overnight at Machame (6d).

Day 5 Kilimanjaro

Barranco Hut to Barafu camp

From Barranco Hut we climb up through the edge of Great Barranco. 95 percent of that day of walking will be on an elevation of 4250m. We will break our day at the Karanga valley campsite at an elevation of 4,000m walking time is 4 to 5 hrs on this day.

Overnight at Machame (6d).

Day 6 Kilimanjaro

Barafu Camp to the Summit and then Mweka Camp

The trek begins before sunrise (1-2 am), as the walk will take 10-14 + hours. We will avoid the mist that sets later in the day. The 1,100-meter (3,600’) ascent in just over 3 km (1.86 miles) will take us about 6-8 hours. After a brief stay at the summit of the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak, at over 5,898 meters (19,340'), we descend via the Barafu Route roughly 2,500 meters (8,200’) in 12 km (7.44 miles) in about 4-7 hours to Mweka Camp.

Overnight at Machame (6d).

Day 7 Kilimanjaro

Mweka Hut to Mweka Gate (6,000’)

(Descent time: 4 hrs/Elevation change: -1250M/Approx.distance: 10km/Final elevation: 1828 M)

Today we descend about 1400 meters (4,592’) through the forest on a jungle path for about 10 km (6.2 miles) in 3-4 hours to reach Mweka Gate. Our representative will transfer you to Hotel.

Situated at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, Aishi is located a few kilometres from the Machame Gate where climbers commence their ascent of this most majestic mountain by way of the picturesque Machame Trail. Just 3 degrees south of the equator, the two world famous peaks of Kibo (5895m) and Mawanzi (5194m) are permanently snow-capped. Specialising in organised climbs, Protea Hotels Aishi provides all necessary tenting and equipment, as well as the most experienced guides and porters to make this unique experience a holiday always to remember.

Overnight at Protea Hotel Aishi Machame .

Day 8 Ngorongoro

"The Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and the ‘8th Natural Wonder of the World’. A massive extinct volcano, the sheet walls drop thousands of feet to a "Noah's Ark" of animals on the verdant floor below. Large herds of zebra, buffalo, antelope and wildebeest graze nearby while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick cover of the crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist.

Your guide will drive you from Arusha to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. On the way you'll have a game drive in Manyara before continuing on to your lodge near Ngorongoro. Thris drive will take 4-5hrs or more depending on how long you spend on your game drive in Manyara.

Stop in and visit the Manyara region, which is best known for its baboon population. This area also has many herbivores such as hippos, impalas, elephants, wildebeests, buffalo, warthogs and giraffes. Some lucky  visitors have even spotted the rare tree climbing lion here. The giant fig trees and mahogany trees are seen in the groundwater forest immediately around the park gates, which draw nourishment from the underground springs that replenished continuously from crater highlands directly above the Manyara basin. Afterward, continue on to your next destination.

The Plantation Lodge is located a short drive from the Ngorongoro Crater. It is a haven of shades and hues, as green, violet, ivory and rust mingle to frame the tranquil setting. With 16 delicately arranged rooms and suites, one will be thoroughly delighted by the magical aura of the Plantation Lodge. Relax at dinner, where you will be served the most succulent of fruits and vegetables, produced right there in the garden. Keeping with the times, dining is a more elegant scenario, where one is served in courses. Step into the swimming pool, go for a walk, or head out to one of the nearby farms for a window into this wonderful region.

Overnight at Plantation Lodge.

Day 9 Ngorongoro

Private transportation and guide in the Ngorongoro national park.

You'll be up early this morning as you drive approximately 20 minutes from your camp or lodge to the main gates of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There are only three roads that connect the crater rim with the crater floor, one for driving down, one for driving up and another that goes both ways. The crater is roughly 20 km/12 mi wide and 600 m/2,000 ft deep, once you've reached the top of the caldera it takes about 45 minutes to descend to the crater floor. The floor is home to a rich and highly concentrated wildlife. Some 20,000 mammals of size live there, including about 20 black rhinoceros, making the crater the best place in Tanzania to see the rhino. The crater floor also has one of the highest carnivore densities in the world. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals are commonly seen, while leopards, servals and bat-eared foxes may be seen with some good luck. You'll spend most of the day in the crater.

Overnight at Plantation Lodge.

Day 10 Serengeti

Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, the Serengeti is massive in size, 14,763 sq km (5,700 sq miles). Famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers the most diverse game-viewing in Africa.

Your guide will pick you up from the Ngorongoro Conservation area and drive you to the famous plains of the Serengeti. On this drive you have the option of stopping at Olduvlai gorge, the Serengeti welcome centre and lookout point, or stop for lunch at a picnic spot. After entering Serengeti park you will have the chance to enjoy game viewing as you drive through the park to your next accommodation. This drive takes 5 to 6 hours depending on the number of stops you make and how much game viewing you enjoy along the way. Expect longer trip times during the rainy seasons.

The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is commonly referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind." It is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and is about 30 miles (48 km) long. The gorge is named after the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant Sansevieria ehrenbergii, commonly called Oldupai.

Today head out with your guide to explore the wide expanse of the Serengeti. The park is well known for its healthy stock of resident wildlife, particularly the "Big Five", named for the five most prized trophies taken by hunters: lion, leopard, elephant, black rhinoceros, and African buffalo. Though there are now few black rhino in the park, you may still spot them. The Serengeti has the largest population of lion and giraffe in all of Africa and the largest concentration of topi and Coke's hartebeest (kongoni). Enjoy the challenge of spotting other game such as cheetah, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, eland, waterbuck, hyena, baboon, impala, African wild dog and giraffe. The park also boasts about 500 bird species, including ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, crowned crane and marabou stork.

A tented wilderness camp in the Serengeti, this is an intimate connection to nature in this world famous park. Look forward to attentive service with fine bush cuisine of the pan-African and traditional sort. Three main meals are served each day in the large canvas dining tent overlooking the plains. The tents, appropriately furnished with Masai inspired style, feature campaign furniture and canvas wardrobe. The Masai theme is showcased with evocative headboards, lamps and fixtures. Located in the Grumeti area, the camp sits right in the Serengeti plains inside the park. This is a rare opportunity to experience a classic tented camp experience. Fall asleep to the sound of animals outside; enjoy drinks by the fire as you watch the sun set over the plains.

Overnight at Kensington Serengeti.

Day 11 Serengeti

Head out into the park early in the morning as animals are more active in the early morning and afternoon. Tanzania's oldest and most renowned national park, the Serengeti offers the most expansive game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle. Explore this amazing park with the help of your expert guide.

Spend the day taking in the spectacle of the famous wildebeest migration. This annual migration through the Serengeti and Masai Mara is one of the safari highlights of Africa. The wildebeest migration moves in a basic clockwise direction throughout the year in Serengeti eco-system and move north into Masai Mara, Kenya from June/July through to Sep/October. Sightings cannot be guaranteed as the herds move according to availability of food source and migration movements can be erratic. The herds are accompanied by zebra and Thomson's gazelle and are stealthily hunted by local predators such as leopard, lion and hyena.

Overnight at Kensington Serengeti.

Day 12 Arusha

If time allows, your expert guide will squeeze in one more game drive before dropping you off at the airstrip. It will be your last chance to see the park's diverse range of animals.

Take your flight from Serengeti to Arusha today. The flight will do more than one stop on the way. The flight duration is approximately 2hrs. (10h30 - 12h35)

Airport transfer between your Arusha hotel and Kilimanjaro International airport with private vehicle and english speaking driver.

Depart from Kilimanjaro international airport - end of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.

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