14-day itinerary – Big Cats Safaris and Kilimanjaro Climb
Welcome to the land of many options for safaris and mountain climbing/hiking. This program allows you to do two activities in a single trip to Tanzania. However, if you do not have time to do both in one trip, it is perfectly fine to stick with either the Kilimanjaro climb or safaris. Tanzania is a popular country with numerous safari options. This itinerary is for 14 days and includes the Kilimanjaro climb and safaris. We highly recommend starting with the more challenging activity and ending with the easier one, which is the safari. Once you decide on this program, you will have the opportunity to visit three different popular national parks and one conservation area. You will spend one day in Arusha before the Kilimanjaro climb, then hike Kilimanjaro for 8 days, followed by 4 days of safaris and a final day driving back to the airport.
Day 1: Arrival day. After arriving in Tanzania, our office representative will be at the airport to pick you up and transfer you to the hotel in Arusha. Once you arrive at the hotel, you can rest for the remainder of the day or night.
The Lemosho route stands out as Kilimanjaro’s most picturesque trail, providing breathtaking panoramas from various angles of the mountain.
As one of the newer routes up Kilimanjaro, Lemosho proves to be an excellent choice for your ascent. Our preferred route is Lemosho, thanks to its optimal combination of limited crowds, stunning landscapes, and a high rate of summit success.
Specializing in the Lemosho route, “Company Safari” guides most of our clients on this path, and their consistent feedback indicates a deep appreciation for the experience. Hence, we highly recommend the Lemosho route.
This route commences on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro, involving an extensive drive from the Hotel to Lemosho Gate. The initial two days are dedicated to trekking through the rainforest until reaching Shira Ridge. Lemosho then traverses the entirety of the Shira Plateau, offering a pleasant and relatively flat hike from west to east. Crowd levels remain low until the route converges with the Machame route near Lava Tower. Following this, the path takes you beneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field along the Southern Circuit before reaching the summit at Barafu
Route Highlights:
- Good acclimatization,
- high success rates – 96% for 8 days and 98% for 9 days, beautiful scenery.
- Distance: 70 km. Duration: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11 days, commonly 8 days.
14-day itinerary
Day 1: Arrival day.
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our company representative will be there to welcome you. After the meet-and-greet, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Arusha for an overnight stay. Take this time to relax and enjoy dinner, the next day early in the morning our knowledgeable and humorous-filled guides are available for any questions you may have about Kilimanjaro and the upcoming 8-day Lemosho Route expedition.
DAY 2 – Arusha to Lemosho Gate – Forest Camp
- Hours of driving – 3 hours to Lemosho gate.
- Elevation of the starting point (gate) – 2100m.
- Name of the camp – Forest Camp or Mti Mkubwa.
- Elevation of the next destination – 2800m.
- Total elevation gain of the day – 700m.
- Ecological zone/habitat – Rainforest.
- Hiking time – 3 to 4 hours.
- Distance – 5km.
- Water – Minimum 2 liters, maximum 3 liters. Lunch – Served at the gate.
- Attractions of the day – Big trees like East Africa yellowwood, flowers like fireball lily, primates like black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, animals like tree hyrax and genet cat, birds like turaco, evergreen bird, white-eyes, robin chat.
Description: After an early breakfast, embark on a drive to Lemosho gate, Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate in the western part of the park. Here, you’ll undergo a check-up and officially begin your Kilimanjaro ascent via the Lemosho Route. Meet the team members who will accompany you on this journey.
DAY 3 – Forest Camp to Shira One
- Hiking from Mti Mkubwa to Shira One.
- The elevation of the starting point (Mti Mkubwa) 2800m. The elevation of the next camp (Shira One) 3610m.
- Hiking time – 5 to 7 hours.
- Distance – 7km. Lunch – Served at the camp.
- Evening hiking or acclimatization – May be present or absent – the expedition leader will decide based on how everyone is feeling.
- Water – Minimum 3 liters and maximum 5 liters for the full day.
- Habitat/ecology zone – Heather zone/moorland.
- Attractions – Great views on the way to the camp and from the camp, the ridge of Shira Peak, Shira Plateau, Erica trees, white-nape raven, Protea Kilimanjaro, Kibo Peak, and the second highest peak of Tanzania – Mount Meru.
Description: Trek through rainforests and moorlands, facing the challenge of ascending through alpine moorlands. The day concludes at Shira Camp 1 (Altitude: 3610m), offering a rewarding overnight stay.
DAY 4 – Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut Camp:
- Hiking from Shira One to Moir Camp.
- The elevation of the starting point is 3610m.
- The elevation of the next camp is 4200m.
- Elevation gain is 590m. Hiking time – 5 to 7 hours. Distance – 10km.
- Ecological zone – Moorland and alpine desert.
What to pack in your backpack – Rain gear, one or two energy bars, two liters of water, sun hat, neck gaiters, your passport, your wallet, your small first aid kit.
Description: After breakfast and ample relaxation, embark on a steady climb to reach Moir Hut Camp at 4200m. Despite the strenuous effort, the evening promises breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the remarkable scenery
Day 5 – Moir Hut Camp to Barranco Camp
- Overview Hiking from Moir Camp to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower for lunch stop.
- The elevation starting is 4200m.
- The elevation of the next camp is 3940m.
- Elevation gain of the day is 600m, lunch point is 4600m. Hiking time is 5 to 8 hours.
- Distance is 8km.
- Attractions of the day are the rock pedestal, an amazing view of Shira Plateau, Shark Tooth, Lava Tower, Ocean of Clouds, unusual plants known as Giant Senecio and Lobelia Deckenii and Glacial Valleys.
- Ecological zones are alpine desert and moorland. How to pack in your backpack – rain gear, water, wallet, passport, a few energy bars, small first aid kit.
Description Experience another climbing challenge as you ascend to Barranco Camp. Take in panoramic views of moorland plateaus and climb to Lava Tower (4550 m) before descending to the bottom of the impressive Barranco Valley (3940 m). Spend the night at Barranco Camp
Day 6 – Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp .
- Overview Hiking from Barranco to Karanga Camp.
- The elevation of the starting point is 3940m.
- The elevation of the next camp is 3995m.
- The elevation gain of the day is 55m.
- Hiking time is 4 to 5 hours.
- Distance is 6km.
- Ecological zone is alpine desert.
- Acclimatization hike – absent.
- How to pack in your backpack: rain gear, water, wallet, passport, a few energy bars, small first aid kit.
- Attractions of the day are: Great Barranco Wall, Southern Ice Field, Glacial Valleys, Mount Meru view, Ocean of Clouds, Giant Senecio and Lobelia Plants.
Description After breakfast, we start the day by scaling the Barranco Wall for about 2 hours. On top of the Barranco Wall, you’ll take a half-hour break. This will give you enough time to soak in the beautiful view from the top of the Barranco Wall before descending to Karanga Camp. Lunch, dinner, and overnight
Day 7 – Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp.
Overview
- The elevation of the starting point is 3995m.
- The elevation of the next camp is 4673m.
- Elevation gain of the day is 678m.
- Hiking time is 3 to 4 hours. Distance is 4km.
- Ecological zone/habitat is alpine desert.
- Acclimatization hike – absent or present.
- How to pack in your backpack: rain gear, water, wallet, passport, a few energy bars, small first aid kit. Attractions: Glacial Valleys, Buttress Windows, Ringing Rocks (also known as sonorous rocks or lithophonic rocks), and Mawenzi Peak.
Description After reaching Barafu Camp, you’ll have lunch, a summit briefing, and a summit gear checkup. Rest for the remainder of the day, have dinner, and rest for a few hours before heading to the summit.
Day 8 – Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak (5895 m) and Mweka Camp (3100 m).
Overview Please note this is going to be a long day, lasting about 14 to 16 hours. Hiking from Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak (the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro).
- The elevation of the starting point is 4673m.
- The elevation of Uhuru Peak (the summit of Kilimanjaro) is 5895m.
- The elevation gain to Uhuru Peak is 1222m.
- Hiking time to the summit is 6 to 8 hours.
- Distance to Uhuru Peak from Barafu to Uhuru Peak is 5km. Distance from Uhuru Peak to Barafu Camp is 5km.
- Hiking time back to Barafu Camp for brunch/lunch is 3 to 4 hours.
- Hiking time to Mweka Camp is 4 to 5 hours.
- Distance to Millennium Camp is 3.5km.
- Distance to Mweka Camp is 7km.
- Ecological zones are the arctic zone at the top, and below 5000m are alpine desert zone and moorland.
- How to dress for the summit ascent – the expedition leader will explain how to dress for the summit after checking your summiting gear.
How to pack in your backpack – rain gear, water, wallet, passport, few energy bars, small first aid kit, extra fleece, sun hat, sunscreen, cameras, any identity to take pictures with such as the national flag of your country, a t-shirt from where you work, the flag from your company, pictures of loved ones, etc. Description Embark on the summit climb early in the morning. After reaching the rim of the crater (Stella Point – 5756m/1886ft), take a quick short break, then proceed to Uhuru Peak. At the top of the mountain, spend roughly half an hour savoring the landscape and taking photos before descending to Barafu Camp/Mweka Camp.
DAY 9 – Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate and Return to the Hotel.
Overview
- Hiking down from mweka camp to mweka gate.
- Hiking time-3 to 4 hours.
- Distance -10km.
- Ecological zone –rainforest zone.
Description: In the morning, trek to Mweka Gate, receive your climbing certificate, say farewell to your mountain team, and return to the Hotel. Check into your hotel and reflect on the incredible experience.
Day 10 – Visiting Tarangire National Park.
After the Kilimanjaro climb, on day 10, early in the morning your safari guide from the office will meet you to explain everything about safaris and answer all your questions. After the safari briefing, you will drive from the hotel to Tarangire National Park. Tarangire is among the most popular parks in Tanzania, with a variety of wildlife including elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, impalas, and buffalos. After game viewing in Tarangire, you will check out and drive to a hotel in the small town of Mto wa Mbu or Karatu, which is just 2 hours driving from the park. Upon arriving at the hotel, you will check in, shower, and have dinner. After dinner, the driver guide will brief you for the following day. Overnight at the hotel in Karatu town.
Day 11 – Serengeti National Park.
Day 12 – A full day game drive in Serengeti, overnight in Serengeti.
Day 13 – Ngorongoro Crater
Day 14 – Departure
Climbing cost includes
- Hotel before & after the climb.
- Meals on the climb.
- Camping equipment like – tents, chairs, tables, sleeping mattress.
- Professional expedition leaders, guides, cooks, waiter and porters.
- All park fees and taxes.
- Portable toilet.
- All transfers.
- Dedicated supporting team.( best guides, best cooks and best porters)
- Safety equipment like –
- Oxygen tanks,
- Portable stretchers.
- Pulse oxmiters,
- Portable Altitude Chamber for the creator camp and northern circuit.
- Evacuation report forms.
- Stethoscope for checking pulmonary edema.
- Fully- loaded medical kits.
Climbing cost excludes
- International flights.
- Tips to the climbing team.
- Visa fees.
- Personal gear rentals.
- Travel insurance.
- Lunch and dinner in the hotel.
- Drinks in the hotel.
Frequently Asked Question
What is the Length of the Rongai Route?
The Rongai route spans roughly 81 km or 50 miles.
How Many Days are Required to Ascend Kilimanjaro via the Rongai Route?
Typically, the Rongai route is completed in either 6 or 7 days.
How Challenging is the Climb up Kilimanjaro on the Rongai Route?
Considered a moderate route, the Rongai path features a gradual elevation gain that is not overly strenuous. However, its shorter duration may increase the risk of altitude sickness for some climbers due to the less-than-ideal route profile.
What is the Success Rate of Climbing Kilimanjaro via the Rongai Route?
When considering all operators, the estimated success rate is around 50% for the 6-day Rongai route and approximately 70% for the 7-day Rongai route. Our 6-day Rongai route boasts a success rate of approximately 70-75%, while our 7-day Rongai route has an impressive success rate of around 85-90%.
Other Routes
Marangu Route
6 days + 2 Night at the hotel
Machame Route
7 days + 2 nights at the hotel
Lemosho Route
7 days + 2 night at the hotel
Shira Route
8 days + 2 nights at the hotel
Northern Circuit
9 days + 2 night at the hotel
Rongai Route
6 days + 2 nights at the hotel
Umbwe Route
6 days + 2 night at the hotel
Crater Camp/Lemosho Route
9 days + 2 nights at the hotel