The trails winding through the African terrain cannot be justified through frivolous or assuring words that make up the bulk of a detailed traveller's itinerary, but only through the words of our personal journals as we recount the days spent wandering a land whose imagery will forever be etched into our memory. Our hiking schedule will accommodate our gradual acclimatization to the high altitudes, but there is no becoming accustomed to the thrill that envelopes our senses as we look down from the mountain to the valley bellow. Descend 700 metres into the deep crater of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where we can catch a glimpse at the wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and hippopotamuses in their secluded environment.

Day 1   Arrival in Tanzania
 
You are met on arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to our hotel in Moshi. PLEASE NOTE: The hotels indicated in this itinerary reflect our preferred properties in each location. We list these hotels primarily to provide a general sense of overall standard; the final hotel list (which supersedes this itinerary) is not 100% confirmed until approximately 30-45 days prior to departure. We reserve the right to make substitutions of a similar standard if necessary. Overnight in Moshi. Protea Aishi Machame Hotel or similar. Dinner if required. 
  
Day 2   Arusha National Park
 
This morning we will meet the driver/guide who will take us on our day's excursion up Mt. Meru, to Arusha National Park. His specially outfitted Landrover has a poptop roof for ease of game viewing and seats 4 comfortably with guaranteed window seating. We begin our big game viewing in a beautiful highland rain forest park that wraps around the top of Mt Meru. Arusha National Park is the only place you'll be able to see a number of rare birds and the rare colobus monkey, but you're also likely to find zebra, giraffe, buffalo and much more. The scenery is spectacular. We will spend some time trekking on trails up Mt Meru; this is the perfect way to acclimate to the high altitudes of northern Tanzania before beginning our Kili climb tomorrow. Return to Arusha. This evening we will have a briefing about the climb. Overnight in Moshi. Protea Aishi Machame Hotel or similar. All meals. 
  
Day 3   Moshi - Kilimanjaro National Park
 
This morning we depart for the Machame Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park (30 min) via 4-wheel drive vehicle (elevation approx 1818 M / 6,000 ft). We unpack and begin the first day of hiking (approx 4hrs of hiking/climbing). Reach the Machame Hut Campsite around 2.00 pm, stopping for lunch. Set up camp, rest and eat dinner during the early evening. This hike traverses the lush rainforest that belts Kilimanjaro. Elevation 2985 m / 9,850 feet. Machame Route: We trek high and camp low, allowing you to acclimatize to the altitude and thus increasing your chances of success. This includes an overnight trek from 15,000' to the summit. This route is more "common", though still a world away from the heavily-touristed Marangu ("Coca-Cola") Route. Overnight at Machame Hut Campsite. All meals. 
  
Day 4   Machame Hut - Shire Hut
 
Wake to breakfast, break camp and begin the second day of hiking/climbing. This is a 5 to 6 hour hike, traversing the lower moorland and heath land. The rainforest gives way to large shrubs that decrease in size with increasing elevation. We stop for lunch, then continue on to Shire Hut Campsite. We set up camp, rest and eat dinner during early evening. The west face of the Kibo volcano (usually referred to as Kilimanjaro) looms above the campsite. Elevation 3788 m / 12,500 feet. Overnight Shire Hut Campsite. All meals. 
  
Day 5   Shire Hut - Barranco Hut
 
Wake to breakfast, break camp and begin the third day of hiking/climbing. This 5 to 6 hour hike continues through the lower moorland sometimes climbing steeply and sometimes descending just as steeply to reach Barranco Hut Campsite directly below the south face of Kibo (stopping halfway for lunch). Elevation 3879 m / 12,800 feet. The view of Northern Tanzania and Mt. Meru to the west are amazing, not to mention the view of Kibo itself. Set up camp, rest and eat dinner during early evening. Overnight Barranco Hut Campsite. All meals. 
  
Day 6   Rest Day
 
Today is a leisurely day of acclimatization and easy exploration of the terrain and unique flora of this rare African sub-Alpine bio-zone. Taking a day off en route to the summit greatly increases your chances of overcoming the affects of altitude and achieving the summit more comfortably. NOTE: This day may occur earlier or later in our programme depending on local conditions and group inclination. The decision as to when the rest day wiill occur will be made by your Tanzanian Head Guide. Overnight Barranco Hut Campsite. All meals. 
  
Day 7   Barranco - Barafu Hut
 
Wake to breakfast, break camp and begin the fourth and final day of hiking/climbing before the summit day. Climb to the Barafu Hut Campsite on the southeast side of Kibo to meet the summit trail, stopping there for lunch. This 4 to 5 hour hike traverses the alpine desert where the sheer ruggedness of Kilimanjaro is breathtaking. Barafu Hut Campsite is situated at an elevation of 4576 m / 15,100 feet. Set up camp, eat a very early dinner and get some rest. The summit day starts early next day. Overnight Barafu Hut Campsite. All meals. 
  
Day 8   Barafu Hut - Summit - Mweka Hut
 
Wake at about 12:30 am to a light snack and begin the summit climb. The winding switchbacks climb slowly toward the crater rim and Stella Point (approx 5606 m / 18,500 feet elevation). From Stella Point one can see the inner crater and ash cone and the amazing glaciers covering the south face of Kilimanjaro. Continue another half-hour to the roof of Africa--Uhuru Peak at 5860 m / 19,340 feet. Stop for a bit of rest and photo opportunity. Views of Mawenzi to the east and Mt. Meru to the west as well as the Rift Valley, northern Tanzania, and southern Kenya are breathtaking. At this range Kilimanjaro's glaciers are as awe-inspiring as they are pristine. After a rest, descend back to Barafu Hut Campsite, break camp and descend to Mweka Hut Campsite at 2985 m / 9,850 feet elevation. Set up camp, eat dinner and get some well-deserved rest. A long day of hiking totaling approx 12 - 14 hours, depending on the fitness of the climber. We reach the peaks in the early morning light, and descend during the day. Overnight Mweka Camp. All meals. 
  
Day 9   Mweka Hut - Moshi - Arusha
 
Wake to breakfast, break camp and begin the short hike down to the park gates at Mweka at approx 1667 m / 5,500 feet elevation. Drive from park gates back to Arusha via Moshi. Overnight Arusha. Mountain Village Lodge. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 10   Arusha - Ngorongoro Crater
 
Arusha is the starting point for the northern safari routes of Tanzania, and is one of the country's most attractive towns. The surrounding area is primarily a highland forest park and it is a good place to see black and white colobus monkeys and bushbuck. You may catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. This afternoon we continue to Ngorongoro via Lake Manyara, another Rift Valley lake, renowned for its unique rainforest microclimate. A rough road takes us up the rift escarpment through dramatic rolling green fields and tiny traditional villages. Our arrival at the crater rim near sunset coincides with the best time to see the elusive leopard as they quietly patrol the thick forests. Called the 'eighth wonder of the world' and stretching across some 8,300 sq km, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania boasts a blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and archaeology that is unsurpassed in Africa. The volcanoes, grasslands, waterfalls and mountain forests are home to an abundance of animals and to the Maasai. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world's greatest natural spectacles, its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthral visitors. Overnight in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. All meals. 
  
Day 11   Ngorongoro Crater
 
Today we enjoy a half-day tour in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.* After an early breakfast we descend into the crater far below for a game drive in this incredible setting, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We explore the Ngorongoro Crater, 20 km (13 miles) wide and 700 m (2300 feet) high where we may see the "Big Five" as well as many herbivores like wildebeest, gazelle, zebra and hippopotamus, as well as thousands of flamingos. * As of July 2005, in order to reduce congestion and stress on wildlife, the Tanzanian government will begin limiting visitors to half-day visits of the crater. Depending on what time "window" we are assigned, our excursion may take place first thing in the morning, or later in the afternoon (both of which are equally advantageous for game viewing, given the relatively mild climate at this altitude). Overnight in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Sopa Lodge or similar. All meals. 
  
Day 12   Ngorongoro - Serengeti
 
Departing the Ngorongoro Conservation area this morning we descend onto the Serengeti Plain, stretching out endlessly before us. Indeed the name "Serengeti" derives from a Maasai word meaning "Land-without-end." This is a land of superlatives, both in the vast landscape that surrounds you and the incredible biodiversity it supports. It is here that you have a chance to witness one of the most compelling natural dramas on earth--the annual migration, a sight unparalleled anywhere in the natural world. During our visit to the Serengeti we will be maximizing our opportunities to absorb all the aspects of this magical place. Overnight in the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti Sopa Lodge. All meals. 
  
Day 13   Serengeti National Park
 
Today we have a full day of game viewing on the Serengeti. We will visit the "kopjes," a series of low, incongruous hills dotting the open landscape that often provide a vantage point for hungry predators contemplating the endless stream of hoofed animals parading past them. During this time, up to 1.5 million wildebeest and a half a million zebra embark on a single-minded and perilous quest for water and grazing land. Following this spectacle, of course, are the meat-eating opportunists, hoping to capitalize on the physical toll this journey exacts on the desperate grazers. Overnight in the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti Sopa Lodge or similar. All meals. 
  
Day 14   Serengeti - Lake Manyara National Park
 
Travelling back to Manyara today we make a stop at Olduvai Gorge, site of the Leakey excavations in the 1960s and 70s that established this region as the prehistoric habitat of some of the earliest species of hominids with some finds dating back 1.8 million years. Pundits in the life sciences have argued that the Olduvai contribution to the story of human origins remains unsurpassed by any other prehistoric site in the world. A small museum on site outlines the unique geological and human history of the area. Later we will enjoy a leisurely lunch at Gibb's Farm. Founded during German colonial times and still privately owned, Gibb's Farm is now a small hotel perched on the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands, surrounded by coffee plantations with long views over lush and beautiful agricultural country. We continue to the vicinity of Lake Manyara National Park, the smallest of the northern parks in Tanzania (330 sq km, of which two thirds is the actual lake) hosting a wide variety of vegetation, ranging from savannah to ground water forest to riparian habitats. The park is host to thousands of pelicans, ibis and flamingo that can be heard from afar. Other common visitors to this beautiful lake are hippos and the majestic African fish eagle, which can be seen swooping down from its perch to snatch a fish from the still waters of the lake. We will spend the night at a lodge near Lake Manyara. Overnight near Lake Manyara. Serena Lodge or E Unoto Lodge or similar. All meals. 
  
Day 15   Lake Manyara - Arusha - Depart
 
Today we return to Arusha by road. Later we transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for our homeward flights. LAND ONLY PASSENGERS need to take into account our morning activities when booking their flights out of Arusha (JRO). Your departure should occur no earlier than 6:00 pm. SAFARI NJEMA! 
  

9/09