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Summit to Sea

9 DAYS / 10 NIGHTS | TYPE: WILDLIFE / CLIMBING & TREKKING | ACC: MOUNTAIN-CAMPS / SEMI-LUX / LODGES

The Roof-top of Africa
Introducing West Mt. Kilimanjaro with private game drives, summit the mountain using the Machame route and follow up with a short safari, relaxation on the beach, or both…

The Adventure day to day…

Legend: O/N – Overnight, H/B – Half Board, F/B – Full Board

west kilimanjaro
kibo peak kilimanjaro
above the cloudskilimanjaro summit
Esilalei Maasai Jumping
serengeti wilderbeest
arcia sunset

  1. Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. You’ll be collected by your driver guide and transfer to Karama Lodge located just outside the busy center of Arusha. O/N Karama Lodge – B/B
  2. Meet with your Kilimanjaro mountain guide after breakfast for a climbing briefing and full equipment check. Then drive towards West Kilimanjaro into Ndarakwai Private Ranch. Game drive en route to the camp for relaxation. Afternoon game drives to your own design, head towards the game viewing tower where Elephant is commonly seen. Return to the camp for dinner before heading out on a night game drive…experience the African milky way like never before! O/N Ndarakwai Campsite – B2B Semi-luxury Camp set-up – F/B
  3. Dawn game drive in the ranch – return for breakfast and transfer to Machame Gate. After the park fees have been paid, you will enter into the cover of the natural rain forest which surrounds the lower reaches of Kilimanjaro. This part of the walk is very gradual with great photo opportunities as the suns rays filter through the dense canopy overhead. Take your picnic lunch on route as you ascend through the mystical forests for your first overnight stay at Machame Camp. Day one is great introduction to the adventure you are embarking on. Walking time ranges from 4.5hrs- 6hrs. Hot water is provided to refresh yourself before dinner, enjoy the mountain’s silence as night descends upon Machame Camp for your first night. O/N Machame Camp F/B – Altitude is 2980 mts
  4. After breakfast, break camp and with picnic lunch boxes continue your ascent leaving the lushness of the rain forest behind you. This part of the walk cuts up along various ridges which are dotted with scrubby low land bush this eventually gives way to the hardier Alpine Flora of the open plateau. The walk will take you 5hrs – 6.5hrs including your picnic lunch, the views are stunning as you begin to gain altitude. On one side you have the soft outline of Kilimanjaro towering over you and off in the distance stands Mt Meru. Dinner and Overnight at Shira Camp. O/N Shira Camp – Altitude is 3840mts above the sea level
  5. After breakfast, begin a gradual climb cutting your way through the low Alpine bush. Bird watching on these open slopes can be rewarding with several different species of bird of prey scouring the scrub for small mammals. The scenery will change to rusty Red moraine fields as you continue on toward Lava tower 4630mts, finally descend to Baranco Camp. Lunch will be taken en route. This is a good day for acclimatization as you reach a higher altitude than that of Baranco. This day will take 5 – 7 hrs. O/N Baranco Camp – Altitude is 3900mts
  6. You can afford to have a leisurely start today as the walking is up the Baranco wall and a little further onto Karanga Valley. Enjoy a hot lunch on arrival at Karanga camp, rest for some time then take a walk with the guide to gain a little extra altitude. Return to the camp. O/N Karanga camp F/B
  7. After breakfast, with your picnic lunch boxes proceed to skirt around the south side of the mountain. Begin to climb through the Alpine desert and moraine fields. Barafu camp is reached in 4.5hrs- 6hrs. Relax and soak up the vistas below you, a light dinner will be served. Rest and try and get some sleep, you will be woken at 12:30am for your final challenge. O/N Barafu Camp F/B – Altitude is 4600mts above the sea level
  8. After a hot tea and snacks start your ascent to the highest peak in Africa (Uhuru Peak) this stands at (5895m). Have your camera’s ready for when the sun winks a sleepy eye at you. After you’ve done the victory dance on the summit. Start the descent to Barafu Camp for breakfast, and then proceed down toward Mweka Camp cutting through lowland grasses and scrub. Break for picnic lunch and refreshments the walking time for this day is around 8hrs – 10hrs. (including summit ascent) After leaving Barafu the walking flattens out and follows board walk onto Mweka Camp. O/N Mweka Camp F/B Altitude is 3340mts above the sea level
  9. After breakfast, with your picnic lunch boxes, proceed back down into the forest, a beautiful walk again offering good bird watching opportunities, there are some good view points en route to the valley below. Continue down to the gate, for champagne brunch. You’ll be collected by one of our B2B vehicles and transfer back to Arusha. O/N Karama Lodge – H/B

Option 1. Safari Extension

  1. After a leisurely breakfast head out towards Esilalei Maasai Community. Meet with your local maasai guide who will introduce you to his village. Get a better understanding of the natural medicines still used on a daily basis with maasai medicine walk of the surrounding area. Continue down to a Boma (Mud dwelling) for an introduction into the Maasai way of life, beliefs and rituals. Return to the camp by foot following a dry Korongo (river bed). Enjoy song and dance of the Maasai along with a traditional goat BBQ (catering for vegetarians as well). O/N Esilalei Semi-luxury Camp set-up – F/B
  2. Morning wake up call with bird chorus. Head via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the endless plains of Serengeti. Game drive en route to central Serengeti and onto your private camp in the park. O/N Serengeti Semi-luxury Private Camp set-up – F/B
  3. Full day game drives in Serengeti NP. Plan your day together with your driver who will best advise you where and when to go – use the camp as a base to head out from. O/N Serengeti Semi-luxury Private Camp set-up – F/B
  4. After breakfast leave the Serengeti plains behind you as you head back through the Ngorongoro conservation area (NCA). Stop at Olduvai gorge, the cradle of man kind. Informative talk about the early finding of hominid remains by the Leaky family – museum visit. Then continue towards the Ngorongoro Crater Rim – stop at the view point before heading to Rhino lodge. O/N Rhino lodge – F/B
  5. Dawn wake up call – drop down to the crater floor for game drives. There are 25,000 large mammals residing in the park, elephants are mainly bulls, females stay out of the park due to the largest predator population in Africa. Black Rhino also make there home on the grassy plains there numbers making up for almost half that can be found in East Africa. Mid afternoon begin the climb out of the crater and drive back through a rolling landscape to Arusha. O/N Karama Lodge – H/B
  6. You’ll be collected from Karama Lodge and transfer to Shanga for lunch. Try some of the Swahili kitchen in an African buffet spread and afterwards relax in the gardens of Shanga River house. Continue to JRO where you connect with your International flight.

Option 2. Beach Extension

  1. Morning transfer to the airport where you connect with your national flight to Zanzibar. You’ll be collected from Zanzibar airport and transfer to Fumba beach Lodge for pure beach relaxation. O/N Fumba Beach Lodge – Seaview room – H/B
  2. Pure beach relaxation. O/N Fumba Beach Lodge – Seaview room – H/B
  3. Pure beach relaxation. O/N Fumba Beach Lodge – Seaview room – H/B
  4. Pure beach relaxation. O/N Fumba Beach Lodge – Seaview room – H/B
  5. You’ll be collected from Shooting Star and transfer to Stone Town. Wander through the narrow streets at your own leisure. O/N 236 Hurumzi – H/B
  6. Transfer to Zanzibar airport for your national flight connection to Dar. From here you’ll be able to connect with your international flight.

Price Guide

Indicative price for the 9 day Machame-route climb
(in U.S. dollars, per person), for:
  • 2 people sharing: $2,025 p/p
  • 4 people sharing: $1,885 p/p
  • 6 people sharing: $1,835 p/p
  • Single supplement: $185
Option 1
Safari Extension
  • 2 people sharing: $1,565 p/p
  • 4 people sharing: $1,285 p/p
  • 6 people sharing: $1,775 p/p
  • Single supplement: $170
Option 2
Beach Extension
  • 2 people sharing: $1,165 p/p
  • 4 people sharing: $1,115 p/p
  • 6 people sharing: $1,100 p/p
  • Single supplement: $150
We write indicative price since the actual amount depends on numerous factors such as season, number of people sharing and their ages, chosen options and further customization of the itinerary above.

Included in our package

  1. All park and climbing fees
  2. Accommodation at meal plan stated
  3. National flights inclusive of airport taxes & safety fees
  4. 4×4 vehicle plus driver guide, safari chef and camp assistant during safari extension
  5. FAR Emergency Evacuation Cover x 14 days

Exclusive

  1. Tips (suggested amounts, see Guidelines for tipping for more information)
    • Guide x 1: $80-$100
    • Chef x 1: $50 – $80
    • Porters: $25 – $40
  2. Visa and airport departure tax
  3. Drinks and items of personal nature and not mentioned in the above itinerary

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Last update: 23 December 2010 721 views No Comment