Kilimanjaro & Safari Combo
Kilimanjaro Summit (5,895m) • Tarangire • Serengeti • Ngorongoro
14-Day Kilimanjaro & Safari Itinerary
Seven days conquering Africa’s highest peak via the scenic Machame Route, followed by seven days of Northern Circuit safari through Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro.
Arrive Arusha / Kilimanjaro Registration
Meet your guide team at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha. Park briefing and gear check — equipment hire (trekking poles, sleeping bags, gaiters) is available in Moshi town. Your lead guide will walk you through the route profile, safety protocols, and what to expect on the mountain. Rest well tonight — the trek begins tomorrow.
Kilimanjaro Day 1 — Machame Gate to Machame Camp (3,100m)
Drive to Machame Gate (1,800m) for park registration and the start of your Kilimanjaro ascent. Trek through lush montane rainforest — alive with colobus monkeys, exotic birds, and giant ferns. The 5–6 hour walk through dense vegetation gradually gives way to the heath zone as you approach Machame Camp. Your porter team carries the heavy equipment ahead — you carry only your day pack.
Kilimanjaro Day 2 — Machame Camp to Shira Camp (3,840m)
The second day takes you out of the forest and onto the open moorland zone — sparse giant heather and senecio plants draped in lichen against vast skies. Kibo peak begins to dominate the horizon. Today’s 5-hour trek climbs steadily to the edge of the ancient Shira Plateau, one of the most dramatic landscapes on the mountain. Altitude awareness begins — drink plenty of water and walk at a steady pace.
Kilimanjaro Day 3 — Shira Camp to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
The critical acclimatisation day — the Machame Route’s defining advantage. You climb high to Lava Tower (4,630m) through the stark alpine desert zone, then descend to Barranco Camp (3,950m). This “climb high, sleep low” pattern triggers red blood cell production and dramatically improves summit success rates. Lava Tower is a towering volcanic plug — eerie and spectacular. Lunch is taken at the tower before the descent through giant lobelia forests to Barranco.
Kilimanjaro Day 4 — Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (4,200m)
Today begins with the famous Barranco Wall — a 200m near-vertical scramble that looks terrifying but is well-marked and manageable with hand-over-hand rock moves. Your guide leads the way; porters haul loads with astonishing ease. At the top, views of the southern icefields are extraordinary. A rewarding 4–5 hour trek along the southern circuit brings you to Karanga Camp, perched above a river valley with sweeping glacier views.
Kilimanjaro Day 5 — Karanga Camp to Barafu Base Camp (4,673m)
A shorter but important day — the final climb to Barafu Base Camp (4,673m), your launch pad for the summit. The landscape is now barren scree and volcanic rock above the cloud line. Eat a large early dinner by 5pm and retire to your tent by 7pm for vital sleep before the midnight start. Your guide will wake you around 11:30pm for the summit push. Prepare your summit pack tonight.
Summit Day — Midnight Start to Uhuru Peak (5,895m)
The defining day of this adventure. A midnight start in bitter cold, headtorches piercing the darkness as you begin the final push to the Roof of Africa. The trail switchbacks steeply up volcanic scree to Stella Point (5,739m) on the crater rim, then a further 45 minutes across the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) — the highest point in Africa. Photographs at the famous sign, tears of accomplishment, and the extraordinary sight of the glacier fields. Descend all the way to Mweka Camp (3,100m) — a long but triumphant 12–16 hour day.
Kilimanjaro Descent & Transfer to Arusha
A final descent through the forest to Mweka Gate — the official end of your Kilimanjaro climb. Here, the KINAPA rangers hold a summit certificate ceremony: those who reached Uhuru Peak receive the coveted green summit certificate. Transfer to your Arusha hotel for a rest afternoon — shower, good food, and the deep satisfaction of having summited Africa’s highest peak. Tomorrow the safari begins.
Tarangire National Park
After Kilimanjaro’s exertion, stepping into a comfortable 4x4 safari vehicle for a full-day game drive through Tarangire National Park feels like the perfect reward. Tarangire’s flat savanna is wonderfully accessible — elephant herds of 200+, ancient baobab trees, lions hunting in open ground, and exceptional birdlife including the iconic ground hornbill. A packed picnic lunch in the bush. Drive to Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Serengeti via Ngorongoro Highlands
Drive through the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area highlands — Maasai pasturelands, montane forest, and panoramic crater rim views. Descend onto the infinite Serengeti plains, arriving in the Seronera central region in the early afternoon. Your first Serengeti game drive: lions in acacia trees, cheetahs scanning the grasslands, hippos in the Seronera River. Overnight in the Serengeti with the sounds of the bush all around you.
Full Day Serengeti
Dawn to dusk in the world’s greatest wildlife arena. After the physical challenge of Kilimanjaro, this day is pure reward — reclining in your pop-top Land Cruiser as lions lounge in golden light, cheetahs launch lightning sprints, and leopards drag kills into acacia trees. Your guide uses radio intelligence to find the best sightings. An optional hot air balloon safari ($500pp) can be arranged for a pre-dawn ascent over the endless plains.
Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After a morning game drive in the Serengeti, begin the scenic drive east toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The road passes through Maasai homesteads and highland grasslands before reaching the dramatic caldera rim. Check in to your rim lodge as the late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the 19-km wide crater below. Sundowners on the rim with one of Africa’s most extraordinary views as a backdrop.
Ngorongoro Crater & Return to Arusha
An early descent into the Ngorongoro Crater — the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crater holds Africa’s densest concentration of wildlife: lions, leopards, elephants, critically endangered black rhinos, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, and thousands of flamingos on Lake Magadi. Picnic lunch on the crater floor. Late afternoon ascent and drive to Arusha for your final night in Tanzania.
Departure
A final breakfast in Arusha before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) or Arusha Airport for your international departure. Fourteen days — a mountain summit and a safari through three of Africa’s greatest parks. You’ve stood on the roof of Africa and watched lions hunt on the Serengeti plains. Safari njema — safe travels.
Get Your Custom Quote
Pricing depends on your group size, travel dates, accommodation preference, and season. We build every safari to order — contact us for a personalised quote within 24 hours.
Inclusions & Exclusions
✓ What's Included
- ✓ Kilimanjaro National Park fees (all zones)
- ✓ 7-day Machame Route guide, porters (4 per climber), cook
- ✓ All mountain camping equipment (tents, sleeping mats, dining & kitchen tents)
- ✓ Kilimanjaro summit certificate
- ✓ All meals on the mountain (fullboard)
- ✓ All Northern Circuit park fees incl. Ngorongoro Crater fee
- ✓ Professional English-speaking safari guide
- ✓ Private 4x4 pop-top safari vehicle
- ✓ Safari accommodation per selected tier
- ✓ All safari meals (fullboard)
- ✓ Airport transfers both ends
✗ Not Included
- ✗ International flights
- ✗ Tanzania tourist visa (~$50)
- ✗ Travel & medical insurance
- ✗ Personal trekking gear (boots, poles, sleeping bag — hire available in Moshi)
- ✗ Tips for Kilimanjaro crew (standard: $300–$400 for 7-day Machame)
- ✗ Tips for safari guide (~$15pp/day)
- ✗ Optional balloon safari ($500pp)
- ✗ Holiday surcharges (24, 25, 26, 31 Dec)
- ✗ Personal expenses & bar accounts
Kilimanjaro & Safari Combo FAQ
Pricing varies by group size, travel dates, and accommodation tier. Contact us for a personalised quote.
The combo uses the 7-day Machame Route — known as the “Whiskey Route”, it is the most scenic route on Kilimanjaro and has among the highest summit success rates. The 7-day format (vs the 6-day) adds a critical extra acclimatisation day, meaningfully improving summit success. The Machame route traverses the spectacular southern circuit, passing through every vegetation zone from rainforest to arctic glacier.
No technical climbing experience is required — Kilimanjaro is a walk-up, not a technical climb. The challenge is altitude (5,895m / 19,341ft), not technical difficulty. You need good physical fitness, the ability to walk 6–8 hours per day for 7 consecutive days, and mental determination. We recommend hiking regularly for 3–6 months before the climb. The Barranco Wall scramble (Day 5) requires hands, but is not technical.
We always put Kilimanjaro first, safari second. After summiting, your legs need a few days of recovery — and game drives in a comfortable 4x4 are the perfect active rest. Going on safari first can tire your legs before the climb. The psychological reward of sitting on a game drive after summiting Africa’s highest peak is also deeply satisfying.
The combo operates year-round with 2026, 2027, and 2028 departures. Kilimanjaro has two busy seasons: January–March and July–October. We recommend booking 2–3 months ahead for those windows. Contact us for year-specific pricing and availability.
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