Experience Overview
For many travellers, Africa is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you’re only going to go once, take this incredible 12-day adventure that wraps mighty Kilimanjaro, the sweeping Serengeti, and the stupendous Ngorongoro Crater together in one unbeatable package. Kick things off with a four-day ascent to the very roof of Africa, then return to Moshi to meet with residents of an isolated Maasai village and members of a local G Adventures for Good project before heading out into the wild lands in search of the "big five" and camping under the stars. This is quintessential Africa.
Highlights
- Conquer Africa's highest peak
- Savour local specialities with traditional meals
- Watch the sun rise from the roof of Africa
- Enjoy a local lunch with a family in the Mto wa Mbu village
Trip Details
Product Code: 2083
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Basic
Transport: 7-seat 4x4 safari vehicle, private minibus, trekking
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles: Classic
Supplier Code: DTMS
Starts: Moshi, Tanzania
Finishes: Arusha, Tanzania
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating: Challenging
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: Moshi Women's Cooperative Visit, Moshi Your G for Good Moment: Mto wa Mbu Community Visit and Lunch, Mto wa Mbu Your G for Good Moment: Clean Cookstove Project Visit, Mto wa Mbu Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
- Mt Kilimanjaro's Marangu Route trekking permits and guides, cooks, and porters
- Lake Manyara wildlife safari drive
- Serengeti wildlife safari drives
- Ngorongoro Crater wildlife safari drive
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodation
- Simple hotels (3 nts), full-service camping (4 nts), alpine huts (4 nts)
- 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 8 dinners
Transport
- 7-seat 4x4 safari vehicle, private minibus, trekking
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer), certified mountain guide, certified safari guide/driver, local representative, cook, porters, camp crew.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $6999 (CAD $583 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Moshi
Arrive at any time.
Arrive in Moshi and head to the hotel. Attend a pre-departure meeting with the local guide to go over last minute details of the trip.
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.Accommodation - Bristol Cottages Kilimanjaro
Day 2: Moshi/Mandara Huts
Hike through the forested, lower slopes to Mandara escarpment.
Most days the hiking will begin early in the morning, with hikes of around 5 to 6 hours. The guides will set a moderate pace, so as to allow for time to acclimatize to the altitude changes. Guides will continually repeat the words, “pole pole” (po-ly, po-ly), which means “go slowly” in Swahili.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Walk 4 hours to the Mandara Hut (2743m, 8999 ft) after registering at the gate. The slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro are classified as rainforest zone so there will likely be rain in the afternoon while travelling under the lush canopy. Enjoy the view while hiking through the lower terrain and possibly spot some of the exotic wildlife in the area. The Mandra Hut has sleeping bunks, running water and flushable toilets.
Day 3: Mandara Huts/Horombo Huts
Hike through the heather and moorland zone to Horombo Hut.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Continue up through the upper rainforest zone and reach the moorland zone at 3000m (9842 ft). In this zone plants grow to outrageous heights like the giant lobelia and giant groundsel that can reach up to 5m (16 ft). Enjoy the view of the semi-alpine zone's plants and ravines. Reach Horombo hut (3720m, 12205 ft) and get some rest.
Day 4: Horombo Huts/Kibo Huts
Proceed onto the Kilimanjaro Saddle, through a desertlike alpine zone, to Kibo Hut.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Start the slow trek through the heathland and enter the alpine desert zone. Because of the increase in altitude, hike a slow pace today to allow time to get acclimatized but pay attention to any signs of altitude sickness. The ascent to the saddle of Mt Kilimanjaro is between the peaks of Kibo and Mwenzi, get a great view of Kibo after crossing the saddle. Rest for the night at Kibo Hut (4703m, 15430 ft) and prepare for the upcoming hike to the summit.
Day 5: Kibo Huts/Horombo Huts
Night hike to the summit via Stella Point. Appreciate the beautiful sunrise from the roof of Africa, then descend back to Horombo Hut.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Wake up just after midnight to start climbing to the summit. Gillman’s Point (5861m, 19229 ft) on the crater rim is easier to reach when the scree slope is frozen so the climb is best done before daylight. The view of the sunrise from the summit is also worth the early start. From Gilman’s Point, continue on to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. Activity - Take a quick moment to enjoy the view and celebrate a successful climb before starting the descent to Horombo Huts Camp. Enjoy a well-deserved rest during the last night on the mountain.
Day 6: Horombo Huts/Moshi
Descend the mountain, passing through villages and plantations on the slopes en route to Moshi. Meet the mamas of the Moshi Women's Cooperative, a G supported project, for a climbing ceremony.
Transfer by shuttle bus to Moshi. Time to relax, take a shower, and celebrate with a drink. Cheers to climbing Mt Kilimanjaro! Before dinner, you will be welcomed and congratulated on your climb by the mamas of the Moshi Women's Cooperative, a project supported by G Adventures. They will present you with a gift and a certificate to remember all your efforts on the mountain.
Opt to pre-book the Lala Salama Spa & Beauty Aromatherapy Massage, which partners with Moshi Women's Cooperative, by adding it to your checkout page, or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Continue the descent to the Marangu Gate, passing by the Mandara escarpment on the way. Enjoy the easier descent and hikers who successfully reached Uhuru Peak will receive a summit certificate.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - This project is supported by the Planeterra Foundation and G Adventures. Women and girls are often the first to be excluded from educational programs in Tanzania, with most girls being pulled out of school by Grade 3 to help out around the home. Our ground partners provide free adult business education for women in Moshi, and Planeterra and G Adventures have rented a cooperative space to allow these students to practice their academic skills and save income to start their own business. Feel free to shop for for souvenirs and speak to the women who run the cooperative about their lives and how the project has assisted in building a brighter future.Accommodation - Bristol Cottages Kilimanjaro
Day 7: Moshi/Arusha
En route to Arusha, enjoy an included stop at the G Adventures-supported Moshi Women's Cooperative. Pick up any last-minute supplies in Arusha.
Travel to the picturesque town of Arusha. En route, stop at the Moshi Women's Cooperative to learn about what this project offers. Meet the women, learn more about their lives, and opt to purchase some souvenirs.
In the evening, you may be joined by other G Adventures travellers arriving from Kenya or starting the safari portion of their Tanzania trip. Check for details of the time and location of a welcome meeting, typically around 18:00.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery as you journey to your next destination.Activity - This project is supported by the Planeterra Foundation and G Adventures. Women and girls are often the first to be excluded from educational programs in Tanzania, with most girls being pulled out of school by Grade 3 to help out around the home. Our ground partners provide free adult business education for women in Moshi, and Planeterra and G Adventures have rented a cooperative space to allow these students to practice their academic skills and save income to start their own business. Feel free to shop for for souvenirs and speak to the women who run the cooperative about their lives and how the project has assisted in building a brighter future.Accommodation - The Outpost Lodge
Day 8: Arusha/Mto wa Mbu
Experience the Mto wa Mbu community with a guided cultural walk and traditional lunch with a local family. Take a wildlife safari drive in Lake Manyara NP.
Travel to Mto wa Mbu and take part in a cultural walk to learn about life in the area. Meet the women who run the rural town's tours and enjoy a delicious home made traditional lunch.
Spend the afternoon viewing wildlife along the main road that winds through a lush cool forests of Lake Manyara National Park, overgrown with ficus trees and covered with bromeliads.
This area is truly stunning, as the western wall of the Rift Valley escarpment provides a gorgeous backdrop. Search for the phenomenal birdlife, tree-climbing lions, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.Activity - Take part in a cultural walk to learn about life in this East African town. Mto wa Mbu has attracted some 18,000 residents from 120 different tribes. During the two-hour tour, visit the community's local market, go right to the farmer's fields, see how huts are constructed, and meet artisans in their shops.
Afterwards, sit down with our new friends and enjoy a traditional lunch of meat and plantains.Activity - This western wall of the Rift Valley escarpment is truly stunning. It provides a backdrop for your search for the park's phenomenal bird life (including raptors), tree-climbing lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, baboons, and buffalos. Look up and see some of the more than 400 species of birds, including pink flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, and storks.
Beyond wildlife, Lake Manyara NP is home to giant fig trees, acacia woodlands, mahogany trees, and grassy flood plains. The contrasts of this area are simply breathtaking; the open plains, huge escarpment, central alkaline lake, dense woodlands, and distant volcanic peaks coming together in an area best described by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I have seen in Africa.”
Accommodation - Twiga Lodge and Campsite
Day 9: Mto wa Mbu/Serengeti National Park
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive en route to the central Serengeti.
Drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on to Serengeti National Park. En route marvel at the sheer vastness of this territory, and spot the multitude of animal and birdlife while cruising through this acacia-accented savanna.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.Activity - This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.Accommodation - Seronera Campsite
Day 10: Serengeti National Park
Rise early for a full-day wildlife safari drive in the Serengeti. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush and continue the search for the "big five" while taking in the vastness of the Serengeti plains.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.Activity - This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.Accommodation - Seronera Campsite
Day 11: Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro
Take a morning wildlife safari drive as you depart the Serengeti, then continue wildlife viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater, before getting a spectacular view of the crater from your campsite on its rim.
The rich pasture and permanent water of the Crater floor supports a resident population of more than 20,000 to 25,000 large mammals.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.Activity - This is the reason you came to Africa. Charge your camera, grab your binoculars, and set out on safari. Your eagle-eyed driver will keep an eye out for wildlife – buffaloes, elephants, lions, wildebeests, zebras, and more. Tanzania’s Serengeti tends to be less crowded than some of Kenya’s reserves, so enjoy the scenery, the vast expanse of the grasslands, the play of light and shadow, and the up-close look at wild Africa.Activity - Head down into the crater and to all the best spots to view wildlife. Spot zebras, gazelles, buffaloes and warthogs. The swamp and forest are home to hippos, rhinos, elephants, baboons and monkeys. Keep your eyes peeled and camera ready to capture a pride of lions or a lone leopard walking along the crater floor.Accommodation - Simba Campsite
Day 12: Ngorongoro/Arusha
Visit an authentic Maasai village and the G Adventures-supported Clean Cookstove Project, then return to Arusha where the tour ends on arrival. Onward flights can be booked from 6pm, or extend your stay in Arusha by a night, or two.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride with a pop-up top.Activity - Visit a Maasai village in the Monduli District and witness the benefits of the G Adventures-supported Clean Cookstove Project. In Tanzania, 95% of people rely on cooking with wood and coal. Women and girls spend hours walking to collect wood every day (making them vulnerable to assault and unable to use their time to go to school). Indoor smoke from open-fire stoves causes cancer, emphysema, pneumonia, blindness, and burns. Take a guided tour of these villages and meet the women that have been trained as stove engineers, visit bomas (traditional homes), and observe (or get your hands dirty) by helping the Stove Team build a stove in a home. See the beneficial impact of the clean-burning stoves on the health and daily lives of the Maasai villagers, especially the women.Activity - Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Similar Experiences
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Rachael R. - Traveled, February 2024
This tour challenged me physically, mentally and emotionally. I am eternally grateful to the Kilimanjaro guides and porters. I hope that every one of them gets a big bonus and steady work. They are truly spectacular humans.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/01/2024
Sean M. - Traveled, February 2024
This was a trip that was years in planning and surpassed expectations. Truly a memorable experience, everyone on the tour was friendly.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/28/2024
James S. - Traveled, February 2024
This tour was an amazing adventure! I would highly recommend this vacation, although preparation for long days and sometimes sleepless nights must be included in the discussion.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/26/2024
Ali P. - Traveled, January 2024
My Serengeti experience was a dream come true. I loved camping in the park among the animals. Our driver made sure that we even saw the rhino from far away but it felt special. We saw all Big 5 animals.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/03/2024
Kristine H. - Traveled, December 2023
Tour guides were amazing. Accommodations in Serengeti were not good.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/05/2024
Maxwell H. - Traveled, December 2023
This was an amazing experience with amazing people I absolutely loved every second of the actual tours and people I met. Pay GAdv cheaply but tip locals a lot too make the best of it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/05/2024
Jessica R. - Traveled, October 2024
A truly excellent trip all round! The Kilimanjaro trek was a particular highlight - Frances and team were exceptional. We were treated like VIPs from start to finish and I cannot thank the team enough!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/23/2024
Peter S. - Traveled, July 2024
Fantastic people, amazing places and unforgettable experiences! Highly recommended.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/30/2024
Hannah M. - Traveled, July 2024
I will never forget the kindness, enthusiasm, knowledge and hard working nature of the guides and their teams, especially Regan and Eric on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/29/2024
Laura R. - Traveled, July 2024
Best trip, best local people and best experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/14/2024
Paulina M. - Traveled, January 2024
Very well managed and organized. Everyone was very knowledgeable
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/28/2024
Julia M. - Traveled, January 2024
Everything was perfect. There are absolutely no complaints and will definitely be travelling with G adventures in the future.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/27/2024
Daryl P. - Traveled, November 2023
I enjoyed the entire trip and the guides and staff were all friendly and hard working.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/12/2023
Bryan M. - Traveled, October 2023
Kilimanjaro was as challenging as advertised, but the guides did everything they could to get us up and down safely.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/21/2023
Download a personalized trip brochure!
Why book with us?
Best Rate Guarantee
Mytours.Travel makes sure you always have the best available rate
Best Selection
The best operators from around the world
Trusted Payments
Secure payments with Stripe
Expert Advice
Our expert agents will assist you in booking the perfect experience








