Kilimanjaro Climb and Serengeti Safari

The snows of Kilimanjaro soar like an apparition over East Africa’s shimmering plains, and in Hemingway’s words, they are “as wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun.” We’ve perfected the climb to these celebrated snows via the Shira-Western Breach Route, an incredibly beautiful, uncrowded trail on Kili’s remote southwest flanks. A full seven days on the ascent provide us with maximum acclimatization, shorter hiking days, and the greatest chance of summit success. Our Kili guides are legendary—the best in the business—and they make the climb an unforgettable experience. You can do just the Kilimanjaro climb, but we recommend our magnificent safari in the Ngorongoro and Serengeti—two of East Africa's prime gameviewing locations—as your post-climb reward!

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Kilimanjaro Climb

Arriving in Arusha, we head to our private camp at 6,000 feet on Mt. Meru, one of Africa’s most stunning volcanoes. A hike in its cedar and podocarpus forests is great acclimatization for the days ahead and a chance to see bushbuck, giraffe, a host of avian life, and the unique black-and-white colobus monkeys of Arusha National Park.

Days 3-11
Kilimanjaro / Shira-Western Breach Route / Summit Day

We drive to the foot of Kilimanjaro and meet our porters and guides. A climb through magical forests brings us to the rim of the Shira Plateau, an immense ancient crater and a World Heritage Site that offers glorious views of Kili’s glaciated southern face. We ascend gradually to Kili’s alpine desert zone, and our Crater Camp at 18,500 feet is in an extraordinary spot by the Furtwangler Glacier. From here, our summit climb is short and dramatic (just 840 feet!), bringing us to Uhuru Peak (19,340’). On a clear day, the sunrise views are surreal, with the vast African plains spread out at our feet. Our descent is via the Mweka Route, the most direct path off the mountain. By late afternoon on Day 11, we are back at our cozy lodge, set on a coffee estate outside of Arusha, for a festive victory celebration.

Days 12-18
Serengeti Safari / Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park

Our 4WD safari brings us to Ngorongoro Crater, home to a staggering concentration of wildlife, and to the tree-studded savannas of Serengeti National Park, with huge herds of zebra and wildebeest, and all the big cats. Our mobile private camps offer access to a rich mosaic of wildlife habitats and are moved seasonally to take advantage of the best wildlife viewing. They offer an authentic experience of Africa: the classic wilderness safari in complete privacy, well away from lodges. We end our safari with a stay at Gibbs Farm, where we enjoy nature walks, birding, and optional mountain biking. Depart via Arusha on Day 18.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 7, our most strenuous rating. On the Kilimanjaro climb, porters carry the group gear and you carry a daypack for your wind/rain jacket, water bottle, and camera. The camp crew sets up camp each day and we are served dinner in a dining tent with tables and chairs. At the lower elevations, our food is cooked over kerosene and at elevations over 15,000 feet, we use propane. While there are certainly limits as to what can be done in such a setting, our past trip members have remarked on the high quality and variety of the food served on the mountain. We use American-made mountaineering tents rated by the manufacturer as 3-person tents but we use them for only two people, ensuring a fair measure of spaciousness for sleeping. Fires are not allowed on the mountain so there are no hot showers available at camps (of course hot showers are available at all of our safari camps). True luxuries on this demanding high-altitude adventure are few, but we think you’ll be surprised by the level of comfort and service that we provide for you on the expedition. We carry oxygen and Gamow bags on every climb. Having said that, it is important that all participants understand that the climb is very challenging. All trip members should be in excellent physical condition. There are also dangers inherent in any expedition to high altitude—in this case, 19,340 feet, with an overnight at 18,500 feet. These dangers include everything from rock falls to the possibility of a serious fall, accident, or sickness without access to a means of rapid evacuation, adequate medical supplies, or adequate medical attention once provided. Each climb is an expedition. Although we are accompanied by a support staff of experienced veterans of the mountain, it takes cooperation and flexibility from each participant to ensure a successful ascent.

On the Serengeti safari (rated Trip Level 2), we sleep in spacious, walk-in canvas tents furnished with two single beds (or one queen bed) and a small bedside table. Interior lighting is provided by candle lantern. Each tent features an attached bathroom with a toilet/shower (bucket type, with hot water). At the front of the tent is an attached shaded “veranda” with two chairs, a small table, two wash basins, and hurricane lamps.  An experienced staff prepares delicious meals, served under the African sky or in a spacious dining tent (candle-lit for dinner) with chairs and a table. The food is excellent, with three-course dinners including wine and beer. Lunch is usually a picnic. One nice feature of our mobile tented camps is that they operate without noisy generators, a bonus for hearing the fantastic sounds of the African night. We enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in 4WD vehicles and enjoy extensive gameviewing while traveling between one park and another.

Explanation of Trip Levels