10-Day Tanzania Adventure: Machame Route & Wildlife Safari
Embark on the ultimate Tanzanian journey combining the thrill of summiting Africa’s highest peak with the awe of world-class wildlife encounters.
Your adventure begins with the 6-Day Machame Route, Kilimanjaro’s most scenic and popular trail. Known as the “Whiskey Route,” Machame offers breathtaking landscapes that change with each day—lush rainforest, moorland, alpine desert, and the spectacular glaciers of the summit. This route provides ample time for acclimatization, increasing your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa. Nights are spent in comfortable tents beneath a dazzling canopy of stars.
After conquering Kilimanjaro, the journey continues with a 4-Day Wildlife Safari through Tanzania’s iconic national parks. Explore Lake Manyara, famous for its flamingo-filled shores and diverse wildlife. Witness the vast plains and incredible migrations of the Serengeti, home to the Big Five and countless other species. Conclude your safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife in a dramatic natural amphitheater.
This 10-day adventure is perfect for those seeking both high-altitude achievement and unforgettable wildlife experiences, offering the very best of Tanzania in one remarkable journey.
Day 0 : Pickup to Airport
You will be picked up from airport. From there you will go to the hotel in Moshi for an orientation on your trek.
Your guides will be there to provide you with details on your trek and will also check your trekking
gears.
Day 1: Machame Gate (1,800m/5,905ft) to Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft)
At 8:30am, transfer from Hotel to Machame Gate, where you will meet our complete trekking team (porters, guides, and cooks). The drive through coffee farms and villages to Machame Gate takes about 1.5 hours. Once you arrive, wait at the gate while Summit Odyssey registers your climb and the porters and guides make final preparations.
Your first day’s destination is Machame Camp. Each day, porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival. On the first day, hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. The forest will thin at the end of the hike and vegetation will change to include heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers. If the weather is clear, view the surrounding area and your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak.
Your first day’s destination is Machame Camp. Each day, porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival. On the first day, hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. The forest will thin at the end of the hike and vegetation will change to include heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers. If the weather is clear, view the surrounding area and your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak.
Day 2: Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,840m/12,600ft)
Although considered to be the easiest day on the Machame Route, this day trek includes several uphill sections. Carry plenty of drinking water, as the exposed hike can be hot on a clear day. There are several viewpoints from which you can see the plains and forests below and Kibo and Mawenzi peaks above.
As you gain altitude, notice the change in vegetation. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro’s famous high altitude plants, Scenario Kilimanjaro and Lobelia decennia. After eating lunch, climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo’s lava flows filled the Shira crater. Continue to Shira Camp, where you will relax for the rest of the day. Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east.
As you gain altitude, notice the change in vegetation. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro’s famous high altitude plants, Scenario Kilimanjaro and Lobelia decennia. After eating lunch, climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo’s lava flows filled the Shira crater. Continue to Shira Camp, where you will relax for the rest of the day. Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east.
Day 3: Shira 2 Camp (3,840m/12,600ft) to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft)
Although this up and down day ends with an elevation gain of only 110 meters, by early afternoon you will have climbed 690 meters to a height of 4,530 meters before beginning your descent to Barranco Camp. This day is crucial for acclimatization.
After breakfast, hike east on the Shira Plateau before reaching the junction for the Shira and Lemosho Routes. Continue on through the barren landscape before stopping for lunch. Shortly after lunch, reach the highest point of the day before descending quickly to Barranco Camp. Faster hikers can take a detour via Lava Tower, a 300-foot lava formation jutting out of the mountainside.
Barranco Camp, set among stands of Senseco Kilimanjaro, is considered to be the most scenic campsite on the Machame Route.
After breakfast, hike east on the Shira Plateau before reaching the junction for the Shira and Lemosho Routes. Continue on through the barren landscape before stopping for lunch. Shortly after lunch, reach the highest point of the day before descending quickly to Barranco Camp. Faster hikers can take a detour via Lava Tower, a 300-foot lava formation jutting out of the mountainside.
Barranco Camp, set among stands of Senseco Kilimanjaro, is considered to be the most scenic campsite on the Machame Route.
Day 4: Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)
Leave Barranco Camp after an early breakfast to begin the long hike to Barafu Camp. The day begins with an hour and a half scramble up the Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day and in some places you will have to use your hands to pull your body up. After reaching the top, you will make a short descent into the greener Karanga Valley before continuing on to Barafu Camp. On the way to Barafu, view several of Kibo’s glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail.
During day four, hike by the Heim, Kersten and Dicken Glaciers. Although the way to Barafu is bleak, alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks, and Rebmann Glacier. Try to sleep as soon as you finish dinner as you will be waking up at midnight for your summit hike.
During day four, hike by the Heim, Kersten and Dicken Glaciers. Although the way to Barafu is bleak, alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks, and Rebmann Glacier. Try to sleep as soon as you finish dinner as you will be waking up at midnight for your summit hike.
controls="collapseFive"> Day 5: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft)
Around midnight, begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. For the next six hours, hike by the light of your headlamp. The ascent to the crater rim is the most challenging part of the entire trek. The trail is very steep until you reach the crater rim at Stella Point.
The hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. The crater rim hike takes approximately one hour. Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos of your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Mweka Camp. On the way down from Uhuru, enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds and glaciers.
At Barafu Camp, eat breakfast and take a short break. You still have another three to five hours to go before reaching Mweka Camp.
The hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. The crater rim hike takes approximately one hour. Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos of your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Mweka Camp. On the way down from Uhuru, enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds and glaciers.
At Barafu Camp, eat breakfast and take a short break. You still have another three to five hours to go before reaching Mweka Camp.
Day 6: Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft) to Mweka Gate (1,500m/4,920ft)
After breakfast, finish the trek with a descent to Mweka Gate. Your last hike on Kilimanjaro is a beautiful one, passing through Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. Watch your step during the descent, as the trail can be slippery. Our vehicles will be waiting at the lower station of Mweka Gate to take you back to Moshi.
Day 7: Moshi/Arusha Town To Lake Manyara National Park
In the early morning, we will start hotel in Moshi/Arusha and drive you to Lake Manyara National Park. The park encompasses the northwest bank and part of the alkaline Lake Manyara which itself rests in the Great Rift Valley. The park is perhaps best known for its flamingos, pelicans and cormorants but it is also the home for a few hundred other species of birds; it is therefore a paradise for ornithologists. Next to a great variety of birds, the “Big Game” can also be seen. With a bit of luck, you might see elephants in the wooded regions and with even more fortune the tree-climbing lions.
Indeed, it was thought for a long time that the Lake Manyara National Park is the only place where lions can be found with this atypical behavior of climbing trees. Baboons and velvet monkeys are also found amongst the forested areas and in the more open spaces, giraffes nibble at the fresh leaves while the various types of antelopes common to the region browse for tasty shoots.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Indeed, it was thought for a long time that the Lake Manyara National Park is the only place where lions can be found with this atypical behavior of climbing trees. Baboons and velvet monkeys are also found amongst the forested areas and in the more open spaces, giraffes nibble at the fresh leaves while the various types of antelopes common to the region browse for tasty shoots.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Day 8: Lake Manyara To Serengeti National Park
After breakfast we head towards the Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, we descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. We head to the central park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. We arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti national park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Day 9: Serengeti National Park To Ngorongoro Crater Highlands/Karatu
Be one of only a few fortunate people to glide in a Hot Air Balloon over the Serengeti Plains (available at supplementary cost by pre-arrangement). Floating silently above the awakening bush, while spotting wildlife and enjoying the amazing scenery of Africa, across rivers and over numerous small villages.
After breakfast at the lodge do early game drive in Serengeti and around afternoon we depart to Ngorongoro Conservation area. We arrive in time for dinner at the lodge/campsite and spend overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
After breakfast at the lodge do early game drive in Serengeti and around afternoon we depart to Ngorongoro Conservation area. We arrive in time for dinner at the lodge/campsite and spend overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha/Moshi
After an early breakfast, you will descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro conservation Area supports vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park, is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot.
We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually have been seen here. Late afternoon transfer to Arusha/Moshi for dinner and Overnight or airport drop off.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Included.
We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually have been seen here. Late afternoon transfer to Arusha/Moshi for dinner and Overnight or airport drop off.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Included.
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2. Night after the climb
3. Night after the safari
• Shared tent during the trek (2 climbers per tent; individual tents available on request)
• 2-inch sleeping mat for comfort during the trek
• Nights of accommodation in camping safari settings
• Mattress, table, chair, and pillow
• 3 porters per climber, each carrying up to 15 kg of personal luggage
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain, with treated and filtered drinking water provided throughout
• Daily hot water for washing
• Cook trained to prepare various dietary options (including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free); advance notice required
• Portable oxygen tanks and oximeter
• Emergency first-aid kit
• Park entry fees, camping fees, and Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
• Transportation to and from the Kilimanjaro gate
• 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, and inverter for mobile charging
• Daily game drives during the safari
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided daily during safari days
• Mineral water (3 liters per person per day)
• Park entry and conservation fees (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro)
• Domestic flight: Arusha → Zanzibar
• Spice Tour with Swahili lunch
• Private airport pickup and drop-off
• All transfers within Tanzania and Zanzibar as per itinerary
• All applicable government taxes
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• Travel and medical insurance
• Visa fees
• Optional activities (e.g., hot-air balloon safari, scuba diving, dhow sailing, Jozani Forest visit)
• Personal expenses (e.g., laundry, telephone, beverages)
• Sleeping bag rental for camping safari (USD 30)
• Lunches, dinners, and drinks at hotels before and after the climb
• Portable flush toilet with toilet tent (USD 100 for the entire trek)
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Alcoholic and soft drinks unless otherwise stated
• Additional nights before or after the tour
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• Cook: USD 15 per day
• Porter: USD 10 per day
• Cook (if applicable): USD 15 per day
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Inclusions
Accommodation
• 3 nights hotel accommodation:
1. Night prior to the climb2. Night after the climb
3. Night after the safari
• Shared tent during the trek (2 climbers per tent; individual tents available on request)
• 2-inch sleeping mat for comfort during the trek
• Nights of accommodation in camping safari settings
Camping Gear
• High-quality 2-person tents• Mattress, table, chair, and pillow
Kilimanjaro Climb
• Friendly, professional mountain guides with wilderness first aid certification and extensive experience• 3 porters per climber, each carrying up to 15 kg of personal luggage
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain, with treated and filtered drinking water provided throughout
• Daily hot water for washing
• Cook trained to prepare various dietary options (including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free); advance notice required
• Portable oxygen tanks and oximeter
• Emergency first-aid kit
• Park entry fees, camping fees, and Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
• Transportation to and from the Kilimanjaro gate
Safari
• Professional driver/guide during the safari• 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, and inverter for mobile charging
• Daily game drives during the safari
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided daily during safari days
• Mineral water (3 liters per person per day)
• Park entry and conservation fees (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro)
• Domestic flight: Arusha → Zanzibar
Zanzibar
• Guided Stone Town walking tour• Spice Tour with Swahili lunch
Transfers & Transport
• Meet & greet at airports (JRO & ZNZ)• Private airport pickup and drop-off
• All transfers within Tanzania and Zanzibar as per itinerary
Taxes & Charges
• 18% VAT on tour fees and services• All applicable government taxes
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Exclusions
• International flights to/from Tanzania• Travel and medical insurance
• Visa fees
• Optional activities (e.g., hot-air balloon safari, scuba diving, dhow sailing, Jozani Forest visit)
• Personal expenses (e.g., laundry, telephone, beverages)
• Sleeping bag rental for camping safari (USD 30)
• Lunches, dinners, and drinks at hotels before and after the climb
• Portable flush toilet with toilet tent (USD 100 for the entire trek)
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Alcoholic and soft drinks unless otherwise stated
• Additional nights before or after the tour
________________________________________
Tipping Guidelines
Kilimanjaro
• Guide: USD 20 per day• Cook: USD 15 per day
• Porter: USD 10 per day
Safari
• Guide/Driver: USD 20 per day• Cook (if applicable): USD 15 per day
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