11-day Mount Kilimanjaro trek and Tanzania safari from Arusha

Sleep in mountain huts with beds, not tents, while climbing to Uhuru Peak.

An 11-day tour from Arusha combining five days trekking Mount Kilimanjaro via the Marangu Route with a six-day safari through Tarangire National Park, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The trek uses hut accommodation with beds rather than tents, and the route passes through forest, moorland and alpine zones to the summit. A live guide in English, French or German leads both sections. Airport pickup and meals are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and preparation in Moshi

• Pick up from Kilimanjaro Airport
• Transfer to Moshi town accommodation
• Meet guide and review trekking gear

Day 2: Hike to Mandara Hut

• Start hiking from Marangu Gate
• Walk through forest and streams
• Lunch at Kisamboni picnic area
• Reach Mandara Hut campsite
• Short walk to Maundi crater

Day 3: Hike to Horombo Hut

• Breakfast at Mandara Hut
• Hike past Maundi crater
• Reach moorland vegetation zone
• Arrive at Horombo Hut
• Optional hot water bath

Day 4: Hike to Kibo Hut

• Breakfast at Horombo Hut
• Hike through saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo
• Stop at last water point
• Lunch at picnic site
• Reach Kibo Hut campsite

Day 5: Summit attempt and descent

• Prepare equipment after dinner
• Start midnight trek to summit
• Pass Stella Point
• Reach Uhuru Peak summit
• Descend to Horombo Hut

Day 6: Descent to Marangu Gate

• Breakfast at Horombo Hut
• Hike down to Mandara Hut
• Lunch and rest at Mandara Hut
• Reach Marangu Gate
• Receive summit certificate
• Meet driver and transfer to Arusha or Moshi

Day 7: Game drive in Tarangire Park

• Depart from Arusha or Moshi
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Game drive in Tarangire Park

Day 8: Travel to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive through highlands and Ngorongoro area
• Arrive at Serengeti National Park
• Game drive in Serengeti
• Overnight at Serengeti camp

Day 9: Serengeti to Ngorongoro drive

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive back through Serengeti
• Game viewing en route
• Arrive at Ngorongoro area camp

Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater game drive

• Early departure to Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drive inside crater
• Picnic lunch in park
• Afternoon game drive
• Return to Arusha

Day 11: Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport

• Drive to Kilimanjaro Airport
• Connect flight departure

The experience

Arusha is the starting point. Day one brings airport pickup and a briefing on your trekking gear at Chanya Lodge. The five-day Marangu Route climb begins the next morning at Marangu Gate, ascending through forest to Mandara Hut at 2,700 meters, where you sleep in a wooden hut with a bunk bed. The second day crosses moorland to Horombo Hut, the only camp on Kilimanjaro with beds in every hut. Nights here are cold. Day three climbs the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo peaks to Kibo Hut at 4,700 meters, where water is scarce and the landscape turns to barren alpine desert. The summit push starts around midnight on day four, reaching Uhuru Peak before descending back to Horombo Hut. Day five is the descent: lunch at Mandara Hut on the way down, then out through Marangu Gate, where you receive a certificate (green if you reached Gilman's Point, gold if you summited Uhuru Peak). A driver transfers you back to Arusha or Moshi.

After one rest day, the safari begins with a two-hour drive to Tarangire National Park, known for large elephant herds. The next day you travel through Ngorongoro Conservation Area, passing the crater rim, and continue to Serengeti National Park, arriving by midday for an afternoon game drive. Two full days follow in Serengeti: one exploring the vast plains and a second returning via a different route to spot animals that may have been missed. You then drive to Ngorongoro Crater, descending 600 meters into the caldera for a full day of game viewing among over 25,000 mammals and 500 bird species. The final day is transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport.

You can join a small group or trek privately. The guide speaks English, French or German and is included throughout. Lunch is provided each day. Accommodation ranges from mountain huts to lodge and tented camp stays. Minimum age is 15.

What’s included

• Live guide in English, French or German.
• airport pickup and return transfer.
• five nights in mountain huts with beds on Kilimanjaro.
• four nights in lodge and tented camp accommodation during the safari.
• lunch each day.
• park entry fees for Mount Kilimanjaro and all three national parks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to5h before

AgesAdult (15 to 90 years) · Under 15: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for back problems

Operated by Taste Of Afrika Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this 10-day trek if you want to climb Kilimanjaro via the hut-based Marangu Route and follow it with safari to Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro. Choose the small-group option to share costs or private to set your own pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French and German.

What is the Marangu Route and why is it called the Coca-Cola Route?

The Marangu Route is the most established path up Mount Kilimanjaro, running five days from Marangu Gate through forest, moorland and alpine zones to Uhuru Peak. It earned the nickname "Coca-Cola Route" because it is the most developed and accessible of Kilimanjaro's routes, with established huts and regular supply lines.

Do I sleep in tents on the mountain or in huts?

You sleep in huts with beds, not tents. Mandara and Horombo huts have wooden A-frame structures with bunk beds. Kibo Hut uses stone blocks with platform beds. Horombo is the only camp on Kilimanjaro where every hut has beds rather than bunks or ground sleeping.

What happens on the night of the summit attempt?

The summit push begins around midnight from Kibo Hut after a briefing on what to expect. You'll need thermal clothing, ski sticks, a headlamp, hand warmers and a thermal flask. The climb to Uhuru Peak takes roughly one and a half hours from Gilman's Point, with the final stretch along the snow-covered crater rim passing Stella Point at 5,752 meters.

Which parks are included in the safari portion?

The safari covers Tarangire National Park, known for elephant concentrations; Serengeti National Park, with vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and predators; and Ngorongoro Crater, a 600-meter-deep caldera home to over 25,000 mammals and more than 500 bird species.

What certificate do I receive if I reach the summit?

If you reach Gilman's Point, you receive a green certificate. If you summit Uhuru Peak, the actual summit, you receive a gold certificate. Both are presented at Marangu Gate on the final descent day.