Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Trek + Safari Extension

Our Kilimanjaro adventure starts today in the town of Moshi, the capital of the Kilimanjaro region. We'll meet our trek leader in the reception of our hotel - the Weru Weru Lodge - at 5pm for a welcome meeting, including full trekking details. We'll also spend time checking our kit and making sure we're fully prepared for the challenge ahead - this can take several hours but it's essential to make sure we're all safe and happy as we set off on our trek. Afterwards, we'll sit down for a group dinner (included) at the lodge. There are no other activities planned for today but it's important that you arrive in time for the welcome meeting. If you do miss it, our trek leader will catch you up as soon as possible. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is around a 45-minute drive from our hotel. If you arrive earlier today, the Weru Weru Lodge has a swimming pool and garden where you can relax with views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Today, we begin our trek. After a drive through farmland and plantations, we'll reach the Londorossi National Park Gate on the western side of Kilimanjaro. From here, we continue to the Lemosho roadhead at 2,100 metres/6,890 feet - this is the starting point of our trek. We'll climb steadily through the lush forest of the Lemosho Glades - starting with a gradual ascent before making a slight descent to Big Tree Camp (2,780 metres/9,121 feet). As we find our walking feet, enjoy the sounds of the surrounding rainforest and keep your eyes peeled to spot black and white colobus monkeys amongst the trees. Porters will assist us throughout our trek and will carry your trek kitbag, so you only need to carry what you need for the day - waterproofs, camera, water bottle, extra fleece, sunhat, packed lunch and three litres of drinking water. Please note, drones are not permitted in Kilimanjaro National Park without a permit. Refer to the equipment section of the trip notes for more information. Today's 7-kilometres/4.4-mile trek is expected to take approximately three to four hours with an ascent of 680 metres/2,231 feet.

Today, we'll head out of the rainforest zone and into the moorland zone, trekking a plateau of grass and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. We'll hike over the Shira Ridge where - weather permitting - we'll catch our first glimpse of Kibo Peak rising up in the distance, giving us a clear view of the exciting challenge ahead. Our destination today is the camp at Shira One (3,500 metres/11,484 feet). We gain a reasonable amount of altitude today and some sections of our trek are quite steep. Today's 8.5-kilometres/5.3-mile trek is expected to take approximately four to five hours with an ascent of 720 metres/2362 feet.

Ahead of us today, we have the chance to view the Northern Ice Fields from the western side of the mountain, opening us up to some unusual views of Kibo. Traversing yet another unique climactic zone, we'll steadily trek across the green grassy landscapes of the Shira Plateau to more arid planes. This steady climb will help with acclimatisation as we reach the Shirt Two Camp at 3,900 metres/12,796 feet. This afternoon, we have free time with the option to take an acclimatisation walk to the junction of the trail to the Moir Hut. The 8-kilometres/5-mile trek between the camps at Shira 1 and 2 is expected to take approximately five hours with an ascent of 400 metres/1,312 feet. The afternoon acclimatisation trek is for an additional one to two hours.

Today's longer walk helps us acclimatise more as we ascend to a high point of 4,640 metres/15,223 feet before descending to a lower altitude for the night. Our trek starts with an ascent into the climatic zone of the upland desert, where we'll be rewarded with panoramic views. We'll progress slowly via the lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach before reaching the pinnacle of the Lava Tower (4,640 metres/15,223 feet), our high point for the day and a great place to stop for lunch. This afternoon, we'll make a steep descent to our camp for the night, located at the base of the Great Barranco Valley (3,960 metres/12,992 feet), sheltered by towering cliffs but with extensive views of the plains below. Today's 10-kilometre/6.2-mile trek is expected to take approximately seven to eight hours with an ascent of 740 metres/2,428 feet and descent of 680 metres/2,231 feet.

We have a challenging start ahead of us today as we traverse the steep ascent of the Barranco Wall. This rocky cliff (standing 260 metres/853 feet high) is thought to have been created by a huge landslide around 100,000 years ago. Our trail zig-zags up the wall and there are sections where you'll need your hands free to pull yourself over some of the rocks. You don't need technical ability and we'll take this section slowly. The climb leads to an undulating trail on the southeastern side of Kibo and (weather permitting) we'll get views of the Southern Ice Fields. Again, the terrain here is unique with volcanic scree pocketed with lush vegetation. Eventually, we'll make our descent into the Karanga Valley followed by an ascent to our campsite at 4,035 metres/13,239 feet. The Karanga Valley is the last water point on the approach to Barafu. Today's 6-kilometre/3.7-mile trek from the Barranco Valley to Karanga is expected to take approximately four to five hours with an ascent of 360 metres/1,181 feet and descent of 185 metres/607 feet.

This morning, we'll climb out of the Karanga Valley following an easy path of compacted scree. The trek will be steep, constantly gaining altitude, until we reach our camp at Barafu (4640 metres/15224 feet). This afternoon, we'll prepare for our midnight ascent - prepare your pack, load up on carbs and water and settle down for a very early night. Today's 6-kilometres/3.7-mile trek is expected to take approximately four to five hours with an ascent of 605 metres/1,985 feet.

Leaving camp at around midnight, while the scree and potential snow are still frozen, we'll make our final ascent. We plan to trek to the summit at 5,895 metres/19,341 feet before descending over 2,000 metres/6,562 feet to our last campsite. It'll be a long and strenuous day with high altitude and extreme cold. Remember to take it steady up here - at times you might only manage ten paces before you need to rest. We climb steadily on a zig-zagging scree path. After passing the Rebmann Glacier, we'll reach Stella Point and continue around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 metres/19,341 feet. After time to enjoy our achievement and take our victory photographs at the famous summit sign, we'll descend back down the scree to Barafu Camp for a rest and something to eat. Continuing back down, we have a continuous descent to the Millennium Camp at 3,790 metres/12,435 feet, where you'll feel the difference in the air immediately. Today's walking totals 19.5 kilometres/12 miles and is expected to take up to 14 hours. The trek from Barafu Camp to Stella Point is an ascent of 1,045 metres/3,429 feet and will take around five to six hours, with the hike from here around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (an additional 210 metres/689 feet of ascent) taking another one to two hours. The trek down from the summit to Millennium Camp, (a total descent of 2,105 metres/6,907 feet), is expected to take approximately five to six hours (excluding the time spent resting at Barafu).

After a well-deserved night's sleep and rest, our final day on the trek takes us down through the lush beauty of the rainforest, enjoying the increasing warmth and richness of the mountain air. Our trail ends at the Mweka Gate (1,630 metres/5,348 feet) from where we'll travel by road to Moshi and back to the comforts of our lodge. We'll have a well-earned lunch on arrival back in Moshi. Today's 12-kilometres/7.5-mile trek is expected to take between approximately four to six hours and is a total descent of 2,160 metres/7,087 feet.

After breakfast this morning we say goodbye to our tour leader and meet our new driver/guide in Moshi. We'll then drive Lake Manyara National Park to start our game viewing. Lake Manyara is a result of the Great Rift Valley - over millions of years the rift grew wider, streams cascaded down its eroding slopes and pooled into what is now the famous lake. The national park is also well-known for its tree climbing lions and large flocks of flamingos, as well as more than 400 species of birds. After a game drive in the park, we'll continue to the Bougainvillea Safari Lodge where we'll spend the next two nights. The Bougainvillea Safari Lodge is locally owned and operated. Located in Karatu, it's just a 15-minute drive from the main gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The lodge features 32 comfortable cottages, spread out over landscaped grounds. Each cottage has either a king or twin beds set up with mosquito nets, as well as large bathrooms and a veranda. The gardens are perfect for relaxing in after a day out on safari and there's a pool to cool off in, too. Meals are prepared onsite using locally sourced produce. Dietary restrictions can be catered for with prior notice.

We have an early start this morning as we head to the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day of game viewing. Ngorongoro is a World Heritage Site (and the world's largest intact volcanic caldera). The 600 metre/1,970 foot-high walls of the 16 kilometre/10 mile wide crater create a natural amphitheatre for one of the densest populations of large animals anywhere on the planet. In one day, it's possible to see a staggering array of East African wildlife including all of the big carnivores. We should have a good chance of spotting lions, hyenas or cheetahs in action. After a morning game drive, we'll take a break to enjoy a packed lunch at the Hippo Pool picnic site before continuing with an afternoon game drive. We'll head back to our lodge in the early evening.

We'll aim to leave at 7.30 am this morning, heading to Tarangire National Park for our final game drive. Tarangire National Park is Tanzania's fifth largest park and is named after the life-giving Tarangire River that provides the only permanent water for wildlife in the area. The river is a magnet for wildlife during the dry season when massive concentrations of elephants, buffalos, wildebeests and zebras congregate along its banks. The river runs up the centre of the park through diverse habitats and varied topography. Gentle rolling hills interspersed with giant baobab trees, open acacia woodlands and seasonal swamps make it a picturesque setting. The most renowned feature of Tarangire is that it serves as a place of refuge for the largest elephant population in northern Tanzania. After exploring the park, we'll drive back to our lodge in Moshi (a three-and-a-half-hour journey) for the final night of our trip.

The trip ends today after breakfast at our lodge in Moshi. If you have an early morning flight, you might need to leave before breakfast is available. There are no activities planned for today and you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at the lodge. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is around a 45-minute drive from our hotel in Moshi.