The BEST of TANZANIA & KILIMANJARO - Women Only, LUXURY Kili Climb Plus Fly-in/out, Wildlife-Photo Safari - 17 days/16 nights

Download and Print Our Women Only Tanzania Safari & Kilimanjaro Climb Itinerary (Adobe pdf)

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This is a Women-Only LUXURY Kilimanjaro (Kili) CLimb and Safari with the BEST Kili climbing Guides in the industry!

Mount Kilimanjaro is termed as the root of Africa. The most exciting part of the trip is that no trekking experience is required although one must be able to withstand the effect of altitude as well as the physical climbing experience. The climbing company we have selected is world class – their guides are the highest trained in Tanzania, and they lead safety seminars for other guides in Tanzania. They have been the benchmark on Kilimanjaro for 10+ years and we will be in the best hands. The route our professional climbing guides have chosen for us is the Machame Route, sometimes termed as the Whisky path. This is a celebrated track up steep paths through tremendous forests to gain a ridge leading finished the moorland zones to the Shira Plateau. It then traverses below the glaciated precipices of the Southern Icefields to meet the Barafu way to the peak elevation. It's a beautiful trail with amazing experiences throughout the climb.

The second part of our Tanzanian adventure takes us to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti for game viewing drives to witness up close and personal some of Africa's most beautiful game; including the "BIG FIVE". The largest intact caldera in the world, the Ngorongoro Crater shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens anywhere. It is the permanent home of nearly 25,000 animals with ideal game viewing opportunities all year round. In the Serengeti, there are two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves have been established within the 30,000 km² region. It's unique ecosystem has inspired writers from Ernest Hemingway to Peter Mattheissen, filmakers like Hugo von Lawick and Alan Root, as well as numerous photographers and scientists. The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Early man himself made an appearance in Olduvai Gorge about two million years ago. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves.

Join ROAM and challenge yourself during this amazing adventure to climb Africa's highest mountain and top it off with safari game viewing through two of Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.

Scroll to bottom of page for 2013 trip date and price.

ITINERARY

Today travelers depart the USA/Canada/From Home on ano overnight international flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Overnight flight - D

 

Travelers arrive throughout the day to Amsterdam, Netherlands. A ROAM associate will meet travelers at their arrival at the Amsterdam airport to transfer to our airport hotel. Travelers may wish to explore downtown Amsterdam during the day or simply rest from jetlag in preparation for our flight the next morning.

Please note: It is not possible to fly from the US/Canada to East Africa in one "direct" overnight flight. For this reason, travelers fly to Amsterdam where the group meets and overnights at a local airport hotel. The following day (Day #3), we then continue on, as a group, with the next leg of our adventure flying on Day #3 "direct" to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Overnight airport hotel Amsterdam - L, D

 

Today we depart from Amsterdam for our direct flight to Tanzania, Africa. On arrival at the Kilimanjaro Airport, after completing customs, immigrations and collecting our luggage, we will be met by our destination specialist representative who will transfer us to Arusha National Park to our camp situated at the base of Mount Meru, a 14,900-foot volcano, also nick-named "baby Kili". Along the way you will spotlight for nocturnal wildlife. The camp is at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, which aids in acclimatization for the Kilimanjaro climb. Upon arrival we will enjoy a buffet dinner.

Overnight Private Camp - D

 

Today we will have a chance to recuperate from the long flight, check our equipment, and have a thorough trip briefing on what to expect on the climb. There will also be time to hike along the forested slopes of Mount Meru, which has a history similar to that of Mount St. Helens in Washington, in that half the mountain was blown away by a violent volcanic explosion. Meru's eruption occurred some 250,000 years ago, though, and great forests of African cedar and podocarpus have since grown up to cover its crater and slopes. On our hike, we have the chance to see colobus monkeys, bushbuck and duiker, buffalo, giraffe, and perhaps elephant or (rarely) leopard. The forest bird life is excellent and includes touracos, hornbills, and parrots. Weather permitting, we can enjoy the sunset from a small hill beside camp and view the alpenglow descend on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Overnight Arusha National Park - B/L/D

 

This morning, we drive 2½ hours to the starting point of the Machame
Route, four miles past the village of Machame on the southeast side of Kilimanjaro. We begin hiking at about 6,400 feet and follow a winding
trail up through montane forest and into stands of giant heather, to camp
near the Machame Hut at 10,000'. The forest can be wet at any time
of the year, so we can expect a real tropical experience as we climb
over roots and through giant fern forests with tangled vines
and creepers. Buffet lunch en route. (6-7 hours hiking, 8 miles)

Overnight Machame Camp - B/L/D

 

Today we will climb up to our destination above the Shira Plateau at 12,650'. A steep trail leads out of the giant heather and onto a ridge that commands wide vistas of both the Shira Plateau and the plains to the west (5 hours hiking, 3 miles).

Overnight Shira Camp - B/L/D

 

Today, we will trek east toward the Kibo Massif, we follow a ridge and climb toward the large rock outcrop of Lava Tower (15,100') before veering off and down toward camp. Our destination is the base of the Great Barranco, a steep canyon emerging from Kilimanjaro Great Breach Wall, which is filled with hundreds of outlandish giant senecio and lobelia plants. The afro-alpine scenery here is fantastic and the views of the Breach Wall and Kili's southern glaciers are better than from any other point on the mountain. Our camp is at 13,000'. (6 hours hiking, 6 miles)

Overnight Barranco Camp - B/L/D

 

This morning we will continue our hike as the elevation starts to really set in here. After a few hours we reach a short but steep climb up the start of the Western Breach of Kibo emerging onto a small plateau after about one and a half hours. Camp is made here, and the rest of the day is spent relaxing or exploring the Big Breach glacier to the south of the camp. This is a relatively short day meant for acclimatizing. (4-5 hours hiking, 3 miles)

Overnight Karanga Camp - B/L/D

 

Today we will have a relatively short hike to Barafu Camp. From Karanga we head up a ridge taking our time and going slowly. The views here can be spectacular on the southern glaciers of the glacial valleys that snake their way down the mountain. The final stage to Barafu Camp is quite steep, and as always we take it very slowly. As with the day before, we reach camp by around lunch time leaving lots of time to relax and rest up for the summit day. In the evening our guides will brief us on the final ascent. (4-5 hours hiking, 2.5 miles)

Overnight Barafu Camp - B/L/D

 

Today we will hike to the crater floor of Kilimanjaro. The high altitude of Crater Camp makes it a physically demanding experience, but the reward is a radical scene of towering glaciers rising from the harsh rock landscape. (6-8 hours hiking, 2 ½miles)

Overnight Crater Camp - B/L/D

 

This morning we will rise with the sun for our 1,000-foot summit bid (we should be at the summit by 9:00am). The rewards of seeing the summit crater glaciers and surreal views of the African plains nearly three miles below you are well worth the effort. After a short stop for summit photos and mutual congratulations, we descend on the Mweka Route past Barafu, a direct descent of the mountain. After lunch and a short rest at Barafu, we continue to our camp at Mweka (10,200') where a delicious dinner of fresh vegetables, bread, fish or chicken and dessert await us. (8+hours hiking; 8 miles)

Overnight Summit, Mweka Camp - B/L/D

Today we will hike 5 ½miles back through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate where we will meet our vehicle for the drive to the Dik-Dik Hotel for a celebratory dinner and overnight.

Overnight Dik-Dik Hotel - B/L/D

 

 

This morning after breakfast, we will be met and transferred into the highlands above Ngorongoro Crater (approximate drive time: 4 hrs) where we'll make a steep but relatively easy ascent of about an hour through montane forest for fantastic views of the surrounding Crater Highlands. Here we'll also meet the fascinating Maasai, pastoralists who have lived in harmony with the northern Tanzanian ecosystem for centuries. We'll be welcomed into their boma (homestead), and greeted with traditional welcome dances, noted for athletic leaps and earth-shaking stomping. We'll also have the opportunity to ask extensive questions about this traditional culture. Our hosts will also have the chance to ask questions about our own culture as we visit their homes. Continue to our private camp in the crater highlands for overnight.

Overnight Private Camp - B/L/D

 

Early this morning, after breakfast, we board our Land Cruisers for the descent into Ngorongoro Crater-truly one of the great natural wonders of the world- for a fabulous day of wildlife observation on the Eden –like crater floor. A spectacular setting for wildlife is presented within its 102-square-mile crater framed by steep green walls. It is almost entirely open country, so wildlife is in full visibility, a wonderful opportunity for photography and meaningful observations. We'll have six hours of wildlife viewing in the crater. This evening there will be an opportunity for a sunset ridge hike and participation in an Ol Pul (meat fest) festival with our new Maasai friends are highlights of this visit. Return to our private camp for dinner and overnight.

Overnight Private Camp - B/L/D

 

 

Today we descend from the Crater Highlands into the Serengeti Plains. En route we pass through Oldupai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the most important discoveries in the search for early man. We'll visit the simple Oldupai Museum, which documents the Rift Valley's paleoanthropological history. We will continue northwards into Serengeti's kopje country arriving at camp in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. We will spend two nights here.

Overnight Serengeti Private Camp - B/L/D

 

Today, we will enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in this spectacular part of the world; meals will be served back in camp

Overnight Private Camp - B/L/D

 

 

This morning, we fly back to Arusha and transfer to the KIA Lodge, where we will have dayrooms. This evening we will be transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for our homeward-bound flights.
B/L

B = Breakfast Included, L = Lunch Included, D = Dinner Included

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