Flight to Arusha / Tanzania.

Accommodation: -
Meals: -

After picking up our luggage and completing the local visa process, we will meet our local team of guides, who will welcome us to their native land. We will be driven for about 1 hour to Arusha, here we will enjoy our first accommodation, the beautiful Ilboru Safari Lodge. In its extensive and exotic gardens, the hotel offers us the perfect atmosphere to rest from our long journey. The rest of the afternoon is free. In the evening, we will have dinner at the restaurant of the hotel.

Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge (4*)
Meals: Dinner

We are already in Africa! For a carefree trip, our body must adapt slowly to the local conditions. So today we will take it easy. On a hike (3-4 hours) around beautiful Lake Duluti, we will immerse ourselves into the exotic African nature for the first time. The lake houses more than 130 species of birds, including eagles, falcons, storks and kingfishers. We will also see reptiles, snakes & lizards. A local guide will go with us on our trek, and will explain everything about the local flora & fauna. A scenic beauty that has not yet been discovered by mass tourism. In the evening, we will meet our mountain guide at the hotel, he will accompany us to Mount Meru & Kilimanjaro.

Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The expedition to Mount Meru starts now! After leaving the luggage that we don’t need for the next stage of our trip at the hotel, we will be driven to the starting point of the ascent, “Momella Gate” located at an altitude of 1.700 m. We will go through Arusha National Park where we will see animals like zebras, giraffes, warthogs & other species. After this, the ascent through the tropical rainforest starts on the Eastern side of the mountain. A gentle mountain stream will give us the chance to refresh ourselves. Then the terrain gets steeper, but the trails are in good condition and this facilitates our progress to our destination at an altitude of 2.600 m.a.s.l., the Miriakambu refuge.

Duration of the day's stage:  4-5 hours
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After having a good breakfast, we pack our backpacks. The track goes uphill through the rainforest. Again and again, we keep looking towards Kilimanjaro or the top of Mount Meru in the distance. After reaching an altitude of about 3.000 meters, the forest disappears gradually and the vegetation becomes scarce. The crater of the volcano now seems close enough to touch it, and the landscape looks like one out of a King Kong film. Soon we will see the building of the Saddle refuge. Here we will rest, will have an early dinner, and we will get ready for the ascent to the mountain summit the next day.

Duration of the day's stage: Approx. 5 hours.
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Last night was a short night. Our ascent will start at 1:00 a.m. A well-marked trail indicates the way to the summit. The ground is sandy at the beginning and little by little it becomes rocky. After reaching approximately 3.900 meters, there is a rock climbing area very easy to pass, and then we will find three consecutive ascents and descents. Then we will reach the crest that will finally takes us to the top. The last ascent demands all of our concentration & effort, and then we will see a metal plate with the flag of Tanzania confirming that we have arrived to the summit. Full of joy, we will enjoy the indescribable view of the African steppe, Arusha and beyond this, our great destination, Kilimanjaro. After this, we will descend passing by Saddle refuge to Miriakambu refuge.

Ascent: 6-7 hours Descent: Approx. 4 hours
Accommodation: Refuge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will enjoy the impressive landscape, flora & fauna as we descend for approximately 3 hours to the starting point of our short expedition to Mount Meru, the Momella Gate. Before being driven to the next point, we say good bye in a small ceremony to the mountain guides and local porters who have accompanied and fed us for the last four days. We will be driven for approx. 3-4 hours to our next accommodation, the Simba farm owned by a Dutch family.

Accommodation: Simba Farm Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Kilimanjaro has to wait for our visit! Today, we will focus on the culture & the history of Tanzania. We are in the land of the legendary Maasai people and, of course, we would like to learn more about the life of these once feared warriors. We receive a warm welcome in the village of Olpopongi, and the villagers great us in their typical way. This place is a tourist project that takes into account the traditions of the tribe members in a sensitive way, and brings visitors and tribe members close together. We will learn a lot and have a very good time thanks to the extremely nice character of the people. Without a doubt, this day will be unforgettable, and at the same time will help us to recover from the efforts of the previous days.

Accommodation:Simba Farm Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The great day has arrived! The expedition to the roof of Africa starts today! The trip to the starting point of the first stage is not very long. In approx. 1 hour we will arrive at "Londorossi Gate" at an altitude of approx. 2.100 m.a.s.l. After we have completed our registration in the national park, we will observe with great interest the hustle & bustle of the porters, the expedition cooks & the local mountain guides. The team that will look after us for the next 7 days, has already arrived. We will start the climb. Today the trail will take us through the dense tropical jungle at the foot of Kilimanjaro. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the colobus monkeys that live in the trees. After approximately 4-5 hours, we will arrive at the camp located in a small clearing in the forest. We will spend the first night of our trip in a tent.

Duration of the day's stage: Approx. 5 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we get ready to leave. After hiking for a short while, we leave the beautiful mountain forest and start to approach the Shira Plateau. To get there, we will have to cross a few mountain streams. Finally, we get to the plateau where we know that we are at an altitude of 3.600 meters. In geological terms, the plateau is the remnant of an old and gigantic volcano that forms part of the Kilimanjaro Massif. From here we will need 2 hours to get to our camp. From this point, the impressive views of the mountains Meru, Kilo & Shira will be unforgettable.

Duration of the day's stage: Approx. 5 hours.
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will continue hiking along the seemingly endless Shira plateau, with the gigantic Kilimanjaro cone getting closer and closer. Almost reverently, we approach it with the slow pace of our ascent. Walking through Shira II Camp, we will continue climbing to the so called Lava Tower. We are already above 4.000 meters. For the next 2 hours, we will descend from here to get to our camp which is located on a small plateau. The exotic vegetation of the surroundings and also the view of the amazing Kibo Glacier is very impressive.

Duration of the day's stage: 7-8 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In order to save energy for the final climb to the top, the next two stages will be short. When we see the "Barranco Wall" that we will have to pass immediately after leaving the camp, we will feel a little light headed. The steep 250 meters climb combined with the altitude will raise our pulse, but the effort is definitely worth it. After leaving the wall behind, we will see the fascinating view of the southern face of Kilimanjaro. Absolutely impressed, we walk towards it. The certainty that we are now really close to our big goal, drives us to reach the camp in the Karanga Valley after 2 more hours. As every day, our team has already arrived and is setting up the camp and looking after our physical wellness.

Duration of the day's stage: Approx. 4 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The landscape becomes more and more barren. We have crossed the line of trees several days ago, and the landscape of herbs and shrubs of the last stages have given way to a kind of mountain desert. We are already able to see our goal from afar, but the impression is deceptive: what seems to be close enough to touch still requires a lot of effort. We will not be defeated, and walking steadily after a steady climb, we will arrive at Camp "Barafu Hut". After our arrival, we will have lunch. The afternoon is good to rest. The expectations are increasing gradually, because we are conscious that the next day is the final stage to reach the roof of Africa.

Duration of the day's stage: Approx. 4 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This is the summit day! We wake up around midnight wanting to go out, we want to climb to the Summit! With the light of our flashlights, we leave the tents and put our backpacks on our shoulders. The uphill trail is clearly visible. With total concentration and driven on by the songs of our local companions, we will slowly gain altitude. The immediate objective is to reach Stella Point, located on the crater rim of Mount Kilimanjaro. This marks the end of the scree filled slopes of Kibo, at an altitude of 5.770 m.a.s.l. Here we will experience the most beautiful sunrise of our lives far above the clouds. We have recovered the strength to go for the last section of the climb to get to the highest point of the African continent, "Uhuru Peak". And the time has come! We did it! There are no words to describe what we feel…. Even though we have reached the summit, a successful descent is a save one, so this will require all our efforts. First we descend to Barafu Hut, where we will enjoy a hot soup. We continue on until we reach our tents that are set in a beautiful mountain forest 1.500 meters below. Only here do we start to realize and appreciate what we have achieved and the satisfaction starts setting in.

Ascent: 7-8 hours Descent: 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we will start the last stage of our Kilimanjaro expedition at 6:00 am. by descending 1.400 vertical meters. We will enjoy the morning hours, and observe how life awakens in the mountain forest. The possibility of spotting monkeys and other wild animals are particularly high first thing in the morning. After approx. 4 hours, we will arrive at the exit of the national park. It is time to say good bye. In a brief ceremony, we will thank the entire local team for their great support, without which we would not have had a chance to succeed in the mountain. Our journey continues. We will have lunch in Arusha, and then we will continue on to the beautiful Burungi Lodge (travel time approx. 4 hours). We are very close to the Tarangire National Park, where we will start the next morning with our fantastic safari.

Accommodation: Burungi Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today a childhood dream will come true for most of us. After breakfast in the amazing atmosphere of our accommodation, we will go on our first safari. Tarangire National Park is well known for its great population of elephants. There is the possibility of getting really close to these majestic animals at a relatively short distance. But the park is also home to antelopes, buffaloes, giraffes & lions. This is the national park with the highest density of wildlife out of the Serengueti. Our 4 wheel drives will allow us to move around comfortably even on difficult terrain, and will also allow us to observe closely a large number of animals that otherwise we will only know in documentaries. Deeply impressed by the energy of the wild nature of Tanzania, we go back to the lodge in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Burungi Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The second day of our safari in the heart of Africa will take us to Lake Manyara National Park. This place is completely different to the reserve we explored the day before. The lake that gives the name to the park has a surface of 330 km2, and its shore is the habitat of more than 400 animal species, like pelicans, flamingos and other water birds. However, the biggest attraction are the “tree lions” that can be found here. These are lions that climb trees, a peculiarity that can only be observed here and in one place in Uganda. This curiosity of the animal kingdom attracts scientists and animal lovers from all over the world. However, it takes good luck to see the lions climbing a tree. After the safari, we will be driven to our new accommodation, Endoro Lodge, located very close to our destination the next day.

Accommodation: Endoro Lodge (4*)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The landscape at the Ngorongoro crater cannot be found in any other place on earth. Its fauna is unique. The crater has an area of approximately 380 km2, a diameter of about 20 km and a depth of 600 meters. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its extraordinary diversity of animals. There is no other place in the world with so many animal species in a relatively small area, including some species in danger of extinction like the black rhinoceros. It is without doubt, one of those places that a nature & animal lover must visit once in a lifetime. We will spend the day here, and then go back to Arusha in the evening. We will spend the last night of our unforgettable journey to Africa at the hotel that we already know.

Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will be driven to the airport. Flight back to Santiago.

Accommodation: -
Meals: Breakfast

We return back home.