Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will meet an Ensembles Explores Adventures representative, and transfer to the hotel under the rate. In the evening there will be a briefing with our managers, who will also make sure you are ready to begin the climb.
A guide and a mountain support crew will arrive at the hotel in the morning in order to meet you and hold a quick briefing, after which you will travel by vehicle to Kilimanjaro National Park's entrance: Machame Gate (1,800 m). After the quick formality of acquiring climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, the group will start trekking up to Machame Camp (3,010 m). The trekking route includes passage through the rainforest (where tropical showers are highly probable), so we recommend you take not only spare clothes, but also your raincoats.
This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is strongly recommended you heed the following instructions from this point on:
At night you may experience discomfort associated with acclimatization to the high altitude: because of a reduction in your waking breathing pattern, your body gets less oxygen than during the day. Taking altitude into account, you may therefore start feeling sick and have a headache. Pay attention to your own body and tell your guide if you start feeling any symptoms of altitude sickness.
Change in Elevation:Machame Gate (1,800 m) — Machame Camp (3,010 m)
Hiking distance: 5 km
Hiking time: 5–6 hours
After breakfast you will start trekking up to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp (3,845 m). On this day you will emerge from the rainforest and for the first time be able to see stunning views of the Shira Plateau laid out in front of you. Physically speaking, the trekking is not very difficult, but you may feel the changes in altitude, so pay attention to your body and remember that choosing the proper pace is extremely important for good trekking. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and some rest, after which the group will go on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 300-meter gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp you will be served a hot dinner.
Note: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimatization process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. They help increase your chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness.
Change in Elevation: Machame Camp (3,010 m) — Shira Camp (3,845 m)
Hiking distance: 5 km
Hiking time: 4–5 hours
Acclimatization hike:
Change in Elevation: Shira Camp (3,845 m) — Destination point en route to Lava Tower (4,120 m)
Hiking distance: 5 km
Hiking time: 1–2 hours
After breakfast you will leave Shira Camp (3,845 m) and start your way to the key point of the route: Lava Tower (4,630 m). This section of the route has a lot of ascents and descents that end in a camp at over 4,600 meters. It might be difficult, and you may feel some discomfort, but in order to successfully acclimate to the altitude you have to spend at least 1–2 hours here, so this is where lunch will be.
Then you will descend to Barranco Camp (3,960 m). Here you can see the famous Barranco Wall, impressive in both its massive size and steepness! Next day you will be climbing it, but don't worry: it features a very simple hiking trail.
Note: If one or more participants feel sick, the group may refrain from passing the Lava Tower and adjust the route, following instead the road for porters. In this case you will not reach an altitude of 4,630 meters, getting up only to a maximum of 4,400 meters.
Change in Elevation: Shira Camp (3,845 m) — Lava Tower (4,630 m) — Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Hiking distance: 11 km
Hiking time: 6–8 hours
On this day it is best to make an early start to avoid crowding on the way up Barranco Wall. Despite the Wall's seemingly daunting height and steepness the actual climb is rather merciful at a mere hour or so. The top provides a great photo opportunity with Kibo Peak as the backdrop.
The next part of the day is rife with ups and downs where your guides will choose the best place for individual climbers.
A lunch break at Karanga Camp shall be followed by an acclimatisation climb towards Barafu with its highest point being 4,270 m. The group then drops back to Karanga Camp for the overnight.
Change in Elevation: Barranco: 3,960 m – Karanga: 4,035 m.
Hiking distance: 4 km
Hiking time:4–5 hours
Acclimatization climb:
Change in Elevation: Karanga Camp (4,035 m) — highest point reached: 4,270 m
Hiking distance: 2.5 km
Hiking time: 1–2 hrs.
After breakfast you begin your way to Barafu Summit Camp (4,640 m). Our team will set up a camp for you ahead of time, including tents and sleeping bags, so you can relax. After regaining strength, you have to complete an acclimatization climb towards the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp with its highest point being 4,800 m and then back to Barafu Camp, where you will be served a hot dinner. It is better to spend the remainder of the day resting and sleeping before night summiting.
Altitude: Karanga Camp (4,035 m) — Barafu Camp (4,640 m)
distance: 6 km
time: 4–5 hrs.
Acclimatization climb:
Altitude: Barafu Camp (4,640 m) — Kosovo Camp (4,800 m)
Hiking distance: 2 km
Hiking time: 1–2 hrs.
Summiting starts around midnight from 4,635 m, ending on Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m. While the trek itself is fairly simple, rarefied mountain air does pose a challenge. Therefore, a guide who will monitor their condition throughout the climb shall accompany every two climbers ensuring safety above all. Upon summiting, you shall have an opportunity to walk on the nearby glacier.
The descent to 3,110 m at Mweka Camp starts after a two-hour rest back at Barafu Camp.
NB: Descent is deceptively easy with treacherous footing and results in 90% of accidents. Mind your feet if you want to avoid falling and damaged toenails!
Change in Elevation: Barafu Camp (4,640 m) — Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) — Mweka Camp (3,110 m)
Hiking distance: 19 km
Hiking time: 10–14 hrs.
This last camp’s position being far lower at the forest line will afford you a good night’s sleep further enhanced by thoughts of having reached the top. Breakfast will be followed by the return to 1,650 m at the final point in this adventure- Mweka Gate. After a short celebration with the whole of the climb crew and arrival at our offices, you will receive your climb certificates, followed by the drive to your lodge.
Altitude: Mweka Camp (3,110 m) — Mweka Gate (1,650 m)
Distance: 8 km
Time: 4–5 hrs.
Note: Hotel check-out is at 11:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, there is the option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee.
Distance: 8 km
Time: 4–5 hrs.
We've booked a safary and a Kilimandscharo treck with Exsembles Explores Adventure. Both trips were unforgetable and intense experiences. The organisation was smooth. We had a pick up from the airport and stayed in the Pili Pili hostel before and after the trip.
Great experience. Good guides and Cook! Guides communicate by radio, when animals are seen somewhere. So there's have a better chance too find them. Like this we have seen the big five and all cats. It was a great trip!
We had a group hiking to the top of Africa via marangu route for 6 days with 2gether 2africa Safaris.
It was a lovely experienced that we experienced in our entire life. I would definetly recommend this tour operators if your on a budget and if you do wanna do a solo or couples, they will treat you well and give you anything ASAP
This is my first review for 2gether2africa. We booked both a safari and Kilimanjaro so I will seperate them out as they were two different experiences.We booked a safari for 4 days and 3 nights which included lodge based stays in the Simba Lodge, Tarangire, Kati Kati Lodge in the Serengeti and finally the Rhino Lodge in the Ngorongo crater. We would of loved more time on safari but this was all we had. Initial communication was good with the company (Mike)
With 2gether 2africa safaris we booked two trips, hiking Mt. Meru (3 days) and safari trip (3 days, Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti). We had two amazing and completely different experiences. Mt. Meru was adventurous and a bit challenging with glorious and rewarding feeling when we reached the summit. Safari was more relaxed and easy going with our eyes all the time wide open to see as much wild animals as possible (and we were lucky with that).
and my friends we did a little hiking to the top of Mount MERU last week with 2gether 2africa Safaris and we had an exceptional experience through the whole hiking trip
We gotta admit it was a little bit challenging with a lot of fun and cool views on the way from the beginning to the end. On the way to the starting point we did pass through the Arusha National park and saw some wild animals like the giraffe, buffaloes, huge elephant that was stuck on the way and had to way for like 20 minutes for it to pass and the wild boar they are in form of pigs, our guide told us are the wild pigs.
We went on a 15 day trip on Serengeti, Manyara, Ngorongoro and Tarangire with 2gether Safaris which was the most beautiful experience we ever heard in our life.We did enjoy everything including the warm welcome from Kilimanjaro airport to the end of the trip. We saw big cats,enjoyed the meal from our great chef, and also from our professional guide, Mike, who had answers to all of our questions from the beginning to the end.
We went with 2gether2africa on a 3 day trip to Sipi Falls in Uganda. We were amazed by the beautiful green nature of the area and how peaceful it is. The guys at 2gether2africa were super accommodating and were there to provide for all of our needs. We were impressed by their wealth of knowledge and their warm hospitality on our trip. They were very professional and had really thought through everything we needed for the trip so it ran very smoothly and was exactly what we wanted in our holiday. We would definitely take a trip with them again. Thanks guys!
We booked safari trip with 2gether 2africa safaris and had amazing experience. We visited Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater and were lucky to see all the animals we were hoping for. Our guide was really helpful, trying all the time that we see as much as possible. He also taught us so much about animals, african culture and swahili language. And chef was also great, preparing for us delicious food and by request vegetarian. Only one problem, it was too much food :).
I went on the africa through eyes tour with Mike, and had a truly extraordinary experience. The accommodations where excellent, starting before the safari itself. Mike organized our hotel and our drive there, helping us navigate every step of the way. The safari itself was awesome, with great guides who knew the answers to all our questions and had great English. The chef who prepared tasty vegetarian food at our request and somehow managed to cook great food in the camping grounds. The staff went above and beyond so that we would get the most of our stay and see all there is to see. Above all was the connection we had with them. It honestly felt like we were all old friends, whether it was joking around in the car or hanging out at the campsite. I would never have imagined that my safari would be such a unique experience. There is honestly not a bad thing for me to say, simply book this tour and let mike blow your mind.
I went on a 4 day safari to Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro crater with 2gether 2africa. I don’t have one complaint to write about. It was clear that the Godfrey Leonard Richard (Mike) put a lot of time and effort into planning our safari. Our guide, Suliman, was extremely knowledgeable and took time to explain about any animal we saw or asked about. Our chef (we called him the president) energized us and always left us happy with the food. He also had no issue catering vegetarian for me. In the evenings we all hung out and all the staff added greatly to the atmosphere. I quickly learned that being with nice, knowledgeable and friendly makes all the difference for the time between seeing animals. All in all, 2gether 2africa exceeded all of our expectations. Its a perfect choice for both families and backpackers. The thing that stood out the most was the connection we had with the staff, who proved that this was so much more than a business transaction.
Finally we got the adventure we were waiting for our entire life to see Africa Savanna. We had smooth conversation from the beginning with 2gether 2africa Safaris till the end. The campsite and lodges was well planned and organized as we requested.
We booked 7 day tour to Serengeti, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Walking tour to the Highlands of Ngorongoro. In our first night we stayed at Karatu Simba Lodge which was amazingly to see the sunset, we also stayed to the amazing Serengeti Simba Lodge.
Our Guide Steven was the most part of making things great! He was knowlegable about the Wildlife and he got eyes like Cheetah to spot where the animals are hiding. He knows exactly where to go and to find the animals.
My two friends and I went on a three day trip with Leo. We are all 21 years and, and it fits us perfectly, highly recommended for other backpackers, families and couples.
The two first days we went on safari in Mikumi nationalpark just a few hours outside Dar es Salam. Tanzanian trafic police with their pointy hats and nice uniforms are fast to stop you on their traffic stops each 15 kilometers, but charismatic Leo was very used to this and knew exactly how to handle the situation.
Choose your dates, choose your travel package, and choose your comfort level. We do the rest. Let’s start planning your Tailor-Made journey.
