2024/2025 US $1,995 $1,545 $1,345 $1,195
per person, double occupancy (single supplement US $150)
• Discover a part of Tanzania few tourists ever see
• Walk on ancient trails between the national park forest and local villages
• Observe rainforest, waterfalls and rivers, farm plots full of coffee and banana trees
• Pass through the land of the Chagga people
• Lead by a qualified Chagga mountain guide
Day 1: Arrival. Machame. Kaliwa Lodge.
Day 2: Machame to Kibosho. Hiking distance: 11.8mi / 19km.
Day 3: Kibosho to Mweka. Hiking distance: 9.3mi / 15km.
Day 4: Mweka to Wondo. Hiking distance: 4.9mi / 8km.
Day 5: Wondo to Tema. Hiking distance: 4.3mi / 7km.
Day 6: Tema to Kidia. Hiking distance: 5.6mi / 9km.
Day 7: Kidia to Mbahe Village. Hiking distance: 13.6mi / 22km.
Day 8: Mbahe Village / Departure.
We will pick you up upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and bring you to Kaliwa Lodge in Machame Village, located at 1300m in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and just minutes from the trailhead, for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Kaliwa Lodge.
Meals: L,D.
Drive time: 1 hour
Day 2: Machame to Kibosho
After breakfast, we will start our hike following a trail used by villagers to access their fields from the village. As you pass through the farms and forests, you will hear from your SENE guide about his own knowledge of the mountain on which he grew up. Nestled within natural vegetation, the Kibosho Camp is rich with birds and butterflies visiting the area. Sit back, relax and enjoy unparalleled views of the snowcapped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Overnight: Kibosho Camp.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 11.1mi / 19km.
Day 3: Kibosho to Mweka
Today, on our exploration of the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, we encounter our steepest valleys and ridges above a densely settled area of smallholder Arabica coffee farms that use centuries-old irrigation canals dug along the mountainside. Our first camping night is on the land of SENE founder Simon Mtuy. As the sun sets, you will be able to observe the few lights of Moshi and to feel the calm of the mountain, or maybe that is just the moo of the cows and the baa of the sheep!
Overnight: Mtuy Farm Camp.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 9.5mi / 15km.
Day 4: Mweka to Wondo
This hiking day start from a lower elevation and brings us through villages and into the forest. We will cross many rivers on small wood bridges or will jump from rock to rock to reach the other side. We will discover the traditional irrigation channels, used by local farmers for more than 100 years, to grow coffee, bananas and many other fruits and vegetables. After 5km and a walk along the channels and the Rau river valley, we will come upon a high waterfall. Save some energy as the last ascent to camp will be demanding!
Overnight: Kilimanjaro View Camp.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 4.2mi / 8km.
We start the day by following our noses and the sweet smell of the eucalyptus trees that create a natural border between the Kilimanjaro National Park and the villages. The trail passes several villages and an ingenious electrical system using the water channel. As the day progresses, the hiking increases in intensity as we pass a dramatic landscape of high ridges and deep valleys, all covered by tropical rain forest. If we are lucky, we may be able to spot blue monkeys hanging in the trees above our route. Our campsite at a primary school overlooks Moshi Town and the surrounding plain.
Overnight: Tema School Camp.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 4.6mi / 7km.
Day 6: Tema to Kidia
After a night camped at 1900 meters, the trail proceeds through more colorful mountain villages, past coffee and maize farms and rivers where you can refresh in the cool and crystal clear water. We pass Kidia village, the site of the first European settlement in the Kilimanjaro region. There are many large Catholic and Lutheran churches on the mountain, each with its own story of missionary work among the Chagga people. Our last camp is at another primary school high up the mountain.
Overnight: Fumyuhu School Camp.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 5.1mi / 9km.
Day 7: Kidia to Mbahe Village
Our last day is a perfect day to savor the landscape. The route is longer than the previous days but the trails are gentler! We reach several superb viewpoints down over Moshi, but also up toward the summit of Mont Kilimanjaro, which emerges as we approach Mbahe Village and Simon Mtuy’s family farm. Stay one night at Mbahe Farm House to rest, recover, and relax. Enjoy delicious “homebrew” coffee, grown and roasted on the farm, meals made with fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden, and perhaps take a refreshing swim below the Moonjo River waterfall that sits on the property.
Overnight: Mbahe Farm Cottages.
Meals: B,L,D.
Hiking distance: 13.1mi / 22km.
Day 8: Mbahe Village
For those returning home you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport to catch your flight. Those staying in Tanzania will start your next adventure today.
Meals: B,L.
- All accommodations
- All meals as indicated (B.L.D.)
- Bottled or filtered water (by Katadyn Expedition® filter) and coffee, teas, cocoa
- Services of hiking guide and camp crew
- All camping equipment (excluding sleeping bag)
- Portable private toilet with bio-degradable waste system (Cleanwaste®) at all camps
- Transfers to/from Kilimanjaro International Airport, Moshi, Arusha.
