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African Safaris Hub Kilimanjaro

Zebras grazing on the plains with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background

Kilimanjaro · Lemosho Route + Serengeti Safari

Lemosho Climb + Serengeti Safari

Summit Africa’s highest peak via the scenic Lemosho Route, then trade your trekking boots for a safari vehicle across the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

11 days / 10 nights Summit 5,895m Moderate climb from US$4,150 / person

Overview

The Roof of Africa, then the Serengeti plains

The Lemosho Route is our most scenic way up Kilimanjaro — a western approach through rainforest, moorland and the wide-open Shira Plateau, joining the Southern Circuit for the final push to Uhuru Peak. Its gentle, gradual profile gives it one of the strongest acclimatization records of any route on the mountain.

Rather than sending you home the moment you come off the mountain, we built in a proper transition: a rest day to recover, then three nights on safari across two of Tanzania’s most celebrated parks. You’ll trade altitude for the open plains — lion, elephant, and (season permitting) the Great Migration in the Serengeti, then the dense wildlife-packed floor of the Ngorongoro Crater.

One operator, one itinerary, no scrambling to book a separate safari company after you summit. Every leg is led by our own guides and crew, with emergency oxygen and daily health checks built into the climb as standard.

Trip at a glance

  • Duration

    11 days / 10 nights

  • Route

    Lemosho + Serengeti & Ngorongoro

  • Difficulty

    Moderate climb, easy safari

  • Max altitude

    Uhuru Peak, 5,895m

  • Accommodation

    Mountain tents, hotel & safari lodge

  • Best months

    Jan–Mar, Jun–Oct

  • Group

    Private or small group

Panoramic view across the Shira Plateau on Kilimanjaro's Lemosho Route, surrounded by cloud

Trip highlights

What you’ll experience

  • The Shira Plateau, one of the most dramatic high-altitude landscapes on the mountain.
  • Sunrise on Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895m.
  • A built-in rest day between the climb and the safari, so you arrive on the plains recovered, not wrecked.
  • A full day in the Serengeti, one of the richest wildlife ecosystems on Earth.
  • The Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheater with one of Africa’s densest concentrations of predators.

Day by day

Your 11-day Lemosho & Serengeti itinerary

1Day

Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp

~6 km3–4 hrs2,100m → 2,825mRainforest

After registration at Londorossi Gate, a short drive brings you to the trailhead. You trek gently through dense montane rainforest to Mti Mkubwa — “Big Tree Camp” — for your first night.

2Day

Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp

~8 km5–6 hrs2,825m → 3,505mMoorland

The forest thins into heather and moorland as you climb onto the western edge of the Shira Plateau. Wide views open up over the plains toward the Rift Valley.

3Day

Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp

~7 km3–4 hrs3,505m → 3,850mSemi-desert

A shorter, gentler day crossing the Shira Plateau itself — the collapsed caldera of Kilimanjaro’s oldest volcanic cone. Excellent acclimatization walking with Kibo’s summit dome in constant view.

4Day

Shira 2 to Barranco Camp, via Lava Tower

~10 km6–8 hrsup to 4,630mAlpine desert

The key acclimatization day: you climb high to Lava Tower (4,630m) for lunch, then descend to sleep lower at Barranco Camp (3,960m). “Climb high, sleep low” is what gives Lemosho its strong summit-success reputation.

5Day

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

~5 km4–5 hrs3,960m → 3,995mAlpine desert

You start with the Barranco Wall — a fun, non-technical scramble with big views — then a shorter afternoon to Karanga Camp, the last reliable water point before summit night.

6Day

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

~4 km4–5 hrs3,995m → 4,673mAlpine desert

A steady climb to Barafu, the summit base camp. Early arrival, an early dinner, and rest through the afternoon — tonight you climb.

7Day

Summit day: Barafu to Uhuru Peak, then descend to Mweka Gate

~21 km13–17 hrs4,673m → 5,895m → 1,640mArctic → forest

A midnight start for the long climb to Stella Point and on to Uhuru Peak for sunrise. After summit photos, you descend all the way through Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, where you receive your summit certificate, then transfer to your hotel.

8Day

Rest day and transfer toward the Serengeti

HotelRest & recoveryRoad transferMoshi → Arusha

A full rest day — hot shower, real bed, a proper meal. Later in the day you transfer toward Arusha, the gateway to the northern safari circuit, ready to start the second half of the trip fresh.

9Day

Full-day Serengeti National Park game drive

Full day4x4 safari vehicleCentral SerengetiOvernight lodge/camp

A full day exploring the Serengeti’s endless plains with your dedicated driver-guide — lion, elephant, giraffe, and, depending on the time of year, the Great Migration itself. Overnight at a safari lodge or tented camp.

10Day

Ngorongoro Crater game drive

Full day2,286m crater floor4x4 safari vehicleOvernight lodge

Descend onto the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, a self-contained ecosystem packed into one caldera — one of the most reliable places in Africa to see the “Big Five” in a single day. Overnight at a lodge on the crater rim.

11Day

Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport, departure

Road transfer~3–4 hrsArusha → JROEnd of trip

A final morning game drive if timing allows, then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your onward flight home.

The details

What’s included & what’s not

Included

  • All national park, camping & rescue fees for the climb
  • Professional, licensed mountain guides
  • Fairly paid cooks & porters
  • All meals & drinking water on the mountain
  • Quality tents, sleeping mats & climbing equipment
  • 2 hotel nights in Moshi (before & after the climb)
  • 3 nights safari lodge / tented camp accommodation
  • 4x4 safari vehicle, driver-guide & game drives in Serengeti & Ngorongoro
  • Full board meals during the safari days
  • All road transfers between the mountain, Arusha and the parks
  • Airport transfers (Kilimanjaro / JRO)
  • Emergency oxygen, oximeter checks & first aid on the mountain

Not included

  • International flights
  • Tanzania entry visa
  • Travel insurance (with high-altitude cover)
  • Serengeti & Ngorongoro park / conservation fees
  • Tips for the mountain crew and safari driver-guide
  • Personal climbing gear (available to rent)
  • Meals & drinks not on the mountain or safari itinerary
  • Personal expenses & laundry
  • Optional upgrades (private safari vehicle, extra safari nights)

Good to know

Before you book this trip

Fitness

No technical climbing skills needed for Lemosho, but good general fitness helps. The safari days are low-effort by comparison — mostly seated game drives.

Best time

January–March and June–October give the clearest climbing conditions. If seeing the Great Migration matters to you, tell us your travel dates so we can advise on migration timing.

Safety & acclimatization

Twice-daily health checks, emergency oxygen and Lemosho’s gradual altitude profile are built in as standard on the climb.

Climb-to-safari transition

Day 8 is a genuine rest day, not a rushed transfer — you get a shower, a bed and recovery time before the safari legs begin.

Wildebeest herd crossing a river during the Great Migration in the Serengeti

Ready for the summit and the Serengeti?

Secure your dates and let us handle both legs of the trip.

Questions

Frequently asked

Do I book the climb and the safari separately?

No. This is one combined itinerary run by our own team from start to finish — you don’t need to arrange a separate safari operator or coordinate transfers yourself.

Will I be too tired for the safari after summiting?

We built Day 8 in specifically as a rest day. You’ll shower, sleep in a real bed, and have recovery time before the safari vehicle picks you up — game drives themselves are low-effort and mostly seated.

Will I see the wildebeest migration?

The migration moves through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem on a seasonal cycle, so a sighting can't be guaranteed on every date. Send us your travel dates and we’ll advise on where the herds are likely to be.

Is the price per person?

Yes. The exact figure depends on group size, dates and lodge choice on the safari leg — send us an enquiry and we’ll give you an honest, all-inclusive quote.

Can I extend the safari or add Zanzibar afterwards?

Yes. Extra nights in the Serengeti or Ngorongoro, or a beach stay in Zanzibar after the safari, can all be added to this itinerary — just tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.

Enquire & book

Reserve your Lemosho & Serengeti Safari

Send us your preferred dates and group size, and let us know if you’d like to extend the safari. We’ll reply with availability and an honest, all-inclusive quote.

We reply within one working day