21 Days Rwanda, Tanzania & Zanzibar Beach

Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

You will be met at Kigali International Airport or at your hotel by one of our guides from Mj Safaris in Kigali. If time is on your side you can take a small trip around the capital of Rwanda before traveling to Volcanoes National Park from Kigali, a journey that will last about two and a half hours. Volcanoes National Park is popular for inhabiting the threatened mountain gorillas.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (mid-range hotel) or Home Inn (budget Hotel)

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

You will start the day with breakfast at your hotel where the driver guide will pick you and take you to the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park where you will receive orientation about the guidelines to be followed when gorilla trekking in order to ensure the protection of the threatened mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is a truly exceptional experience and cannot be compared to any other safari. When the briefing is over, the senior professional park rangers will guide you into the volcanoes as you look for the mountain gorillas. You will trek through the rough topography up to when you eventually see these gentle beasts that will charm you with their normal life activities such as playing with their young ones or even feeding them. After you meet these gorillas, you are only allowed to stay around them for one hour and while trekking, you will come across a number of other primates that reside in Volcanoes National Park.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (mid-range hotel) or Home Inn (budget Hotel)

Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking and transfer back to Kigali

Today have an early breakfast then travel back to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for orientation on the guidelines of golden monkey tracking and then move to the Golden monkey tracking beginning point. The golden monkey tracking may go on for about two to three hours

and you will be able to see the monkeys swinging between bamboo trees. While you are searching for the golden monkeys, you will get the chance to see birds as well as other primates which also live in the Virunga mountain ranges.

You will then head back to your lodge and enjoy a delicious lunch. After this, you will travel back to Kigali for your overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Hotel des Mille Collines (mid-range hotel) or Classic Hotel (budget Hotel)

Day 4: Take a flight to fly Arusha

Begin your day with breakfast at your hotel and then travel to the airport to catch your flight to Arusha. When you reach Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be welcomed by our safari guide and then travel to your hotel. When you have checked in, our safari guide will give you a comprehensive orientation plus equipment checking.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Planet Lodge in Arusha or Similar in Moshi

Day 5: Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb Transfer to Machame – Machame camp

You will begin your day early in the morning with a briefing then you will have breakfast followed by travelling to Moshi which will last 45 minutes then through Machame village. You will have guides as well as porters who will organize and carry your gear plus your luggage. You will be given a lunch pack however you will be able to purchase some additional personal items within the village. When you reach the gate office, you will register and begin your hike and reach the rain forest right away. There are high chances of receiving rain while you are in the forest and this will make the path so muddy as well as slippery. Your porters will reach the camp site way before you and set up your tent before you reach. Later in the evening, the porters will cook some water for drinking and washing and you will have a cook who will prepare our dinner then you will head to your tent to rest. The temperatures in the night reduce to freezing point around here. You will have a well deserved lunch break usually half way of your trek and you will arrive at Machame camping site in the evening.

Altitude reached: 2980m

Total ascent time: 6 to 7 hours in the forest zone.

Accommodation: Machame Camp and all your meals will be provided.

Day 6: Machame camp to Shira camp

You will be hiking for about six hours for a distance of 9 km. The habitat is Moorland

You will wake up early and have breakfast at Machame camp then you will hike for about an hour or more to the highest point of the forest and after which you will climb for two more hours at a less steep altitude in the moorland zone. You will then take a break for lunch and relax. You will proceed up a rugged ridge on the Shira plateau. At this point, if you look in the east, you will be able to view the Western Breach with its magnificent glaciers. You will now be heading west of Kibo and after a brief climb, you will arrive at the Shira campsite which stands at an altitude of 3840m. The porters will cook water for washing and drinking as well as your dinner. The temperatures at this camp are lower than for the night before since they will dip to lower than freezing.

Altitude reached: 3840 meters

Total ascent time: 5 to 6 hours

Accommodation: Shira Camp and all your meals will be provided

Day 7: Shira to Lava Tower (4630m) to Barranco camp

You will be hiking for 7 hours for a distance of 15km. The habitat is a semi desert.

You will now travel east to the semi desert and rugged topography encircling Lava Tower, where you will arrive at an altitude of 4630m when you have walked for almost five hours. You will have lunch at a selected place then you will hike the rugged scree path to Lave Tower (4630m). It will be the most challenging day for you. It is usually in this area where a few climbers will begin to experience headaches, breathlessness as well as irritability. When you are done with lunch, you will slope by about 680m to Barranco camping site then you will reach an altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower. The slope to Barranco camp will last for almost two hours and provides you with amazing photographic moments of the Breach Wall and Western Breach. The camp site is located in the valley under the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which will offer you with a beautiful sunset as you anticipate your dinner.

Altitude reached: 3940m

Total ascent time: 5 to 7 hours

Accommodation: Barranco Camp and all your meals will be provided

Day 8: Barranco Camp to Karanga Valley Camp

You will be hiking for about four to five hours for a distance of 5km. The vegetation in this area is Alpine desert.

You will start the day with breakfast and today will be for overcoming the Great Barranco Wall. Kilimanjaro Safari Tours will begin with a dive into the Gorge prior to hiking the eastern wall where you will be able to enjoy the stunning sight of Mountain Kilimanjaro ice fields. You will continue hiking up to when you arrive at the camp, Karanga Valley Camp which is at an altitude of 3950m (13,900 feet).

Altitude reached: 3950m

Total ascent time: 4 to 5 hours

Accommodation: Karanga Valley Camp and all your meals will be provided

Day 9: Karanga Valley Camp to Barafu Camp (4600 m)

You will be hiking for about two to three hours for a distance of 4km. The habitat is Alpine desert.

You will begin the day with breakfast and hike via the Karanga Valley and the trail will become persistently challenging a little way after the lava ridge to the Barafu camp. The temperatures will drop a little and the landscape will become scantier as we get nearer to Barafu Camp. This will be the final stop for the porters since there is no water at Barafu Camp.(4600 m )

Barafu Camp is located on a small bare even range on the ridge which is also a base camp where you will start your summit endeavor at midnight of that very day. Barafu Camp is at an altitude of 15200 feet. This is a brief day of climbing so that you can go and sleep at the camp and prepare for your last climb to the peak at night. When you reach the camp, you might not find any water for washing or drinking. You will eat early and your guide will give you a briefing on how to get ready for the summit night and you will probably be asleep by 19:00hrs. You should endeavor to get enough rest since your guide will wake you up prior to midnight to prepare for your final hiking to the peak.

Altitude reached: 4600 m

Total ascent time: 2 to 3 hours

Accommodation: Barafu Camp and all your meals will be provided

Day 10: Summit Attempt, Uhuru Peak to Mweka

You will be hiking for about 8 hours to arrive at Uhuru Peak then 7 or 8 hours to slope to

Mweka with a distance of 7km to climb and 23km to slope. The habitat is stone scree and ice-capped summit.

You will wake up about 11:30 pm and then have some biscuits with tea. You will then begin to trek in the night. You will take the north western direction and hike in the thick scree leading to Stella point on the edge of the rim. You will take about 6 hours to reach Stella point and for majority of the climbers, this is the most tasking one both physically and mentally. When you reach Stella Point (5685m), you will take a brief rest and you will have the chance to enjoy the most stunning sunrise you might ever see in your whole life if the weather is on your side. When you are at Stella point, you will usually experience snow for your whole journey for two hours to Uhuru Peak. The amount of time you will be at the peak will be based on the weather conditions. You should not rest here for a long time since it will become very hard for you to begin again as a result of the exhaustion and biting cold. You will bask in your achievement and this day will definitely be ingrained in your memory for the remainder of your life. The trek back to Barafu from the peak will last almost three hours. You will take a well deserved break then you will gather your equipment and continue sloping to Mweka Hut (3100m). The route is not hard and it will lead you to the rock and scree path to the moorland and then to the forest. The camp site is located on the upper forest and you will most likely experience rain or mist in the afternoon. The porters will then boil water for drinking and washing.

Altitude reached: 5895m (Uhuru Summit), and later 3100m

Total ascent time: 6 to 7 hours; total descent time: 3 to 4 hours

Accommodation: Mweka Camp and all your meals will be provided

Day 11: Mweka camp to Mweka Gate

You will be hiking for almost three hours for a distance of approximately 15km. The habitat is the forest. You will start the day with an early breakfast then take a brief three hour climb back to the Park Gate. When you reach Mweka gate, you will register yourself. It is also the place where the triumphant climbers get their summit certificates. The climbers that get to Uhuru Peak (5895m) get golden certificates and those that reach Stella Point (5685m) are given green certificates. After Mweka Gate, you will slope to Mweka Village, usually a mud-filled 3km hike that lasts one hour. While in the Mweka Village, you will get to eat a steaming hot meal. You will then travel to Arusha and take a warm bath and have a delicious dinner. You will spend the night at a hotel.

Total ascent time: 6 to 7 hours

Accommodation: Planet Lodge Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12: Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park

You will have an early breakfast and set off for Lake Manyara National Park. The stunning park which is situated at the base of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania is very popular for its tree-climbing lions that are usually in the branches of acacia trees. While here, you will be able to see other wildlife such as zebras, elephants, hippos, buffalo, impala, giraffes among others. The beautiful flamingos as well as other water birds also litter the shore of the lake and you will get the chance to see them too. You will then return to the lodge to spend the night.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Isoitok Camp, or Marera Valley Lodge (mid-range hotel) or Lake Manyara Wildlife Camp (budget Hotel)

Day 13: Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park

When you are done with breakfast, you will begin your trip to Serengeti National Park, traveling through the high laying farmland of Karatu as well as many villages. You will arrive at Ngorongoro gate to sign in then you will move to the highlands of Ngorongoro at an altitude of 2300 m. You can make a stopover at the Crater view point for a few great photographs of the crater floor from an aerial point. You can then travel next to the edge of the crater and slope to the endless rolling plains in Serengeti.

While you are travelling, you will come across one of the Masai villages and you will be met by a Masai warrior who will give you a tour within and around their homes and give you a few tales of life as a nomad in this place. You will be introduced to their children as well as the remaining family members and you can take photos with them and even ask questions about the culture. When all is said and done, they will perform a song for you that comprises of jumping high. You will continue for a short while to Naabi Hill gate and then you will register at Serengeti. You can rest for your packed lunch at Naabi Hills gate or you can have it at the Copjes in Serengeti.

Based on the location of the Wildebeest Migration at the moment, you will travel there and enjoy a game drive with the large herds of animals that are migrating. You might observe some of the wildlife events such as hunting and the animals you are likely to come across are elephants, leopards, antelopes, lions, jackals, giraffe, hyenas, as well as zebras. You will arrive at the camp in central Serengeti in the evening. Even when the Great Migration is not taking place at Serengeti, the park is a great place to go for game viewing since some of the animals take part in the migration.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mbugani Camp (mid-range hotel) or Kati Kati Tented Camp (budget

Hotel)

Day 14: Full Day in Serengeti National Park

You will begin the day with a packed breakfast plus a packed lunch for the game driving early in the morning. Early morning game drives will let you see the cat family as they move along the road in an attempt to dodge the morning mist. You will come across a few other carnivores returning from a busy night of looking for prey or a lionesspreparing an attack in addition to other wildlife.

If you visit during the Wildebeest Migration, then Serengeti will be crowded so you can drive direct to the place where they are gathered and just hang around with them until you are satisfied. Based on where you will be in the afternoon, you can stop for lunch at Soronera visitors center in the heart of Serengeti. After your meal, you can take stretch a bit by strolling around and then you will have your afternoon game drives. You will then head back to your camp in the late afternoon or evening.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mbugani Camp (mid-range hotel) or Kati Kati Tented Camp (budget Hotel)

Day 15: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

You will start your day with breakfast at your camp then depart for Ngorongoro Crater game drive. While on your journey, you will slope 600 meters to the floor of the crater for amazing game drives. In this animal paradise, very few of them move in and out of the crater. You will get to see the cheetah ,wildebeest, rare black rhino, leopard, zebra, among others and you might be able to see all the Big Five in the crater in a single day of game drives. You will then go for an afternoon drive after which you will head back to your hotel for your meal and to sleep.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (mid-range hotel) or Rhino Lodge (budget Hotel)

Day 16: Ngorongoro to Arusha to Zanzibar

You will start the day with a delicious breakfast then you will head back to Arusha to catch your flight to Zanzibar in the afternoon. When you reach Zanzibar airport, you will be welcomed by one of our representatives who will take you to Sunshine Hotel Zanzibar or Similar for a beach extension.

You will spend the night at Sunshine Hotel in Zanzibar which is situated on the North East of the Island or any similar with all meals provided.

Day 17-19: Zanzibar Beach Extension

You can unwind on the irresistible beaches of Zanzibar with a number of water sports such as snorkeling, diving, fishing plus many others.

You will spend the night at Sunshine Hotel in Zanzibar which is situated on the North East of the Island or any similar with all meals provided.

Day 20: Zanzibar Beach- Stone Town

After having a relaxing time at the beach, Kilimanjaro safari combine best Zanzibar beach will lead you to Zanzibar Stone town and you can opt for the popular Spice tour which comprises of brief walks around the spice farms where you can observe, feel and try majority of the spices on the island such as ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon among others.

You will also view and taste numerous tropical fruits such as passion fruits, durian, jack fruits however this is based on the season. While exploring, you will see medicinal plants, spices as well as herbs and your professional guide will provide you with information on how they work in cosmetics, medicine or cooking. After this, you will be served with a delicious meal prepared with spices. You will then head to Stone town and stay at Tembo House Hotel which is in front of the stone town. If you would love to you can take a stroll around the Stone Town by yourself and tour the ruins and narrow lines.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: You can spend the night at Tembo House Hotel in Stone Town or similar

Day 19: Dolphin Tour

Day 21: Transfer to Zanzibar Airport, Departure

Your Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar beach holidays comes to a conclusion with a transfer to Zanzibar airport for your flight back home. If you prefer a later flight, you can take a guided walk of Stone Town for two or may be three hours before heading to the airport. This marks the end of your 21 Days Rwanda, Tanzania & Zanzibar Beach Tour