Kilimanjaro & treks
Kilimanjaro Airport, Arusha, Longido, Muriatata, Kitumbeine, Naikara, Gelai Bomba, Lake Natron, Ol Doinyo Lengai, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater
your journey
This trek follows the Maasai through their own country, from the foothills of Mount Longido across the plains and hills to Lake Natron, walking with Maasai warriors and elders who know every path.
After a night in Arusha you drive to Longido and walk for five days: the bird-rich foothills of Longido, the plains to the big rocks of Muriatata where giraffe and gerenuk live, the hills of Kitumbeine, the village of Naikara and, finally, the last stretch to Lake Natron at the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai. Donkeys carry water and luggage, and you camp near Maasai bomas, with a goat barbecue, dancing and storytelling around the fire.
At Natron you see the flamingos and the waterfalls, then climb Ol Doinyo Lengai overnight to reach the summit at sunrise. The trip ends with two days of classic safari: a full day in Lake Manyara National Park and seven hours on the Ngorongoro Crater floor before the drive back to Arusha.
Walkers who want to spend real time with Maasai communities and are happy with long days on foot and simple camping. The Ol Doinyo Lengai climb needs good fitness; the safari days at the end are easy.
Parks visited
Lake Natron & Ol Doinyo Lengai · Lake Manyara National Park · Ngorongoro Crater
what makes it special
day by day
We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive you to Arusha Center Tourist Inn for the night on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Rooms are en-suite doubles with hot showers and mosquito nets. The rest of the day is free to recover from your flight, and your guide will call in to brief you on the walking days ahead and check your gear.
We collect you at 9 am for the two-hour drive to Longido Maasai village. With your Maasai warrior guides and a packed lunch, you walk about five hours through the foothills of Mount Longido, a refuge for weavers, sunbirds, barbets and turacos, with medicinal plants along the way. The whole outing, with stops, takes more than seven hours. In the evening the warriors roast a goat and dance, and the elders tell stories by the fire.
After an early breakfast you walk for about six hours with Maasai warriors and an elder across the Maasai plains to Muriatata, the Big Rocks, carrying a packed lunch. This is country for giraffe, gerenuk, antelopes and many birds, with views of Kilimanjaro, Meru and Ol Doinyo Lengai. You pass Maasai bomas, and in the evening you watch the women milk the cattle before dinner and more stories around the fire.
After breakfast you set off with your Maasai warrior guides, while donkeys carry the drinking water, food and luggage. The walk takes six to seven hours, with hill walking and changing views, and a wide variety of plants, flowers, butterflies and birds along the way. You reach camp in the afternoon, with time to rest before dinner by the campfire.
After breakfast you walk for about six hours with your Maasai warriors and an elder to Naikara Maasai village, with views of Kilimanjaro, Meru, Ol Doinyo Lengai and Longido, and birds and small antelopes along the way. You camp at the village, and in the evening the elders and warriors share stories around the campfire. It is a good chance to ask about the traditions you have seen on the walk.
After an early breakfast you drive to Gelai Bomba, a Maasai village with shops where you can talk with people and stock up, then continue halfway to Lake Natron for a picnic lunch. After lunch you walk about four hours with a Maasai warrior guide to the lake at the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai. Later you walk to the lake to see the flamingos and visit the Munge waterfalls, before dinner by the campfire.
You wake around midnight, have a cup of coffee, collect your picnic box and drive to the start of the climb. You aim to reach the summit, 2,878 m, at about 5:30 am, in time for sunrise over the Serengeti plains, the Maasai plains, Kilimanjaro and Longido, and a look into the active crater. You walk down in about two hours, have lunch at Sengo Campsite, then drive to Mto wa Mbu.
After breakfast you enter Lake Manyara National Park for a full day of game driving with a picnic lunch. The park lies around the lake below the Rift Valley wall and is best known for its tree-climbing lions. You also have good chances of elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos and many birds. After a day of rest for your legs, you return to camp in the late evening for dinner.
After breakfast you drive up to Ngorongoro and descend to the crater floor for about seven hours of game viewing with a picnic lunch. The crater is one of the true wonders of nature, home to rhinos, elephants, lions, flamingos and many other species. In the late afternoon you climb out of the crater and drive back to Arusha, where the trip ends.
the price
Price on request
before you ask
Kilimanjaro needs no ropes or technical climbing skills, but it is a serious high-altitude trek. You walk for several hours a day on uneven ground, nights are cold, and summit night starts around midnight in thin air. Walking regularly on hills before you come, with a loaded daypack, is the best preparation.
We choose routes and itineraries with enough days on the mountain, and we follow the principle of climbing high and sleeping low. On the Machame route, for example, you take short walks above camp at Shira, Lava Tower, Karanga and Barafu before returning to sleep lower. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and tell your guide straight away about any headache, nausea or dizziness.
Many climbers use acetazolamide (Diamox) to help with acclimatisation, but it is a prescription medicine and not right for everyone. Talk to your own doctor before the trip, especially about allergies and side effects, and tell your guide if you are taking it.
Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year, but the driest months are mid-January to mid-March and late June to October, which are also the busiest. The long rains from late March to early June bring wet trails and cloud, and we generally advise against climbing then unless you are experienced in those conditions. November brings short rains, often in the afternoon.
On our Kilimanjaro packages with hotel nights, you stay at our partner hotel, Weru Weru River Lodge near Moshi, or a similar hotel, on the night before and the night after the climb. Your guide holds the pre-climb briefing and gear check there.
You need good broken-in hiking boots, warm layers including a down jacket, waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, a warm hat, a headtorch and a daypack. Tents, mats and all group and cooking equipment are provided. Your specialist will confirm what can be rented locally, including sleeping bags, and send you a full packing list.
It is the hardest part of the trip. The path is steep and loose, with sections where you use your hands on rock, and there is almost no shade once the sun is up, which is why the climb starts in the middle of the night. No mountaineering skills are needed, but you should be fit and comfortable on steep ground. Allow four to five hours up.
Enquire
Every AAA Express Adventure trip can be changed to suit you: the pace, the lodges, the number of days. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our team in Arusha will come back to you with a plan and a price.
Your journey
Price on request
9 days · 8 nights
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karibu
Call us on +255 784 281316, email sales@aaaexpressadventure.com or send an enquiry. Our team in Arusha will get back to you.
Price on request
Plan your trip
Enquiry about: 9-Day Maasai Land Trek with Maasai Warriors to Ol Doinyo Lengai
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