Kilimanjaro & treks
Kilimanjaro Airport, Arusha, Lake Eyasi, Magaruti, Olbal Bal, Layanai, Empakai, Ngare Sero, Ol Doinyo Lengai, Arusha
your journey
This is an expedition rather than a safari. You cross northern Tanzania from west to east, much of it on foot: from the dry bush around Lake Eyasi, up through the forests and grasslands of the Ngorongoro highlands, past Empakai Crater and down into the Rift Valley at Lake Natron.
The first days are cultural. At Lake Eyasi you spend an evening with Datoga (Barbaig) families and a morning with Hadzabe hunters, who still live largely by hunting and gathering. Then the walking begins: four days with Maasai guides, donkeys carrying the supplies, sleeping at bush and forest camps near Magaruti Mountain, Olbal Bal and Layanai.
At Empakai you walk down to the lake on the crater floor for lunch. From there you head down to the Ngare Sero river below Ol Doinyo Lengai, with a rest day at the waterfalls and a Maasai evening, before the midnight climb of the volcano and the drive back to Arusha.
Experienced walkers who enjoy long days on foot, basic bush camping and remote places, and who want real time with Hadzabe, Datoga and Maasai communities. Good fitness is essential for the six-to-seven-hour walking days and the final climb.
Parks visited
Lake Eyasi · Ngorongoro Crater · Lake Natron & Ol Doinyo Lengai · Empakai & Olmoti Craters
what makes it special
day by day
Our team meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to Arusha, where you check in at Mc Ellys Hotel on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The rest of the day is yours to rest after the journey. Your guide will brief you on the expedition ahead, from the cultural days at Lake Eyasi to the walking days and the final climb, and check that you have everything you need.
After breakfast you drive from Arusha to Lake Eyasi, arriving in the late morning. After lunch you visit local Datoga (Barbaig) families and learn about their herding life and daily routine. In the evening you share traditional food, community activities and dancing, then head to your bush camp for dinner under the stars. It is a gentle start to a long journey, and a first taste of the country you will cross.
You start early with a light breakfast and join a Hadzabe guide in the bush around Lake Eyasi. Walking with the hunters, you learn how they hunt and gather, and how much they know about the plants, animals and seasons of this dry country. You return to camp for brunch, then spend the rest of the day exploring the Lake Eyasi area on foot before dinner.
After breakfast you begin the trek towards the Ngorongoro highlands with your Maasai guides, while donkeys carry the supplies. The route climbs through highland country and natural forest, with views back over the Lake Eyasi basin, and there are birds, butterflies and flowering plants all along the way. After about six to seven hours on foot you reach camp near Magaruti Mountain.
Today is a full day on foot through the Ngorongoro highlands towards the crater rim, through forest and open grassland. Depending on conditions and where you are, you may see giraffes, wildebeest, zebras and gazelles, as well as many birds. You continue towards Olbal Bal and reach your bush camp in the late afternoon for dinner and a well-earned rest.
After breakfast you set off with your Maasai guides on the trail to Layanai. The route follows established paths through the highlands, and your guides point out wildlife and birds along the way. After about six to seven hours of walking you arrive at the forest camp at Layanai, where the cook has dinner ready and the campfire going.
Today you walk from the Embulbul area to Empakai Crater, about three to four hours. At the crater you take the steep path down towards the floor and have lunch beside the soda lake, where flamingos and other water birds often gather. You spend some time exploring the crater floor before climbing back up to the rim for dinner and the night.
After breakfast you begin the walk towards the Great Rift Valley and the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai, through dramatic country as you drop towards Lake Natron. After reaching the area by vehicle, you continue to your camp by the Ngare Sero river. Later in the day you visit Lake Natron to look for flamingos and other water birds before returning to camp.
After breakfast you walk up the Ngare Sero river towards its waterfalls. Enjoy the gorge and, where conditions allow, swim in the natural pools. You return to camp for lunch and a rest, which you will be glad of before tonight. In the evening the local Maasai community shares traditional food and dancing with you before dinner and an early night.
You wake around midnight and drive to the trailhead to climb Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano rising to about 2,878 metres. You climb with your local guides through the early hours; the steep upper sections are the hardest. If the weather allows, you reach the summit around sunrise, with views across the Rift Valley. After descending to the vehicle you stop for lunch and drive back to Arusha.
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.
No. It is mainly a trekking and cultural expedition, with vehicle transfers between some sections. There are no game drives; you see wildlife on foot in the highlands and at Empakai.
Datoga (also called Barbaig) families and Hadzabe hunters at Lake Eyasi, and Maasai communities in the highlands and at Lake Natron. We confirm the details of each visit when you book.
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
10 days · 9 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: 10-Day Ngorongoro Highlands Trek from Lake Eyasi to Ol Doinyo Lengai
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