Serengeti & Kilimanjaro - Marangu Route

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Nairobi. If you arrive early, perhaps head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum, or join a local guide on an Intrepid day tour who'll not only show you the sights but also lead you to the perfect lunch spot to try some local cuisine. Tonight, why not ask your leader for local dinner recommendations and head out as a group to get to know your fellow travellers.

Today, you'll board your overland vehicle bound for Amboseli National Park. The park covers an area of about 392 square kilometres and is home to the largest population of African elephants in Kenya, many of which are ‘big tuskers’ (elephants with large tusks). You may even spot a ‘super tusker’ – a male bull elephant with tusks that weigh over 45 kg each, usually so long they scrape the ground. If you're lucky to visit on a clear day, you'll be treated to amazing views of Mt Kilimanjaro. When you arrive, you'll set off on a game drive in your overland vehicle to explore the park and discover the wildlife that calls this place home.

This morning, cross into Tanzania and travel to the Naramatisho Women's Centre, established by the Pastoral Women's Council (PWC) – a partner of The Intrepid Foundation. You'll be warmly welcomed with traditional songs and dance before learning how PWC empowers Indigenous pastoralist women through programmes that advance women's rights, leadership, education and economic empowerment. Then, visit the centre's workshop to discover the art of Maasai beadwork and its cultural significance before visiting a nearby Maasai village for a firsthand look at daily life, traditions and community customs. Afterwards, head to camp and settle in for the evening.

Wake up early, load your camping gear and personal belongings into a six-person jeep and head out to the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending 3 to 4 hours exploring this incredible, perfectly intact volcanic caldera. Keep an eye out for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent wildlife viewing year-round (around 30,000 animals live here), and the photo opportunities are unrivalled. Next, continue to the wide-open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains and brown and burnt during the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Spend time in search of the Serengeti's abundant wildlife before continuing to your campsite within the national park. As night falls, listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Awake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option of a balloon safari over the Serengeti. If you have booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, take off and glide through the dawn sky, sometimes at tree height, getting some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you'll ascend higher, giving you an overview of the vastness of the plains. After landing, celebrate with a glass of champagne before tucking into a special bush breakfast.

Enjoy a leisurely morning 4WD safari and picnic lunch on your way out of Serengeti National Park today. Soak up final views of this incredible spot before making the long drive to the town of Karatu – your base for the next two nights.

Kick off the day with an included visit to a local coffee farm, a hands‑on experience hosted at the farmer’s home. Pick a few ripe berries straight from the trees, see how the husk comes off, then roast, pound and grind the beans the traditional way, before enjoying a cup with your host.

After breakfast, board your overland truck for the final time and head back to Arusha. Upon arrival, you'll be dropped off at the Impala Shuttle Office, where you'll say goodbye to your truck and crew. From there, you'll take an unescorted shuttle bus to Marangu, nestled in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro (1300 m). The shuttle departs around 9 am. You’ll have a second welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight for a full briefing and kit inspection by an experienced Kilimanjaro climber. After the meeting, fuel up on a hearty dinner with your fellow trekkers and get a good night’s rest, ready to start your climb tomorrow!

After a hearty breakfast, make your way to Marangu Gate, the entrance of the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park (1860 m) and meet your guides and porters. With introductions and assignment of porter loads taken care of, it’s time to embark on your trek. Commonly known as the 'Coca Cola' route, the Marangu Route is the oldest track on Kilimanjaro. Look out for the resident wildlife and enjoy the vast landscape as you walk.

Your second day on the mountain involves another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch. The total distance from Mandara to the Horombo huts is 12 kilometres (approximately 5 to 6 hours). Today you will see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows dotted with giant heather trees. Once out of the forest canopy, the twin snow-tipped peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi lie directly ahead. These are two of the three great cones of Kilimanjaro (the other being Shira). During the day’s walk we will traverse several ravines before reaching the hut, which is set in a rocky valley. There is time to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and changing landscapes on the way to Horombo Hut (3720 metres). We will spend the next two nights here at the hut.

After breakfast, walk towards Mawenzi Hut, passing the unusual Zebra Rocks on the way. It’s a steep climb up a grassy slope, but well worth it: the views over the area towards Kibo are second-to-none. Afterwards, return to Horombo for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing and acclimatising to the altitude, or ask your guides about short walks in the area. Take advantage of the rest day here and drink plenty of water – the next couple of days will be pretty intense!

Today you’ll walk the 10 kilometres or so from Horombo to Kibo Hut (approximately 5–6 hours). As the journey progresses you will notice the landscape gradually becoming more rugged and rocky, and the air noticeably thinner. We will have to soften our pace a little to accommodate these environmental changes. Marvel at giant groundsels and lobelias while you travel across the sparse moorland. Skirt Mawenzi Peak and marvel at the stark lunar landscape of the Saddle, reaching Kibo Hut in afternoon (4720 m), take the opportunity to have an early night in preparation for a very early (or late?) wake-up call.

Your guides will wake you up at 11 pm and hot tea will be served. Prepare for the last leg of the trek – to the summit. The distance from Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak is six kilometres (approximately 6–8 hours), and the descent to Horombo will be approximately the same amount of time. The trek begins beneath the stars as you zigzag your way up a large scree slope, guided only by torch light, to reach Gilman's Point (5685 m). With some luck, arrive in time for breathtaking views of the sun rising behind Mawenzi Peak. This is the stretch that most people find the hardest, and you should be prepared for a very cold morning. The dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields of the crater will make the early start worthwhile. For those who still have the energy, it's a further walk (approximately 2 hours) along the rim of the crater to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. From here there are amazing views of the crater, ice fields and plains below. After photos and time to catch your breath, descend back to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest.

Continue your descent through alpine meadows and rainforest to the park gate. The distance from Horombo to Marangu Gate is 20 kilometres (approximately 5–6 hours). Here your transport awaits and you will return to the hotel for a relaxing shower – a real treat after the physical exertions of the last few days! Over a celebratory meal we can relive and share our experiences of the past five days on the mountain.