9 DAYS KILIMANJARO TO INDIAN OCEAN CYCLING TOUR
KILIMANJARO TO INDIAN OCEAN
Route: Kilimanjaro to Indian Ocean.
Total Distance Covered: 330 Kilometers.
ItInerary
DAY 1
Arriving in Tanzania
You will be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport by our guide and then we have a 2-hour transfer to our scenic Simba Farm Lodge. Drinks and snacks will be provided for the transfer. You will have time to do fitting your bikes and briefing from your Guides on your upcoming ride.
DAY 2
Simba Farm Lodge to Osiligilai Maasai Lodge (53 Km)
On the first day of your ride, you will start from Simba Farm Lodge to Osiligilai Maasai Lodge, covering a distance of 53 kilometers. Today you’re advised to start early at 7:00 am because you may have enough time to watch animals on your way. The first ride will take you through the big wheat plantations, heading north and westwards we ride through rolling hills with breathtaking views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru. Keep an eye out as there is a chance, you will spot some wildlife during our ride. Tonight, we will spend the night at Osiligilai Maasai-Village. This is a planned village and all the houses are built the traditional way with local and natural materials. By staying in this village, we learn authentic Maasai life and culture without destroying the Maasai native homes, behaviors and environment. We’ll have lunch at the lodge, dinner and campfire in the evening where Maasai ceremonies will be performed.
Accommodation
Distance
Ride Distance: 53 kms
Tarmac Ride: 3km
Dust ride: 50km
Riding duration
6 – 7 hours
DAY 3
Osiligilai Maasai Lodge to Moshi Weruweru River Lodge (50Km)
Our first phase of today’s route takes us through the vast savannah land of the Maasai on dirt roads. Notice the iconic red and blue dressing style of the Maasai as we cycle past huts and daily livelihood. The ride continues into the farmlands of West Kilimanjaro as we approach Chagga land. Here the households change from huts to concrete surrounded by traditional gardens. Bananas were once the most common crop of the Chagga, and though they still grow these, they now grow coffee as well. Our ride ends up in a beautiful dhow-wood themed lodge surrounded by coffee plantation with a background of the mighty Kilimanjaro.
Accommodation
Distance
Ride Distance: 50km.
Tarmac road: 25km.
Rough Road: 25km
Riding duration
6 – 7 hours
DAY 4
Forest, Waterfall and Coffee loop (13Km)
This’s the shortest cycling day, covering 13 kilometers from Weruweru River Lodge to Moshi town. You will start the ride at 7:00am after your early breakfast. After a ride they will jump into the car and head to Mweka Wildlife College, a leading center for African wildlife managers that has trained over 5,000 wildlife managers from 52 countries worldwide.
After that you will be transferred to Materuni Waterfalls, you’ll venture deep into the lush greenery of the Kilimanjaro region, where the Materuni Waterfalls await. Cascading from a height of 150 meters, these majestic falls will leave you in awe of nature’s power and beauty. Make sure you have walking shoes and rain jacket as after a transfer by vehicle you’ll be at the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro and ready to hike to the 93 m high, Materuni waterfalls. As we walk into the jungle, we pass many plants, such as lemongrass, coffee, eucalyptus, passion fruit, mango and banana. Keep an eye out for chameleons as they are often sighted here. We end our day with a full demonstration of how we get a cup of coffee from a raw bean, then we can of course enjoy a cupper.
After the cultural and nature experience you will be transferred to Same town near the Mkomazi National Park for the good rest. It will take you two hour driving to Same town.
Accommodation
Distance
Ride Distance: 13kms
Rough ride: 6km
Tarmac ride: 7km
Riding duration
1 – 2hours
DAY 5
Mkomazi National Park, Amboni Cave & Tanga
A day off the bikes and into the wildnerness of Tanzania in the morning at 07:00am after your breakfast you will start driving heading to Mkomazi National Park the house of Rhinos and wild dogs. The drive will take you only 30 minutes driving to the gate. The park is located in the northern part of Tanzania, between Moshi and Tanga.
The park finds itself in a beautiful setting with both the Pare and Usambara mountains towering above its boundaries. You will enjoy closely black rhino, wild dogs, birds, Lake Jipe and other wild animals. Mkomazi National Park is the second park that have Trans-Boundary ecosystem in East Africa where animals move from Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania) to Tsavo National Park (Kenya). So, you will get to visit two national parks within two countries in the single day.
In afternoon at 12:00pm you will start driving to Tanga via Amboni Cave. These fascinating Caves are Tanzania’s most extensive limestone caves, located 8 kilometers north of Tanga region. The Amboni caves, which are home to a large number of bats, were traditionally thought to be home to various spirits and are still used for worship and rituals by the locals. The caves are believed to have been formed around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period and cover nearly 234 square kilometers. The tour will take you only 1 hour after there you will be transferred to you lodge for a good rest. Tonight, you’ll be able to enjoy the cool Indian Ocean breeze from our hotel.
Accommodation
Distance
Ride Distance: None
DAY 6
Tanga to Pangani (70Km)
After your good breakfast at 7:00am you will start the ride. A historical day in that we learn about the beginnings of Tanga at the Urithi Museum and then cycle through the town of Pangani to see some of 200-year-old buildings. There are many reminders of the strong Arabic influence and later German and British colonial eras. Our cycle route is flat and on a mix of dirt and tarmac roads viewing the Indian Ocean from a distance. At 55km you will find ferry at Pangani town to cross over to Mike’s beach cottages, you will finish riding 15km to the beautiful beach. It depends on energy you have, if you’re good enough you can have your lunch at the lodge.
Accommodation
Distance
Ride Distance: 70Km
Rough Ride: 60Km
Tarmac Ride: 10Km.
Riding duration
7 – 8hours
DAY 7
Pangani to Saadani National Park (72Km)
Another flat ride today on dirt roads as we head south towards Saadani National Park. You will start a ride after the breakfast at 7:00am. Our route will take you past many coastal villages and you will have the Indian Ocean on our left the entire ride. Saadani is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania bordering the sea and has four of the Big Five – East African lions, bush elephants, leopards and buffaloes. Our last 8 km are in the park so we will have our own game drive while cycling.
We also overnight in the park so will get the chance to hear the wild animals at night. Today we have two options, you can ride 50km from Pangani to Saadani National Park gate and get into the car for the transfer to lodge for lunch and later on you can do evening game drive to see the four of the big five closer, or riding the whole route with 72km and chilling at the beach.
Accommodation
Bandas Beach Lodge
Distance
Ride Distance: 72Km
Riding duration
7 – 8hours
DAY 8
Saadani National Park to Bagamoyo (72Km)
Rise early to catch a glimpse of the grazers having their breakfast in the park. We leave the wild animals behind and continue down the coast. Our destination is the historical town of Bagamoyo, the former capital of German East Africa. Today it is known as a center for dhow sailboat building. We’ll have a celebratory feast tonight at our oceanside resort and reflect back on Mt. Kilimanjaro as we look out onto the Indian Ocean.
Accommodation
Family Cottages
Distance
Ride Distance: 72Km
Rough Ride: 55Km
Tarmac Ride: 17Km
Riding duration
7 – 8hours
DAY 9
Bagamoyo to Departure
In the morning at 7:00am you will explore with your bikes Bagamoyo for 10km and have lunch at a local restaurant where you can try some seafood. In the afternoon relax at the resort or walk around town before we transfer to your Dar es salaam hotel or the airport to catch your flight. The transfer time from Bagamoyo to Dar es salaam is around 3 hours.
Includes:
- TREK Mountain Hard Tail 4300 Model, Avalanche & Merida Matts 20D mountain bikes
- Support vehicles
- Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- 4 liters of bottled mineral water per participants
- Snacks and fruits at water points
- 2-way airport transfer
- All government fees & taxes inclusive of 18% VAT
- All village fees
- Helmets
- Mkomazi & Saadani National Park fees, government fees & taxes inclusive of 18% VAT
- Transport in 4X4 Toyota Land Cruisers
- English speaking driver guide
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Bottled mineral water throughout the safari
Excludes:
- Tips to the guide and supporting crew.
- Items of a personal nature.
- Laundry service.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
- Flights.
- Extra services as indicated below.