7 DAYS KILIMANJARO TO NGORONGORO CRATER CYCLING TOUR
OVERVIEW
Come and experience an exciting and unforgettable 360 km cycling tour across Tanzania’s famous northern circuit in 7 days. This tour takes you through Tanzania’s most iconic national and cultural attractions. From the base of the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, to the world’s largest unbroken caldera, the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater. Though the starting and end points of the tour may sound like the highlights of the tour, wait till you see all the amazing places and cultures you will visit and experience in between. We welcome you to come and experience this incredible journey with us.
ItInerary
DAY 1
Arrive in Tanzania
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transferred to Moshi town situated on the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Today you will meet your guide who will brief you about your upcoming tour and together you will do the bike fitting. For those arriving on the morning or afternoon flight, you will have ample time to go for a quick test ride through the nearby coffee plantation and surrounding villages.
Meals
Dinner Included
Accommodation
DAY 2
Moshi to West Kilimanjaro | 50 KM
Our ride today takes us from the greener southern side of Mt. Kilimanjaro towards the more arid western side of the mountain. Your ride today will initially take you through coffee and banana plantations as you cycle through the more fertile areas of southern Kilimanjaro but as you head west you will cycle through the more arid open plains and acacia woodlands. These plains support a remarkable variety of wildlife and spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While Moshi is home to the Chagga people west Kilimanjaro plains are home to the nomadic Maasai people who co-exist with the surrounding wildlife and it is why this area is known as the Maasai Lands. Your ride today will be on both dirt and tarmac roads and you will finish the ride at the Ngabobo village where you will be spending the night.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
Lodging at Osiligilai Maasai Lodge.
DAY 3
West Kilimanjaro to Arusha | 83 K
Today’s cycle will be a long one as we cycle from the west Kilimanjaro plains towards Arusha city. The first section of the ride will be through the Ngasurai open plains which serve as a migratory path for elephants moving to and from the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Cyclists should look forward to a hot and dusty day ahead. Once we finish the dirt road we will enter the main tarmac road towards Arusha city passing a few small villages and settlements along with Mt. Meru looming in the background. Right before reaching the bustling city of Arusha, we will divert through a coffee estate as we head towards our boutique lodge located outside the city. We will end our ride today at the Tembo Club where we will be spending the night.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
DAY 4
Arusha to Tarangire National Park | 102 K
Today’s ride will be the longest distance wise, but not the toughest, and will be mostly on tarmac roads. The ride will take us through many villages, towns and open plains. The long stretches of undulating road through the Tanzanian country side perfectly represents Ernest Hemingway’s quote when he said – “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” After completing the tarmac road section, we will divert onto the dirt road that takes us to our tented camp/ campsite right on the border of the Tarangire National Park, which is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Tanzania. Today we will be spending the night at your camp situated right on the edge of the Tarangire National Park, which marks the perfect ending to a long, hot day of cycling since there is a swimming pool where you can cool off.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
Camping at Roika Tented Lodge
DAY 5
Tarangire to Lake Manyara | 74 K
Today’s ride marks another exciting day as we cycle through the migratory wildlife corridors between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks. The first section of the ride takes us back to the main road which we follow for a few kilometers then divert on a dirt road towards Lake Manyara. This area is rich in wildlife and you will notice a significant number of Maasai settlements along the way. One of today’s highlights will be the beautiful views of the Great Rift Valley directly in front of us as we head towards Lake Manyara. After the dirt road section of today’s ride, we will rejoin the main tarmac road towards Mto wa Mbu town for several kilometers before diverting into the dirt road towards the campsite where we will be spending the night.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
Lodging at Twiga Lodge at Mto wa Mbu
DAY 6
Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Crater | 43km
Today’s ride will be the final and the toughest but the most rewarding. We start off the day cycling from the dirt road back onto the tarmac road and head past the bustling town of Mto wa Mbu and the entry gate of Lake Manyara National Park. We then proceed on a very tough cycle up the Great Rift Valley escarpment leaving behind a spectacular backdrop. Before reaching the top of the escarpment you will stop to catch your breath at the viewpoint overlooking the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park and its surroundings. If there’s ever a time to take a great selfie, it’s here. You will then proceed on the tarmac road past the colorful Karatu town as you head towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Your ride today will finish at the entrance gate to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area marking an end to a challenging but exciting 6-day tour of Tanzania’s northern tourist circuit, on two wheels. After a celebratory toast to your achievement, you will be transferred to the lodge where you will be spending the night.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
Lodging at Bougainvillea Safari Lodge
DAY 7
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive & Drive back to Kilimanjaro.
Today you will have an early start as you head to the Ngorongoro Crater to explore the amazing park of your tour. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the few areas in Tanzania where you can find such a breathtaking blend of scenery and wildlife coupled with a fascinating historical and cultural element. The is not only the largest unbroken caldera in the world but it is also one of the new 7 natural wonders of Africa. After your morning game drive, you will enjoy your packed lunch at the Hippo Pool Picnic site then continue with your afternoon game drive you will drive back to Arusha, on your way back to Moshi via the vibrant town of Mto wa Mbu where you can buy some souvenirs to take back home with you.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner Included.
Accommodation
DAY 8
Departure
Transfer to the airport.
Meals
Breakfast Only.
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.