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The journey
Ride Mount Kilimanjaro from the rainforest slopes near Marangu to Uhuru Peak on an 8-day mountain biking adventure based in Moshi. This itinerary combines cycling, acclimatization, camping and hut stays, with support from experienced Kilimanjaro guides, porters and a cook along the route. Along the way, you will pass through rainforest, semitropical foothills and Alpine desert, with views of Mawenzi, Kibo, Mount Meru and the surrounding landscapes of Tanzania and parts of Kenya. It is a demanding, adrenaline-fueled journey designed for fellow biking enthusiasts seeking a high-altitude challenge.
At a glance
Day by day
You will be picked up from Kilimanjaro Airport or any other arrival point by a guide, who will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. All the necessary information for the trip will be shared upon check-in. The rest of the day can be used for resting and exploring the city of Moshi.
This morning, pick-up will be arranged from your hotel in Moshi, followed by a transfer to Marangu Gate, where we will take care of the permit registrations for everyone. There, we will meet a team of porters who will follow us on the route.
Then, from Marangu Gate, we will be transferred to Kilema Gate, our starting point for the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park ride. We will cycle through a rainforest with many different plant species, birds and animals. The ride will end at Kilema Camp at 2,980 meters, where we will overnight in tents inside the camp area.
Today is 70% cycling.
Today, the ride will take us through Kilimanjaro's semitropical foothills and then on a steep path to Horombo Camp at 3,700 meters. From there, we will have a beautiful view of Kilimanjaro with its two peaks and two brothers, Mawenzi and Kibo. We will stay overnight in the hut.
Today is 75% cycling.
This day will be used for acclimatization, an essential part of the trip. After breakfast, we will ride through the Alpine desert to Mawenzi Hut and then back to Horombo Camp. Overnight stay is again in Horombo Camp.
Today is 90% cycling.
The ride will start after breakfast. We will pass the Senecio garden with the endemic tree species and continue through the Alpine desert. The path runs between the two peaks, Kibo and Mawenzi, making this route very scenic. At Kibo Base Camp, you will have a summit briefing with all the information needed regarding the rest of the trip. Then, we will have time to rest in the afternoon.
Today is 90% cycling.
This part of the route starts in the middle of the night with a zig-zag trek climbing along the slopes. It will take approximately 2 hours to reach Hans Meyer's Cave, and the gradient gets steeper from here. The climb continues for another 3 hours to Gilman's Point, where we will take our bikes from the porters and start riding on the crater rim to the summit - Uhuru Peak.
From here, we can see the glaciers of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, as well as the beautiful lands of Tanzania and parts of Kenya. At the summit, you can choose whether you prefer to continue riding your bicycle or walking, according to your health condition and the guide's suggestions. On the way down, we will stop at Kibo Base Camp for lunch and continue to Horombo Camp.
Today, from Kibo to Uhuru, it is 20% trekking and 80% cycling, and from Kibo to Horombo it is 80% cycling.
After a night of rest and breakfast, we will make our final ride down across the moorland and rainforest to Kilema Gate. From there, you will be transferred to Marangu Gate for check-out and then to your hotel. The drive back from Kilema Gate to Moshi with the bicycle is optional.
Transfer back to the airport is included.
The route
The fine print
Your Kilimanjaro gear list should include layered clothing, including an insulated jacket and warm gloves, good-quality hiking boots, a 4-season bag, a headlamp, and a water bottle. But these are only the basics.
Hiking up and down hills with weight is by far the best training you can do. Try to build up from 3-hour to 8-hour hikes once a week. Regular and increasingly longer hikes will help develop the muscles you need when you arrive on the side of Kilimanjaro. This cannot be on the flat.
Logistics
Your 8 days finish where they began, in Kilimanjaro Airport Rd.
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