The 12 Days Kilimanjaro & Zanzibar Holiday is one of the best combined tours that every traveler should not miss. You will hike to the top of Africa at Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Enjoy great views as you hike from the first step up to your return. You will climb using the Machame route, sometimes called the “Whiskey route.”
After the hike, you will relax on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar. Enjoy cool mornings by the ocean, beach games, snorkeling, and swimming with dolphins.
Kilimanjaro & Zanzibar Holiday Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer from Moshi to Machame Camp
- Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp (3-4 hours)
- Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower then Barranco Camp (5-6 hours)
- Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (3-4 hours)
- Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp (3-4 hours)
- Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit then to Mweka Camp (12-14 hours)
- Day 7: Mweka Camp to Moshi (3-4 hours)
- Day 8: Return to Arusha, flight to Zanzibar
- Day 9: Stone Town tour
- Day 10: Beach time
- Day 11: Visit Prison Island
- Day 12: Drop off at the airport and departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Moshi to Machame Camp
Wake up early, have a cup of coffee or tea, and head to Machame Gate. Here you will meet other trekkers, get your permit, and start your hike.
You may spot some animals and birds along the way, and your guide will explain about them.
The ground is muddy and slippery, so using gaiters and trekking poles is helpful. Reach Machame Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp (3-4 hours)
Have breakfast and start hiking. You will leave the forest behind and hike through a valley on a steep rocky ridge. Arrive at Shira Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower then to Barranco Camp (5-6 hours)
After breakfast, hike to Lava Tower, a good spot for acclimatization. Pass east of the ridge near Kibo Peak and continue southeast to Lava Tower, also called Shark’s Tooth.
Afterward, descend to Barranco Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (3-4 hours)
After breakfast, hike up the steep Barranco Wall to Karanga Valley and then to the junction connecting to Mweka Trail. This is a challenging part that tests your strength.
Reach Karanga Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp (3-4 hours)
After breakfast, hike to Barafu Camp, which means ice or freezing in Swahili. Here you will see glaciers and prepare for the midnight climb. Have an early dinner and rest.
Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit then to Mweka Camp (12-14 hours)
Wake up around midnight or 2 a.m. for the hardest part of the hike. Climb past the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Keep going northwest through loose rocks to Stella Point near the crater rim.
Here you can see the sunrise, and faster hikers may see the sunrise from the summit. From Stella Point, it is about one hour to Uhuru Peak, where you will walk through snow.
Celebrate reaching Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, take pictures, and enjoy the moment.
Then, descend to Barafu Camp for a short rest and lunch before continuing down to Mweka Camp for your last night on the mountain.
Day 7: Mweka Camp to Moshi (3-4 hours)
After breakfast, say goodbye to the mountain and hike down to Mweka Gate. Receive your Summit Certificate.
Meet your driver and transfer to a hotel in Moshi for lunch, dinner, and rest.
Day 8: Return to Arusha, flight to Zanzibar
Have a slow breakfast, check out, and transfer to Arusha for your flight to Zanzibar. On arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your beach hotel.
Check in, have dinner, and rest overnight.
Day 9: Stone Town tour
After breakfast, relax at your hotel and enjoy ocean views. Later, visit Stone Town to see markets, the old slave market, Anglican church, Palace Museum, and Freddie Mercury’s house.
Have lunch at a good restaurant and return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Beach time
Enjoy breakfast by the beach. Spend the day swimming with dolphins and turtles, snorkeling, and other beach activities. Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and rest.
Day 11: Visit Prison Island
Visit Prison Island, built in 1893 by Lloyd Mathews, the first British minister of Zanzibar. It was once a quarantine center for people with yellow fever.
Learn the island’s history, enjoy a BBQ lunch, and return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Drop off at the airport and departure
Wake up at your own pace, have breakfast on your balcony, check out, and transfer to the airport for your flight home. The time depends on your flight schedule.
End of tour.