Climb Kilimanjaro’s Rongai Route

Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, is located in Tanzania. On this trip, travelers will climb the mountain via the Rongai route. Travelers will start in Moshi, south of Kilimanjaro, and then drive to Rongai Gate. From here, they will walk through the rainforest until reaching Simba Camp. The next day, travelers will hike through the moorland and see the plains below (and possibly spot some elephants and giraffes). Previous travelers have even found the moorland to be their favorite section of the hike because of the views and vegetation. Then, travelers will head to Kikelelwa Cave, which has views of Kibo and Mawenzi Peaks. The next day, travelers will continue to Mawenzi Tarn Hut and continue through the alpine desert the next day. The seventh day of the trip is summit day! Travelers will reach Stella Point by sunrise and get to see a gorgeous view at the highest point in Africa. Travelers' next day will be their last day on the mountain. Once they reach the bottom, travelers get to decompress before heading home.

Follow Alice is an outfitter focused on adventure trips worldwide. All guides are local and 70% of all trip prices stay in the local economy. The company started in 2014 when the cofounder Reto climbed Kilimanjaro with Chris, a local Tanzanian guide, and the two teamed up to form Follow Alice.

Climb Mt Meru in Tanzania

Mount Meru is located in Northeastern Tanzania. Although technically an active volcano, its last minor eruption was over a century ago (1910). Millions of years ago, a significant eruption blew the top off the volcano, giving it its iconic horseshoe shape. The mountain is sometimes confused with Meru Peak in the Himalayas. Travelers will be picked up from Kilimanjaro International Airport and taken to their hotel. The group will take this time to freshen up and prepare for the day ahead at Arusha National Park. After everyone in the group is registered, they will drive west to the trailhead for game spotting. The trek will start there. It takes about 5-7 hours to reach Mariakamba Hut at sea level, so there’s a journey to be had. Onward to Saddle Hut. If everyone wakes up early enough, they can see a beautiful sunrise behind Mt. Kilimanjaro. Later, after a steep climb, the group will reach the band of the mountain. After reaching Saddle Hut, everyone can go on an acclimatization hike to Little Meru, a lower peak with a great view. The next day is summit day. At 2 AM, everyone will climb toward the socialist peak to see the sunrise from nearby Kilimanjaro. Hike down to Miriakamba Hut that night. On the way to the bottom of the mountain, everyone can see the famous Fig Tree Arch and the waterfall on the Tuluslusia River. Go back to the airport the next day. Depart.

FollowAlice is one of the only travel companies worldwide with perfect 5* reviews. The company provides travelers with local guides while 70% of the trip stays in the local economy. Local guides look over the group in every way; their goal is to give every traveler the feeling they get when a friend shows them their country.

Climb Kilimanjaro's Lemosho Route

Tanzania, located in East Africa, is home to diverse wildlife and Serengeti National Park. It is a great place to go on a safari and explore well-known sites. However, on this trip, travelers explore a different famed aspect of Tanzania: Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the world’s seven summits and the world’s tallest-free standing mountain. Travelers begin this trip upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. The first day will be spent with a briefing about the upcoming trek along the Lemosho Route, known for its scenery and high success rate due to its good acclimatization profile. Travelers will begin this trek by entering through the Londorossi Park Gate, where they will have an hour's drive to the trailhead at Lemosho Gate and then hike for around three hours to Mti Mkubwa Camp (Big Tree Camp), where they will spend their first night. The next day, travelers will hike into the moorland zone, enjoying beautiful scenery before reaching the Shira 1 Camp. On the fourth day, travelers will continue through the Shira Plateau and see a gap in the Kibo crater created by lava flow before spending the night at Moir Hut. Then, travelers will hike to Lava Tower, where they will enjoy lunch before continuing to Barranco Camp. The next day, travelers will climb the Barranco Wall, which is steep but reportedly easier than it seems, with the reward of being above the clouds upon reaching the top of the wall. Travelers will then spend the night at Karanga Campa and wake up the following day ready to tackle some more hiking through the alpine desert before reaching Barafu Camp. Travelers will sleep early and get up at midnight to hike through sunrise, heading toward Uhuru Peak and the summit (the top of Africa). After this accomplishment, travelers will spend the next day hiking through the rainforest to Mweka Gate at the foot of the mountain, enjoying some last scenery before driving back to a lodge to spend the night, with departure being the next day.

Follow Alice is an outfitter focused on adventure trips worldwide. All guides are local and 70% of all trip prices stay in the local economy. The company started in 2014 when the cofounder Reto climbed Kilimanjaro with Chris, a local Tanzanian guide, and the two teamed up to form Follow Alice.

Venture Through the Serengeti

Tanzania is a country in Africa known for its wildlife and culture. Thirty percent of the country is made up of National Parks, with the city of Arusha being its safari capital. After beginning the trip in Arusha, travelers will see the Serengeti National Park. Here, travelers will partake in a three-day wildlife safari in which they will visit Ngorongoro Crater, a conservation area that is known for having Africa’s best wildlife view. Travelers will also have the option to take a hot air balloon ride and will get to go down to the crater floor. Travelers will then pass by Mount Kilimanjaro on the way to Dar es Salaam before spending the last few days of the trip in Zanzibar. In Zanzibar, travelers will get to visit Stone Town. This is one of the oldest parts of Zanzibar and is one of its historical centers with amazing architecture and beaches.

This is a G Adventures 18-to-Thirtysomethings trip catering to 18–39-year-old travelers. All G Adventures trips are led by a local guide, a CEO, Chief Experience Officer, and trip revenue is driven to help the local community. Starting at $1565 per person, this experience lasts over the course of 9 days. Transportation between destinations, some meals and accommodation will be included.

Volunteer to Assist Maasai Communities in Tanzania

Volunteers are based at a village in remote Maasailand of Tanzania. Here, they can live and learn from the Maasai people who have lived in areas of what are now Tanzania and Kenya for hundreds of years. The Maasai of Tanzania are pastoralists, with a lifestyle centered around cattle. Volunteers will support a rural Maasai community in various ways, including environmental conservation, poverty reduction, farming and welfare. Volunteers can also help local doctors, create social media content, and work on construction projects for school expansions.

This is a two-week trip offered by International Volunteer HQ. All IVHQ volunteer programs include airport pickup and accommodation, program orientation, and 24-hour IVHQ staff support. This project costs $463 for two weeks.

Experience Tanzania

Tanzania, a country in East Africa sitting just south of the Equator, is a study in topographical contrasts, filled with vast stretches of plains and plateaus as well as jutting mountains, the most famous of which being Mount Kilimanjaro. The country is also home to more than 120 ethnic groups and a diversity of cultures and traditions. During this trip, travelers will be able to experience some of these many cultures, chatting with members of local tribes and participating in myriad activities such as drumming, cooking and traditional metallurgy. The journey begins in Arusha, a city located at the base of the volcanic Mount Meru, where the group will be able to experience daily life in the city and visit the local market. The next day, travelers will learn about the peanut butter production process and visit the Nelson Mandela Institution of Science and Technology, a public university in Arusha, to connect with the students and learn more about their projects and research. A full day will also be spent in Tarangire National Park, the 6th largest National Park in Tanzania. From observing the diverse wildlife in the park to visiting the Kakoi Water Project – a project that aims to construct a constant water source for 15,500 local people who live in the surrounding areas of the park – the day will be full of adventure and learning. In the days following, travelers will also have the opportunity to go on a morning hunt with the Hadzabe tribe and learn to make metal handicrafts with the Datoga tribe. 

This 9-day and 8-night experience starts at $3,000 per person and includes accommodation, transportation, and contribution to the Kakoi Water Project through the 501(c)(3) organization Second Look Worldwide. 

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OFF SEASON ADVENTURES

Visit Tanzania and Zanzibar in the Offseason

Take a trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar with Off Season Adventures to visit Serengeti National Park, home to exotic wildlife such as giraffes, zebras and crocodiles, and the Ngorongoro Crater, a volcanic crater turned into a conservation area that is home to Africa’s “Big Five” animals: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo. This trip starts in Arusha, where travelers have a chance to explore the city or take part in a farm tour, market tour or cooking class. Arusha lies at the base of Mount Meru and also provides views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Throughout the trip visitors will experience multiple national parks including Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. In Zanzibar, an exotic Indian Ocean island known for its beaches, travelers can explore Stone Town, take a sunset cruise and relax along the beach. This trip is by Off Season Adventures, an organization that organizes travels in the offseason to promote economic stability. Since tourism is one of the largest sources of income for Tanzanians, the lack of visitors in the offseason can lead to economic struggles. Off Season Adventures also donates 5% of each trip package to invest in local communities and the environment. This trip runs in November and costs $2,095 for the eight-day tour to Tanzania and an extra $750 for the 12-day tour that also includes Zanzibar. 

To learn more about Tanzania and Off Season Adventures, check out CATALYST’s Travel and Purpose Podcast in which Tanner Knorr, owner and founder of Off Season Adventures, is interviewed about his experience founding a sustainable travel company. 

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Off Season Adventures 

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Do Long-Term Volunteering and Hiking in Tanzania

Tanzania is one of Africa’s most renowned destinations. Home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain, and Serengeti National Park, home of the wildebeest and zebra migration along with local wildlife such as giraffes, rhinos and lions, Tanzania is a country with exotic animals and a rich culture. On this trip, travelers have the opportunity to volunteer in the Kilombero and Mvomero districts of Tanzania. Kilombero, located in the Morogoro region, is made up of vast flood plains, while Mvomero is situated near farms and rivers.

The trip is a three-phase volunteering program lasting up to 10 weeks. However, there are also shorter options for four, five or seven weeks. The first two phases of the trip include living with a host family. The first phase of the trip is the “community” phase, in which volunteers work on water, sanitation and hygiene projects in rural areas. The second phase is the “environmental” phase, where the primary goal is to increase awareness about protecting natural resources. This includes replanting trees in deforested areas, going to schools to talk about climate change and protecting national parks. The third and final phase is a trekking expedition that serves to build leadership and teamwork skills. This phase is a backpacking expedition through the Morogoro region or Tanzania’s southern highlands. The Morogoro region is found in eastern Tanzania and is known for its game reserves and mountain scenery. The southern highlands, on the other hand, are home to vast plateaus and volcanic mountains. The ten-week trip is run by Raleigh International, a young adult-oriented (ages 17 to 24) volunteering company that seeks to promote leadership and civic duty. The trip itself costs $5,500.

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Raleigh International

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Support Women’s Empowerment in Tanzania

Tanzania is an East African country known for its vast wildernesses such as the Serengeti. This park is famous for housing Africa’s “big five”: lions, elephants, leopards, buffalos and rhinos. The “Women’s Empowerment Volunteering” trip takes travelers to Arusha to support women in the area who have faced abuse. Arusha is located at the base of Mount Meru and is a gateway to the Serengeti and to Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa. The women’s empowerment program aims to assist abused women by offering them a refuge to escape the violence and plan for a better life. The project’s goals are to provide essential care to vulnerable women and children, to improve their prospects through education and skills training, and to enable intercultural exchange. A volunteer will typically work between four and six hours per day. The minimum duration is two weeks and participants must be at least 18 years old. For two weeks the trip costs $529, while the maximum of 12 weeks costs $1,899. This program truly allows enrollees to help empower women so that they can attain a better future.

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Love Volunteers

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