Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Nairobi. If you arrive early, perhaps head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum, or join a local guide on an Tuuur day tour who'll not only show you the sights but also lead you to the perfect lunch spot to try some local cuisine. Tonight, why not ask your leader for local dinner recommendations and head out as a group to get to know your fellow travellers. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. Petty theft is common in Nairobi. As a general rule, the safest place for your valuables is on your person in a neck wallet or money belt, though your hotel room or reception may have a safe in which to store things. If you do decide to go exploring, make sure you get local advice on where it is and isn't safe to walk – particularly for later in the day. Be careful not to leave bags unattended on chairs or floors when in bars or restaurants. Without being paranoid, appearing vigilant is a great deterrence to would-be thieves. Also, make scans of important travel documents and email them to yourself – this will save you hours of paperwork if anything does happen.

Today, you'll board your overland vehicle bound for Amboseli National Park. The park covers an area of about 392 square kilometres and is home to the largest population of African elephants in Kenya, many of which are ‘big tuskers’ (elephants with large tusks). You may even spot a ‘super tusker’ – a male bull elephant with tusks that weigh over 45 kg each, usually so long they scrape the ground. If you're lucky to visit on a clear day, you'll be treated to amazing views of Mt Kilimanjaro. When you arrive, you'll set off on a game drive in your overland vehicle to explore the park and discover the wildlife that calls this place home. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

This morning, cross into Tanzania and travel to the Naramatisho Women's Centre, established by the Pastoral Women's Council (PWC) – a partner of The Tuuur Foundation. You'll be warmly welcomed with traditional songs and dance before learning how PWC empowers Indigenous pastoralist women through programmes that advance women's rights, leadership, education and economic empowerment. Then, visit the centre's workshop to discover the art of Maasai beadwork and its cultural significance before visiting a nearby Maasai village for a firsthand look at daily life, traditions and community customs. Afterwards, head to camp and settle in for the evening. Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.

Wake up early, load your camping gear and personal belongings into a six-person jeep and head out to the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending 3 to 4 hours exploring this incredible, perfectly intact volcanic caldera. Keep an eye out for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent wildlife viewing year-round (around 30,000 animals live here), and the photo opportunities are unrivalled. Next, continue to the wide-open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains and brown and burnt during the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Spend time in search of the Serengeti's abundant wildlife before continuing to your campsite within the national park. As night falls, listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep. Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours. You will notice some Maasai villages in the region of the Ngorongoro Crater offering a cultural experience. Tuuur recommends avoiding these villages, as they can impact negatively on the Maasai culture and travellers' perceptions of it by selling an artificial experience. During the winter months (June to August) it can be surprisingly cold at night, so be sure to bring some warm clothes. Your camp within the Serengeti National Park does not have a fence to separate the tents from the animals. This is quite the experience as animals such as buffalo and hyenas often come close to camp after sundown. When you arrive at the camp, your leader will give a detailed safety briefing on what is required to ensure the safety of the group. Tonight’s camp is basic with limited running water and no upgrades or wi-fi available.

Awake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option of a balloon safari over the Serengeti. If you have booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, take off and glide through the dawn sky, sometimes at tree height, getting some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you'll ascend higher, giving you an overview of the vastness of the plains. After landing, celebrate with a glass of champagne before tucking into a special bush breakfast. The optional balloon safari over the Serengeti can be pre-booked at the same price as booking locally. You're welcome to decide once you're on the ground, but please note that this is a popular activity and places are limited. If you choose to participate, you will miss the included morning safari with the rest of the group.

Enjoy a leisurely morning 4WD safari and picnic lunch on your way out of Serengeti National Park today. Soak up final views of this incredible spot before making the long drive to the town of Karatu – your base for the next two nights. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

Kick off the day with an included visit to a local coffee farm, a hands‑on experience hosted at the farmer’s home. Pick a few ripe berries straight from the trees, see how the husk comes off, then roast, pound and grind the beans the traditional way, before enjoying a cup with your host. Tonight, there may be the option to upgrade your accommodation (subject to availability).

After breakfast, board your overland truck for the final time and head back to Arusha. Upon arrival, you'll be dropped off at the Impala Shuttle Office, where you'll say goodbye to your truck and crew. From there, you'll take an unescorted shuttle bus to Moshi, nestled in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro (1300 m). The shuttle departs around 9 am. You’ll have a second welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight for a full briefing and kit inspection by an experienced Kilimanjaro climber. After the meeting, fuel up on a hearty dinner with your fellow trekkers and get a good night’s rest, ready to start your climb tomorrow! Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group will change at this location. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting this evening. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. This section of your trip visits places at high altitudes, and as a result, some people may suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Health’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more important details.

Meet your guides and porters after breakfast this morning, then take the opportunity to organise your gear before setting off to the Machame Gate – the south-western entrance to the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park. Begin your hike around lunch time, starting with a stroll through the rainforest, looking out for some of the many brightly coloured birds here. Set up camp at Machame in the mid-afternoon, ready for your first night on Kilimanjaro! The huts fell into disrepair some years ago, so with the help of the porters, you’ll be setting up tents for the night. Tonight, enjoy a meal prepared by the porters and savour the first night of sleeping outdoors. Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour. Your hiking time will be approximately 6 to 7 hours or 11 km (6.8 mi). You will sleep on elevation of about 2835 m (9301 ft).

Your second day on the mountain takes you out of the rainforest and up a steep ridge into moor land. Watch as the vegetation grows sparser as you ascend along the path to the Shira Plateau – soon, several distinct species, including the giant groundsel and lobelia, will be the only plants dominating the harsh landscape. Spend the night camping on the edge of the plateau and be treated to a golden sunset over the snow-dusted peaks of Kibo. Your hiking time will be approximately 5 to 6 hours or 5 km (3.1 mi) and you will sleep on elevation of about 3750 m (12303 ft).

After breakfast today, enjoy a fantastic walk as you continue through the rolling landscape and deep river valleys, stopping for a packed lunch along the way. The undulating land here offers a great chance to acclimatise and as you ascend to the more rugged areas of the mountain, there are great views of the Kibo Massif and its scenic surroundings. Tonight, you’ll sleep at Barranco Camp. Your hiking time will be approximately 6 to 7 hours or 10 km (6.2 mi) and you will sleep on elevation of about 3900 m (12795 ft).

Have breakfast together at Barranco Camp this morning, then begin today’s hike. From Karanga, head up to the intersection of the South Circuit and the Mweka route where you’ll start climbing up a ridge to Barafu Hut. Barafu is Swahili for ‘ice’ – as the name suggests, it can be very cold here at night! You should arrive at Barafu around lunchtime, allowing plenty of time to rest before the final summit attempt very early tomorrow morning. Your hiking time will be approximately 7 to 8 hours or 10 km (6.2 mi) and you will sleep on elevation of about 4673m (15331 ft).

At around midnight, you’ll be woken by the guides with some hot tea and biscuits to give you energy before the long, difficult ascent up scree, and sometimes snow, to Stella Point (5780 m). Pass the giant Rebmann Glacier on the way, and hopefully arrive at Stella Point in time for sunrise and superb views of the crater and the glacier glistening in the morning sun. From Stella, it’s a further 1-hour hike along the rim of the crater to Uhuru Peak (5895m) – the highest point in Africa! From the summit, take in unforgettable views of the crater, the ice fields and the vast East African plains below. After some photos and well deserved pats on the back, you’ll begin your descent. Back at Barafu Camp, enjoy a well-earned lunch and much thicker air. After, continue to Mweka Camp for the night for a well-deserved rest. Your hiking time will be approximately 11 to 12 hours or 10 km (6.2 mi) with an elevation gain of about 1222m (4009 ft) to the summit. Total descent to Mweka camp is about 2795m (9268 ft),

Today, you’ll continue to descend the mountain, traversing alpine meadows and rainforest to the Mweka park gate. When you arrive, have some lunch after checking out of the park and then transport back to the hotel for a relaxing shower – a real treat after the physical exertions of the last few days! Tonight, gather with your trekking companions for dinner, sharing your experiences of the past six days on the mountain. Your hiking time will be approximately 3 to 4 hours or 10 km (6.2 mi) with an elevation loss of about 1460 m (9578 ft).

With no activities or trekking planned for today, you’re free to depart at any time. Transfers to Kilimanjaro Airport or a shuttle to Nairobi can be arranged locally – please speak to your leader at your welcome meeting if you wish to organise this.