7-Day Kilimanjaro to Karatu Cycling Adventure

Arrival in Tanzania – Kilimanjaro International Airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our representative will be waiting to welcome you. You will then be transferred to The Maridadi Hotel, where you can relax and recover from your flight.

If you are already in Tanzania, we can also arrange pickup around Moshi/Arusha and transfer you to Maridadi Hotel, where the tour will begin.

Highlight: Catching your first glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro and testing your gear in the local coffee fields.

Elevation & Terrain Profile: Baseline altitude at the foot of the mountain. The test ride covers smooth dirt paths and minor village tracks to ensure a perfect bike fit.

Moshi to West Kilimanjaro | 64 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, the West Kilimanjaro plains are home to the nomadic Maasai people who co-exist with the surrounding wildlife, which 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 Olpopongi Maasai Village where you will be spending the night.

Elevation & Terrain Profile: A steady, gradual net ascent as you pedal out of the fertile southern slopes. The route transitions smoothly from paved tarmac roads onto more rugged, dusty dirt tracks as the environment grows more arid.

West Kilimanjaro to Arusha | 83 km

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. Elevation & Terrain Profile: A long, demanding day of undulating topography. Expect a hot, rough, and dusty off-road section across open plains, followed by a steady, sustained climb on smooth tarmac as you approach the elevated Arusha region.

Arusha to Tarangire National Park | 102 km

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 countryside perfectly represent 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 the Roika Tented Lodge, which marks the perfect ending to a long, hot day of cycling since there is a swimming pool where you can cool off. Elevation & Terrain Profile: The ultimate test of endurance featuring a high mileage but fast-rolling terrain profile. This stage is mostly on paved tarmac with long, sweeping hills where you literally “sweat up and coast down”, finishing with a short, flat dirt road detour into the safari buffer zone.

Tarangire to Lake Manyara | 74 km

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 Migunga Tented Camp where we will be spending the night.

Elevation & Terrain Profile: A relatively flat to gently rolling elevation profile across the floor of the valley step. The route consists of short tarmac links broken up by expansive, rocky dirt tracks slicing through active wildlife corridors and local Maasai settlements.

Lake Manyara to Karatu (Gateway to Ngorongoro) | 43 km

Today’s ride will be the final, the toughest, and the most rewarding stage. 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—the perfect place to take a great selfie. You will then proceed on the tarmac road, climbing into the cool, fertile highlands until we arrive in the colorful town of Karatu. This marks the triumphant end to a challenging but exciting 5-day cycling tour of Tanzania’s northern tourist circuit. After a celebratory toast to your achievement, you will check into the Ngorongoro Farm House (or alternative) where you will spend a relaxing evening.

Elevation & Terrain Profile: The Queen Stage. Shortest in distance but by far the steepest, highest-altitude, and most physically taxing profile. After a flat warm-up, you will hit a relentless, grueling climb directly up the paved tarmac of the escarpment, pushing deep into the high volcanic highlands to finish in Karatu.

Departure

Today you can relax at the beautiful lodge in Karatu before your transfer back to the airport. On the drive back, we will pass via the vibrant town of Mto wa Mbu where you can buy some local souvenirs to take back home with you.

Elevation & Terrain Profile: Rest day with no cycling. Full motorized transfer vehicle drop-off descending from the Karatu highlands back down to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).