Itinerant hike to discover the Tanzanian wilderness from the lowland coastal Savannah and mangrove forests, and finishing on the magical beaches of the Indian Ocean crossing the Masai steppes of Simanjo and Kitwai, Tarangire animal migration reserves.
Bivouacs in the middle of nowhere to meet local people and well-deserved comfort accommodation. Biking on tracks frequented by wildlife and visiting the Tarangire animal park by 4×4.
Days: 14 days
Destinations: Kenya, Tanzania.
Price:
When arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. On the way you will see some amazing landscapes of Arusha region and amazing peoples of Tanzania passing through some small towns towards a clean and arranged city of Arusha. There after you will meet some crew members, checking the bike and we will brief you about your tour. If there’s time you can explore Arusha and visit the vegetable market and musea.
In the early morning, we leave Arusha behind. The ride begins on asphalt but soon we switch to smaller tracks and enjoy the view on Mount Meru. A short break is planned near Mererani Township. Today’s route combines paved roads, some gravel tracks and dirt roads. Lunch is served at a natural hot spring where those who wish can enjoy a refreshing swim. In the afternoon we continue towards West Kilimanjaro where we stay overnight at a farm with guest rooms.
We leave the farm behind and ride from the dry side of Kilimanjaro to the greener windward side of the mountain. With some luck the two famous peaks, Mawenzi and Kibo, will be visible during the cooler morning hours. Along the way we pass through areas inhabited by the Chagga people, who traditionally live around Mount Kilimanjaro. A picnic lunch is planned on the way. Inside the nearby forest reserve, we may encounter wildlife such as black and white colobus monkeys or blue monkeys. The route alternates between newly paved roads and dirt tracks before we reach our hotel in the green hills of Marangu for the night.
There is only a few km of asphalt on today’s routing. Today we turn towards the Pare Mountains and follow dirt tracks through the hills. We take a winding gravel road that is easy to ride. After a lunch break, we continue on a gravel road to Lake Jipe, on the border with Kenya. We make our way uphill to the Pare Mountains with a beautiful view of the small towns and villages scattered over the hills. Some parts riding up and down the mountains may be difficult but fun, then we proceed downhill on dirt roads with many sharp turns until we reach the hotel in Same.
Stony, sandy and hilly trails along amazing views await us today. After breakfast, we will explore the eastern Pare Mountain range, where we will descend to the southern ranges and find no more paved roads. Our route leads through untouched savannah to Lake Kalimawe, which is surrounded by small villages and rice plantations. Our ride continues into the Mkomazi National Park area. After lunch we start exploring the Usambara Mountains, the small villages of Mnazi and Mlalo and the palm forests. The zigzag road takes us upwards into the Usambara Mountains at Mtae (Mambo village) to over 2300m above sea level. Here we enjoy our reward of unique views of this region. This is a great but an exhausting day and we will all be tired at the end of this.
Traveling from Lushoto to Tanga in Tanzania offers a delightful blend of scenic landscapes and cultural experiences. Lushoto, nestled in the Usambara Mountains, is renowned for its lush greenery, hiking trails, and charming colonial architecture. Before departing, explore the nearby Irente Viewpoint for breathtaking vistas of the surrounding valleys and mountains. Continuing your journey, you may want to visit the quaint town of Korogwe, where you can experience local culture and markets. Our destination today is Tanga where we can enjoy the coastal charm.
Again, an adventurous day full of gravel. We continue our journey via a dirt track through the bushes, passing a dammed lake, small Masaai settlements and a few small towns. In the afternoon we will reach the Usambara Mountains. We will ascent through a different route with stunning views and some tricky bends. We enjoy the breeze during our coastal ride, along the Indian Ocean. The humidity is higher, so any fan is most welcome! We cross the border and continue our tour to the south of Mombasa, to Diani Beach. There we will enjoy our refreshments at the beach, and look back to our adventurous tour so far. A relaxing afternoon on the beach.
NB: This day we need to cross border sometimes it takes hours to do the process, so sleeping nearby is highly recommended
We leave early to spin the wheels of our motorbikes again. In the morning, there is hopefully lot of game along the road. We will follow a long dirt road to reach the asphalt to near Mombasa town. Then we enter green country again – the green highlands. We make our way to Rukanga a small town near Tanzania boarder and stay in huts.
Today we ride toward Lake Jipe passing near Tsavo National Park, on the road we expect to see some wild animals inside a fenced Tsavo National Park. Lake Jipe is a small, shallow lake (area 28 sq. km and average depth less than 3 m), lying astride the Kenya-Tanzania border, just to east of the northern Pare Mountains of Tanzania (Mwanga district, in the Kilimanjaro region). It is 12 km long and 2.5 km wide, 12 square km belong to Tanzania and 14 square km to Kenya. Tsavo West National Park of Kenya borders the southern portion of the lake while Mt Kilimanjaro dominates the horizon some distance to the northwest.We will arrive at lake jipe early and do some activies like Canoe ride and visiting the fisherman. the
Many of the roads are dirtroads in this area. This is the real countryside of Kenya. We cross the noxious Nairobi – Mombasa highway: the main road from the capital to the most important seaport of East Africa. We continue our journey on a smooth and quiet tarmac road to Amboseli National Park – formerly known as Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, named after the Maasai tribe, a Nilotic ethnic group, known for its distinctive customs and dress. The last 16 km we stay in a small town known as Loitoktok. With the right weather, we can see Mount Kilimanjaro in its full glory.
In the mornings the view on Kilimanjaro is even better, as there is less chance of clouds. A great view whilst joining an optional jeep safari: You will encounter large herds of buffalo, wildebeest, zebras and antelopes as well as giraffes and a lion crossing the road. Amboseli is especially known for its elephant population. We can ride around until late in this magnificent wild park of Kenya. Take enough power and memory cards for your camera because it is really beautiful. The real safari experiences!
Only the first few kilometers in town to the turnoff are on asphalt, road today as the rest is gravel, rocky and dusty. Once we are on the gravel roads, the landscape changes into wilderness and there are no more villages apart from a few small houses. You will see the first giraffes moving through the bushes. Small pockets of sand can make these routes a bit challenging at moments. We will have a simple lunch in a small Masaai town before we get a beautiful view of Mount Lengai, the sacred Masaai Mountain. After the turnoff to the South, we will see the outside wall of the Ngorongoro crater. Just before we reach our destination, we will have a challenging track through dense forests and open plains. Mto Wa Mbu is translated into Musquuito River, a vibrant town known for its diverse cultures and bustling markets It is a nice busy town close to the entrance gate to the Ngorogoro and Serengeti National Park.
Embarking on a motorcycle journey from Mto wa Mbu towards Monduli, the scenery transforms into rolling hills and lush valleys. Stop at the small town of Monduli, where you can experience local culture and perhaps visit a Maasai village. The vibrant markets and traditional crafts provide a glimpse into the daily lives of the Maasai people. Continuing towards Arusha, the road offers breathtaking views of Mount Meru in the distance. Take a break at one of the viewpoints to capture the stunning landscape. As you approach Arusha, the bustling city life contrasts with the serene countryside you’ve just traversed. In Arusha, explore the local markets, enjoy delicious Tanzanian cuisine, and consider visiting the nearby Arusha National Park for more wildlife experiences. This route not only showcases Tanzania’s natural beauty but also its rich cultural heritage, making for an unforgettable motorcycle journey.
This epic motorcycle tour has come to an end. You will be transferred to the airport or you could extend the trip with a safari round trip to Serengeti and Ngorongoro or Zanzibar.
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