Bike Kilimanjaro
Overview
Overview:
The heartbeat of Kilimanjaro is found in the mountain villages that encircle its lower slopes. And there is no better way to experience that first hand than by bicycle, which enables you to cover many kilometers while traveling at a pace slow enough to notice life’s details and respond to friendly Jambo! greetings. The three days of riding begin in Mbahe Village, circumnavigate the mountain counterclockwise, and finish at Simba Farm in West Kilimanjaro.
This 95-mile (150 kilometer) bicycle tour passes through colorful mountain villages, past lush coffee and maize farms, into cool mountain forests, and then out into the drier and sparsely populated savanna on the northwest side. Enjoy a mode of travel that allows you to experience more personally the sights and sounds of life on Kilimanjaro. Carry only your camera and water as your gear are transported by our support vehicle (always available for tired cyclists) to overnight camp sites. Filling camp breakfasts prepare you for the day’s ride and sumptuous dinners bring closure as the sun sets for the evening. Lunches are picnics along the route.
Day to Day Itinerary
DAY 1 Mbahe Village
Rest and relaxation day at SENE’s Mbahe Village cottages. Bike and gear check and optional light hiking, swimming, or exploring the farm and village.
Ride down from Mbahe to the tarmac road along the eastern flank of Kilimanjaro. The serpentine road passes through vibrant Chagga farming villages full of small shops, churches, and workshops set amongst maize, coffee, and banana farms. Our overnight stop is just below the entrance gate for the Rongai climb route up Kilimanjaro. Nalemoru Camp Site is set in a large garden amongst a wooded forest with views over the Kenya plains.
Approx. distance: 44 miles / 71 kms cycling to Nalemoru
DAY 2 Nalemoru to Larangwa
Cycle northwest between the Kenyan Border and the edge of Mount Kilimanjaro. The route passes through the Rongai Forest, home to black-and-white colobus monkeys, which you may see roadside. We enter Maasai land with the dirt track which traverses a sparsely settled area inhabited by these proud herdsmen.
At Larangwa camp, we may hear the Maasai school children singing at the close of school while we relax with tea and snacks at the end of a satisfying cycling day. Admire the brilliant sunset reflecting off of Kilimanjaro’s Kibo Peak. Approx. distance: 31 miles / 50 kms cycling
DAY 3Larangwa.
The route is now exclusively dirt tracks and passing through farmland of Maasai who have chosen to settle and grow crops. We are heading south, the mountain on our left and the open plains below, where elephant, zebra, and giraffe freely roam. Savor a hearty lunch upon arrival at Simba Farm. Relax in the afternoon or explore the area with a hike to the nearby gorge. Return in time for a sundowners on the verandah. Simba is a working farm on 3,500 acres of rolling hills in West Kilimanjaro, offering breathtaking views of Kilimanjaro to the east and the Maasai steppe and Mount Meru to the west. Approx. distance: 19 miles / 30 kms cycling
DEPARTURE DAYWest Kilimanjaro
Morning to explore the farm on foot, bike, or farm vehicle. Or, for the enthusiastic cyclist, extend your ride by continuing on quiet dirt roads and footpaths amongst the remote farming villages abutting the mountain, finishing in the small market town of Sanya Juu. Afternoon transport to your next adventure to Simba Farm.
Pricing
Contact us for the quote.
