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Adventure and Explore

Eastern Africa's dramatic landscapes make it an eldorado for mountaineering while each country has remote corners which have hardly seen any travellers and offer stimulating and rewarding challenges for the adventurous-minded explorer . For example, a trip to the Chalbi Desert, Marsabit and Lake Turkana in the far north of Kenya is a true expedition that should only be attempted with a minimum of two vehicles and sufficient supplies for any eventualities.

When in the 19 th century European explorers first reported the sighting of a snow-capped mountain in Eastern Africa, their reports were dismissed as impossible hallucinations by the Royal Geographic Society in London which refused to believe that snow could exist on the Equator, but expeditions sent in 1861 confirmed its existence. Mt Kilimanjaro was first successfully climbed in 1887 by the German Hans Meyer and following in his footsteps is one of countless possibilities to explore the magnificent beauty of this wild continent. Even today it is a curious sensation to stand next to a huge ice face and walk in deep snow right on the equator .


While the sunrise from majestic Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the big prize for trekkers from all around the world, the slightly lower twin peaks of Mt Kenya in Kenya are more dramatic and far more challenging to climb and access to them is restricted to serious mountaineers. The misty peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda, the Crater Highlands and Usambara Mountains in Tanzania and Mt Elgon and the Aberdares in Kenya are other tempting challenges for trekkers and climbers alike.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the crown of Tanzania. With an altitude of 5895m, it is the highest peak in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world , and one of the largest volcanoes. The encircling rain forests ensure the fertility of the lush, lower lying countryside, where the Chagga cultivate coffee, maize and bananas. Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed most of the year, although it is inadvisable during the rainy season, which is April and May, and during the short rains in November. The summit of Kilimanjaro is a challenge mainly due to its altitude which poses the risk of altitude sickness, but it can be reached by any reasonably fit person who enjoys hiking, and reaching the summit will be an experience of a lifetime !

Mount Kenya is located on the equator and is Kenya's highest mountain. With magnificent cliffs and glaciers protecting the highest peaks of Nelion (5188m) and Batian (5199m) it makes for a spectacular technical climb. The third highest summit - Point Lenana, (4985m) - is also glaciated but accessible to walkers. Tarns and alpine meadows; exotic, equatorial, high-altitude vegetation; sunbirds, hyrax and soaring eagles make the walk around the peaks one of the most beautiful expeditions in the East African mountains and coupled with a more traditional safari will make for a most unique and unusual trip.

The Rwenzori Mountains are located on the Uganda-Congo border just north of the Equator and are often referred to as the Mountains of the Moon due to their legendary beauty . The mountain range has six peaks, the highest of which is Margherita on Mount Stanley, rising to 5,109 metres, making it the third highest in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The mountains are covered in interesting flora and fauna, and there are many wild flowers and stunning birds as well as giant Lobelia and groundsel which reach up to 10 metres. Hiking and climbing through the central Rwenzoris takes approximately six days and technical knowledge and appropriate mountaineering equipment is advisable for reaching Margherita peak, which is often covered in snow. If you are just looking to enjoy the walking rather than proper climbing a reasonable level of fitness is required. A day's trekking on the foothills of the Rwenzoris can easily be arranged as part of an Eastern African itinerary. The best time to climb the mountain is from June through to August and from December to February.

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Adventure & Explore: 15 days in Kenya – Loita Hills, Mt Longonot, Aberdares and Mt Kenya
This itinerary brings you close to the most dramatic mountains of Kenya – you start with a three day trek through the remote Loita Hills with distant views of the Mara plains, followed by a day hike up magnificent Mt Longonot in the Rift Valley and three days in the stunning Aberdares with their beautiful waterfalls as a prelude to attempting to trek or climb Mt Kenya.
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Adventure & Explore: 17 days in Kenya and Uganda – Lake Nakuru, Mt Elgon, Lake Victoria and Rwenzori Mountains
This itinerary brings you to the stunning Flamingo-covered Lake Nakuru. Next, on to remote Mt Elgon on the Kenyan-Ugandan border, a true off-the-beaten path destination with rewarding trekking options. To wash-off the dust, you will then spend a couple of days in Jinja on Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile, which offers exhilarating white water rafting before heading for a multi-day hike or climb in the Rwenzoris.
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Adventure & Explore: 18 days in Tanzania – Usambara Mountains, Mt Kilimanjaro, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and Crater Highlands
Experience the spectacular mountains of Northern Tanzania – after a gentle start in the Usambara Mountains you will embark on a six-day trek up Mt Kilimanjaro. To recharge your batteries afterwards, you spend a couple of days in the enchanting Lake Manyara National Park and in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before starting on an exhilarating four-day hike through the Crater Highlands.
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Adventure & Explore: 17 days in Northern Kenya – Laikipia and Mt Lossos, Samburu, Mt Lololokwe, Marsabit, Chalbi Desert, Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo and Bogoria
This exciting itinerary is a true expedition to the remote north of Kenya. It combines hikes and climbs in beautiful mountain ranges, exploration of some of the wildest parts of the continent and encounters with pastoralist tribespeople who hardly ever have seen a tourist as well as game drives in Samburu National Park and boat safaris on the Rift Valley soda lakes.
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