THE ITINERARY IN DETAIL 

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), we welcome you and take you to the hotel. During the 2 h transfer, you will experience stunning landscapes while passing through quaint towns before reaching the neat and organized city center of Arusha.

 

After check-in, there is time to explore the nearby Maasai market, meet your group members, and inspect your bike for the trip ahead. 

 

We will provide a thorough tour briefing, followed by a joint dinner.

We depart from Arusha and head west toward Mount Kilimanjaro. Along the route, we pass through the Tanzanite mining regions and take a first break at the Chemka hot springs for a great splash and lunch.

 

Afterward, we head over to West Kilimanjaro, which offers great views and delightful farm-fresh meals at Simba Farm, where we spend the night. The roads vary, featuring mixed terrain that can be dusty and muddy depending on the season.

We leave Simba Farm and continue our ride around Mt. Kilimanjaro along the Kenyan border on paved roads and dirt tracks. We may spot the two peaks, Mawenzi and Kibo, typically visible in the morning and evening. We encounter Chagga tribes, known as the traditional guardians of Kilimanjaro, in their traditional villages at the foothills of Mt. Kili. 

 

If time allows, we stop at the Marangu caves, a little gem that takes you back in time and space. 

We set off south toward the Pare Mountains. We navigate a winding gravel road that is simple to traverse and explore the region. Following a lunch break, we proceed along the same gravel path leading to Lake Jipe, nestled between Tanzania and Kenya.

 

Ascending toward the Pare Mountains, we absorb the stunning vistas across the lake and of small towns and villages dotting the hills. We descend to Same on dirt roads with some hairpin turns.

We encounter stony, sandy, and hilly trails that offer breathtaking views. We venture into the eastern Pare mountain range and descend to the southern ranges. Our ride takes us through a pristine savannah to Lake Kalimawe, nestled among tiny villages and rice plantations, and into the Mkomazi National Park area. We explore the Usambara Mountains, visiting the quaint villages of Mnazi and Mlalo along with the palm forests.

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The winding road guides us into the Usambara Mountains, rising to over 2,300 m. Here, stunning views await us at the end of a demanding day. 

We leave the Usambara Mountains behind and head downhill. The scenic area around Lushoto is known for its stunning views and mild climate. Our route winds along dirt roads, leading us through forests, charming villages, and farmlands, as we head into the warmer lowlands of Tanzanian savannah and acacia woodlands.

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We encounter Maasai people, who continue to live in traditional ways, enhancing the experience of passing through their homeland. Eventually, we reach Simanjiro, a vast wilderness critical for wildlife like zebras, giraffes, and elephants.

A stunning ride awaits us through Maasai land with vast savannas and landscapes. You travel along red sand and gravel tracks in this remote area. Traffic is rare, mainly consisting of Maasai and their livestock. 

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As you approach Tarangire National Park, the scenery changes. The open plains transition into towering baobab trees and dense acacia woodlands.

 

It’s not uncommon to encounter zebras, giraffes, or even elephants along the way.​

After breakfast, we leave the camp and ride along the Rift Valley escarpment. This rocky and hilly road runs through different elevations and vegetation zones down to Magara village, adjacent to Lake Manyara National Park.

 

We break for lunch and enjoy the scenic view of the Rift Valley wall before we continue to Lake Eyasi. Here, we meet members of the Hadzabe community, a tribe of hunters and gatherers that live throughout East and Southern Africa. We join them on a hunt before making our way to Karatu.

We set aside our bikes and take a jeep safari into Ngorongoro Crater, a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area covers 8,292 km² of highland plains, savannas, and forests and ranks as one of Tanzania’s most famous safari hotspots. Ngorongoro is the world's largest caldera, acting as a natural habitat for various wildlife, including lions, wildebeests, zebras, elephants, rhinos, hippos, ostriches, and more. We explore Ngorongoro all day and enjoy our lunch break inside the caldera.

 

It’s a mind-boggling experience with wildlife up close!

It gets dusty, rocky, and sandy as we head on winding gravel surfaces out into the heartland of the Maasai plains towards the Great Rift Valley. It is dominated by the Ol Donyo Lengai, an active volcano the Maasai worship as the seat of their god, Ngai.

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There’s a chance to spot zebras, bison, giraffes, and more as we ride along the dirt road to Lake Natron, a vast soda lake bordering Kenyan. The lake is known as a breeding ground for large flamingo colonies and an incredible site to visit on bikes.​

We explore the lake shores on sandy tracks to observe the flamingo colonies and likely giraffes from up close. We head back the way we came down to the lake before turning off to Lengido via a dirt track, where we hit the main highway to Arusha.

 

We bid farewell to our bikes and enjoy a sumptuous farewell dinner in one of Arusha’s comfortable garden restaurants.   

It's time to say good-bye and head back home or stay on to continue on your own by maybe climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, visiting Serengeti, or relaxing on one of Sansibar's stunning beaches.