Kilimanjaro, Serengeti & Zanzibar: Tanzania Trekking Holiday

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 17 reviews.

Peter Rogerson

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written October 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, which encompassed watching the wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, which included lions, Hyenas, Elephants, antelope and much more, to the cold hard slog of Kilimanjaro, to the palm fringed beaches of Zanzibar. There's quite a bit of travelling, but we had a great group and everyone enjoyed themselves. Travelling to Tanzania just to climb Kili would have seemed to short, so to have it book-ended by two other great experiences made it into a fascinating adventure.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were several stand out moments. The beauty and granduer of the Ngorongoro crater, the expanses of the Serengeti, a visit (not part of the original programme) to a traditional Masaii Boma, our first view of Kilimanjaro (with the realisation that we were going to have to climb it) and of course, finally making it to Uhuru Peak and seeing the views across the crater, the glaciers. I was also particularly moved by the visit to the old slave market in Zanzibar, which we had to pay extra for, but was worth it as it included a trip round the town and the markets. However, we all went on the trip to climb Kilimanjaro, so I guess getting to the top was the crowning moment of the trip. All eleven of us made it to Gilman's point, but only six went on to Uhuru, and I think we all felt that little bit special for having done so.
What did you think of your group leader?
Jackson was great, he had climbed Kilimanjaro well over a hundred times before (so he said) and he organised everything for us brilliantly and we all got on great with him and I hope he enjoyed having us.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If I did Kilimanjaro knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have worried quiet as much as I did, especially about the fitness (of which I would normally be considered to be somewhat lacking). The progress up the mountain on the first 3-4 days is VERY slow going, pole pole, as they say, and not actually that strenuous. Even summit night wasn't as hard as I thought, as the time seemed to go so quickly, that after 3 hours of plodding, we were already half way up and realised we were going to make it. From then on I felt very confident of making it, and even enjoyed it. You will rough it a bit while camping, but so does everyone else. It gets very cold on summit night, so take an extra pair of thermals. I had two full sets on, two fleeces, a nice woollen hat and a good coat and was plenty warm enough. Take some fizzy rehydration tablets for the water (to take the edge off the chemical treatment taste) a good rucksack, lucozade tablets also went down well for when people were flagging a bit, and a large pack of wet wipes as keeping clean is a little problematic. Finally, I was lucky in that I didn't suffer any problems with altitude, which is the thing most likely to prevent you climbing Kili. This may or may not have been helped by taking Diamox, which I took from the first day before we left the hotel, and seemed to be recommended by people who had done it before (be prepared for the pins and needles that is one of the normal side effects though). Otherwise, I'd suggest just enjoying the walking and not be too worried about getting to the top, as long as you cope with the altitude and are reasonably fit, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get all the way to Uhuru peak. Everything about the trip is designed to get you to the top, from the quantity of food, the guides, the exhortions to drink constantly, and the pole pole progress.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The beach lodge in Zanzibar is well away from the town, so expect to be lounging around the pool or on the beach if you stay there. There are some trips you can take, such as the forest or into stown town, but if you're not one for swimming pools or beaches like me, you may find the sudden lack of anything to do a bit of a shock. Also, the last night in Stown town is right in the centre of town and the hussle and bussle can take you by surprise a little - I'd already been round town in a daily excursion so knew what to expect, but a couple of the others couldn't quite see why we'd swapped our beach lodge for a hotel next to a meat market and left the tour early to return to the lodge for the last night. Having said all this, however, it was a great experience, I've climbed Kili, visited two natural wonders, met some great people and seen a great country. Fantastic, thank you Exodus.
Natalie Reid

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written October 2012
This holiday was everything I dreamt of and more, the elements of adventure, fun and relaxation all met to the max! Great crew and Jackson our guide was fabulous! The accomodations used were all lovely too! Definitely a trip of a lifetime!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Waking and looking out to see animals looking in! Looking down from the Ngorongoro crater's edge and seeing the great expanse of land and just making out the buffalo through the magnifying lens of the camera, and then descending into the crater and seeing the animals so close. Seeing a lion devouring what had been caught for him.
Walking up Kili seeing the different types of habitation, being without the comforts of a hotel, yet being better looked after, appreciating life in its raw state, working as a team with new found friends.
Zanzibar = Extreme bliss!
What did you think of your group leader?
Jackson our group leader was brilliant,- knowledgable, fun, encouraging, he got to know all of our names within a couple of days (pretty good in my opinion!) and treated us like friends instead of simply a paying customers. The whole crew were amazing.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared to unpack/repack on arrival for the safari - it is recommended you walk only with your rucksack and carry the bare essentials, due to space in the jeeps.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only thing in hindsight that I would change from Exodus' view is that I think it would have been better to have the night at Swahili House first and then on to Fumba Lodge only because packing up again for 1 last night was a bit of a come down/reality check that the holiday was nearing, I feel that to leave from Fumba to the airport would have been better received amongst our group. Overall a second fabulous holiday with Exodus!
Mandy Burrows

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written July 2012
This was an absolutely amazing trip. The itinerary is well thought out to maximise the experience and the provision for travellers is brilliant, ensuring that you could have everything you could possibly need, even on the top of a mountain! The tour leader and local staff were also fabulous.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the top of Kilimanjaro.
What did you think of your group leader?
The group leader was brilliant - knowledgeable and informative on all aspects of a varied trip, and a source of great support and encouragement on the hard trek on the mountain.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Do this trip - it's definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I was a little apprehensive at first as I have been on similar adventure type holidays, which have all been good, but this was quite expensive in comparison. I have to say, it is definitely value for money though given the standard of everything on the trip, from the accommodation, the facilities while trekking and the amazing staff involved.
Sharon Chawla

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written July 2012
This was the most amazing trip! Everything was taken care of from beginning to end - we never had to worry about anything! I can't say enough good things about our guide, the porters on Kilimanjaro, our safari driver - they made our trip the enjoyable experience that it was.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There are so many to choose from. Seeing all the lions, elephants and giraffes up close, in their natural habitat was definitely unforgettable, as was getting to the summit of Kilimanjaro!
What did you think of your group leader?
Emanuel was so knowledgeable and took excellent care of us. It was because of his expertise that our entire group was able to make it to the summit of Kili.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
You can rent a lot of the more expensive equipment from Exodus (down jackets, sleeping bags, etc) which comes in handy since it leaves you more room in your suitcase. For money, make sure you have lots of smaller denominations of USD (1s, 5s, 10s). Bring a camel-back/platypus sytem for water - you need to drink 3L of water (minimum) per day on Kili, and this will make it easier. Also bring snacks for summit day - it's a long day and you will need to make sure that you keep your energy up.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This was the trip of a lifetime for me. If you want to do a safari, climb Kili, and go to Zanzibar, then this is the best option. You don't have to worry about anything - just show up!
Eric Norton

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written February 2012
A fantastic trip with a great mix of experiences.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The safari was amazing, with Ungorogoro Crater beyond any of my expectations. Getting the whole group to the summit of Kili together (thanks to a great team and inspirational guides) really made the trip. And a few days on Zanzibar was the perfect way to round it all off.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader brought a huge amount to the trip, in particular with sharing his personal experiences of traditional ways of life, adding to the cultural experience.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't take this trip lightly, but if you're prepared for the climb and have a positive attitude you'll have a great time.
Helen Simpson

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written January 2012
Having travelled with Exodus before I knew this would be a well-organised and special experience but this exceeded my expectations. A truly fantastic holiday - one of the best I've had!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Seeing 'The Big Five' (and much more) on safari.
The whole group reaching the summit of Kili at the same time, accompanied by the beautiful singing of our guides.
The Spice Tour and dinner on the beach on Zanzibar.
What did you think of your group leader?
Paulo was brilliant; cool, calm, collected, organised and very knowledgeable; he worked very hard to make the experience very special for us. Most famous for his 4 rules to get you to the top of Kili (proper equipment, pole pole, plenty of water and positive mental attitude), he was also happy to share his experience of belonging to the Masai tribe, his stories are fascinating.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you don't have all the necessary equipment then consider renting it from Exodus rather than buying something you may only use once; the quality is very good and you don't have to worry about it not arriving at the same time as you! Make sure you do have proper equipment as the guides will check this and won't allow you up if you don't.
Take a wide-necked water bottle with a good seal for summit day as it is likely that any platypus system will freeze a few hours into the ascent. You will need to be able to carry at least 3 litres of water per day.
Batteries are really expensive in Tanzania so take enough and if you want to leave a gift for the guides then AAA batteries for head torches are appreciated. Our group also left behind a small amount of walking equipment, spare Diamox and water purification tablets and some first aid items.
You can get away with US Dollars only, although you will sometimes be given change in Shilling even if you've paid with Dollars. Most of us exchanged $50 - 100 to Shilling and this was plenty.
Be aware that in many places the credit card machines (including some of the hotels) don't work so take plenty of cash.
There are plenty of opportunities to do laundry so you don't need to overpack.
Don't forget that the luggage limit for the internal flight from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar is 20kg i.e. less than for the international flights.
Although you do need to be reasonably fit to get to the summit, a certain amount of determination is also needed, summit day is very tough but it is worth it. The other days are relatively easy.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you want to do it and are reasonably fit and determined and don't mind being dirty for 6 days in a row then book it, you won't regret it.
fiona whatley

KILIMANJARO, SERENGETI & ZANZIBAR

Written September 2011
3 holidays in one. Every part different, safari stunning with an abundance of wildlife and 2 very different national parks, Kili - a challenge and Zanzibar for total r and r.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Summit day, apart from my husband we were a bunch of girls (6) and got teary at both Gilmans point and summit. It is an overwhelming feeling of achievement to complete the trek. Seeing a giraffe, well not just one!
What did you think of your group leader?
Paulo was with us every step, he was unwell on our climb but not a word of complaint, he got us all hooked on the healing powers of ginger tea. He was from Masai background and was very knowledgable. He sorted everything out for us, tipping etc and we had little mini ceremonies to tip various guides/porters where we would take turns to give a little thankyou speech.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take a bottle of squash for the climb, you need to drink loads of water that tastes a little different, would have made more palatable.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is the best hoiday I have ever had, nothing disappointed. Trip notes were spot on and invaluable. I want to do it again....