Nyika team leaders-Harold Nkya-Chief guide(left) and Hussein Mashauri-Director(right)
   "We bring the world to the top"

Kilimanjaro is the most famous of Tanzania's mountains and Nyika can certainly take you there.  If you have time or budget considerations, you can still climb.  Consider a safari to Mt. Oldonyo or the beautiful Mt. Meru.
 

The highest peak in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world, Kilimanjaro is known as "the roof of Africa" and it rises from the surrounding plains in snow capped splendor.  Many people reach the summit every year and it can be climbed by anyone who is reasonably fit.   The journey takes at least five days and is best attempted during Tanzania's dry seasons - July through September and January through March.

As you ascend the majestic slopes you will pass through grassland and agricultural areas, forest, heath, moorland, and highland deserts before reaching the icy summit.  The bird life is fantastic and you will be entertained by monkeys during the day and local stories from your guide at night.

There are several routes to choose from.  The Marangu is the most popular and most traveled but you can also reach the summit via the Mweka Route, the Machame Route, the Shira Route or the Umbwe route depending on your level of fitness and ability.  We recommend that you visit your local library or bookstore for more detailed information.  The Walker's guide to Kilimanjaro by Mark Savage is a good place to start.

E-mail Nyika Treks to book your safari and be sure to pack plenty of warm clothes!
  

Located in Arusha National Park, Mt. Meru is the 5th highest in Africa (14,990 ft) and one of the continent's most beautiful climbs.  You will not pay as much as you would for Kilimanjaro and you will not have altitude sickness on Meru.  Be prepared, this mountain is actually steeper than most of Kilimanjaro.   Meru was, at one time, taller than Kilimanjaro until it blew it's top some 250 thousand years ago.  This explosion left behind a massive caldera with a jagged rim.

Meru can be climbed in two days by the more ambitious, but three will allow you a leisurely pace at the crater and time to seek out the wildlife.  You will sleep in huts along the way and walk through woodlands where you can see giraffe and elephant, montane forests full of chameleons and monkeys, and through beautiful heathland before reaching the craggy summit.  You will have superb views of Kilimanjaro as well as a chance to visit the crater floor and the amazing ash cone.

The best time to climb Meru is in the dry season for several reasons.  The views are less likely to be obscured by fog, the rivers are easier to cross and your feet will stay dry!  Include a day's drive in Arusha National Park for a fantastic safari, brought to you by Nyika Treks.

It is, by far, the least expensive of the three mountains and you will be rewarded at the top with a view of red hot lava flowing from the caldera.  Oldonyo erupted in both 1983 and 1966.  Nyika Treks is one of the only local tour operators that offers this climb!  E-mail us.