Cycling to Ngorongoro Crater

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transferred to Keys Hotel near Moshi town situated on the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Today you will meet your guide who will brief you about your upcoming tour and together you will do the bike fitting.

For those arriving on the morning or afternoon flight, you will have ample time to go for a quick test ride through the nearby coffee plantation and surrounding villages.

Our ride today takes us from greener southern side of Mt. Kilimanjaro towards the more arid western side of the mountain. Your ride today will initially take you through coffee and banana plantations as you cycle through the more fertile areas of southern Kilimanjaro but as you head west you will cycle through the more arid open plains and acacia woodlands.

These plains support a remarkable variety of wildlife and spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While Moshi is home the Chagga people west Kilimanjaro plains are home to the nomadic Maasai people who co-exist with the surrounding wildlife and it is why this area is known as the Maasai Lands. Your ride today will be on both dirt and tarmac roads and you will finish the ride at the Olpopongi Maasai Village where you will be spending the night.

Today’s cycle will be a long one as we cycle from the west Kilimanjaro plains towards Arusha city. The first section of the ride will be through the Ngasurai open plains which serve as a migratory path for elephants moving to and from the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Cyclist should look forward to a hot and dusty day ahead.

Once we finish the dirt road we will enter the main tarmac road towards Arusha city passing a few small villages and settlements along with Mt. Meru looming in the background. Right before reaching the bustling city of Arusha we will divert through a coffee estate as we head towards our boutique lodge located outside the city.

We will end our ride today at the Tembo Club where we will be spending the night.

Today’s ride will be the longest distance wise, but not the toughest, and will be mostly on tarmac roads. The ride will take us through many villages, towns and open plains.

The long stretches of undulating road through the Tanzanian country side perfectly represents Ernest Hemingway’s quote when he said – “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” After completing the tarmac road section, we will divert onto the dirt road that takes us to our tented camp/ campsite right on the border of the Tarangire National Park, which is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Tanzania. Today we will be spending the night at the Roika Tented Lodge, which marks the perfect ending to a long, hot day of cycling since there is a swimming pool where you can cool off.

Today’s ride marks another exciting day as we cycle through the migratory wildlife corridors between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks. The first section of the ride takes us back to the main road which we follow for a few kilometers then divert on a dirt road towards Lake Manyara.

This area is rich in wildlife and you will notice a significant number of Maasai settlements along the way. One of today’s highlights will be the beautiful views of the Great Rift Valley directly in front of us as we head towards Lake Manyara.

After the dirt road section of today’s ride, we will rejoin the main tarmac road towards Mto wa mbu town for several kilometers before diverting into the dirt road towards Migunga Tented Camp where we will be spending the night.

Today’s ride will be the final and the toughest but the most rewarding. We start off the day cycling from the dirt road back onto the tarmac road and head past the bustling town of Mto wa Mbu and the entry gate of Lake Manyara National Park. We then proceed on a very tough cycle up the Great Rift Valley escarpment leaving behind a spectacular backdrop.

Before reaching the top of the escarpment you will stop to catch your breath at the viewpoint overlooking the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park and its surroundings. If there’s ever a time to take a great selfie, it’s here. You will then proceed on the tarmac road past the colorful Karatu town as you head towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Your ride today will finish at the entrance gate to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area marking an end to a challenging but exciting 5 day tour of Tanzania’s northern tourist circuit, on two wheels. After a celebratory toast to your achievement, you will be transferred to the Ngorongoro Farm House (or alternative) where you will be spending the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.

Today you can relax at the lodge while you wait for your transfer back to the airport via the vibrant town of Mto wa Mbu where you can buy some souvenirs to take back home with you.

Riding Level: Challenging
Path: Off road & paved road
Highlights: Amazing scenery, Maasai culture and abundant wildlife