We had THE MOST WONDERFUL experience with Nafika Tours – successfully climbing Kilimanjaro on the beautiful and diverse 7-day Lemosho route and enjoying an incredible 3-day safari to Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara National Park. It really was the trip of a lifetime!

Don’t hesitate to book with Nafika Tours – they are hands down THE BEST tour company in Tanzania and I’d recommend them 100%.

Both the Kilimanjaro climb and the safari were extremely well organized and Nafika did everything possible to make it really special for us. From the moment Nafika picked us up from the airport to the moment we said farewell – we couldn’t fault them.

Choosing a locally owned company was really important to us. Elias, who owns and runs Nafika Tours, started as a porter and then a mountain guide on Kilimanjaro, before saving enough money to start his own business. From the first contact with Elias, his communications were efficient, friendly, and informative. We had a million questions and he answered them all, giving us total confidence in the trip and allowing us to be fully prepared. Elias briefed us in person at our hotel the evening before we started the trek and safari welcomed us back again when we returned. Saying Elias really cares for his customers is an understatement.

Our Kilimanjaro crew (5 porters, 1 chef, and 1 guide between 2 of us) were all exceptional and couldn’t do enough for us. They were friendly, funny, and trustworthy and they had expert knowledge about the mountain and Tanzania generally. They were always positive and uplifting, singing us songs, telling jokes, and teaching us Swahili as we went. A special thank you to our mountain guide Eli who was there with us every step of the way. Thanks also to the incredibly talented chef and the hardworking porters who carried our gear and set up camp in the best locations each afternoon in advance of our arrival. Thanks also to Benson who served us food throughout the day and brought us tea/coffee/bowls of water for washing each morning and evening…always with the biggest smile on his face.

The food on Kilimanjaro was plentiful, varied, and fresh. We had three delicious meals per day and there were snacks, tea/coffee, biscuits, and juice readily available. On many occasions, other trekkers walked past our dining tent saying how delicious our food smelled. Our chef even cooked pizza one evening – yes that’s right, mountain pizza!

Our health and safety were closely monitored (with checks each evening) and our Nafika team was well-equipped and trained (with first aid kits and bottled oxygen). We had briefings each evening, setting us up for the following day and our guide set a hiking pace that suited us well and allowed us to acclimatize. There was plenty of time for photos and snack/water breaks. We started for the summit at around midnight of day 5 and climbed using head torches, under a blanket of stars above us.

It was a tough climb, with temperatures of minus 8 degrees Celsius at the summit, but we made it thanks to the incredible support and encouragement of our Nafika Team. We reached the summit, shortly before 7 a.m., after watching the most beautiful sunrise just above Stella Point. Truly one of those ‘pinch me’ moments – AMAZING!

After spending 7 days hiking in Kili, it was fantastic to sit back and relax as we bounced around in the back of a 4-wheel drive, pop-up-roof jeep on safari. The landscapes were out-of-this-world and we spotted animals galore. We also loved seeing the traditional Maasai villages around the national parks, with young men herding cows whilst wearing colorful red and purple fabrics and ornate jewelry.

A special thank you to our safari guide Steven who took very good care of us. He was a great driver, weaving along the sandy park roads. He was a font of all animal knowledge, with the eyes of a hawk being able to spot the tiniest of beautiful birds to the largest of majestic elephants and rhinos. It was so much fun!

A huge thank you to our Nafika friends for the amazing experience and life-long memories. Kate & Dan from New Zealand