Mountain Kilimanjaro Day Hike

Zakayo was a wonderful, encouraging, and extremely knowledgeable guide. He tailored the tour to our preferences and pace, ensuring that we had the best possible experience. I researched extensively before deciding whom to book with, and I have taken various tours since living in Arusham I couldn’t be happier with my choice of this guided hike with Zakayo and Brian. I highly recommend this experience.

My one-day Kilimanjaro hiking tour with Zak was absolutely amazing! I booked this tour at the last minute, almost at midnight, after another company canceled on me. Despite the short notice, Polecat Safari sent Zak to my rescue. Early in the morning they picked me up on time, and was I ready to go. Zak professionalism, reliability, and accountability are truly priceless. He was extremely knowledgeable about the trail, kind, patient, and very helpful throughout the entire hike. His positive attitude and great companionship made the experience so enjoyable and memorable. Zak went above and beyond my expectations, especially considering how last minute everything was. I felt safe, comfortable, and well taken care of from beginning to end. I highly recommend Zak as a tour guide He is an excellent guide and truly deserves five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Nora

Brian and Zach were excellent from start to finish. The hike was fun, informative, and we ahd a surprise visitor for lunch, a blue monkey! I thoroughly enjoyed this activity and Zach and Brian made it so fun!

Super easy to book with them, secure payment by bank transfer (link via whatsapp). Very nice guide Zack and driver Bryan. Amazing experience.

Great guide, so patient, knowledgeable and friendly. Made the trip worth it, would do again if I came back.

I had one free day before my safari adventure began so I decided to hike from the Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut on Mt Kilimanjaro and back down. African Polecat Safaris is a wonderful company to work with. We kept in contact via email and WhatsApp and they answered all my questions. Zakayo G my guide and Brian T my driver arrived at my lodge at the expected time. I was the only person on this ride. Although the drive was long, Zakayo pointed out many things along the way to make the ride interesting. We stopped along the way to pick up lunch. After checking in at the gate, we started the hike. Zakayo matched my pace (slow). I was able to enjoy the rainforest, spot some birds, see the colobus and blue monkeys, enjoy the waterfalls. Zakayo is very knowledgeable about the wildlife and plants. He also knew many of the other guides and porters since he has been leading hikes for many years. Eventually, we made it to Mandara Hut and ate the delicious lunch. A nice surprise was seeing a few blue monkeys just hanging around the grassy area at the hut. The hike back down to the parking lot was twice as fast! If you're interested in doing the One Day hike on Kilimanjaro or any other adventures, check out African Polecat Safaris' website.

Tough hike but excellent guided. they even carried lunch lightening our load. The trail wasn't in the greatest shape being muddy but of course that is beyond the control o f the guides

Hadada is an amazing company. Very nice and organized. They aranged many activities for me along with driver. Every property they chose was perfect and everything was well organized. I travel to Tanzania two times a year and they will be the only company I use from now one. I even met the owners and they were so pleasant. Everything they arranged was on time and as promised. I highly recommend this company for any travel related needs you have while in the Tanzania region. I look forward to working with them again.

We had a great experience hiking with Zak! He was so passionate and knowledgeable about his country and Mt Kilimanjaro, answering all of our questions and explaining various flowers, trees, and monkeys. He even stopped by a market on the drive back home to pick us some local avocados. The hike itself is a moderate three hours to reach the Mandara Huts, where we enjoyed a delicious box lunch. On our particular day, it was a little misty and some spots were muddy. (Once you come down, bring some cash because the women working the washroom may offer to clean your shoes which was a blessing.) Meanwhile, Zak’s shoes were spotless because he was an expert at knowing where to step!!

Such an amazing trip! I highly recommend the tour guide: Zakayo! He is so knowledgeable and friendly and was able to make sure I was comfortable on my hike! He continued to motivate me all the way to the top, and made sure I didn’t fall coming down. He makes sure you are able to see blue monkeys and gives you information about all the different types of birds! I would do this again but go to the summit next time!

We loved our Kilimanjaro hike and had a great experience with the guide, driver and tour company! Loved learning about Tanzanian culture and language throughout the day from our guide Samuel and seeing tons of monkeys in the trees! The hike was super slippery at parts so good shoes are needed.

We had a great day and a great guide. Zakayo was our mountain guide and he couldn't have been more accommodating or more patient. We got a special pickup time and location, no problem. Friendly driver Brian and Zakayo were communicative but not too much. We got to park and Zakayo handled everything and off we went. We aren't hikers normally and we aren't in great shape. No problem!! Pole pole (slow slow) and we moved along stopping frequently to rest. During those times he explained the plants, the animals, incredibly knowledgeable. We made it to the spot where they provided lunch, table cloth and all. Wonderful food and then we returned. He stopped us at least twice to show us monkeys that we would have missed if not for him seeing them and pointing them out. Great day, would recommend Zakayo in an instant

What a truly memorable day! Our guide Zakayo from African Polecat Safaris was very experienced and knowledgeable and made the hike an enjoyable experience. He was friendly whilst making sure we were safe and provided so much information on the plants and animals as we made our way to the Mandara Huts. The hike wasn't too challenging but hiking boots are a must especially in the rain. Also a shout out to our driver Brian - professional and friendly! I would definitely recommend this tour!

My experience was great. My guide Zakayo was knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure I was safe and comfortable during the climb. He is truely an expect of the mountain and nature. My driver Brian was also friendly and professional, even stopping the car so I could take a photo of the mountain, and was a very safe driver. I recommend!

I Hiked Kilimanjaro! Yiiippeee!!! Zakayo & Brian Were Such A Joy To Spend A Day With,They Took So MucH Care Of Us My Now Forever Friends 🤗

Just WOW! Words cannot fully detail this experience. Talk about a once in a lifetime experience fulfilled, and we just hiked up to base camp! Zack (our hike guide) and Brian (our driver) were so thoughtful & informative. What a hike! I don’t know if I would do it again (it was more mentally & physically challenging than I prepared for). But I’m so very glad that I did.

I love hiking and I just had one day to visit part of the Kilimanjaro National Park. All was perfect from the beginning, the plan worked as it was described at the publicity. I had the luck of meeting a great guide, Zakayo, who demonstrated his experience and knowledge about the Park, the views were impressive and we even had the chance of watching part of the fauna and forest. This tour is suggested for people who loves the nature and do not have enough time to reach the mountain summit.

I love hiking and I just had one day to visit part of the Kilimanjaro National Park. All was perfect from the beginning, the plan worked as it was described at the publicity. I had the luck of meeting a great guide, Zakayo, who demonstrated his experience and knowledge about the Park, the views were impressive and we even had the chance of watching part of the fauna and forest. This tour is suggested for people who loves the nature and do not have enough time to reach the mountain summit.

This is a moderately challenging hike that takes you to the first camp on Kilimanjaro. We saw Colobus and blue monkeys, lots of birds and a glimpse of a Dik-dik and a Suni. My guide, Zakayo was very friendly and enjoyed answering my questions. He was very knowledgeable and an excellent guide. He was very observant and recognized my limitations. Hiking boots are a must! I highly recommend this company.

I had a free day in Arusha and I wanted to see Kilimanjaro so I opted for this day hike. My guides were Zak and a new trainee Diana. Diana was misinformed about the trail we were hiking so she wore inappropriate footwear, which slowed down our hike. The trail itself is beautiful and we had perfect weather. It's entirely covered by canopy so don't expect to see any stunning views or even the peaks of Kilimanjaro, because you won't. The vegetation changes visibly across the various zones of elevation: 1879m to 2720m. I saw all sorts of pretty birds and butterflies, and plenty of blue monkeys, and even a chameleon! This hike is not easy. I'm in good shape but if you are not, you will find this tough. The trail is very well maintained however, and it is never too steep. It is over 20km total distance. Both Zak and Diana were very friendly. Diana provided great company during the hike, but she did play music from her phone a couple of times, when all I wanted to hear was the sound of nature - never for long enough for me to mention it though. Zak was knowledgeable but not overly enthusiastic or forthcoming with information, in that I had to ask questions about everything I saw instead of just being provided with the information. Plenty of water was provided and I found the lunch tasty and substantial with plenty of variety. There was no Kilimanjaro beer at the end unfortunately, as promised in the description - I was really looking forward to this! And no hiking poles provided either. Thankfully I didn't need them but the option would have been nice - I actually didn't pack my own poles because they are mentioned as being included. Overall I would recommend this hike if you enjoy hiking and have a day to spare. Just temper your expectations a little bit. I was picked up around 6:30am in Arusha and dropped off again at 7:30pm (13 hrs later instead of 10), pretty exhausted. It is a full day! At the end, I was asked three times to leave a good review (once in person, two reminders by text, including a direct link). For me, even once is too many times. I want to leave a generous review as three people gave up their day for me (two guides plus driver), but I also want to be as honest and informative as possible. Thanks for a great day!

This tour far surpassed what I expected. Zack and Brian went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time We were picked up promptly at 730 at the Gran Melia Hotel in Arusha. The hike was challenging but Zack made sure we were always safe and had a great Zack knew everything about the mountain and very informative, a very experienced climber. I would recommend this day hike to anyone who would like to experience what the climbers do to get to the top on a much smaller scale. It is a long day bit totally worth it

Awesome hike. Zak and Brian were great and super professional. We learned a lot about Kilimanjaro and the history of the mountain along the trek. Absolutely recommend!

My wife and I did this tour and our guide was Solomon Godfrey. This was not an easy hike but we had an amazing time. Our guide was outstanding allowing us (me) to take our time (polé-polé) and even carried my backpack for the last portion. Once we reached the Mandara Huts it was all worth the effort. The trail is well maintained and beautiful. Plenty of birds and we also saw Blue and Colobus Monkeys. We strongly recommend this trip and Polecat Safaris for those who are looking for a great day adventure.

Being in the presence of Kilamanjaro is amazing, I followed in the footsteps of so many. My guide was enormously patient with my slow speed, this tour is perfect for those who want to walk the path of Ernest Hemmingway but don't have a great deal of time.

The hike was wonderful. Our guide, Zak, was knowledgeable, communicative, encouraging and kind both before, during and after our walk. He and the driver made time for us to take pictures as we left Mt Kilimanjaro. He showed concern for another hiker who exhibited some difficulties during the hike. He answered questions about animals, terrain, and other topics.

Our guide Zach and driver were great. They served a very big lunch. It was a very challenging 8km ascent which we did not expect. And then another 8km descent. It was a very long day. If traveling from Arusha, be prepared for several hours of travel to and from Kilimanjaro.

We had the most wonderful time with Zac and Elisha. They arrived early to our hotel and we had a smooth drive to the mountain. The car was very comfortable and spacious. During the hike Zac was extremely attentive, caring, and encouraging. He ensured comfort and safety throughout, and thanks to him we reached the hut. The route up can be muddy if it is raining therefore I would strongly recommend hiking boots and a light rain jacket. The lunch was generous and tasty. Zac was extremely knowledgable and fun to talk to throughout and has such passion for nature which makes the experience even more wonderful. We can honestly say Zac is one of the best guides we have ever had. Also, Elisha was a great DJ during the drives! Thank you both for making our trip so special - we could not have asked for a better experience!

Myself and a few other pilots are in Arusha for a week for work, and we like to get out and explore, so we decided to book a day trip to bike to basecamp of Mt. Kilimanjaro (Mandara Hut). We booked the trip for 4 of us, we're met in the hotel by all three people, the owner, the guide, and the driver. After a few hours drive, we started the hike. It was a long day, but full of amazing views, great conversation, and lots of amazing things learned hiking, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and safety from our guide Zakayo (he also goes by Zak). Zak knew so much about everything, was happy to share and teach, and you can really tell he has passion about his home, hiking, being connected to the mountain, and a love to introduce that to other people. He even took it a step further and taught us about the Tanzanian people, and Swahili culture. Zack absolutely made the day, and went so far above and beyond, that that's all my friends and I could talk about on the few hours car ride back. Side note, for those that want to do the full 7-9 day Mt. Kilimanjaro trek to the summit, trust me, Zak is your guy for this mission and you absolutely want him. He's very knowledgeable about climate, weather, human factors such as how we're affected by elevation, and what to do should problems or issues arise. Do check this company out, they were great, on time, communicated very well, and take a lot of pride in the service they offer. Zak's English is great too and kept us laughing most of the time, we all need a Zak in this world!! Our driver Gucci was awesome too. All the best and safe travels everyone.

The hike was okay but u wouldn’t do it again, I don’t recommend it for single female. It didn’t feel safe, I was accompanied by three male staff and me in a van, for such a long drive in a foreign country (from Arusha to the park was 4 hours one way). Plus I felt uncomfortable. The guide provided little info about the park, it was almost a silent hike for half of the time.

As a first timer to the region it was important for me to see Mount Kilimanjaro. Not only did this excursion make that possible but they ensured a safe day hike of the mountain. My tour guide Zaka and driver Elijah were phenomenal. They were knowledgeable, courteous, engaging, and spirited. From the comfortable van used for transportation, to the delicious food chosen to optimize nourishment during the hike, the details of the excursion were well thought out and executed. As a word of caution, even tho it is a day hike, be aware that it is a real hike. Zaka appropriately warned me about the potential for challenging weather/climate changes on the mountain. He also gave appropriate expectations that it is a true 14 mile hike and one must for sure be in decent shape to tolerate the physical activity of walking at an elevation and adjusting for the altitude and the physiological effects that has on your body. In all, I would absolutely recommend this tour and team and would definitely consider returning myself in the future

We went on a day hike with Zakayo and had the best time. He was very open, gave us a lot of information about the animals and the vegetation we encountered and was just overall very pleasant to talk to. As for the hike, it was very nice. The views were great and the hike itself is doable even for someone who is not in a great physical condition.

Zach was a fantastic guide. He's obviously familiar with the route but is also very personable and positive, truly a fun person with whom to spend a day!

Zakayo our guide and driver, Elisha, were amazing! Punctual, friendly, thoughtful, knowledgeable. Zakayo made sure we were taken care of and met us at our pace. He was friendly and encouraging. Would recommend him! Elisha accommodated us well needing lots of air conditioning. Clean vehicle. Smooth vehicle.

Do not miss this day hike if you don’t want to spend 5-7 days to go to the summit! I had the BEST time with my guide Zac who was very knowledgeable and super nice and friendly! I will definitely do this again if I ever come back. Thank you Zac! Thank you Elisha for driving us there.

Don’t miss going with Zac to Mount Kilimanjaro, especially if you’re limited on time and don’t plan on going to the summit. I did a day hike because I wanted to see this majestic mountain and I really had the best time with Zac and our driver Elisha. Zac is really knowledgeable and super fun and friendly, you’ll have a blast! I highly recommend this tour!!

The hike was very beautiful and having the company of an intelligent Tanzanian guide made the experience enjoyable. He knew a lot of interesting facts about the mountain, the history, the animals there and their habitat and Tanzanian politics and sports. The lunch was good and he brought lots of water. He was also considerate about changing his pace when necessary to suit my needs. Thank you. An overall incredible experience I'll never forget.

We had a tone of fun on this hike. I am not a hiker so I found it challenging as it was all uphill, but I made it. Our guide Johnson was amazing. He had a lot of knowledge about nature and grew up near the mountain. He hikes it multiple time a month but definitely waked slowly so I could keep up while learning about the plants and the mountain. It was a highlight of my trip.

Incredible start to our honeymoon with Zak!! We couldn’t have asked for a more supportive guide. He was so happy the entire hike and made our first experience in Africa very special and memorable. We wish we could have Zak as our guide on all our hikes! Our driver was also amazing and very accommodating.

Got great overview of Tanzania and a taste of Mt Kilimanjaro. Our guide Ami was knowledgeable and experienced and he made it a wonderful experience. We are not serious hikers and he personalized it for us. Would highly recommend.

Great trip for anyone who wants to do Kilimanjaro but has limited time/hiking experience! The pick-up & drop-off are very helpful as well: they pick me up from the hard-to-find Airbnb place that I stayed in. For this trip, it is probably better to stay at Moshi than Arusha to save some travel time

My wife and I enjoyed this very much. 1. Pick up at arusha hotel, then 3.5 hr drive to Mt Kili. 2. Walk up to base station / huts. Challenging terrain. Slow climb. Long walk. Took us 3.5 hrs (we were a little slow). Lots of rocks, tree roots in the path. Beautiful scenery. 3. Box Lunch at hut area. Several fruits, cake, chicken, meat pastries, bread. Pretty good. 4. Walk down mountain hard on knees, but very nice. 5. 3 plus hour drive back to Arushu 6. Our guide, Oscar, was outstanding in every way. Nice. Helpful. Knowledgable. Experienced. Deeply caring that the client have a special experience and learn about this incredible mountain. 7. I suggest the owner post a phone number and email address on the trip advisor / viator site - so the client can ask questions beforehand.

Highly recommend this trip. Our guide Chris was so helpful and fun to spend the day with. We really enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend doing this as part of your stay in Tanzania.

Chris is a great guide! He kept us motivated. It was a fantastic day! He made us feel safe and we had so much fun! I would have him as a guide any day!

Me and my husband booked 1 day hike to Mandara hut, Kilimanjaro with our guide Mr. John. He picked us from the hotel, morning at 6am and dropped at 8pm back to hotel. Throughout the day our guide took good care of all our needs and kept us very comfortable through out the hike, would definitely recommend Mr. John for anyone who wish to hike Kilimanjaro.

Chris was an excellent guide! He provided lots of interesting information about the area, kept a watchful eye on us and made it fun!

I had a great hike! Chris was an excellent guide—very patient and thoughtful. It was challenging but well worth it. Going up took us 4 hours. The downhill was much easier.

The hike to Mandara hut is a steady uphill, not hugely difficult for anyone who walks regularly. The path is quite rocky in places so I found walking poles very useful. The walk up is amongst the rainforest which is very pretty. You might see the odd monkey. There are no views. John, my guide was a nice person and gave me a short 5 minute talk about the mountain. He was friendly but didn't really convey much enthusiasm. The lunch provided was rather average - dry chicken and a stale muffin. I enjoyed the prettiness of the walk and the fact that I'd walked one section of Kilimanjaro.

The trip was arranged very well time wise and workload wise. It is good to fit our energy level. Our guide Jonh and Crise are very passioned, professional and considerable. I appreciated their help much. I enjoyed the full day trip to Kilimanjaro National Park and learnt a lot about the local people's everyday life and Tanzania from Jonh.

Guide was patient and encouraging, John was excellent at helping me to get to the Materuni huts.