Anyone interested in a January Kili/safari jaunt?

Hi everyone!

I'm a 22 y/o male traveller. I'm also a med student in my spare time, and will be spending the first part of January at a hospital in Kibosho, near Kilimanjaro. I intend to finish up there around the 12th or 13th of January, and then climb Kilimanjaro, and see the Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti (all this before the 27th, hopefully, when I head to Zanzibar).

I've been focusing on organising things with the hospital up until this point, and the travelling part of my journey has been left neglected. I'm trying to get on top of things now...

I'm still looking at a range of operators, but these pacakges from Zara Adventure caught my eye. It'd be far too expensive for me to take on as just a lone traveller - anyone else interested?

Package 1 (Machame/Serengeti - 13 days): leaving 14 Jan 2008
http://www.zaratours.com/packages/package-1.html<BR><BR>Package 3 (Marangu/Serengeti - 11 days): leaving 12 or 19 Jan 2008
http://www.zaratours.com/packages/package-3.html<BR><BR>Fingers crossed...
Sanka

Oh yeah, and if anyone is doing anything vaguely similar and is looking for a travel companion, please let me know also!

I'm thinking about something very similar. Plan A is to fly into Nairobi early Jan., climb Mt. Kenya (Batian) then head overland to Tanzania for a Kili climb and safari, so I'd be in TZ about Jan 9 10 11 or so. My budget might be a bit too tight for the Zara trips. I haven't really decided what I'm willing to pay yet. I've done some travelling in Asia and South America but I've just begun researching East Africa, and I'm suffering from sticker shock.
I'm male, 61 (but in really good shape) and this would be my first trip to Africa. Kili would be my 4th of the 7summits.
I should have a clearer picture of what I'll be doing in a week or so. Drop me a line if you like or i"ll get back in touch.

Hey SpruceMOOse! I did Kilimanjaro last month up via the Rongai route, down via the Marangu route, and I just wanted to say that the Marangu trail was much wetter than the Rongai trail (both on the way up & down)... Also, when I was doing my homework getting quotes, Zara was kinda on the expensive side.... There are a lot of smaller local tour operators on the web that would even take the single you.

MtnJim! Congrats on your 3 of the Seven Summits! What an accomplishment! I guess age is not a hindrance for you! That's so wonderful! I don't think you will have any trouble summitting Kilimanjaro. As you know, it's only 19,341 feet... I wonder if you're planning on doing Mt Everest?? I would love to do that one day, but I have no climbing experience....
:(

Hi Susan. Congrats on KILI! It looks like a good intro to altitude. Mine was Aconcagua in 1993, also a good first big mountain as there are no objective dangers on the normal route. Everest doesn't require a lot of technical skill, but the more experience you have the more comfortable you'll be. Lots of clipping into fixed lines and watch your step! I was there in 2001, south side, summitted May 23 in beautiful weather, sunny, wind gusting to 4mph. Which was nicer than Denali summit day June 2005, which was hazy sun and wind gusting to 8mph. So much depends on the weather. I think going to Everest without previous 8000m experience is a mistake, but people do and do succeed. Maybe 5.6 rock skill and Class 3 ice is enough but you absolutely must be comfortable on steep (not necessarily vertical) terrain. The Lhotse face was a sheet of ice the year I was there so you need to be comfortable on steep ice. You've got time but you'd need to really focus. Anyway, good luck on whatever you do next

Hi there, I'm going to be arriving in Nairobi on the 12th and I want to climb Kili, and be in Lamu Island for the 26th Jan. Your dates sound perfect for me too. I'd love to climb with others, so I'm definately keen. You can PM me if you want to ask me any questions,
Caoimhe

SpruceMoose: See my PM response regarding Kili hike.

Departure on Jan 19th.
Lemosho route
6 day safari afterwards.

Please contact me if anyone else has interest!

KKM

Hi,
I will travelling in Tanzania, arriving Dar Es January 21th. I expect to start a Kili trek January 24th. Also looking to join people in a trek to cut costs down. If this date could fit let me know.
I'm a solo trallever from Canada, male, 34. Experienced.
If you have any recommendations for a good local operator let me know.

Thnx
Sim