Kambi ya Tembo Camp & West Kilimanjaro (October 4-5)
Our Access 2 Tanzania guide Maningo picked us up at our Arumeru River Lodge and we then drove about 2-1/2 hours northwest to the western flanks of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Kambi ya Tembo tented camp. It was a beautiful setting, with Mt. Kilimanjaro on one side and the Amboseli Game Plains on the other. Whereas Kenya's Amboseli Plains are heavily populated with game, and therefore very popular, Tanzania's have only recently become protected and are just starting to rebound from heavy poaching and other abuses. Nonetheless we found the West Kilmanjaro to be a quiet, beautiful area and a gentle, low-key introduction to the safari experience and to luxurious tent "camping" (hardly camping as you can see in below images).
After our arrival, we spent the evening on a short game drive on the Amboseli Plains, in the newly formed conservation area. The next day we drove up the flanks of Mt. Kilimanjaro to 11,000' and dayhiked its beautiful Shira Plateau. The seldom-seen, glacier-topped mountain was out in its full glory for almost our entire day!
Panoramas – Tap/click on a pano's thumbnail to show an interactive, moving panorama; use the on-screen control bar or your finger/mouse to move around:
Looking West from Mt. Kilimanjaro's lower flanks (over Tanzania's Amboseli Plains):
Early Morning on Mt. Kilimanjaro from Kambi ya Tembo Camp:
Starry Night over Kambi ya Tembo Camp:
Hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro's Shira Plateau:
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