Bike rides through the villages and coffee farms below the park, from a day out of Moshi to a nine-day circuit of the whole mountain, and the cycling routes in Arusha National Park for anyone climbing Mount Meru.
Below the national park boundary, the southern slopes of Kilimanjaro are farmland: Chagga villages, banana groves and coffee, threaded with dirt roads that are made for a bike. Riding there needs no park permit and no altitude, and it shows a side of the mountain most climbers only see from a minibus window on the way to the gate.
Day rides from Moshi
Local operators run guided day rides from Moshi into the villages and farms of the lower slopes, often with a stop at a coffee farm or a village market. A day ride is priced from about US$50 to US$100 a person depending on group size (one operator's published rate, November 2026). The bike and a guide are included.
A day ride before your climb is a pleasant way to spend a spare day, and the riding is easy. Keep it gentle: the point of the days before a climb is to arrive at the gate rested.
Longer rides
Several companies sell multi-day rides on the foothills, from three days on the southern slopes to a full circuit of the mountain. The circuit is about 314 km over nine days. From Moshi it reaches the open Maasai country of West Kilimanjaro and the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area, which borders Amboseli National Park in Kenya and is a migration route for elephants.
Arusha National Park
If you are climbing Mount Meru, Arusha National Park is the other park where the park authority allows cycling: from Ngongongare to Momella Gate, and around Ngurdoto Crater. The same rules apply as on Kilimanjaro: a licensed operator, a guide, daylight only, and the park's cycling fee on top of the entry fee.
Riding safely
Ride with a local guide, who knows the roads and the villages. Watch for traffic on the tarmac sections and for motorbike taxis on the dirt. The lower slopes are hot by midday, so start early, carry plenty of water and use sunscreen. Ask your operator what bike you will be on and check the brakes before you leave.
Finding a company
The Kilimanjaro operators page shows which companies on this site sell bike tours below the mountain, and which also sell rides inside the park. For the rides inside the park, see the Kilema route and the Shira Plateau ride.