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About Makoliya
from Moshi, at the foot of KilimanjaroA Tanzanian trekking crew founded by local guides. We get people up Tanzania's mountains safely, honestly, and with the people who know them best.
Our story
Treks we would take our own families on.
Makoliya started with a few local guides who wanted to run climbs their own way. It's a full trekking crew now, and the guides still run it.
We started Makoliya to do one thing well: get people up Tanzania's mountains safely, honestly, and with the people who know them best. No shortcuts on porter welfare and no recycled itineraries.
Most people come for Kilimanjaro, and we'd love to take you. Ask us about the Livingstone Mountains too, where you can walk for days and meet nobody but farmers and fishermen.
Joseph MakoliyaFounder, Makoliya Safari
What drives us
Four promises we keep on every trek, whatever the mountain.
Expert guides
Local guides who have walked these trails for years. They know how the weather turns, and how to get you up and back down safely.
Safety first
No summit is worth getting hurt for. We carry a first-aid kit, check how you're doing at every camp, and turn back when it isn't safe.
Sustainable tourism
We carry out every scrap of rubbish, stay on the trails and follow Leave No Trace on every climb.
Local impact
Our crew comes from the villages around these mountains, and we buy food and supplies from local shops and markets.
Who climbs with you
Your crew is built around you. Every role has one job: getting you up and down safely.
Lead guide
Certified, trained in wilderness first aid and altitude safety. Sets the pace and makes the calls on the mountain.
Assistant guides
Walk with the group so nobody climbs alone, and check on every climber at camp each evening.
Mountain cook
Fresh, filling meals cooked on the mountain, with hot drinks waiting at the end of each stage.
Porters
Carry the tents, food and your bag, up to 15 kg per trekker, so you climb with just a daypack.
Life with the crew
Early starts, long trails, good food at camp and the moment it all pays off.
The people behind your trip
Guides, organisers and the team who answer your messages.
Joseph Makoliya
FounderJoseph started Makoliya to guide Tanzania's mountains honestly, with the people who know them best. He built the company around local guides, fair treatment for porters and itineraries he would take his own family on. Whatever the mountain, he wants the same thing for you: a safe climb and a story you'll still be telling years later.
Amani Msonga
Head GuideAmani grew up in Moshi, under Kilimanjaro. At 18 he joined his uncle's crew as a porter, and his first summit, with sunrise turning the glaciers gold, set the course of his life. Fourteen years on, he says his real work is people, not trails: knowing when to push, when to rest, and when to walk together in silence.
Emmanuel Shirima
Senior Mountain GuideEmmanuel leads groups on Kilimanjaro and our other mountains, and helps train the newer guides on our team. On the trail he sets a steady pace, checks on every climber at each camp, and makes the calls on rest, weather and safety so you can focus on the climb.
Grace Kimaro
Operations ManagerGrace plans the logistics behind every trip: airport pickups, hotel nights in Moshi, park permits, crew schedules and equipment checks. By the time your climb or safari begins, everything is already in place, and she keeps it running smoothly until you are home.
Amina Hassan
Customer Experience LeadAmina is usually the first person to answer your message. She helps you choose a route, explains what to pack and how to prepare, and answers every question before you fly. After your trip she checks in to hear how it went.
Summit night was harder than I expected. Then the sun rose behind Mawenzi and I cried. Our guide watched every one of us like a hawk. All seven of us made Uhuru.
Where we guide
Nine mountains, three regions
Open a region to see its mountains, then pick one for its routes and prices.
See every climb →Northern Circuit4 mountains
Around Moshi and Arusha: Africa's highest peak, its wild neighbour and the volcanoes of the Rift.
Eastern Arc3 mountains
Old forested ranges between the coast and the interior, rich in birds, chameleons and waterfalls.
Southern Highlands2 mountains
Cloud forest, crater lakes and flower plateaus in Mbeya and Njombe, far from the crowds.
Ready to start your journey?
Tell us when you're free and what you'd like to climb. We'll take it from there.