Tour Itinerary
Kilimanjaro climbing trips, daily tours. Kilimanjaro trekking, climbing on machame and other routes.
Kilimanjaro trekking expeditions in Tanzania.
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Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro expeditions in Tanzania.
Kilimanjaro trekking is well organised and success is a guarantee when you book with us.
Well trained, professional and experienced Mountain Guides to help you reach your Dream. Kilimanjaro trekking to the summit uhuru- kibo peak is through one of the 6 routes. These routes are Machame, Rongai, Marangu, Shira, Lemosho and Umbwe.
Machame route
- Mount Kilimanjaro.**
Duration: 6 Days.
Total hiking distance: About 100 km.
This is probably the most beautiful route up Kilimanjaro. All your equipment and supplies are portered and a cook prepares all your meals. Where accommodation on the Marangu route is in huts, the Machame route offers strictly tents only. This makes Machame (also referred to as the "Whiskey route") better suited to the slightly more adventurous hiker, rewarding him with a scenic splendor such as not seen on the Marangu route. From late afternoon sunsets at Shira, to the misty revelations of Kibo at the great Barranco Wall, the Machame route offers the adventurous hiker a stunning scenic "slide show" over 6 days. The Machame route is normally completed in a minimum of 6 days. .
There is an added benefit to this, as you are afforded the most valuable commodity on the mountain - acclimatisation. The Machame route takes you high to Lava Tower (4630m) on the day 3 and brings you down by nearly 700m for an overnight at Barranco camp (3950m). This is the secret to successful acclimatisation..
6 day Itinerary for the Machame route.
The Machame route can also be completed in 5 days. On day 3 on the itinerary below, you go directly to Kibo with an overnight at the Arrow Glacier camp, with your final summating attempt on day 4. An extremely physically and mentally demanding option, not recommended for the average climber..
Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (2980m).
Hiking time: 7 hours.
Distance: About 18 km's.
Habitat: Montane forest.
Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) to the Machame village (1490m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water in the village. Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately. There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon.
Your porters (arriving at the camp site long before you) will have erected your tent on your arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner, before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite..
Day 2: Machame camp (2980m) - Shira camp (3840m).
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 9 km's.
Habitat: Moorland.
You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike you will reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.
Day 3: Shira (3840m) - Lava Tower (4630m)-Barranco camp (3950m).
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: About 15 km's.
Habitat: Semi desert.
The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). Definitely, the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner.
Day 4: Barranco camp (3950m) - Barafu camp (4550m).
Hiking time: 7 hours.
Distance: About 13 km's.
Habitat: Alpine desert .
After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut.
The last water stop on the route is the Karranga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at round about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and sleep.
Day 5: SUMMIT ATTEMPT, Barafu camp (4550m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m).
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak.
7/8 hours to descend to Mweka.
Distance: About 7 km's ascent - 23 km's descent.
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit.
You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka hut (3100m). The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared.
Day 6: Mweka camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m).
Hiking time: 3 hours.
Distance: About 15 km's .
Habitat: Forest .
. After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Arusha for a long over due hot shower, dinner and celebrations!!
The Price is 1280 US $ per person.
• Return airport transfers between Kilimanjaro Intl Airport and town
• 2 Nights accommodation in the hotel in Moshi/Arusha, with breakfast (hikers class)
• Transfer from your hotel to starting point for your climb, and return to your hotel after your climb
• All National Park gate fees
• All camping fees
• Rescue fees (Kilimanjaro rescue team fees)
• Qualified mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cooks
• Salaries for mountain crew
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the mountain
• Hot drinks on the mountain
• Camping equipment (tents, camp chairs & sleeping mat) Toilet tent can be hired
• Climbing permit
• Certificate for your successful summit attempt
• Emergency Portable oxygen (for the duration of your climb)
• Government climbing taxes
• Travel info pack
• Hiking/trekking gear
Excluded from above package rates:
• Items of personal nature
• Entry visa for Tanzania (US$50 per passport)
• All health requirements (Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever, Meningitis)
• Optional travel insurance (contact our office for further information)
• Airfares and departure taxes
• Dinner on your arrival evening (can be arranged on request)
Arrival services
• Complimentary meet and greet on arrival at Kilimanjaro Intl Airport
Accommodation
• Pre and post climb basic tourist class accommodation in Arusha/MOshi - Tanzania's famous Safari town - offering so much more in terms of tourist attractions, restaurants and nightlife
• Upgrade to luxury class accommodation (5*)available at supplementary cost
Food
• Food of a superior quality and variety offered for the duration of your climb
Management of your climb and tour
• Your overall climb will be managed by a well respected safety and Altitude sickness consultant Mountain Guide for the Tanzania- and Kilimanjaro National Parks, with many years of leadership and climbing experience in the Kilimanjaro, Meru and Oldonyo Lengai.
Guides and Porters
• Salaries paid to your guides and porters as recommended TANAPA
• Senior guides extensively trained by TANAPA.
• Guides have knowledge and experience
• Guides have a good record of success on all routes of Kilimanjaro
Equipment
• Hire of specialist mountaineer clothing designed by our team manager
• Lunch tents & storm proof mountain mess tents
• Storm proof sleeping tents, waterproof sleeping mat, camp table and camping chairs (Toilet tent can be hired as a supplementary extra).
Additional safety precautions
• Uniquely advantageous acclimatization procedures developed from our operational manager's pioneering projects in Kilimanjaro, Meru and Oldonyo Lengai
• Superior logistical arrangements that promote optimal hydration, digestion and rest for the duration of your climb
• First Aid kit (for the duration of your climb)
Other advantages
• Three litre of mineral water for the first day of your hike
• Energy drink on your summit evening
• Celebration dinner (evening after your climb)
IMPORTANT NOTES: The Tanzania National Park Authority have enhanced measures to ensure safety to Tourists/, to make sure Guides/Porters and cooks are paid well. Our Guides are well Trained and certified by Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.html
Kilimanjaro climbing cost is estimated/calculated to make sure you get quality service, good and enough food, assistance from our Guides and hence success for your dream.
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