Mt. Kilimanjaro Trekking

Day 2: ARUSHA – MACHAME GATE ( 1490m)

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive to Machame village (1490m). The guide and the porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and your mineral water. After registration at the gate 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 lunch stop half way and will reach the Machame camping area in late afternoon. ( Hiking time: 7hour, Distance: 18kms, Habitat: Mountain Forest)

Day 3: MACHAME CAMP (2980m) – SHIRA CAMP (3840m)

You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast you will 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 will 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 3840m.

The porters will boil drinking water and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will be even colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing. ( Hikig time: 6 hrs, Distance: 9kms, Habitat: Moorland)

Day4: SHIRA (3840m) – LAVA TOWER (4630m) – BARANCO CAMP (3950m)

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 altitudeof 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization 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. (Hiking time: 7 hours, Distance: 13kms, Habitat: Alpine desert)

Day 5: BARANCO CAMP ( 3950m) – BARAFU CAMP (4550m)

After spending a night at Baranco Base Camp we will now continue with our trekking 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 will reach Barafu Hut.

The last water stop on the route is the Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu Camp. Barafu in Swahili means 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 familiarize 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 around 19.00hrs and try to get some precious rest and sleep. (Hiking time: 7hrs, Distance: 13kms, Habitat: Alpine desert)

Day 6: SUMMIT ATTEMPT, BARAFU CAMP (4550m) – UHURU PEAK (5895m)- MWEKA (3100m)

You will rise around 23.30hrs, and after some tea and biscuits you will 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 magnificent sunsrise 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 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 7: MWEKA CAMP(3100m) – MWEKA GATE (1980m)

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 reach Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka gate the waiting vehicle will be there to drive you back to Arusha. Overnight at The  Lodge Tellamande. (BB)

Day 8: ARUSHA – KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

After breakfast, we will depart from The Lodge Tellamande to Kilimanjaro International Air port.