Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, lies just three degrees south of the equator and is permanently snow-capped. It offers one of the best opportunities in the world to climb a peak at high altitude without the need for technical climbing ability. The trek takes you through well-defined altitudinal vegetation zones, from semi-arid scrub to dense cloud forest.
Arusha - Machame - Arusha
Day 1: Arrive in Arusha and check into a comfortable hotel.
Day 2: From Arusha drive to the Machame route, often called the Whiskey Route. From the Machame Park gate is a gentle climb up through the original montane forest, carpeted with unique busy lizzie flowers, begonias and ferns. First camp amongst the giant heather at 3,000m. Ascent of 1,200m and 5 -6 hours walking
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Day 3: Emerge from the giant heather zone and hike through fine open moorland to camp by the Shira Cave at 3,840m. Herds of eland up here (& occasional lion!) and there are fascinating geological features in the old volcanic caldera which can be viewed during a half-hour optional walk in the afternoon. Ascent 840m and 4 - 5 hours walking.
Day 4: From Shira, climb towards the main peak Kibo, with the western glaciers clearly visible across the rugged high-altitude desert of volcanic rocks and boulders. Skirting around its base and under the imposing western Breach, descend into the sheltered Barranco Valley for mid-way camp at 3,950m. 6 - 7 hours walking and only 110m total ascent. But having climbed much higher and dropped back down assists acclimatization.
Day 5: Up the steep Barranco wall with some sections of very easy scrambling and drop down again to the Karanga Valley where you take a break for lunch.
After lunch hike on to Barafu Hut 4600m, having hiked a total of 7 - 8 hours and ascended 650m. You have fantastic views across to Mawenzi peak from the camp after having completed a longer Day of hiking which now requires you to adequately relax in preparation of the challenging summit hike early the following morning.
Day 6: A bracing 1am start to climb the steep frozen scree. This is unavoidable on any route but we aim to go past Gillman’s Point to reach Stella Point on the crater rim for sunrise Another 40 minutes and you’re at the highest point on the continent (Kibo: 5900m), usually in warm sunshine. Return on the Kidia descent route.
Ascent of 1,300m and about 7 hours trek to the summit; 2,600m descent and 6 - 7 hours trek to the Rau campsite (3400m) above Kidia gate. This is a long hard Day but you feel absolutely ecstatic when you’ve done it!
Day 7: From Rua campsite it is a 4 - 5 hours descent through the forest to Kidia gate (depending on individual fitness) to collect certificates and meet the vehicle. Return to Arusha for overnihgt.
Day 8: Trip ends. Depart for optional safari or transfer to airport for your flight back home.
Make the ascent in a pace that suits you do not rush and rest frequently.
Make Sure that you drink at least 3 -4 liters of liquid a day, preferably water. The water on the mountain is safe to drink. Take a sip every now and then. You will lose a large amount of fluid through the lungs and by sweating.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CLIMATE:
Mount Kilimanjaro is only three degrees south of the Equator so although the climate is technically equatorial it is essentially tropical. The long dry season (Jun-Oct) is followed by Short Rains (Nov-Dec). During the short dry season (Jan-Mar) it can be very hot and humid.
The Long Rains fall Apr-May. On the mountains, temperatures rise and fall only slightly throughout the year but vary considerably between night and day. Temperatures gradually fall as altitude increases. Above 4,000m, daytime temperature is usually around 5C dropping well below freezing at night.
BAGGAGE:
For your comfort we recommend you travel as light as possible; many airlines impose a maximum weight limit of 20 kg. We advise you to take a lot less!
We would suggest:
One main piece - soft bag rather than a hard suitcase as it can be easily stowed and
carried by porters on the ascent. Pack lightly, as space is restricted - max. 15kg. NB: any surplus baggage can be stored in Arusha during the ascent - it is vital not to over pack. Please take only bare essentials for the climb.
A daypack - For comfort we recommend a larger daypack or small rucksack with a comfortable harness and waist belt (30-40 litres capacity is ideal for carrying warm clothing, camera, water bottle etc.
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR:
It’s essential to keep yourself (and your baggage) dry at all times. Also, to cope with variable temperatures, the best strategy is to layer clothing, so you can adjust your temperature. You should not underestimate the freezing cold conditions you will encounter on the mountain. Although some clothing and equipment is available for hire locally, it’s impossible to guarantee its quality or availability, so equip yourself fully before departure. If you require further advice please contact your mountain climb consultants
The following is a suggestion of what you may find useful to take on this trip. It is not exhaustive and a more detailed packing list can also be found at Suggested Mountain Climb Equipments page.