Mount Kilimanjaro - Roof of Africa

This highest Mountain in Africa is just three degrees below the equator and its two peaks KIBO [5,893m] and MAWENZI [5,149M] are permanently snow capped. Its breathtaking beauty has to be seen and experienced by one personally. Ascent and descent takes 5 days and can be climbed by any normal fit person with the assistance of experienced mountain guides and porters. Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of year except during the long rains in April and May.

Mount Kilimanjaro "Roof of Africa" is the crown of Tanzania. Rising abruptly from the open plains, capped by snow and frequently fringed by clouds, it is one of Africa's classic images. At 19,344 feet it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest walk-able summit in the world. The diameter of its base is an incredible 40 miles.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant, but not extinct volcano. Ominous rumbles can sometimes be heard and gases emerge from the fume-holes in the crater. Although just three degrees south of the Equator, the peaks of both Kibo and Mawenzi have permanent caps of snow and ice.

Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of the year but the best time is considered to be from August to October and January to March. It is wet in the rainforest during the rains in April, May, June and November. December through to February are the warmest months but then Weather is very unpredictable and therefore you have to check with us at the time when you are close to your adventure.

With the help of our experienced porters and a guide, it is possible to walk all the way to the summit without specialized mountaineering experience or equipment and Kilimanjaro can be conquered by any reasonably fit person. The climb normally takes five to six days and involves four or five overnight stays in comfortable mountain huts when using Marangu Route. Machame Route does not have huts and therefore tents are used. Thousands of trekkers reach Gillman's Point or Uhuru Peak successfully each year without any real difficulty. To avoid altitude sickness and failure, it is recommended to acclimatize by ascending slowly and steadily instead of rushing to the next stop.

During the time on the mountain, you will pass from a tropical to arctic environment in just a few days. The various trails first pass through lush rainforests before reaching heather and open moorland where giant lobelia and huge, cactus-like groundsel grow. Above this moorland is the almost lunar landscape of an alpine desert which stretches between the two peaks of Kibo, the flat-topped dome at the centre, and Mawenzi, a group of jagged points and pinnacles on the eastern side.

The highest point of Kibo, and indeed the whole of Kilimanjaro, is Uhuru Peak, with its spectacular hanging glaciers and stupendous views of the African plains some 20,000 feet below. Also on Kibo is the slightly lower peak of Gillman's Point. These are the goals for most of our trekkers.

DAY 1 Overnight in one of the hotels in Arusha (Bed & Breakfast).
DAY 2 Drive to Mount Kilimanjaro Gate. Commence ascending walking through the rain forest to MANDARA HUT Lying at 9,000 ft./2,750m. Stay Overnight.
DAY 3 Leave the glades of forest and follow an ascending path on the open moorlands to HOROMBO HUT lying at 12,000ft./3,700m. Stay Overnight.
DAY 4 Extra day for acclimatization. Stay Overnight at HOROMBO HUT
DAY 5 Ascending you pass "The Last Water" walking on to the saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi arriving at KIBO HUT at 15,000ft./4,700m Stay Overnight
DAY 6 EARLY start for the summit on steep and heavy scree up to Gilman's Point at 18,640ft./5,681m. Which is on the greater rim. Ascending up to UHURU PEAK. The highest Point in Africa at 19,340ft./5,896m. From here you descend going straight down to HOROMBO Hut Stay Overnight.
DAY 7 The day spent in descending down to the park gates- Drive to/for Overnight in one of the hotels in Arusha (Bed & Breakfast).

DAY 2- Gate to Mandara - 3 to 4 Hours.
DAY 3- Mandara to Horombo - 5 to 7 Hours.
DAY 4- Horombo (IF ACCLIMATIZATION IS REQUIRED).
DAY 5- Horombo to Kibo - 6 to 7 Hours.
DAY 6- Kibo to Summit 1;00 Am to 6:00 or 6:30 AM - 5 to 6 Hours & Later Descend down to Horombo 4 to 5 hrs (It takes less time to descend than when ascending). The reason for going all the way down to Horombo is because it is at lower altitude and therefore more oxygen and also appetite is normal. To remain at higher altitude will mean less oxygen, less appetite and therefore one would feel more exhausted due to lack of oxygen and less food intake.
DAY 7- Horombo to Mandara - 2 to 2-1/2 Hours.
DAY 7- Mandara to Gate - 1 Hour.

DAY 1 Overnight in one of the hotels in Arusha (Bed & Breakfast).
DAY 2 Transfer to Gate at Machame. From here trek through the lush forest to MACHAME CAMP (10,000ft./3000m). Camp Overnight.
DAY 3 Leaving the forest, the path follows a steep ridge, passing through heather and open moorlands, and crossing a large gorge to Reach SHIRA CAMP (12,500ft./3,800m). Camp Overnight.

DAY 4 Shira (IF ACCLIMATIZATION IS REQUIRED).
DAY 5 Turn Eastwards and continue ascending through the dry landscape before dropping again to reach BARRANCO CAMP (13,000ft./3,900m). Camp Overnight.
DAY 6 The path climbs up steeply out of the Barranco Valley, crosses the Karanga valley, then turns North to reach BARAFU CAMP (15,500ft./4,600m). Camp Overnight.
DAY 7 A long day and an early start to reach the crater rim at Stella Point in time for sunrise. Then to Uhuru Peak (19,340ft./5,896m). The highest Point in Africa. Afterwards descend to Gillmans Point and on down to MWEKA CAMP (10,300ft./3,100m). Camp Overnight.
DAY 8 Descend to Mweka park gate, from where you are transferred back to Overnight in one of the hotels in Arusha (Bed & Breakfast).

DAY 2- Machame Gate to Machame - 6 to 8 Hours.
DAY 3- Machame to Shira - 4 to 6 Hours.
DAY 4- Shira Camp (IF ACCLIMATIZATION IS REQUIRED).

DAY 5- Shira to Barranco - 6 to 8 Hours.
DAY 6- Barranco to Barafu - 6 to 8 Hours.
DAY 7- Barafu to Stella Point -5 to 7 Hours -Stella Point to UHURU PEAK -45 Minutes- Uhuru Peak - Rau (Mweka) - 5 to 6 Hours.
DAY 8- Rau (Mweka) to Gate 4 to 6 Hours.

Shoes & Boots
[ ] Running or tennis shoes and/or Teva Sandals. 1 pair to wear around camp and also for safari
[ ] Trekking shoes. 1 pair of sturdy trekking shoes in which you can wear a light synthetic sock under a warm heavy sock comfortably, either wool or synthetic. Shoes should be very Water Proof. Recommended: Raichle Mountain Trekker or Montrail Moraine.
[ ] Gaiters. 1 pair used to keep rocks out of shoes and boots dry. Recommended: OR Crocodiles or Rocky Mountain.

Climbing Tools
[ ] Ski or Trekking poles, adjustable two or three section.
1 Pair. Suggested: Leki, Garmont, or MSR.
[ ] Headlamp, spare bulbs and batteries. A good quality climbers headlamp.
Suggested: Petzl Zoom or Princeton Tek. Use AA or C-Cell batteries, bring extras.

Technical Clothing
[ ] 2 Pair light weight long underwear. Topsn and bottoms. Capeline, other synthetic or wool. No cotton Light weight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder) Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation's options. One set of white for instance sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Suggested north Face. marmot DriClime or Patagonia Capeline
[ ] Pile Jacket. Mid-to heavy weight pile (Polartec 200-300 depending upon cold tolerance). A full-Zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover. Wind-stopper fleece is NOT recommended due to reduced breathability. Suggested: North Face Denali or Mtn Hardware Chill factor.
[ ] Pile pants Light weight pile (Polartec 100)with full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle of climbing). Suggested: North Face Denali, Mtn hardware Chill Factor.
[ ]Down or synthetic jacket. Medium to heavy weight with hood. Recommended: North Face Summit, Mtn Hardware Sub Zero jkt.
[ ] Shell jacket. Gore-Tex must have good hood. For the jacket we highly recommend a long front zipper, a roomy rather than snug fit and underarm zips which go well below the armpit.
[ ] Shell pants.1 pair Gore-Tex with full separating side zips. Shell Jacket and pants must fit over pile insulation comfortably. Suggested for Shell Jacket&Pants: North Face Mtn Light, Marmot Thunderlight, Mtn Hardware Ethereal, Patagonia Torre Gear.

Mitts & Gloves
[ ] Light synthetic gloves.2 pair pile or similar quick drying material. Should fit comfortably inside heavy mitts. Suggested: North Face or Patagonia.
[ ] Mitts with Gore-Tex shells.1 pair each suggested: Outdoor Research Modular Mitts. A good pair of ski mittens/gloves work well too.

Socks
[ ] Liner socks.3 pair of thin socks made of smooth wool, nylon or capeline worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots.
[ ] Outer socks.3 pair of heavy socks made of wool or synthetic material. When layering socks, make sure they fit well over both feet and inside boots.

Sleeping
[ ] Sleeping bag. Expedition quality to at least 10 degrees. Down is lighter and less bulky, but more expensive than synthetics.
[ ] Ridge Rest sleeping pad. 1 full length closed-cell foam.
[ ] Therma Rest pad. 1 3/4 or full length w/repair kit. No Ultralights.

Headgear
[ ] Sun hat. The sun can be intense at high altitude. A hat with a good visor provides protection for the nose and eyes. Baseball hats work well. A white bandanna is useful for shading the neck.
[ ] Wool or pile ski hat.
[ ] Balaclava. 1 polypropylene or capeline. Suggested: North face.
[ ]Glacier glasses. 100% UV, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, no more than 6% light transmission. Suggested: Bolle, RayBan, Julbo Round "Arc", Cebe. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses __it is a good idea to have these with "photo-gray" or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or green). Bolle make goggles that fit over glasses and are designed for glacier use. Bolle X-700 . Regular sunglasses are o.k

Camping
[ ] Backpack. A day pack big enough to carry water bottles, camera, lunch and extra clothing. 3,000 cu.in.max.
[ ] Water bottles.2 (litters), wide-mouth. Suggested: Hunnersdorf or nalgene.
[ ] Sunscreen. SPF 40 , 2 small tubes. Most sunscreens have a very limited shelf life, so check the expiration date. Suggested: Aloe Gator or Bull frog.
[ ] Lipscreen. SPF 40,at least 2 sticks.
[ ] Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and light) Aspirin, moleskin. molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, band-Aids, personal medications, etc.

Travelling
[ ] Large Boundary Bags. 1 or 2 for transporting and storing gear. These waterproof bags are made by Cacade Designs and are needed to keep your clothing dry during transport. If all your gear will fit into one bag then you will need only one. A second small duffel can be nice for storing things at the hotel during the expeditions.
[ ] Plastic bags. To line stuff sacks to keep gear dry and line pack.
[ ] Travel clothes. You will need clothing for three days of safari. Loose fitting cotton trousers or shorts and short sleeve shirts work well during the day. You will want to bring a light jacket for town & safari. Evening time can be cooler. Safari lodges are quite nice, so long pants and a nice shirt are recommended for dining.
[ ] Toiletry bag. Include toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, towel, etc.