This day is spent relaxing and recovering from your travels. You will have an opportunity to meet the rest of the Kilimanjaro team and our mountain guides.

Morning 

This is your time to relax and explore a bit as you stroll around Moshi downtown.

Afternoon – ORIENTATION

We’ll meet as a group this afternoon. Your guide will have a trip briefing and review your equipment. You’ll be responsible for packing your own mountain gear into a duffel bag (up to 39 pounds/ 18 kilos) that the porters will carry. You’ll also leave one bag with travel and safari clothes, etc. at the hotel in storage.

9350ft/ 2850m – 7 miles/ 11 km

After breakfast, you load your gear to the vehicle, and then head out by vehicle to Machame gate. We pass the banana and coffee plantations, and stop briefly at a couple small shops en-route to pick up a few last-minute supplies.

After your guide takes care of the paperwork, and you signing up we start our climb. The track narrows, and then leads us uphill for about 5-6 hours through the tropical rain forest to Machame camp. We will stop at half way point for picnic lunch, then we finish the half way to the camp. Your tent will already be set up for you by our camp crew. Dinner and overnight.

12500ft /3810m – 4 miles/ 6km

Your waiter will greet you at your tent as you awaken with hot drinks of your choice, followed by water for a quick wash before breakfast.

We start out at about 8 a.m. and leave the last glades of the rain forest behind. On a clear day you can see your first close-up of Kibo Peak – from some miles away.

Passing the fields of heather, the mountainside gradually opens up. You now begin to feel the effects of the altitude, and should walk slowly for two reasons, because that’s all you can do; and to enjoy the hike. In other words, we have plenty of time as we leave in the morning. After 9,000 ft. you pass the first lobelia, protea and giant senecio, and reach Shira in 5 to 6 hours. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Shira camp.

13000ft / 3950m – 8 miles/12km

We hike uphill, past the Lava Tower 15000ft/4600m, and slowly trek downhill past our first Lobelias and Giant Senecios, around Kibo’s spectacular south-facing glaciers. The views of the towering peaks are spectacular. We stop at the Lava Tower for picnic lunch.

After descending through the heather and lobelias we arrive at Barranco Camp. Dinner and overnight at Barranco camp.

13104ft / 3995m – 3 miles/5km

We spend this extra day to help acclimatize to the altitude. Our first challenge of the day is to breach the Barranco Wall – not too tough, but a challenge nonetheless. Most of the day is spent skirting the base of Kibo peak over our left shoulder. We descend down into the Karanga Valley, and climb up the other side, where we rest up for the night before the climb up to Barafu camp.  Lunch, dinner and overnight at Karanga camp

15,088-ft/4,600m – 2m/4 km

It’s all uphill to the rocky, craggy slopes at Barafu camp. Barafu means “ice” in Swahili, and it is extremely windy and cold at this altitude. There is a buzz of excitement in the air, as climbers anticipate our toughest day just ahead. We’ll go to bed early because we start our climb at midnight for the final leg to Uhuru Peak. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Barafu camp.

19341ft /5895m – 4 miles/6km – 12490ft/3808m – 1.5miles/2.5km

We will follow a picturesque back route for our final ascent accessing an exclusive and rarely utilized summit footpath that offers access to isolated and undefiled natural areas and remarkable views of east Africa’s peaks and plains. The summit leg of the journey is timed to reveal views of a new dawn over Africa.

At the midnight, we climb up towards the crater rim – a non-technical climbing route to the edge of the crater floor Stella point. We will leave the crater rim Stella point and hike to the top of Uhuru Peak. From here it is forty-five minutes to an hour hike to Uhuru Summit, the highest point in Africa at 19,340 feet! We arrive at the summit and are rewarded with clear views before midday clouds roll in. We will bask in the glory of our accomplishment, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the breathtaking views. This is a great opportunity to take lots of photos. After our summit celebration we will begin our descent past Barafu camp, where we stop for lunch and pack ready to descend down to Millennium Camp.  A celebratory feast will be served. After descending 9,000 feet, you will feel intoxicated by the oxygen-rich air!

Here we wash and having evening tea then you will meet the team for Tipping ceremony. Dinner and overnight at Millenium camp.

Hiking time will vary depending on the trail conditions while traveling through the lush vegetation at this elevation. Rain can occur any time of year at this location and can make the trail muddy. Moving at a slower pace has its benefits and offers opportunities to have a good look at our incredible surroundings. Once we have descended the 4,500 feet to the road head, we will have our lunch and say good-bye to our mountain staff before heading off to the hotel. At the Hotel you can shower, relax and enjoy the serene setting. A Celebratory Dinner at the Hotel will complete this amazing adventure!

Summiting Kilimanjaro marks the end of one adventure and the start of another – you can choose to extend your stay by adding a safari and/or trip to the Island of Zanzibar.

Transferred to Airport fly home, safari, or a relaxing trip to Zanzibar.