Details
Trip Duration
15 days
Mountain Range
East African Mountains
People per Guide
-
Trip Level
Sustained
Offer Period
Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec
Type of Trip
Group
Highlights
- Tackle one of the seven summits and fulfill a lifelong personal goal
- Mingle with zebras, elephants, and cheetahs during an optional safari extension
- Top rated climbing company that has been guiding on Kili for 20 years
- Every detail of the trip is planned with care
Tackle an iconic seven summit and climb one of the most famous mountains in the world during this 15 day expedition to Kilimanjaro. After the tough high altitude adventure, you will rest and relax in the company of elephants, zebra, and hippos during an incredible safari experience!
Rising above the plains of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro is unrivaled in its spectacular natural beauty. This dormant volcano of 5,895m/19,341ft last erupted hundreds of thousands of years ago, was first summited by Europeans in 1889, and today is a classic of the seven summits. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the perfect test for any aspiring climber who sets out to achieve this difficult, yet incredibly fulfilling, personal goal: to stand on the highest point of Africa.
We will follow the Machame route during the 7 day climb. We prefer this route because there is plenty of time to acclimatize along the way. Also, we typically try to camp at some of the less popular spots on the mountain. During the trek, we will pass through the mountain’s 5 distinct ecosystems, and it is truly fascinating to see how the vegetation and landscape change with the altitude. A day-by-day outline of the route is included below, so you can review the path we will take and the campsites we will use.
If you’d like to mo maximize your time while you’re already in Africa, we will head to the plains for a magical safari extension (optional) after the climb. The safari will combine interesting cultural experiences with the unsurpassed big game wildlife of Tanzania. You will have a chance to see elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, hippos, and more as we explore Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Park. During the Safari, we will spend 3 nights at different Sopa Lodges. These are comfortable, clean, and modern lodges with unparalleled access to African wildlife. This experience is available for an additional $2,000. The safari may also be booked as a standalone trip.
The journey to the summit will be led by an experienced Western lead guide, with an incredible staff of local Africans, including several support guides. We have a great safety record guiding clients on Kilimanjaro, and prioritize safety at all times. Additionally, we work hard bring as much comfort as we can to the mountain, with nutritious chef-prepared meals, comfortable dining tents, and private commode-toilet tents with water. We also follow Leave No Trace principles and hire a porter solely dedicated to clean-up so that we can sure no waste remains on the mountain after we leave.
While this is not a technical climb and does not require previous mountaineering experience, a high level of physical fitness is critical to the safety and success of your climb. It is important to keep in mind that trekking at extremely high altitudes is significantly more difficult than trekking at lower altitudes. We recommend that you train for at least 3-4 months and follow a training plan that includes cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and mobility work, along with trekking up hills (or stairs if you are training indoors) with daypacks of up to 25 lbs. We are happy to provide a training program upon request, as well as a detailed list of gear you will need for the climb.
Book now for a special journey through one of the world’s most unique landscapes. After we push to the summit of the iconic mountain Kilimanjaro, we will experience the wonders of African wildlife firsthand during our amazing safari adventure.
Price per person
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation
- All meals during trip
- Transport during the trip
- Group equipment
- Permit and entrance fees
- Porters
What happens if I need to cancel the trip?
If you decide to cancel, you’ll get a 100% refund (minus fees) if the cancellation is notified up to 60 days before the start of the tour, a 75% refund (minus fees) if you cancel between 59 and 30 days before the start of the tour, and a 50% refund if you cancel between 29 and 21 days before the start of the tour. If you cancel less than 21 days before the first day of the tour, you won’t receive a refund.
Take into account, however, that if accommodation, flights or transfers were included in the trip you booked, then a different policy may apply as the guide will be bound by the provider’s cancellation policy.
What happens if the guide cancels the trip because of bad weather/unsuitable conditions?
If bad weather or unsuitable conditions force the guide to cancel the trip, he or she will: a) propose a similar activity at a different place where conditions are better, or b) propose to postpone the activity until a later date, or c) cancel. If you refuse option a), our cancellation policy will apply. Please note, however, that the call to cancel a trip due to bad weather can only be made by the guide (not the client).
What happens if the guide doesn’t show up or cancels for personal reasons?
If the guide cancels for reason of injury or other, you will get a 100% refund on your trip.
Itinerary
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Day 1:
International flight to Tanzania
Depart your home country for Kilimanjaro International Airport (Airport Code: JRO)
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Day 2:
Arrival in Tanzania
When your international flight arrives, we will meet you at the airport for your transfer to the hotel in Arusha: New Arusha Hotel.
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Day 3:
Orientation
We will welcome everyone to Tanzania and go over the upcoming days’ program during a detailed briefing. We then conduct gear check and, if you’re interested, will take you on a walking tour of Arusha. We stay another night at the New Arusha Hotel.
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Day 4:
Machame Hut
Today the trek begins! Vehicle transfer to the trailhead at Machame Gate, where we greet our porters. Our porters come from the Chagga Tribe, an ethnic group that lives on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. We will have ample opportunity to get to know them and their unique culture and traditions during the upcoming days.
We begin our trek at an elevation of 1,830m/5,800ft. We hike through the edge of a rainforest until we reach Machame Hut (3,000m/9,900ft), where we stop for the night.
Total time: approx 6 hours
Distance: 10km/6mi
Elevation gain: 1,200m/3,900ft
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Day 5:
Shira Camp
We pass through a short valley and then begin to climb. As we trek, we can observe the landscape change from health forest to moor land. We eventually reach the Shira Plateau, and not long after we arrive at Shira Camp (3,800m/12,500ft), where we spend the night.
Total time: 4-6 hours
Distance: 8km/5mi
Elevation gain: 800m/2,600ft
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Day 6:
Barranco Hut
Today takes us to our highest elevation yet at 14,800ft. We will enjoy incredible panoramas over the landscape below. We then descend down to Barranco Hut (12,800ft) for the night.
Total Time: 7-9 hours
Distance: 10km/6mi
Elevation gain: 2,100ft/640m
Elevation loss: 520m/1,700ft
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Day 7:
Karanga River Camp
Today we have another opportunity to acclimatize as we reach an elevation of 14,500ft during our climb over the Great Barranco. From there, we descend to the Karanga River Camp for the night. The route takes us beneath the Breach Wall, a landmark of the mountain.
Total time: 4-5 hours
Distance: 5km/3mi
Elevation gain: 400m/1,300ft
Elevation loss: 300m/1,000ft
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Day 8:
High Camp (Kosovo Camp)
We enter the high desert plateau with today’s ascent. You will notice the volcanic boulders that are strewn across the path. Once we reach our high camp at Kosovo, we rest before our late night/early morning (12-2am) summit attack.
Total time: 5 hours
Distance: 5km/3mi
Elevation gain: 700m/2,300ft
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Day 9:
SUMMIT!
Finally, the moment for our summit attack has arrived! We hopefully feel rested for the long day ahead.
We climb in the dark of night until dawn, traversing a ridge until we reach the edge of the crater. From there, we follow the crater’s rim until we reach the summit of Uhuru Peak at a breathtaking 5,896m/19,344 ft. We take a moment to celebrate our achievement as we observe the impressive panorama that surrounds us.
We then must begin our descent. We stop at High Camp for a quick bite, and continue to our final camp on the mountain, Millennium Camp.
Total Times – High Camp to Summit: 7-8 hours; Summit back to High Camp: 2-3 hours; High Camp to Millennium Camp: 2.5-3 hours
Distance -High camp and summit: 7km/6mi; High Camp to Millennium Camp: 5.6km/3.5mi
Elevation gain/loss: High Camp to summit: 1,080m/3,544ft; High camp to Millennium Camp: 1,028m/3,550ft
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Day 10:
Return to Arusha
We wake up early and head out by 7am. Yesterday’s achievement will really sink in as we see the impressive summit looming behind us.
We follow the Mweka route on the way down, crossing a thick jungle filled with gigantic ferns. We enjoy a final celebration at Mweka gate, as well as a delicious hot buffet lunch.
We return to Arusha (2 hr vehicle transfer) and spend the night at the New Arusha Hotel.
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Day 11:
Departure
Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (Airport Code: JRO) for your flight back to your home country.
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Day 12:
Arrive home
Arrive back home.
Next departures
| Next dates | Info |
|---|---|
| 27/07/2019 to 10/08/2019 | |
| 24/08/2019 to 07/09/2019 | |
| 01/09/2019 to 15/09/2019 | |
| 13/09/2019 to 27/09/2019 |
Other details
We will spend a couple of nights at the New Arusha Hotel located in Arusha. During our climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, we will camp at various sites on the mountain. During our Safari, we will stay at the: Tarangire Sopa Lodge, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, and Serengeti Sopa Lodge, which are comfortable lodges with modern amenities.
About the Guide
We are one of the prime guiding agencies in the US and our mountaineering school is among the most reputed in the country. We are recognized as industry leaders all across North America.
All our expeditions are carefully planned as we believe that our work prior to the start of the trip is key to helping climbers achieve their goals. We provide a wealth of important information to help participants plan more effectively and our guides are always available to answer questions.
We believe putting together cohesive groups is key and we ask participants important details about their training and climbing or hiking experience. This is key to our safety record, which stands as the finest in the industry. Injury prevention is always our top priority.
We think of climbers as modern-day explorers. Whether attending a mountaineering course or climbing Everest, you can expect us to treat every trip as a unique exploration. We know you have joined us to embrace a challenge and to learn through experience.