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Mt. KILIMANJARO HIKE AND SAFARI 2008 The following itinerary can be scheduled to fit your group or personal needs.
July 2008 Machame Route and Tanzania Safari US$3250/per. approx. for group of 6 or larger (price can vary depending on accommodation, number of participants and season. Ask for quote) JUL: You will be transferred to your lodge from the airport where the afternoon/ evening will be spent relaxing and recovering from jet lag and acclimatizing to your new setting. Dinner and overnight. JUL: :Relax at beautiful Springlands. Take a guided tour around the local countryside. Prepare to launch on your Hike to the summit. JUL: Machame Gate (1490m)
- Machame camp (2980m), Hiking time: 7 hoursDistance: About 18 km's, Habitat:
Montane forest. Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by
breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) to the Machame village
(1490m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment
in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water
in the village. Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive
from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take
about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, 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 welcome lunch stop about
half way and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. JUL: Machame camp (2980m) - Shira camp (3840m), Hiking time: 6 hours, Distance: About 9 km's, Habitat: Moorland. You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast you 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 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 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing. JUL: Shira (3840m)-Lava Tower (4630m)-Barranco camp (3950m), Hiking time: 7 hours,Distance: About 15 km's, Habitat: Semi desert. 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 altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation 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 and overnight at Barranco Camp site. JUL: Barranco camp (3950m)- Barafu camp (4550m), After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at
first), you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end
normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the
Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The
route then heads down through the Karanga Valley 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 reach Barafu Camp. JUL: SUMMIT ATTEMPT: Barafu camp (4550m)-Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m,) Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7 tp 8 hours to descend to Mweka, Distance: About 7 km's ascent - 23 km's descent, Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you 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 (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise 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 for 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 live. 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 and drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates and beer is available from the camp office!! JUL: Mweka camp (3100m)- Mweka Gate (1980m), Hiking time: 3 hours, Distance: About 15 km's, Habitat: Forest After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. It is strongly recommended not to pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. Click here for more info on tips. 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 reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Moshi for a long over due hot shower, Overnight in Springlands hotel JUL:Early morning departure for Serengeti Park. Afternoon driving safari. Overnight at Serengeti at a hotel or tented camp overlooking the vast plains. JUL: All day game drive on the open plains of the Serengeti. Return for Dinner. Optional evening game drive. Overnight. JUL: Morning departure for Ngorongoro crater. Optional stop at Olduvai Gorge and/or Masaai settlement. Overnight at Ngorongoro rim hotel or tented camp. JUL: All day game drive inside the crater. Overnight at Ngorongoro rim or tented camp. JUL: Morning departure for Arusha with mid afternoon arrival and lunch. Group separation or catch your flight out in the evening. You have an opportunity to test out your bargaining skills for locally made souvenirs at an African bazaar near lake Manyara during your drive to Arusha. What you didn't find there you will be sure to find later on when you get to Arusha. It is your option to rent a "Day Room" at a very nice hotel in Arusha (about $50.00) to clean up, relax,re-pack and wait to be taken to your flight.
General
Information *Accommodations on all route are in 2/3 person tents. with the exception of the Marangu where you sleep in huts. *Price
quoted is double occupancy. *Optional
hot air balloon ride U.S. $375/person. *Above
price is all inclusive from Kilimanjaro Int. airport with exception of tips
and personal items.
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