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Mt. KILIMANJARO HIKE AND SAFARI 2012

The following itinerary can be scheduled to fit your group or personal needs.

 July 2012

Machame Route and Tanzania Safari

US$/per.  approx. for group of 6 or larger

(price can vary depending on accommodation, number of participants and season.  Ask for quote)

Day 1:  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. 

 2: Relax at beautiful Springlands. Take a guided tour around the local countryside.  Prepare to launch on your Hike to the summit.

3:  Machame Gate (1490m/4887 ft)  to Machame camp (2980m/9774ft.) Hiking time: 7 hours Distance: About 18 km's/11 miles  Habitat: rain 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 that recent rains will transform the trail into a soggy, muddy and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping area  at the edge of the moorlands in the late afternoon. 
 In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at Machame campsite.

4:  Machame camp (2980m/9774 ft.) to Shira camp (3840m/12595 ft. ), Hiking time: 6 hours, Distance: About 9 km's/5.5 miles.   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 3840m.   The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

5:  Shira (3840m/12,595 ft.) toLava Tower (4630m/15,186)to Barranco camp (3950m/12956 ft.),  Hiking time: 7 hours, Distance: About 15 km/9 miles.  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 reaching Lava Tower you descend again by almost 680m to the Barranco camp.  The 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  preparation of your dinner.  

6:  Barranco camp (3950m/12,956 ft) to Karanga camp (3900m/12792 ft)  3 hr., 5 km/3 miles

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 into the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys where you will make camp.    Many trekkers continue on to the Barafu hut in a day but we will break this stretch into two parts to assist in acclimitization.

7:  Overnight in the Karanga valley.  This is the last place 

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.  
The last water stop on the route is the Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at round about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and sleep for not more than 5 Hours.

8:  SUMMIT ATTEMPT: Barafu camp (4550m)-Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m,) Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak,   7 to 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!!

9:  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

10:Early morning departure for Serengeti Park. Afternoon driving safari. Overnight at Serengeti at a hotel or tented camp overlooking the vast plains.    

11: All day game drive on the open plains of the Serengeti.  Return for Dinner.  Optional evening game drive.  Overnight.

12:  Morning departure for Ngorongoro crater.  Optional stop at Olduvai Gorge and/or Masaai settlement.  Overnight at Ngorongoro rim hotel or tented camp.

13:  All day game drive inside the crater. Overnight at Ngorongoro rim or tented camp.

14:  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.  KIA 2009 departure fees are U.S. $30.00/ person.

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