Day 1 – Arrive Moshi
Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. Your adventure begins with a welcome reception at the airport. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy sometime by the pool. If we’re lucky and the weather allows, you may catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro during sunset. This evening there will be a full briefing with questions and kit inspection by an experienced Kilimanjaro climber guide. Afterwards enjoy a group dinner and prepare for your trek the following day.
Day 2 – Hike to Mandara Hut
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your guides and porters. Each person has a personal porter and there are extra porters for camping equipment and food. Before our trek we will proceed to visit the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. Learn how various projects support the people who are part of the crew accompanying you to Mount Kilimanjaro.
Head to Marangu Gate, the entrance to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park(6100ft). With introductions and assignment of porter loads taken care of, it’s time to embark on the trek of a lifetime.
Day 3 – To Horombo Hut
After breakfast, head out to Horombo Hut – another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch about 7.5 miles (approximately 5–7 hours).
You have a chance to see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows dotted with giant heather trees. Once out of the forest canopy, the twin snow-tipped peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi lie directly ahead. These are two of the three great cones of Kilimanjaro (the other being Shira). During the day’s walk we will traverse several ravines before reaching the hut, which is set in a rocky valley. There is time to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and changing landscapes on the way to Horombo Hut (12,400 ft). We will spend the next 2 nights here.
Day 4 – Horombo Hut – Acclimatization Day
After breakfast, head out to Horombo Hut – another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch about 7.5 miles (approximately 5–7 hours).
You have a chance to see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows dotted with giant heather trees. Once out of the forest canopy, the twin snow-tipped peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi lie directly ahead. These are two of the three great cones of Kilimanjaro (the other being Shira). During the day’s walk we will traverse several ravines before reaching the hut, which is set in a rocky valley. There is time to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and changing landscapes on the way to Horombo Hut (12,400 ft). We will spend the next 2 nights here.
After breakfast, walk towards Mawenzi Hut, passing the unusual Zebra Rocks on the way. It’s a steep climb up a grassy slope, but well worth it: the views over the area towards Kibo are second-to-none. Afterwards, return to Horombo for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing and acclimatizing to the altitude or ask your guides about short walks in the area. Take advantage of the rest day here and drink plenty of water, the next couple of days will be challenging.
Day 5 – Hike to Kibo Hut
After breakfast, you’ll walk 6 miles or so from Horombo to Kibo Hut (approximately 5–7 hours). As the journey progresses you will notice the landscape gradually becoming more rugged and rocky, and the air noticeably thinner.
We will have to soften our pace a little to accommodate these environmental changes. Marvel at giant groundsels and lobelias while you travel across the sparse moorland.
We will reach Kibo Hut in afternoon (15,550 ft), take the opportunity to have an early night in preparation for a very early wake-up call.
Day 6 – Summit Day
Your guides will wake you up at 11 pm (technically still day 5) and hot tea will be served. This will be for the final stretch to the summit. The distance from Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak is 3.7 miles (approximately 6–8 hours), and then the descent to Horombo will be approximately the same amount of time. The trek begins beneath the stars as you maneuver your way up the slope, guided only by torch light, to reach Gilman’s Point (18,650 ft).
Arrive in time for breathtaking views of the sun rising behind Mawenzi Peak. You need to keep very warm as the morning is very chilly and cold. The breathtaking spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields of the crater will make the early wakeup a memory and worthwhile experience. For those who still have the energy, it’s a further walk (approximately 2 hours) along the rim of the crater to Uhuru Peak (19,341 ft), the highest point in Africa. From here there are amazing views of the crater, ice fields, and plains below. After photos and time to catch your breath, descend back to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest.
Day 7 – Horombo Hut back to Mosh
After breakfast, continue your descent through alpine meadows and rainforests to the park gate. The distance from Horombo to Marangu Gate is 12 miles (approximately 5–6 hours). There will be vehicles waiting at the gate to take you and the crew back to the hotel. Enjoy an invigorating relaxing hot shower – a real treat after the intense physical effort of the last few days. Over a celebratory barbecue, relive and share your experiences of the past five days on the mountain. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8 – Depart
After breakfast you are free to depart anytime. Consider adding on a Tanzania Safari extension to extend your time.
