Upon arriving in Moshi, Tanzania's vibrant gateway town at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, you'll be warmly welcomed by your guide. Spend some time relaxing and preparing for your adventure ahead. Attend a pre-trek briefing where your guide will provide essential information about safety measures, equipment needed, and an overview of each day's trekking activities. Rest well to prepare yourself for the exciting days ahead.
Your trek begins at Machame Gate after breakfast. Transfer from Moshi to this starting point amidst lush rainforests. Along the way, you'll catch glimpses of local villages, enjoy stunning views, and immerse yourself in nature.
As you start ascending, the vegetation transitions into dense montane forests, filled with ancient trees, moss-covered rocks, and unique flora .Reach Machame Camp, settle into your campsite, and savor delicious meals prepared by experienced cooks. Retire early, surrounded by serene wilderness under starlit skies.
Today’s stage is short and steep, as we push on up to an altitude of over 3804 metres. Our hard work in the morning, on a narrow path, is well rewarded at lunchtime with wonderful vistas both to the south and over to Kibo. Surely there can be no better location for lunch?
Having made an early start around 08.30hrs, we would expect to reach our camp by 14.00hrs, by which time we will have encountered the moorland lobelias and the distinctive dark obsidian rock of Shira Plateau for the first time. From Shira Caves, you will have time to marvel at some great natural sights such as the so-called ‘Shira Cathedral,’ Klute Peak and Mount Meru, before enjoying your dinner around 18.00hrs.
The fourth day presents a challenging yet rewarding trek. Begin your ascent towards Lava Tower, an imposing volcanic formation that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding glaciers. Continue descending into the scenic Barranco Valley, a picturesque landscape dotted with unique flora such as giant scenarios and everlasting flowers. Drawing closer to Barranco Camp, you'll conquer the famous Barranco Wall a thrilling climb that rewards you with unparalleled vistas .Spend the night at this beautiful campsite, enjoying well-deserved rest.
Today will be a challenge, that much is certain! We will breakfast again at 07.00hrs, in anticipation of what will prove to be a long day. Our departure time today will be 08.00hrs, with a cooked lunch scheduled at Karanga for midday. Our ultimate destination, Barafu Camp, should be reached by 16.00hrs with our dinner at 18.00hrs. The beginning of today’s trek involves something a bit different, a tough scramble up the near-vertical face of the Barranco Wall (also known as the ‘Breakfast Wall,’ as the climb is straight after your breakfast!). At the top, you enjoy spectacular views of the Heim Glacier, before we begin to gradually descend to the gully below, and into the cold, beautiful Karanga Valley.
Next, we continue by climbing up a steep series of zig-zags until we reach Karanga Camp where we will lunch. After leaving Karanga, today’s stage continues steadily upwards, passing through barren, rocky landscape, with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible away to your left. At the top of the climb, the landscape remains bleak as you descend into a valley and you get your first sight of another glacier, Rebmann. At the end of this valley is today’s goal, the Barafu Camp, at which you arrive after a short, steep scramble and a walk
If there is one certainty on Kilimanjaro, it is that ‘summit day’ will be the toughest! But although hugely challenging, hopefully it will be matched with the great sense of achievement of reaching your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro!
Our schedule for our ‘Summit Day’ is of course very different. Rising at 23.00hrs, we take our tea and biscuits (23.30hrs) before a midnight departure. We begin with a long, tough climb from Barafu at 4556 metres to Stella Point at 5756 meters; for some of this you will be walking on scree, making your trek more difficult.
From Stella Point, there is still another 139 meters of ascent and 45 minutes’ walk to the summit. Our goal is to reach the top (5895 meters) by around 07.00hrs then celebrate (of course!) take our precious photos and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the summit (5895 meters), we return to Barafu (4556 meters), where we rest for a couple of hours, take a Brunch and then leave again at 13.30hrs to continue to descend to Mweka Camp (3100 metres) where we spend the night. We would expect to arrive there at 17.00hrs and take our dinner at 19.00hrs. (In total, we cover around 17km/10miles today with about 11-14 hours of walking – tough going, but with our objective hopefully achieved!)
On your last day, take in the final moments of Kilimanjaro's beauty as you descend through lush rainforests. The air becomes warmer and filled with scents of exotic flowers and chirping birds. A sense of accomplishment accompanies you as you reach Mweka Gate. Celebrate your successful summit with a certificate presentation ceremony. Return to Moshi for a hot shower, a delicious meal, and some well-deserved relaxation.
Do not hesitage to give us a call or chat direct WhatsApp with us. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
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