Marangu Route Approximate Trekking Time
- Gate to Mandara: 3 to 4 hours
- Mandara to Horombo: 5 to 7 hours
- Acclimatize
- Horombo to Kibo: 6 to 7 hours
- Kibo to Summit 1:00am to 6:00am or 6:30am: 5 to 6 hours & later, descend down to Horombo: 4 to 5 hrs (It takes less time to descend than when ascending).
**The reason for going all the way down to Horombo is because it is at a lower altitude therefore more oxygen in take and higher appetite are normal, which provides comfortable conditions for the traveler. To remain at higher altitude will mean less oxygen, less appetite and therefore one would feel more exhausted due to lack of oxygen and less food intake.
- Horombo to Mandara: 2 to 2.5 hours
- Mandara to Gate: 1 hour
Marangu Route Climb Itinerary:
Day 01: Depart USA Board your flight for Tanzania via Europe.
Day 02: Arusha Upon arrival in Arusha, transfer to your hotel for overnight. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for briefing and an equipment check.
Day 03: Mandara Hut [9000 ft / 2750m] Begin your climb through the bird & wildlife rich rainforests. After approximately 3 hours arrive at the Mandara Hut for your overnight.
Day 04: Horombo Hut [12000 ft / 3700m] Walk through the Alpine meadows & moorlands for 7 hours. Arrive at the Horombo Hut for overnight.
Day 05: Horombo Hut [12000 ft. / 3700m] Extra day for acclimatization at Horombo Hut.
Day 06: Kibo Hut [15000ft / 4700m] Continue across the high altitude desert and further on between Kibo & Mawenzi for 7 hours, arriving at the Kibo Hut for your overnight.
Day 07: Uhuru Peak [highest point - 18640ft / 5681m] The final 7-hour ascent up the steep slopes begins at 0100hrs, reaching the Gillman’s point at dawn. Continue along the Gillman’s Peak crater rim to Uhuru Peak where you see the beautiful views of the plains below. Return to Horombo Hut for overnight.
Day 08: Arusha Descend to the Marangu Gate and transfer to Arusha for overnight at a hotel.
Day 09: Depart Arusha Board your return flight to the USA. *** Extra day for acclimatization at the Horombo point can be arranged at an extra cost.
*** Click here for ideas on adding African safaris at the end of your Kilimanjaro climb
Kilimanjaro Climb Prices will include:
Professional Guide,
Porters,
Climbing fees,
Camping fees,
2 nights accommodation at Novotel Mount Meru based on Bed & Breakfast basis or similar hotel in Arusha,
Transfers from Arusha to Mweka Gate and Mweka Gate to Arusha.
Food while on the mountain.
International airfare is extra and can be arranged depending upon the season during which you choose to travel.
Machame Route Approximate Trekking Time:
- Machame Gate to Machame: 6 to 8 hours
- Machame to Shira: 4 to 6 hours
- Shira to Barranco: 6 to 8 hours
- Barranco to Barafu: 6 to 8 hours
- Barafu to Stella Point: 5 to 7 hours
- Stella Point to UHURU PEAK: 45 minutes
- Uhuru Peak to Rau (Mweka): 5 to 6 hours
- Rau (Mweka) to Gate: 4 to 6 hours
Machame Route Climb Itinerary:
Day 01: Depart USA Board your flight for Tanzania via Europe.
Day 02: Arusha Upon arrival in Arusha, transfer to your hotel for overnight. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for briefing and an equipment check.
Day 03: Machame Hut [9,800ft] Transfer by car to the Machame Trail gate and begin trekking through the lush monkey-rich rainforest to Machame Camp.
Day 04: Shira Camp [12,300ft] Leaving the forest, the path follows a steep ridge, passing through heather and open moorlands, and crossing a large gorge to reach Shira Camp.
Day 05: Barranco Camp [12,800] Turn eastwards and continue ascending through the dry landscape before dropping again to reach Barranco Camp.
Day 06: Barafu Camp [14,650ft] The path climbs up steeply out of the Barranco Valley, crosses the Karanga valley, then turns north to reach Barafu Camp.
Day 07: Uhuru Peak [19,340ft] A long day with an early start to reach the crater rim at Stella Point in time for sunrise and on to Uhuru Peak, the highest Point in Africa. Afterwards descend to Gillman’s Point and down to Mweka Camp.
Day 08: Arusha Descend to Mweka park gate, from where you are transferred back to your Arusha hotel.
Day 09: Depart Arusha Board your return flight to the USA.
*** Extra day for acclimatization on the mountain can be arranged at an extra cost.
*** Click here for ideas on adding African safaris at the end of your Kilimanjaro climb
Kilimanjaro Climb Prices will include:
Professional Guide,
Porters,
Climbing fees,
Camping fees,
2 nights accommodation at Novotel Mount Meru based on Bed & Breakfast basis or similar hotel in Arusha,
Transfers from Arusha to Mweka Gate and Mweka Gate to Arusha.
Food while on the mountain.
International airfare is extra and can be arranged depending upon the season during which you choose to travel.
Shoes & Boots
- Running or tennis shoes and/or Teva Sandals. 1 pair to wear around camp and also for safari
- Trekking shoes. 1 pair of sturdy trekking shoes in which you can wear a light synthetic sock under a warm heavy sock comfortably, either wool or synthetic. Shoes should be very Water Proof. Recommended: Raichle Mountain Trekker or Montrail Moraine.
- Gaiters. 1 pair used to keep rocks out of shoes and boots dry. Recommended: OR Crocodiles or Rocky Mountain.
Climbing Tools
- Ski or Trekking poles, adjustable two or three section.
1 Pair. Suggested: Leki, Garmont, or MSR.
- Headlamp, spare bulbs and batteries. A good quality climbers headlamp.
Suggested: Petzl Zoom or Princeton Tek. Use AA or C-Cell batteries, bring extras.
Technical Clothing
- 2 Pair light weight long underwear. Topsn and bottoms. Capeline, other synthetic or wool. No cotton Light weight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder) Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation's options. One set of white for instance sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Suggested north Face. Marmot DriClime or Patagonia Capeline
- Pile Jacket. Mid-to heavy weight pile (Polartec 200-300 depending upon cold tolerance). A full-Zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover. Wind-stopper fleece is NOT recommended due to reduced breathability. Suggested: North Face Denali or Mtn Hardware Chill factor.
- Pile pants Light weight pile (Polartec 100)with full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle of climbing). Suggested: North Face Denali, Mtn hardware Chill Factor.
- Down or synthetic jacket. Medium to heavy weight with hood. Recommended: North Face Summit, Mtn Hardware Sub Zero jkt.
- Shell jacket. Gore-Tex must have good hood. For the jacket we highly recommend a long front zipper, a roomy rather than snug fit and underarm zips which go well below the armpit.
- Shell pants.1 pair Gore-Tex with full separating side zips. Shell Jacket and pants must fit over pile insulation comfortably. Suggested for Shell Jacket&Pants: North Face Mtn Light, Marmot Thunderlight, Mtn Hardware Ethereal, Patagonia Torre Gear.
Mitts & Gloves
- Light synthetic gloves.2 pair pile or similar quick drying material. Should fit comfortably inside heavy mitts. Suggested: North Face or Patagonia.
- Mitts with Gore-Tex shells.1 pair each suggested: Outdoor Research Modular Mitts. A good pair of ski mittens/gloves work well too.
Socks
- Liner socks.3 pair of thin socks made of smooth wool, nylon or capeline worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots.
- Outer socks.3 pair of heavy socks made of wool or synthetic material. When layering socks, make sure they fit well over both feet and inside boots.
Sleeping
- Sleeping bag. Expedition quality to at least 10 degrees. Down is lighter and less bulky, but more expensive than synthetics.
- Ridge Rest sleeping pad. 1 full length closed-cell foam.
- Therma Rest pad. 1 3/4 or full length w/repair kit. No Ultralights.
Headgear
- Sun hat. The sun can be intense at high altitude. A hat with a good visor provides protection for the nose and eyes. Baseball hats work well. A white bandanna is useful for shading the neck.
- Wool or pile ski hat.
- Balaclava. 1 polypropylene or capeline. Suggested: North face.
- Glacier glasses. 100% UV, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, no more than 6% light transmission. Suggested: Bolle, RayBan, Julbo Round "Arc", Cebe. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses __it is a good idea to have these with "photo-gray" or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or green). Bolle make goggles that fit over glasses and are designed for glacier use. Bolle X-700 . Regular sunglasses are o.k
Camping
- Backpack. A day pack big enough to carry water bottles, camera, lunch and extra clothing. 3,000 cu.in.max.
- Water bottles.2 (litters), wide-mouth. Suggested: Hunnersdorf or nalgene.
- Sunscreen. SPF 40 , 2 small tubes. Most sunscreens have a very limited shelf life, so check the expiration date. Suggested: Aloe Gator or Bull frog.
- Lipscreen. SPF 40,at least 2 sticks.
- Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and light) Aspirin, moleskin. molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, band-Aids, personal medications, etc.
Traveling
- Large Boundary Bags. 1 or 2 for transporting and storing gear. These waterproof bags are made by Cacade Designs and are needed to keep your clothing dry during transport. If all your gear will fit into one bag then you will need only one. Second small duffel can be nice for storing things at the hotel during the expeditions.
- Plastic bags. To line stuff sacks to keep gear dry and line pack.
- Travel clothes. You will need clothing for three days of safari. Loose fitting cotton trousers or shorts and short sleeve shirts work well during the day. You will want to bring a light jacket for town & safari. Evening time can be cooler. Safari lodges are quite nice, so long pants and a nice shirt are recommended for dining.
- Toiletry bag. Include toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, towel, etc.
