Kilimanjaro Climb

Kilimanjaro Climb Itinerary:

• Day 1

  Your trip begins today in Arusha Tanzania with an evening arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport. A group transfer is provided to a comfortable lodge, set in lovely and spacious gardens. Most travelers find they are tired after the long flight and prefer to go directly to their room to rest. Meals on your own.

• Day 2

  Take your time today to adjust to life in Africa. You’re free to do as you wish until our 6 p.m. group orientation meeting. You can arrange local transportation at the hotel front desk if you’d like to explore Arusha town, which is known as the “little Geneva of Tanzania.” Set in the shadow of Mount Meru and with impressive views of Kilimanjaro, Arusha was established in 1900 as a German garrison town. Or you might want to just relax at the pool and gardens or try the jogging path on the grounds. We can also arrange for a day trip into Arusha National Park for some wildlife viewing (added cost).
  
  Any extra gear not needed on the climb, can be left behind at the hotel and retrieved after the climb. Please bring a second duffel bag for this purpose.  Breakfast and dinner included. Lunch on your own.

• Day 3

  We depart after breakfast and drive to the Park Headquarters.  Park fees are pre-paid by REI Adventures. There is the normal hustle and bustle of hiring porters, signing in and beginning the climb. The actual hike begins at the park gate (6,000') and we hike 5.5 miles up to Mandara hut (8,860') near the upper edge of the forest line. The hike takes about 4 - 6 hours… a good time to start using your walking sticks. Our path starts off in a bamboo rainforest (keep your eyes open for blue monkeys) then opens up to hillsides of heather and temperate forests. If time and weather permit, a short walk from Mandara to Maundi Crater is certainly worth it. Lodging here, as well as at Horombo, is in wooden A-frame huts that sleep 4 to 8 people.  Hiking: 5.5 miles. All meals included starting with breakfast today through breakfast on day 9.

• Day 4

  Our destination today is Horombo Hut at 12,340'. It takes a good 5-6 hours to cover the 8-mile journey – altitude will slow the group down and the trail is strenuous. Be sure you’re drinking lots of water (no less than 2 liters per day). We often get our first views of the Kibo summit today far in the distance as we pass from forest into high moorland. In addition, we pass beneath the impressive, rocky southern face of Mawenzi - one of the three volcanoes that make up Kilimanjaro.  Hiking: 10 miles.

• Day 5

  Today is an extra day to acclimatize, and is best spent taking a day hike up towards Mawenzi, gaining elevation so that this evening, when you return to Horombo, you’re sleeping at a lower elevation. The day hike is through a beautiful landscape with unique flora such as the odd-shaped, seemingly inside-out giant groundsel. The trail offers inspirational views of both Kibo and Mawenzi as well. Bird life is also abundant in Horombo area.  If you’re feeling really fatigued at this point, you can choose to spend the day at Horombo. Afternoon rains are common, so plan your day hike to be back inside the lodge with a cup of tea and good book by 4 p.m. And, after the rain passes, the sunsets are typically beautiful and the black night sky full of stars. Hiking: 6 miles.

• Day 6

  Another long hike, this time up to Kibo Hut at almost 15,520'.  Although shorter in distance, this usually takes 7 hours because it is steeper and the altitude slows everyone down. Keep drinking that water! The route passes directly up onto the Saddle, a wide flat plateau with the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi looming overhead. Here, the views are fantastic. The last part of the trail passes across the plateau before a final ascent to Kibo Hut, a stone hut with rooms that sleep 10 - 15 people in bunk beds. We have a light dinner, a pre-climb talk with our guides and turn in early for what little sleep is possible. Hiking: 5 miles.

• Day 7

  Our guides wake us about midnight for tea and cookies and final dressing (in many layers) for our summit attempt. It can be bitter cold. The guides like to have the team on the trail between 1 - 1:30 a.m. in hope of reaching the summit for the sunrise. Starting off, the trail swings back and forth up a steep scree slope while the line of climbers stretches out in the darkness, only visible by their headlamps. Placing one foot in front of the other and focusing on your breathing, the black sky infinitely above you, this climb is one you will never forget. Most climbers arrive at Gillman's point, elevation 18,685 feet, in time to see the sunrise around 6:30 a.m. The views from the top looking down on the plains of Africa make it all worthwhile.  Some climbers decide they have reached their goal and head down from here.  Others hike an additional 2-3 hours to the true summit, Uhuru Peak at 19,340’. The descent from Gillman's point is fairly rapid, taking about 2 hours. Most climbers take a short rest at Kibo Hut before descending to Horombo Hut for the night, arriving in the late afternoon. Hiking: 15 miles.

• Day 8

  Another long hiking day but it is essentially all downhill and our spirits are boosted by the satisfaction of yesterday’s climb. Back at Marangu gate, at the Park's headquarters, we pick up our certificate to attest to our success and bid farewell to many of our porters and guides. We transfer then to our hotel in Arusha (1 – 1 ½ hours), where it’s a welcome treat to take a hot shower and celebrate the climb with a farewell dinner.  Hiking: 14 miles.

• Day 9

  Today is personal time for shopping in Arusha or relaxing at the Lodge. A day room is arranged for late check-out. The group transfer is set to accommodate the evening departure, at approximately 6:30 p.m. to Kilimanjaro airport. Breakfast included; lunch and dinner on your own.

Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on the trip itinerary. If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available. If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee which is half of the full single supplement. Please be advised that there are a limited number of single rooms available on most departures. No single accommodations in the mountain huts.

Group airport transfers based on the majority of trip members’ flight times, all accommodations using lodges and huts on the mountain, meals as noted in the daily itinerary, porters on the climb as well as climbing leaders and a cook; purified water while on the mountain (3 liters/person/day).

Airfare to Kilimanjaro Airport, meals in Arusha as stated in the itinerary, optional tips to the climbing guide/porters, excess baggage charges, airport taxes and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks, bottled water or liquor, laundry fees, taxi fees or private transfers to or from the airport, cost of obtaining a passport and visas, immunizations or insurance of any kind.

This trip is rated Strenuous [5]. Trip members should be strong, experienced hikers in excellent physical condition. Previous experience hiking at high altitude will be an asset to your chances of summiting on Kili. Your physical fitness is important to your success on the climb. A serious physical conditioning program should be undertaken several months in advance to get into shape. Hiking hills for the legs, swimming to increase lung capacity and circulation, jogging and bicycling for overall fitness … these are excellent for building the strength necessary for the trek. The best training is extensive hiking up and down hills, putting in 10 mile hikes on weekends prior to the trip. Consult with your physician.

The weather on Kilimanjaro is quite diverse. The climb starts through a wide belt of wet tropical forest then goes through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall to the summit where there is permanent ice and sub-freezing temperatures. Our trips avoid the rainy season, which runs from March to May, and the short rains in November.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased within 21 days of your initial trip deposit, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

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