Kilimanjaro. There are few mountains in the world whose name evokes as much passion, wonder, and awe. From Ernest Hemingway's famous short story to the classic John Wayne film Hatari!, Kilimanjaro has always held a unique place in both the Western and African psyche. When you get to Kili, you'll realize why.
It is often said that Kilimanjaro is the biggest freestanding mountain in the world, in that it is not connected to other peaks in a range. Rising dramatically more than 5,000 meters above the East African plain (itself 800 meters above sea level) , the massif is 60 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide. It lies about 330 kilometers south of the equator, wholly within the United Republic of Tanzania.
Kilimanjaro is a complex mountain. The name Kilimanjaro actually refers to an entire massif comprised of three separate extinct Volcanoes: Kibo (5,895 meters/19,341 feet), Mawenzi (5,149 meters/16,893 feet), and Shira (3,962 meters/12,999 feet). To confuse matters, the summit of Kibo is often referred to as Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters/19,341 feet) (formerly Kaiser Wilhelm Spitze), and the highest point on Mawenzi is called Hans Meyer Peak.
Because of the mountain's proximity to both the equator and the Indian Ocean and because of its tremendous height, Kilimanjaro boasts five major ecological zones, each of which occupies about 1,000 meters of altitude: the lower slopes (800 to 1,800 meters); the montane forest zone (1,800 to 2,700 meters); the heath and moorland zone (2,700 to 4,000 meters); the alpine desert zone (4,000 to 5,000 meters); and the summit zone (5,000 to 5,895 meters). Each is a world in itself, with unique flora and fauna found in few other places in Africa.
CLIMBING MT. KILIMANJARO
8 DAYS : MACHAME /MWEKA ROUTE
DAY 1
Transfer to Moshi by a shuttle bus, which takes 7 hrs.Dinner/overnight at the hotel.
Day 2:
After breakfast, leave the Hotel for machame gate check in and proceed further to Machame Hut [3000m] through the dense mountain forest. The hike is 10km and takes 6hrs. Dinner overnight in the camp lunch
is served enroute.
Day 3:
After Breakfast at 0700hrs,continue the trek through the path towards Shira Hut (3,840m) for dinner and overnight. Lunch is served at picnic grounds.
Day 4:
Breakfast is at 7am. Leave the Camp to Barranco Hut (3,950m) towards the main peak of Kibo. The trek is considerably long (10km) and involves a number of sharp ridges. It takes about 7 hrs to the Camp for
overnight.
Day 5:
After early morning full breakfast proceed to Barafu Hut (4,600m)(7hrs 8km) following the South Summit Circuit this offers the most impressive views of Kibo peaks across the saddle of Mawenzi. Dinner /overnight in the camp.
Day 6:
This is the summit day!! Uhuru Peak (5,896m). Wake up at 12am midnight for tea and biscuits. Leave the camp at 1 am to scramble up the steep western ridge of scree, for 5 km about 8hrs. After a timely walk reach the summit at 6 am for sunrise. From the summit continue eastwards via Stella Point to Barafu Hut. Continue the descent through patchy giant heathers to Mweka Hut (3,100m) for dinner and overnight.
Day 7:
After breakfast continue from Mweka Hut to connect your transfer to Moshi. Dinner/overnight.
Day 8:
Leave Moshi at 8.00 oclock, arriving at Nairobi in the afternoon.
6 DAYS : MARANGU ROUTE
DAY 1:
Leave Nairobi by an early morning shuttle Bus. After immigration formalities at Namanga border, continue to Arusha for lunch. Drive to Moshi arriving late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 1: Marangu Gate To Mandara hut.
After breakfast, leave hotel with the four-wheel drive 45 kms towards Marangu Gate 1860 mts. After checking in, walk through the semi-tropical rain forest to arrive at Mandara at 2744 Mts after 5-6 hours. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
DAY 2: Mandara Hut to Horombo
After breakfast proceed the way up 11 km for a 10hr walk to Horombo hut 3700mts. The landscape is more rugged and rocky but superb. The view of Mawenzi and Kibo peaks is quite exciting. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
DAY 3: Horombo/ Horombo
Spend the whole day at Horombo for acclamatisation and hike up at East lava hill 4200m and then back to Horombo for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4:Horombo to Kibo
After breakfast, continue the path to the left past the last water point (don't forget to carry water from here). Follow the trail across the saddle of Mawenzi to join the Eastern path. After 6 hrs, 10km walk you arrive at Kibo hut 4700 mts for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5:
Wake up at midnight basically to attempt a summit. Scramble 4kms for 5hrs to reach Gilman's point 5680 mts. Proceed to Uhuru peak 5896 mts for sunrise after an extra hour. For observation and photographing. Continue the way down to Kibo hut for breakfast then proceed to Horombo hut for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6:
After breakfast, continue the descent, which is rapid to Marangu gate for transfer to Moshi arriving late after conquering Kilimanjaro.
RONGAI ROUTE PROGRAMME!
This route fast gaining popularity and is considered to be one of the easiest route up the Mt. It is the only Route that starting from the north side of the Mt. at Rongai a small village close to the Kenya border. The climbing conditions are drier on the northern side of the Mt. and there are spectacular views over the broad flat Maasai lands. Overnights are spent camping in tents. The summit is reached via the east side of Kibo and the descent is via Marangu route for you to see two different routes at once.
Day 1.
Leave from Nairobi at 8.30 am to Loitokitok. Dinner/overnight at the Hotel.
Day 2.
The climb begins at the village of Nale Moru(1950mts) through cultivated land before entering the pine forest. Watch out the Columbus monkeys in the tree tops with their white fringed 'capes and tail. Taking 3 to 4 hrs the first camp is on the edge of moorland zone where the forest begins to thin out at first cave at 8500ft/2600 m. Overnight at 1st cave camp.
Day 3.
The morning walk is a steady ascent up to second cave at 11300ft/3450 m with superb views of Kibo
and the eastern ice fields on the crater rim. Pushing on to reach third cave taking 3 to 4hrs at 12800ft/3800 m for overnight at the camp
Day 4.
Continue ascending on the east side of Kibo crossing the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo taking
4 to5 hrs to reach Kibo hut at 15000ft/4700 m. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation
for the final ascent which begins around midnight. Overnight Kibo camp OPTION-an extra night before the summit is needed here.
Day 5.
An early start for the summit on steep heavy scree to arrive at Gilman's point at 18640ft/5681m in
time to see the sunrise. Those who want to reach the highest point in Africa can take approximately 3hrs excursion to Uhuru peak 19340ft/5896m passing close to spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of summit area. The descent to Kibo is surprisingly fast and after some refreshment, continues the descent to reach the final camp site at Horombo camp at 12000ft/3700m taking 11 to 15hrs.overnight at Horombo camp.
Day 6.
Steady descent down through moorland to Mandara hut and then down wards through the lush forest
on a good path to the National Park gate at Marangu 1830m and transfer back to Moshi. Dinner/overnight at the Hotel.
Day 7.
Leave at 8.00 in the morning by a shuttle bus to Nairobi arriving in afternoon.
