Day 1 - Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Arrive in Arusha and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a good
night’s rest as one of only 12 guests on this epic journey.
Day 2 - Arusha
In preparation for the climb ahead, acclimatize as you walk
through Arusha National Park. Situated between the peaks
of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, this scenic park
houses a wide range of habitats, from its string of crater
lakes populated by waterfowl, to its highland montane forest
and imposing summit views. The forest harbors a wealth of wildlife, including frolicking black-and-white colobus
monkeys and regal bushbucks. This evening, sit down to a
welcome dinner with fellow guests.
Day 3 - Mount Kilimanjaro
Drive from Arusha to the Machame village on the slopes
of Mount Kilimanjaro to begin your climb along the
challenging and scenic Machame Route. Hike for about six
hours through dense rubber-tree and giant fig forests to your
camp, set up near huts once used for shelter. As you make
your way up through the forested terrain, keep an eye out for
elephants. Settle into your first camp, poised at an altitude of
10,000 feet.
Day 4 - Mount Kilimanjaro
Awake early to a piping-hot cup of coffee or tea. As you leave
camp, absorb the commanding view of Uhuru Peak. Trek out
of the forest up to the Hagenia zone, through a savanna of tall
grasses and haunting volcanic lava landscapes. After a six-hour
hike, arrive at the Shira Plateau and your camp. At 12,500 feet,
it boasts sweeping views across the Masai Steppe to distant
Mount Meru and the Shira Needles.
Day 5 - Mount Kilimanjaro
During a six-hour hike, skirt the Shira Plateau toward the
Kibo Massif, continuing upward to the pass at Lava Tower
(15,000 feet). Descend toward Barranco Camp through the
immense, waterfall-punctuated Grand Barranco canyon,
which is fed by streams from the Umbwe River. Today’s camp
is situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet.
Day 6 - Mount Kilimanjaro
Hike for about five hours along the Barranco Cliff with no increase in elevation. This allows you time to rest and adjust
to the increasingly higher altitudes. In the afternoon, you may
hike in the Karanga Valley set beneath the icefalls of the Heim,
Decken and Kersten glaciers.
Day 7 - Mount Kilimanjaro
Take a four- to five-hour trek on another day of
acclimatization as you near the mountain’s peak, stopping
at Barafu Camp (15,200 feet) on a moraine, with views of
majestic Mawenzi Peak to the right and looming Kibo Peak
overhead. The surrounding, scenic alpine desert terrain is largely mineral and features some lichens and moss. Turn in
early this evening — tomorrow, you make an early start for
the summit.
Day 8 - Mount Kilimanjaro
Rise very early to a hot cup of coffee or tea before setting
out on approximately 13 hours of trekking today. Should all
go as planned, you will stand at the highest point in Africa
in about seven hours’ time. Make your way up a winding
path flanked by the towering Ratzel and Rebmann glaciers
to soaring Stella Point, at 18,630 feet on the rim of Kibo
Crater. As the sun rises, continue around the rim to Uhuru
Peak (19,341 feet), the highest point in Africa, where the
air is rarefied. Savor your achievement of summiting Mount
Kilimanjaro, and then descend to your last campsite (10,200
feet).
Day 9 - Depart Arusha
Continue your descent to the base of the mountain,
where your A&K driver greets and transports you back to
Arusha. During a farewell lunch, enjoy basking in your
accomplishments with fellow guests. Comfortable dayrooms
are provided until your departure flight.