Day 1
We head off at 8 a.m. to the Machame Gate, the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. A group of local men from the Chagga tribe will be waiting for us at the gate. They will soon become your friends as they assist day to day with your climb.
We make our final arrangements for our self contained expedition and then head out on the long walk through the cloud forest, a land of beauty and of perpetual mists that shroud in mystery the huge mountain above. Our first stop is Machame Hut for dinner and where we camp overnight. Tonight we are at 3,100m.
Days 2 - 3
You will find your group moving across the arid open spaces of the moorland and alpine desert zones. The classic views of the tremendous glaciers looming above and spilling off the rim of Kibo, our destination, will inspire and awe us. Each day we will choose a beautiful camp at an elevation between 3,600m and 3,900m. This mountain traverse stands with the finest in the world; as we do it, however, our main motivation will be acclimatization.
During the trek we will spend three days and nights at relatively constant elevations. This is an excellent formula for helping our bodies make the adaptations necessary for an ascent to Uhuru Point, at 5,895m the highest point in Africa. We have dinner and overnight at Shira Camp.
Day 4
Our team of Chagga staff and porters are all still with us. Today a group of them will go down to the forest in order to establish our exit route off the mountain. A larger group, composed of the strongest men, will carry the water, tents, food and safety equipment to our high camp at 4,785m for dinner and overnight at Barafu Hut.
Day 5
Summit day has arrived. We are up in the middle of the night. The climb through the starlit upper reaches of Kilimanjaro will seem endless. But as the bead of gold finally appears on the eastern horizon and you breathe the cold, dry air at 5,790m, you will know that you have succeeded in reaching the rooftop of Africa.
A spectacular and very slow-paced walk (the air is thin!) around the crater rim to the very highest point of the continent produces an indescribable sense of accomplishment! We descend down to Mweka hut for dinner and our overnight camp.
Day 6
The exhaustion of yesterday's long summit day, and the thick air down in the forest may have you waking from the deepest sleep you can remember. Our walk back through the cloud forest may be yet another surprise. You will have forgotten the cool, soothing light and moisture in the forest after days spent at altitude.
Our vehicles waiting for us at the park gate. Here we formally thank the Chaggas who have worked with us. They will be returning by private bus back to their families on the farms of Marangu. We are going in the opposite direction, heading to a warm welcome, a great meal and a hot shower at our bed and breakfast, Bristol Cottages.
