|
MACHAME ROUTE
[Click Map for larger view]
Day 1
After an early morning breakfast, you gather your equipment and transfer to the starting point at Machame Gate (1 750m). Here the porters will arrange their loads and the party is assembled for the first day’s hike. You climb through rain forest for the duration of the hike until you reach Machame camp at around 2 950 m. Here you overnight. (+- 6 hours hike).
Day 2
After breakfast, you head out towards Shira encampment. Leaving the rain forest, you enter an area (moorland) very reminiscent of the Cape Mountains with several Fynbos species to be found. Reaching the Shira Plateau, you turn gently west until you reach Shira encampment at around 3 800 m. Here you overnight. (6 hours hike).
Day 3
The toughest day so far. You start out just after breakfast and steadily climb into the desert landscape surrounding Lava Tower. At 4 600 m, it is the highest point so far reached on the route. After lunch, you descend again by almost 700 m to Barranco encampment for overnight. (3 950 m) (8 hours hike).
Day 4
After breakfast you conquer the obstacle known as the Great Barranco Wall before continuing on to the Karanga Valley before joining the Mweka route. Here you turn toward Barafu camp, situated on a narrow ridge at 4 600 m. Get as much rest as possible before the wake-up call at 23:00 (9 hour hike).
Day 5
You rise at around 23:00 pm the previous evening. After tea and biscuits, you start at 12:00 midnight and ascend through heavy scree in single file toward Stella Point (5 700m), approximately 6 hours away. At around sunrise, you reach Stella Point on the crater rim and after a short rest, set off immediately for Uhuru Peak, some 1 1/2 hours further. After reaching Uhuru, spend a short while there and start the descent back to Barafu. After a short rest, you then head down for Mweka encampment for your overnight (3 100 m).
Day 6
After breakfast, you head directly for the park gate at Mweka which is reached at around 12:00 midday.
MARANGU 6 DAY ROUTE (Also available in a 5 day route, but not recommended)
[Click Map for larger view]
Day 1
After an early morning breakfast, you gather our equipment and transfer to the starting point at Marangu Gate (1 400m). Here the porters will arrange their loads and the party is assembled for the first day’s hike. You climb through rain forest for the first stretch of the hike until Mandara Hut at around 2 700 m is reached. Here you overnight.
Day 2
After breakfast, you head out for a gentle walk towards Horombo Hut. You leave the rain forest within a few minutes walk and enter the transition between rain forest and moorland. A short detour via Maundi crater will afford you an impressive view of the magnificent Kibo, 18 kilometers away. A 6 hour hike brings you to Horombo Hut at 3 720 m. Here you overnight.
Day 3
On the 6 day hike, this is the day for additional acclimatisation. Whilst not compulsory, we strongly recommend that you hike out towards Mawenzi Hut, around 6 kilometers away as the crow flies. With the hut as your target, allow around 4 hours there and three hours back. Mawenzi Hut is at around 4 600 m. After returning to Horombo, you have an early dinner and overnight (3 720 m).
Day 4
After breakfast you set out at a slow pace towards Kibo. Depending on conditions and group sentiment, you can either take the high road or the low road. Both will bring you to Kibo Hut, across the Saddle. you arrive at Kibo Hut at around 3:00 pm, in time for a relaxing afternoon lazing about and resting as much as possible. After a final briefing, you tuck in for the night and try and get as much rest as possible before the late night wake-up call (4 700 m).
Day 5
Rising at around 23:00 pm the previous evening, you enjoy some tea and biscuits before starting at midnight, ascending in single file toward Gillman’s Point, approximately 6 hours away. Climbing though heavy scree, you reach Gillman’s Point on the crater rim (5 700m) at around sunrise and, after a short rest, set off again for Uhuru Peak, 2 1/2 hours away. After reaching Uhuru, you spend a short while and start the descent back to Kibo Hut. Again, after a short rest, you head down for Horombo Hut for your overnight (3 720 m)
Day 6
After breakfast, you head directly for the park gate at Marangu. You pass through Mandara Hut for a short lunch and reach the park gate at around 12:00 midday.
UMBWE ROUTE
[Click Map for larger view]
Day 1
After an early morning breakfast, you gather your equipment and transfer to the starting point at Umbwe Gate (+- 2 100 m). Here the porters will arrange their loads and the party is assembled for the first day’s hike. You climb through rain forest for the duration of the hike until you reach Bivouac 1 at around 2 900 m. Here you overnight. (+- 5 hours hike). The path gains altitude quickly and has spectacular views of deep gorges, with glimpses of Kilimanjaro in the background. It is essential to take this path very slowly as you will be increasing in altitude very fast, which most of the time will cause problems acclimatizing.
Day 2
After breakfast, you head out towards Barranco Hut (3 900m). You will also have the option to camp at Bivouac 2 at 3 780m should your group not be able to reach Barranco Hut on this day. This day entails walking on a fairly steep area in the forest along a sharp ridge before the path flattens close to Barranco Hut. This stretch of the climb is also fairly short with a steep incline of 1 000m so walking slowly is also very essential to avoid altitude problems. Time spent hiking on this day depends on the pace of the group, but is normally roughly 5 hours.
Day 3
After breakfast you conquer the obstacle known as the Great Barranco Wall before continuing on to the Karanga Valley. You overnight at Karanga Valley at 4 200m. This day is once again a very short approximate 8 km hike and should also not be rushed.
Day 4
You have breakfast before joining up with the Mweka route. Here you turn toward Barafu camp, situated on a narrow ridge at 4 600 m. You get as much rest as possible before the wake-up call at 23:00 (5 hour hike.)
Day 5
You rise at around 23:00 pm the previous evening. After tea and biscuits, you start at 12:00 midnight and ascend through heavy scree in single file toward Stella Point (5 700m), approximately 6 hours away. At around sunrise, you reach Stella Point on the crater rim and after a short rest, set off immediately for Uhuru Peak, some 1 1/2 hours further. After reaching Uhuru, you spend a short while and start the descent back to Barafu. After a short rest, you then head down for Mweka encampment for your overnight (3 100 m)
Day 6
After breakfast, you head directly for the park gate at Mweka which you reach at around 12:00 midday.
RONGAI ROUTE
[Click Map for larger view]
Day 1
Drive to the start of the Rongai route close to the border with Kenya where we begin the ascent of Kilimanjaro through the Rongai Forest. The first night will be overnight in tents at the first cave. (2600m.)
Day 2
The climbing to Kikelewa moorland, is a gradual ascent and we get great views of the plains of Kenya below and the spectacular Mawenzi Tarn above. We get up to a height of 3,800 metres today where we camp for the night by the Third Cave.
Day 3
You hike up to the Mawenzi Tarn Hut for your overnight.
Day 4
Our climb today takes us through the lunar desert of the Saddle, the lava-covered expanse between the two peaks Mawenzi and Kibo. By the end of the day we have reached Kibo Hut at 4,700 metres where we camp overnight and rest ready for the ascent the next day.
Day 5
We have a very early start for the final ascent, leaving the hut in the middle of the night to arrive at Uhuru Peak just after dawn. It is a 4 to 5 hour slow walk up increasingly steep scree to Gillman's Point at 5,690 metres followed by a further 1 to 2 hour walk around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak at 5,896 metres. You have the most incredible views of glaciers surrounding you many storeys high, and the plains of Africa stretched out below your feet. After taking in this amazing view we return by the same path past Kibo Hut and on down the Marangu Route all the way to Horombo Hut.
Day 6
After breakfast, we head directly for the park gate at Marangu. We pass through Mandara Hut for a short lunch and reach the park gate at around 12:00 midday.
LEMOSHO ROUTE
[Click Map for larger view]
Day 1
Drive from Moshi to Londorossi Park Gate (2250m, 1.5 hours). From here a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades (2000m, 11km, 45 minutes) and a possible campsite (park fees are not paid to camp here). Walk along beautiful forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite, (2750m, 3 hours). A fine site, water is quite a long way from the camp but will be brought by porters. The ranger normally does not go beyond this point.
Day 2
The trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone then crosses the Shira Ridge at about 3600m to drop gently down to Shira 1 camp located by a stream on the Shira Plateau (3500m, 5 hours).
Day 3
The toughest day so far. You start out just after breakfast and steadily climb into the desert landscape surrounding Lava Tower. At 4 600 m, it is the highest point so far reached on the route. After lunch, you descend again by almost 700 m to Barranco encampment for overnight. (3 950 m) (8 hours hike).
Day 4
After breakfast you conquer the obstacle known as the Great Barranco Wall before continuing on to the Karanga Valley before joining the Mweka route. Here you turn toward Barafu camp, situated on a narrow ridge at 4 600 m. Get as much rest as possible before the wake-up call at 23:00 (9 hour hike).
Day 5
You rise at around 23:00 pm the previous evening. After tea and biscuits, you start at 12:00 midnight and ascend through heavy scree in single file toward Stella Point (5 700m), approximately 6 hours away. At around sunrise, you reach Stella Point on the crater rim and after a short rest, set off immediately for Uhuru Peak, some 1 1/2 hours further. After reaching Uhuru, spend a short while there and start the descent back to Barafu. After a short rest, you then head down for Mweka encampment for your overnight (3 100 m).
Day 6
After breakfast, you head directly for the park gate at Mweka which is reached at around 12:00 midday.
|
