MOUNT KILIMANJARO AND MOUNT MERU - TREKKING EXPEDITION:

With adequate preparation any reasonably fit person above the age of 12 years can reach the summit successfully. The oldest person to date to reach the summit was a Frenchman Valtee   Daniel aged 87 years old.

Although none of these routes really requires mountaineering skills, hiking to the "Roof of Africa" is physically and mentally demanding and should not be under estimated. As much as 40% of those who set out to climb Kilimanjaro turn back before they reach Uhuru peak. 

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How to reach Arusha: by road or flight, daily from:-
a) Nairobi Airport/City – 08:00am or 02:00pm shuttle road transfer via Namanga boarder 

     (04h30min or 01:00 hour flight.)
b) Kilimanjaro Airport - ( shuttle road transfer 45 minutes drive or 20 minutes flight.
c) Dar es salaam Airport - ( luxury coach bus - 8 to 9 hours drive or 1-2 hour flight.
d) Moi International Airport Mombasa - ( 1 hour flight ).

 

 

MARANGU ROUTE.

 

Nick named as the "coca cola route."  The peoples choice. The trail is good, and not easily lost and its fun to mingle with other climbers from all over the world.

 

One of the best things about the route is that it's possible to stay in well built huts all the way up the mountain, and there are facilities for bathing, at the Horombo and Mandara huts. The other benefit is that mineral water, beer and coke are available at all the main huts, although you can expect to pay more than double what these products would cost down in Arusha or Moshi town. 

 

Despite the human traffic, the route offers excellent wildlife viewing as well as excellent views of Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro's secondary summit.

 

Kindly go through our sample Itineraries below and advice accordingly.

 

 

OHT - 12 - 4 NIGHTS/ 5 DAYS -  KIBO & MAWENZI TRAIL.

 

DAY -1 - Marangu Gate - Mandara Hut  - 7 km  3 - 5 hrs.

Transfer to Marangu gate from your town hotel. Start the climb through tropical rain forests to Mandara hut at 2700m. above sea level. Overnight Mandara Hut.

 

DAY - 2 - Mandara Hut - Horombo Hut  - 11 km 4 - 7 hrs. 

Take the path through the forests, and arrive into the open moor land. From here the Kibo dome is in clear view. On your right is Kibo’s sister, the Mawenzi peak. Horombo hut at 3700m. is reached in the evening for overnight.

 

DAY - 3 - Horombo Hut - Kibo Hut  - 10 km 5 - 7 hrs. 

Early start for Kibo hut, through the last water (refill your bottles here!); The trail leads way between Kibo and Mawenzi peaks on the lunar landscape, (the saddle). Gradually gaining height to Kibo hut at 4700m. above sea level. Overnight.

 

DAY - 4 - Kibo Hut - Uhuru Peak - Horombo Hut  - 4 km - 7 - 8 hrs. 

Early Morning start for the summit, between midnight and 1 (one) a.m. The trail zigzags up the steep scree to Gillman’s Point at 5680m. and to Uhuru Peak  (The roof of Africa) at 5895m. above sea level respectively. The summit is reached before the sunrise which is always spectacular and unforgettable. A short time is taken to admire the magic snows of the Kilimanjaro before retracing the path to Kibo for breakfast and rest for approx. 1 hour then work down leisurely to Horombo Hut for dinner and overnight.

 

DAY - 5 - Horombo Hut - Marangu Gate - 14 km 5 - 7 hrs. 

This day is spent for a leisurely descent to the gate arriving between 12.00 noon  and transfer to your overnight hotel in town.

 

NB: Please allow 1 (one) extra night at Horombo hut for acclimatization.
 

END OF TOUR.

 

MACHAME ROUTE.

While Marangu route is dubbed the "coca cola route" the  Machame route is known as the "whiskey route". 

When combined with the Barafu on Kibo to the summit and Mweka route as a descent through the forest is easily the best forest moorland route for acclimatization on Kilimanjaro as well as one of the most scenic outings on the mountain.

The Machame route, by itself is also the second most beautiful route on the mountain, after the Umbwe route and offers spectacular views of Mount Meru in Arusha National Park.

 

OHT - 13 -  6 NIGHTS/ 7 DAYS  - UHURU PEAK TRAIL.

 

DAY - 1 - Arusha National Park.

In anticipation of the climb ahead of us, with picnic lunch boxes we drive to Arusha National Park. We acclimatize today as we walk with an armed ranger in the foothills of this majestic Mount Meru. Evening drive back to Arusha for meals and overnight.

 

Day - 2 - Machame Gate - Machame Hut  - 10 km 5 - 6 hrs. 

After breakfast you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro National Park gate where you will embark on your climb of Kilimanjaro. Today sees about 5 - 6 hours of walking, through the cultivation zone and the forest to Machame Hut (3,100m). Here you will spend the evening in the huts, and dinner and overnight.

 

DAY - 3 - Machame Hut (3100m.) - Shira Hut (3800m.) - 10 km, 5 - 7 hrs. 

Leave Machame hut in the morning, path leads up through steep rocky ridges. Shira hut at 3800m. above sea level is reached in the late afternoon. You have superb views of the Shira Plateau and the land below  Mount Meru another extinct volcano is seen on the South Western direction. Overnight Shira Hut.

 

DAY - 4 - Shira Hut (3800m) - Barranco Hut (3950m.) - 10 km, 6 - 7 hrs. 

From the Shira Plateau, you will continue east passing the junction heading toward the peak of Kibo. Along the way you will pass "sharks tooth" which will bring you up to the Arrow Glacier. You now continue downhill to Barranco Hut, where you will spend the evening at an altitude of 3,860m. Dinner and overnight.

 

DAY - 5 - Barranco Hut (3,950m.)- Barafu Hut (4,600m.) - 8 km, 7 - 9 hrs. 

Leave Barranco hut and cross the floor of the Great Barranco Valley and up to the Barranco wall; continue the trek on the south circuit path passing through the Karanga Valley (last water point - Karanga River). Your path joints the Mweka route and up the broad ridge to Barafu Hut at 4600m. above sea level. From Barafu hut you have excellent views of the top section of the Kibo dome, the Mawenzi peak and plains below. Overnight Barafu hut.

 

DAY - 6 - Barafu Hut (4,600m.) - Stella Point  (5,600m.) - Uhuru Peak  (5,895m.) - 11 hrs - Mweka  Hut  - 5 km -  4 - 7 hrs.    

Between midnight and one (1a.m) start the trek to conquer the highest point in Africa. This section of the route is very steep and is considered the steepest on the non-technical path on this mountain.  You will encounter at least five (5) grueling hours to reach the crater rim at Stella Point 5,745m. above sea level.  Uhuru Peak 5,895m. is reached after One (1) hours from Stella point. The fascinating color changing sunrise is the right reward at Uhuru Peak.  The descent is past Stella Point and Barafu Hut to Mweka Hut (3,100m. above sea level) and overnight.

 

DAY - 7 - Mweka Hut - Mweka Gate  – 10 km.  3 - 4 hrs. 

This day is spent for a leisurely descent through the forest on a narrow path to the gate and transfer to your overnight hotel in town.

END OF TOUR.

 

 

UMBWE ROUTE - CAMPING ONLY.

 

This route is dubbed as one of the best experiences of a lifetime for any "ALPINE CLIMBERS". It is breathtaking, wild, rough and extremely steep in places. It displays Kilimanjaro's wildly dramatic geological formations better than any other route on the mountain. 

 

From the gate at 1,400 m. the trail winds up through the forest, following a ridge between two deep valleys. In many places, it is necessary to climb up sections of the trail by pulling yourself up on tree roots and branches.

 

At about 3,200 m. it is necessary to climb a short (10 meters) rock cliff. This cliff is only Grade 1 (rock climbing grade) and there is very little exposure, but it requires rock climbing and pulling your way up a few branches and roots.

 

Like the Mweka route, the Umbwe route is generally considered a descent route. Climbers should expect to pay more because of the steepness and rough ridges between the valleys    up the mountain. (Only experienced fit rock climbers should attempt this route.)

 

 

OHT - 14 A - 5 NIGHTS/ 6 DAYS  - ARROW GLACIER TRAIL.

 

DAY - 1 - Umbwe Gate - Forest Caves  – 13km, 4 – 6 hrs. 

Transfer from your town hotel to the gate.  The path steep and some parts sleeper leads up to the forest caves through mountain forests.  Arrive Forest Caves at 2,850m above sea level in the late afternoon.  Overnight Forest caves.

 

DAY - 2 - Forest Caves - Barranco Hut  - 5 km, 4 - 5 hrs. 

Leave the ‘Caves’ in the morning and trek up through forests, heather and the moor land to reach the upper caves.  From here the path leads up right to your overnight stop, the Barranco Hut at 3,950m above sea level.

 

DAY - 3 -Barranco Hut - Arrow Glacier Hut  - 5 km. - 4 - 6 hrs. 

Start in the morning, follow the path which steeps up through the western side of the great Barranco Valley; up through bare rocks and scree to the Arrow Glacier hut at 4800m above sea level, for overnight.

 

DAY - 4 - Arrow Glacier - Uhuru Peak - Horombo Hut. 

Depart early morning (between 12.30 am and 01.00 am) for the Summit.  In case of a heavy snow fall (sometimes occurs during the dry season) it is advised to abandon this part of the trek for it shall require a technical climbing experience and tools.  In fact this part also calls for a serious trekker even under normal conditions due to the steepness of the path.  In such a case therefore a retrace to Barranco Hut and making it to the peak through Marangu route is necessary.  Under good weather, Uhuru Peak 5,895m is reached at sunrise.  Descend to Horombo hut on Marangu route for overnight.

 

DAY - 5 -Horombo Hut - Marangu Gate  – 14km.  5 - 7 hrs. 

Descend pleasantly to Marangu through moor land, heather and forests to the gate.  Transfer to your overnight hotel in town.

 

NB:  Please allow 1 (one) extra night at Barranco Hut for acclimatization.

 

Other routes:- Rongai route and Lemosho route on request.

 

END OF TOUR.

 

 

MOUNT MERU TREKKING.

At 4,566 meters (14,979 feet) above sea level, Meru is as high as any mountain in the USA and Canada. It is, however, 1,329 meters shorter than Kilimanjaro which makes altitude sickness and sub-freezing temperatures lesser concerns on this path less traveled. Meru is an arduous hike, no "technical" mountain climbing is involved.

 

The ascent of Meru's lower slopes is direct. This is a mountain that doesn't waste time with pleasantries, no gentle switchbacks to lull you into complacency. The trail is fairly steep and sometimes slippery. The towering caldera cliff comes into view whenever the forest opens up, each time looming ever closer and bigger.

 

We have chosen the more scenic route up the mountain along the way we'll pass through Meru Crater, within which are the sacred forest groves where the local Meru people used to perform rain-making ceremonies. We'll continue up to the saddle below Little Meru Peak (12,538 ft.). Finally we reach the rim, a barren ridge, which we circumnavigate to the summit point. This climb is considered as a prelude to your Kilimanjaro Trek.

 

Kindly go through our sample itinerary below Book and advice accordingly.

 

How to reach Arusha: by road or flight, daily from:-
a) Nairobi Airport/City – 08:00am or 02:00pm shuttle road transfer via Namanga boarder 

(04h30min or 01:00 hour flight.)
b) Kilimanjaro Airport - ( shuttle road transfer 45 minutes drive or 20 minutes flight.
c) Dar es salaam Airport - ( luxury coach bus - 8 to 9 hours drive or 1-2 hour flight.
d) Moi International Airport Mombasa  - (1 hour flight)

OHT - 15 -  2 NIGHTS/ 3 DAYS - Colobus Monkey Trail.

DAY -1 - Momella Gate - Miriakamba Hut  - 10 km - 3 - 5 hrs. 

Today we depart Arusha at around 8:00am to Momella gate. After completing the administrative formalities and meeting with the porters and ranger, we will commence the 4-5 hour walk to Miriakamba Hut. The uphill trek will take us through the forest, past the fig tree. We will then walk on and cross a large stream just above the water falls. Another 2 hours of trekking should bring us to Miriakamba at 2,514m. above sea level. Dinner then retire for the night.

 

DAY - 2 -Miriakamba Hut - Saddle Hut  - 4 km. 2 - 3 hrs. 

Take the uphill path through beautiful glades between trees to reach ‘Mgongo wa Tembo’. Views of the Meru Crater from this point are spectacular. Kilimanjaro is seen beautifully sitting on the Eastern horizon on clear days. From here the path steeps through grassy tracks up to the Saddle Hut - at 3,570m. above sea level. Overnight.

 

DAY - 3 - Saddle Hut - Summit - Momella Gate  - 5km. - 4 - 5 hrs. 

Early morning start for the summit, between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. The path leads to the summit through a very narrow ridge between the outer wall of the Meru Crater and cliffs of the inner wall. The Summit 4,566m. above sea level is reached just before sunrise, from the summit retrace the route down to  Miriakamba Hut where we take our lunch. We leave after lunch and head straight for Momella gate and proceeding to your hotel or lodge in Arusha. Evening you can refresh and relax in your day room. If you're continuing with one of our scheduled departures you'll overnight and begin your wildlife safari the next day. Otherwise you'll continue according to your onward arrangements.

 

END OF TOUR.