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The Set Up
This
compact Kili tour can be booked up for virtually any date that you
want to travel (we advise against April to mid June due to the wet
season). As long as there are two or more of you, tell us the dates that
you want, whether you want flights and we will try to book up the
appropriate airline for that date. KLM is more expensive than Ethiopian
Airlines,
but the latter is also generally a good service. If we cannot get a seat on
a flight for the departure date that you want, then we will look for the
next best available date. Then all you need to do is get your gear
together (list provided in our predeparture info), get a Tanzanian Visa,
Yellow Fever jab (and any others you may need), take out insurance and
then all you have to do is make sure
that you have some fitness for this big mountain and to enjoy yourself!
How the Trekking is Organized
On trek you should expect to
carry a daypack containing your immediate needs.
Porters will carry the main luggage, food, and cooking and camping
equipment. Accommodation whilst on trek is in two person tents. Normally
you will start fairly early and after breakfast the porters scurry on
ahead very rapidly (they are well acclimatized!). You will be given a
packed lunch and then you will walk with your guide to the next location,
where the tent should already be erected. You then will usually be given
soft drinks and soon the main, cooked meal will be served. People normally
retire at dusk after the guide has explained what will happen the
following day.
Grade :
Challenging
Plus
This
trek encounters considerable extremes of both altitude and temperature and
is thus graded Challenging Plus. Some people who attempt Kilimanjaro fail to reach the
summit due either to lack of physical preparation or because they cannot
adapt quickly enough to the altitude. This 10-day tour is about the
shortest length of time that you really could hope to enjoy the tour and
to avoid the more serious effects of altitude. After your long flight into
Tanzania there is an acclimatization day on arrival and then there is an
“easy-ish” day to start. However, as on any high
altitude trek, there can be no guarantee that you will not have
acclimatization problems. If you experience adverse effects to altitude,
you will have to descend and remain at a lower altitude until recovery. In the interests of safety and your well being, you should talk to
the guide if you are feeling poorly. This trek is most likely to be
enjoyed by those who already have had some high mountain walking
experience. You have a much greater chance of success on the mountain by
going slowly but steadily!
Our Base
Our
safaris and mountain climbs in Northern Tanzania are based at our hotel near
Moshi. This is a small modern, family-run hotel located
just outside of town. It has pleasant gardens; fine views of Kilimanjaro
and a pleasant covered dining area in the gardens. There is also an indoor
restaurant and small bar. En-suite accommodation is available in the main
building with showers, mosquito mesh in the windows, fans and very clean
borehole water. A large swimming pool has been recently completed together
with a new dining area. If you have some spare time in the hotel we
recommend a morning guided walk in the nearby forests where there are many
troops of monkeys to be seen including Vervet and the less common black
and white colobus monkey. A wide variety of bird life is also to be seen
on this walk.
Before
you arrive all transport, guides, porters, huts or camping and all food
necessary for your climb or safari are arranged by the hotel and are
inclusive in the cost (lunches and dinners, except on trek are not included). The
hotel staff will brief you before you depart for your trip. All that
remains for you to do is enjoy it!
Climate
Weather
in the high mountains is never totally predictable and East Africa is no
exception especially as it has two wet and two dry seasons per year. The
best seasons are mid December - February and mid June to September. You
can do this tour anytime of year, but we would advise against April to mid
June, as this is the period of Long Rains.
October to mid December is the period of short rains and the trail
can be slippery under such conditions. The nights on trek will be cool to
cold (below freezing higher on the mountain) and days cool to warm. UV is
very strong at all times. On the Summit day a very early start can be
expected and although this is steep, the traverse between Stella point and
the actual summit of Uhuru peak is exposed to winds which are below
freezing, often –10 to –25 with wind chill; so good warm walking gear
is essential. Driving up towards Kilimanjaro across the plains and in the
game parks it can be quite hot (up in the 30s C).
Equipment
& Clothing
All
communal camping and cooking equipment is provided.
Each person must provide their own sleeping bag (suitable for 3- 4
seasons use) and personal equipment. This should be of high quality,
especially the sleeping bag, warm clothing and boots of at least 3-season
grade (plastic boots, crampons and Ice axe are not required under normal
conditions, but walking poles will be useful and there is no harm in bringing
a walking axe if you have one, (but it will normally be of limited use). A
detailed list of recommended clothing and equipment will be sent to each
member shortly after confirmation of booking.
What’s
Included
All
road transportation as specified in the itinerary. Bed and breakfast
accommodation at the hotel. All meals when on trek; services of guides, cook and porters,
when out on trek; transfers to/from the mountain gate. Park and rescue
fees are included in the tour price. (The tour price is
based on a Land Only package but Flights London/Kilimanjaro International
return can be arranged on request, prices depend on both the time of year
and the airline involved).
Not
Included
Drinks, bottled water,
clothing or hire of any equipment, tips, personal toiletry requirements,
insurance and all items of a personal nature; passport, insurance, visas, immunization fees, airport taxes (allow $25
for the taxes).
Tipping:
Porters and guides on Meru and Kilimanjaro see tipping as a very important
part of their income, although we admit that this situation can be
awkward, especially if you do not come from a tipping environment, it has
become part of the culture and can lead to awkward scenes if too little is
paid. Part of the problem has been expectation fuelled by the excessive
one off tips given by some walkers filled with euphoria having completed
the climb! Tipping is at your discretion, but the advice is currently $10
(US) per day for each porter per group and more for the guide + cook,
about $15 per day. This may seem excessive, but it is
not too bad especially if the staff have done a good job. You will have at
least the satisfaction of seeing the money hopefully going into the local
economy. Most of the porters especially will have ‘shambas’, or small
peasant holdings, where they will farm during the low season, or when
illness or other reasons keeps them away from the mountain. It is sobering
to realize that although some of the guides do quite well out of the
industry (as long as their health holds) most of the porters do not earn a
cash income for long periods during the year and although if they have
‘Shambas’ they will be self sufficient to a degree, life is still
hard!
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Outline Itinerary
This
itinerary is intended as a working guide only and may be subject to
variation as a result of local conditions, weather and how you make
progress.
We reserve the right to
alter (lengthen or shorten) any trek at any time.
q
Day 1:
Departure from London Heathrow for Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania. Flight
times vary depending on the airline. We mainly use KLM. Daily depart London Heathrow:
06.35, Arr: Kili 20.00 via Amsterdam.
We also
use Ethiopian Airways (flight arrives next day).
q
Days
1 & 2: Arrival
at Kilimanjaro International airport and transfer over to our hotel for
two nights irrespective of whether you arrived in the evening of Day 1 or
the morning of day 2 (depending on the airline), for a rest and an
acclimatization day. There is a pool, restaurant, bar and some woodland
walks.
q
Day
3: A 45 min drive
through to Machame village and then on to the
National Park Gate. Park formalities dispensed with it is about 5
hours walking today. Porters will be seen arranging their packs containing
food, water, firewood and other equipment. Make sure you have all your
daypack items with you because the porters travel fast. The guides will
assist with any additional information that you need. From the park gate,
there is a wonderful walk up through the rain forest on a winding trail to
the first hut which is located at 3048 m.
Continue onto the Machame hut. Where we make camp, rest, enjoy our
dinner and overnight (3100 m).
q
Day
4: (About 4 hours walking) after breakfast
we leave the last of the rain forest behind and ascend, walking along a
steep rocky ridge, covered with heather to the ridge end. We then turn
west into a river gorge and onto the Shira Hut campsite, dinner and camp.
(3840m).
q
Day
5: (About
6 hours walking) From the Shira
Plateau we continue to the East then our direction changes to South East
towards the Lava Tower, called ‘The Shark’s Tooth.’ Shortly after
the tower, we come to a junction, which brings us up to the arrow glacier.
We reach an altitude of 4876 m. But to aid acclimatization we now continue
down to the Barranco hut at an altitude of 3950 m here we rest, dine and camp.
q
Day
6: (About 8 hours walking) After breakfast
we leave the Barranco hut and continue on a steep ridge passing the
Barranco wall, through the Karanga valley and the junction which
connects with the Mweka trail. We continue to the Barafu hut which is
located at an altitude of (4600 m) Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner
and overnight.
q
Day 7: (about 11 hours
walking, the hardest day) Early morning start
to make the most of walking steeply over frozen volcanic screes. And to get you to the summit
for the sunrise; we continue our ascent to
Stella Point (5745 m) between the Rebmann and Ratzal glaciers. The last
section before the rim can sometimes be snow-covered and a walking pole or an
ice-axe, is useful for balance, on our way to the summit (Uhuru Peak 5895
m, this part of the climb takes about 6 hours). We have now reached the
highest point in Africa, giving
fine views of Kilimanjaro’s crater, stepped glaciers and Mount Meru.
Mount Kenya may appear as a black pimple far to the north. From
the summit we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka
hut camp site (3100 m). This part of the descent takes about 5 hours.
Later in the evening we have our last dinner on the mountain and a
well-earned sleep.
q
Day
8: After breakfast continue the descent down
to the Mweka Park gate and then drive back to Moshi and transfer to the
hotel. Overnight at the Hotel (you maybe forgiven
for drinking too much in celebration!).
q
Day
9: After Breakfast
or lunch (depending on the time of flight departure) transfer to
Kilimanjaro International Airport for departure.
q
Day 10: Arrive
London Heathrow.
Safari
Extension
After the climb, there is the
opportunity of a wildlife safari tour
extension. Here there is the possibility of viewing the big five and many
other species. Ask for
the ASF Dossier.
Health Matters & Documents
You
should carry a reasonably comprehensive medical kit with you as the First
Aid supplies on the mountains may be a limited, we don’t mean things
like traction splints, but basic dressings (including burns dressing),
Asprin, Ibuprufin, antihistamine cream or tablets, antiseptic cream, skin
closures, Iodine Tincture solution and your Malaria tablets. You do need
to have a valid certificate of vaccination for Yellow Fever, but this is
rarely checked.
Visas:
For Tanzania British citizens need a visa bought before departure from the
Tanzanian Embassy for £38 (single entry). Details in Pre departure information other
nationalities should check for their requirements.
Passports:
should be valid for at least 6 months.
Books & Maps
Lonely
Planet guide to " Trekking in East Africa", by David Else. A well
researched, well written book which includes a wealth of practical
information on walking in E. Africa including topographical maps and
plenty of background information on the countries. Highly recommended.
“East
African International Mountain Guide”, by A. Wielochowski. Though the
emphasis is on climbing, this authoritative guidebook contains valuable
information for trekkers.
“East Africa”, by J.R.Yogerst. An excellent overall guide from Lonely Planet.
There are also
the Climbers “Guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro,” by Ian Allen,
which contains notes on the walks as well as climbing. This is a neat
little momento being pocket sized with a weather resistant cover. This is
printed by the Mountain Club Of Kenya.
You can also
purchase the best map of Kilimanjaro, originally by Andrew Wielochowski:
Tel: 01550-721319 it costs
£8
including Postage and packing.
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