6 days Roof of Africa - KILIMANJARO ( 5 895 m) Marangu route
Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, lies just three degrees south of the equator and is permanently snow-capped. It offers one of the best opportunities in the world to climb a peak at high altitude without the need for technical climbing ability. The trek takes you through well-defined altitudinal vegetation zones, from semi-arid scrub to dense cloud forest.
After Kilimanjaro it is great to continue your Africa dream with some short SAFARI
Which can be ended with relaxation in beautifull Zanzibar island.
KILIMANJARO - MARANGU ROUTE - also known as Coco-cola route
5 nights / 6 days
TOUR DESCRIPTION
Day 1
MANDARA HUT
In the morning you drive (about 2 hours) through Kilimanjaros semi-tropical foothills to Marangu (1,372m) - on the way is excellent views of the snow-capped peak. On arrival at Marangu gate, you meet your team of guides and porters. After greetings head to the entrance of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park to register for the climb. From the cluster of buildings at the gate it is some four to five hours walk through patches of coffee plantation and dense rainforest to Mandara Hut. The forest teems with brightly-coloured bird life, colobus and other varieties of monkey. The flora includes numerous mosses, lichens and flowers, as well as delicate orchids. If the skies are clear you may have fine views over the town of Moshi lying at the edge of the plain far below.
Mandara Hut is a collection of basic, A-frame mountain huts with bunk beds – quite adequate for your needs – where you inevitably meet up with fellow trekkers who are bent on the same goal. Overnight stay Mandara Hut – 1 night (Brekfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Day 2
HOROMBO HUT (3,720m
Your second day on the mountain starts with a steep climb through the last swathe of rainforest, though this
soon gives way to rolling alpine meadow dotted with giant heather. Once you leave the forest canopy, Kilimanjaro’s twin peaks – snowcovered Kibo and rocky Mawenzi – lie directly ahead, dominating
the skyline. Further on you cross a zone of open heath with stunted vegetation, before emerging onto bleak moorland. Today you gain roughly 1,000m in altitude, and your walk can take anything
from five to seven hours – depending on your pace. Tonight you stay at Horombo Huts – another collection of buildings similar in style to those at Mandara – which offer shelter and basic
accommodation to those on the mountain.
Overnight stay at Horombo Hut (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Day 3
HOROMBO HUT
A day here provides an opportunity for you to acclimatise gradually to the altitude. Statistics show that an acclimatisation day like this effectively doubles the chance of making it to the summit, so this time is well spent! The day is not exactly wasted as there are a few walks you can make in the vicinity of the hut – the most popular of which is to the base of Mawenzi Peak, the dramatic eastern summit of Kili. This walk takes four to five hours (round trip), and will get you to an altitude of 4,600m before you return to the hut – this will stand you in good stead later on.
Overnight stay at Horombo Hut (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Day 4
KIBO HUT (4,705m)
The landscape becomes progressively more rocky and rugged as you leave the everlasting flowers and other bizarre alpine plants behind. Giant groundsels and lobelias appear in the sparse moorland. Today’s trail up to Kibo will again take anything between five and seven hours. Skirting Mawenzi Peak, you pass " Last Water" then cross a stark, almost lunar landscape onto “The Saddle”, a broad tundra desert between the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. From here you start to get fantastic views of the upper reaches of the mountain before arriving at Kibo Hut (4,705m), a dry-stone-walled hut with dormitories and limited facilities. Tonight you prepare for tomorrow’s final assault – THE SUMMIT – re-packing to leave any non-essential items with the porters; you need to summon all your energy to get to the summit so there’s absolutely no point in carrying anything you
Day 5
UHURU PEAK (5,896m)
This is a long and demanding day! The guides wake you soon after midnight and you start out in darkness, zigzagging up a long scree slope by the light of your torch in the extreme cold. At this time of day the scree is still frozen – which makes it easier to walk on! After roughly two hours you should reach Hans Meyer’s Cave – named after the German geologist who made the first successful ascent in 1889 – where he found the remains of a frozen leopard. The gradient gets steeper and three hours on (this is the hardest stretch of the ascent!) you should reach the crater rim at Johanne?s Notch. From here it’s a short scramble to Gillman’s Point (5,685m) in time for dawn. Your reward is the dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields and craggy peaks of Mawenzi – the profusion of colors and shapes make all the suffering seem worthwhile! For those who still have the energy and drive, it takes another couple of hours along the crater rim to reach Uhuru (Freedom) Peak (5,896m). Your descent (approx 3 hours) retraces the route back down past Kibo Hut to Horombo Hut for a well-deserved rest.
Overnight stay at Horombo Hut for 1 night (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 6
Back to ARUSHA.
The pace quickens as you continue your triumphant way back down across alpine meadow and past Mandara Hut through the rainforest to Marangu Gate where you board the vehicle for the journey back to Arusha. .
KILIMANJARO - MARANGU ROUTE - Coco-cola route
5 nights / 6 days
Price per person
NOW $ 1800,-
( 2 pax min. order)
/before $ 1900,- /
+ SAFARI from
2 nights / 3 days Tarangire - Ngorngoro Safari
Parks visited: Tarangire + Ngorongoro
PRICE PER PERSON ( min 4 pax)
From $ 830,- USD
+ ZANZIBAR from
3 nights beach
1 nights Stone Town
PRICE PER PERSON ( min 4 pax)
From $ 495,- USD
WE ALSO BOOK A LOCAL FLIGHTS TO ZANZIBAR!
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR BOOKING
PRICE STAR FROM $ 160 ( per person )
Price include:
Accomodation and meals:
- Venu Hotel 2 night ( BB) http://www.venushotels.co.tz
- All transport by private vehicle to and from the mountain
- Accommodation as detailed on the itinerary.
- Services of a private mountain guide, cook and adequate porters to carry both trip provisions and client’s private bags.
- National Park entrance, accommodation and camping fees.
- All food and catering equipment – breakfasts, lunches (packed when necessary) and evening meals prepared by our own cook. Special dietary requirements are catered for with prior arrangements at no extra cost.
- Certificate of Achievement /appreciation from us.
- Free storage of excess baggage not required on the mountain hike.
- Crisis management apparatus – VHF 2-way radio/mobile phone, basic first aid kit and an on call vehicle.
Price NOT included :
- Travel and personal accident insurance.
- Visa, passport, vaccinations, medicines.
- Personal Mountain equipment.
- Tips.
- Expenditure on alcoholic drinks, souvenirs and other personal items.
- Optional excursions not detailed in the itinerary.
- Additional optional accommodation added at the base hotel or extra days on the mountain added.
- Treated drinking water other than boiled.
- Extra costs incurred in case of own intentional change of itinerary while already on trek.
- International flight ticket
- Telephone bills
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CLIMATE:
Mount Kilimanjaro is only three degrees south of the Equator so although the climate is technically ‘equatorial’, it is essentially tropical. The long dry season
(Jun-Oct) is followed by Short Rains (Nov-Dec). During the short dry season (Jan-Mar) it can be very hot and humid.
The ‘Long Rains’ fall Apr-May. On the mountains, temperatures rise and fall only slightly throughout the year but vary considerably between night and
day.
BAGGAGE:
For your comfort we recommend you travel as light as
possible; many airlines impose a maximum weight limit of 20 kg – we advise you to take a lot less!
We would suggest :
One main piece – soft bag rather than a hard suitcase as it can be easily stowed and carried by
porters on the ascent. Pack lightly as space is restricted – max. 15kg. NB: any surplus baggage can be stored in Arusha during the ascent – it is vital not to over pack. Please take only bare
essentials for the climb.
A daypack – For comfort we recommend a larger daypack or small rucksack with a comfortable
harness and waist belt (30-40 litres capacity is ideal for carrying warm clothing, camera, water bottle etc.
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR:
It's essential to keep yourself (and your
baggage) dry at all times. Also, to cope with variable temperatures, the best strategy is to layer clothing, so you can adjust your temperature. You should not underestimate the freezing cold
conditions you will encounter on the mountain. Although some clothing and equipment is available for hire locally, it's impossible to guarantee its quality or availability, so equip yourself
fully before departure.
The following is a suggestion of what you may find useful to take on this trip. It is not exhaustive and a more detailed packing list can also be found at Suggested Mountain Climb Equipments page.
- T-shirts (synthetic materials are best as cotton retains moisture)
- Waterproof thigh-length jacket (Goretex or similar)
- Gloves (waterproof warm outers + thin liners)
- Warm hat (or balaclava) that covers the ears
- Waterproof walking boots (well broken-in)
- Waterproof outer trousers _ Warm mid-layer (fleece or down)
- Warm long-sleeved shirt _ Warm walking trousers (not jeans!)
- Thermal underwear _ Walking socks (several pairs)
- Walking shorts
- Trainers or soft shoes for relaxing
- Sun-hat
- Gaiters
EQUIPMENT:
- Glacier glasses (or good quality sunglasses ? preferably with side shields)
- Personal first aid kit & essential medication
- Wet wipes
- Warm sleeping bag (3/4-season)
- Sleeping bag liner
- Trekking pole(s) – can be hired locally
- Small towel
- Headtorch & spare batteries
- Spare plastic bags
- Waterbottle(s) – minimum 3 litres capacity
- High factor sunscreen & lipsalve
- High energy snacks, dried fruit, nuts, sweets, etc. NB: hang on to some till the last day – you?ll appreciate them more!
- A small bottle of cordial or squash concentrate (to liven up the ?flat? taste of boiled water)
TIPPING:
Tipping is an accepted part of life in Tanzania, and you will be expected to tip to reward service. You will be briefed on arrival as to when and how much is appropriate, however, depending on the size of your group you should budget on a personal contribution of around $ 45 to $ 50 for your trek guides, cooks and porters on the trek.
