Day
1 Moshi
You will be met on arrival in Arusha
and transferred to your Hotel where
the rest of the day is spent preparing
for the long climbing days ahead.
1 overnight Marangu Hotel
Day 2 Mount Kilimanjaro National
Park
After a hearty early morning breakfast
we transfer to the southern base of
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park at
Machame Gate. Machame as this track
is known, is rarely used and is marked
only by splashes of red paint on some
trees, a dull echo of the brilliant
red gladioli that grow amongst them.
We continue onto a small forest glade
and our base camp for the night
1 overnight Machame Camp
(3000 metres)
Day 3 Shira Camp
Today a 5 hour hike takes us up a
steep ridge higher into the moorland
zone, the vegetation changes dramatically.
The milky way in these high altitude
and low pollution regions is a beautiful
plume of stars arched over the mountain
peaks.
1 overnight Shira Camp (3790
metres)
Day 4 The Great Barranco
Wall
We set off on another 5 hour hike
eastwards to the "Great Barranco
Wall" a spectacular basalt cliff
some one thousand feet high. Each
day our team of porters remains behind
after we leave camp, to pack up then
storm ahead to set up the next camp.
By the time we arrive there is always
a welcome brew of "dawa ya mlima"
on the boil. Literally meaning - "Medicine
of the Mountain" it's a strong
brew of tea, milk and lots of sugar
stewed together.
1 overnight Barranco Camp
(3950 metres).
Day 5 Karanga Valley
We hike for several hours out of The
Barranco Valley, and start heading
north across the Karanga Valley. Seen
from here the glaciers are at their
most spectacular - vast sheets of
cold crystal ice, draped like an imperious
cloak about the hunched shoulder of
the mountain, they glow a deep rust
red rock during evening light.
1 overnight Barafu Camp (4600
metres)
Day 6 Uhuru Peak (5896 metres)
We make an early start for
Uhuru some 6 hours away, eventually
reaching the edge of the Kilimanjaro
saddle, a strange moonscape sloping
gently towards the great cone of Kibo.
We continue round the crater rim to
the peak Uhuru. After the exhilaration
of reaching the top of Africa we continue
down the eastern slopes of Kibo taking
the most direct and swiftest descent
route. We join the trail the Mweka
Route,
1 overnight Mweka Hut (3790
m).
Day 7 Moshi
We make our final descent along the
rarely used Mweka route.
1 over night. Marangu Hotel.
Travel Advice:
Required equipment
All climbers should attempt
to bring as much as possible of the
following:
• Anorak
• Mittens
• Balaclava
• snow goggles or ski sunglasses
• scarf
• 3 pairs warm trousers
• sweaters
• 6 pairs warm socks
• thermal underwear
• waterproof layer
• sun proof hat
• comfortable boots
• sun cream
• small first aid kit
• knapsack
• water bottle.
Suggested medicines:
Headache tablets (preferably
not aspirin since this tends to irritate
stomachs already sensitive at altitude),
Imodium/ Lomotil for diahorrea sometimes
associated with altitude. Climbers
may like to consult their physicians
about azetazolomide (Diamox), a drug
that many find mitigates the ill effects
of altitude, headache, diahorrea &
vomiting.
Notes:
• Marangu Hotel will attempt
to make up any shortfalls in equipment
at no extra charge.
• Climbers are advised to try
to bring as much as possible of the
above as cabin baggage in case of
baggage delays. Climbers might, for
example, wear their boots on the plane.
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