Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing 9 Days

DAY 1 & 2: ARUSHA, TANZANIA (TWO NIGHTS)

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) you will be warmly welcomed by  Ambolight Travellers private vehicle and driver, who will transfer you to your accommodation in Arusha for the night. Kick off your adventure of a lifetime with a delicious dinner.

The next day and night are all about relaxation and rejuvenation at the lodge. You can simply rest by the pool and enjoy a delicious and leisurely breakfast, lunch and dinner at the lodge’s restaurant. We have arranged for a private mountain guide to come to your hotel in the afternoon to check in and do a pre-trek briefing. Your guide will also go over an equipment checklist with you and make sure all is in order before your climb.

DAY 3: MACHAME CAMP (ONE NIGHT)

Hike: 8.2 km 1840m-3022m 5-6 hours

After breakfast, your private mountain guide and vehicle will greet you at the lodge and you will depart for Machame. Here, the registration formalities will be completed before you start your first day of the climb. Pace your way through the lush, green forests filled with flowing streams and the fresh air of nature. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route as you take in the alluring views of these unique surroundings. Arrive at your first camp and enjoy the rest of the late afternoon resting and relaxing in your tent. Mouthwatering, locally sourced, slow-cooked meals will be served in your camp’s unique dining setting.

DAY 4: SHIRA TWO (ONE NIGHT) 

Hike: 5 km 3022m-3830m 5-6 hours

After a delicious breakfast, depart from the camp with your private mountain guide. The dust will fly as you rise up into a barer landscape. Climbing higher, you will notice an astonishing backdrop of Giant Senecias. You will start to get your first experience of acclimatization as you follow the trail up and down, and over the ridges – you are sure to be used to the change in altitude by the time you arrive at your camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 5: BARRANCO CAMP (ONE NIGHT)

Hike: 10.4 km 3830m-3900m 8-9 hours

Set out for a gentle hike after breakfast, manoeuvre around boulders and ascend rocks that will lead you to Lava Tower. At 4530m, Lava Tower will give you breathtaking views of your base camp for the night. Take a lunch break while you inhale the fresh air from the majestic mountain above you. After lunch, pace yourself through to the camp for relaxation, dinner and a well-deserved sleep.

DAY 6: KARANGA VALLEY CAMP (ONE NIGHT)

Hike: 5.1km 3900m-4100m 3-4 hours

Today your ‘breakfast’ is a scramble (literally). Infamously known as ‘Breakfast’, the steep wall of Barranco is just about an hour-long thrilling challenge that will get you sweating, before being rewarded with a wide-sweeping view of ancient ridges. From here, your journey will fall into a rhythm of ascending and descending along a series of stunning ridges. As you cross the last water point you will arrive into the green valley of Karanga. where you will spend the night. After your scrumptious dinner at the camp, remember to look up once in a while and feast your eyes on the blanket of stars above you that seems to stretch on for all eternity.

DAY 7: BARAFU CAMP (ONE NIGHT)

Hike: 3.5km Altitude: 4100m-4330m 3-4 hours

Your hike today is relatively short and steep. Listen to the sound of your footfalls as you pound the ground to enter a barren landscape of boulders and crushed rocks. You will soon come to a fork where two opposite routes converge – up to Barafu and down to Mweka. At this stage, you will take the more exciting route to conquer the mighty Kilimanjaro. With the right attitude, the upcoming half an hour of hike will pass by quickly as you make your way through sheer cliffs and large rocks to get to your camp. Arrive at the camp and enjoy an early dinner and early bed to ensure a well-rested body and mind in preparation for the big day – ‘the midnight assault’ on the summit. Don’t think about it too much – after all, Mount Kilimanjaro is just a giant piece of white icing cake! Joking aside, take some time to calm your mind and prepare your body for the most physically demanding part of the climb – the night of the summit!

DAY 8: MWEKA CAMP (ONE NIGHT)

Hike: 17.4 km 4330m-5895m-3075m 13-15 hours

This is summit night – the day you have been working so hard to prepare for. Your private mountain guide will wake you up around midnight with a quick snack to energize your body, and your summit crew will accompany you as you depart for the Uhuru Peak. Your hike will start out on rocky ground but it will soon turn to snow as you approach the Crater rim. Your body will automatically take it slow as you start to feel fatigue for the first time – especially as you enter the volcanic scree area, where your feet tend to slide backwards a little with every step you take. Guided by the glow of the shining moon, a blanket of stars, and your trusty headlight, you will reach the rim at Stella Point around sunrise and the summit at Uhuru Peak not long afterwards. Soak up this unforgettable moment of accomplishment and a dream come true, take photos for lifetime memories, or share a silent, awe-struck moment from the magnificent rooftop of Africa! Return down a steep track for brunch and a rest back at Barafu Camp. After brunch and relaxation, enjoy a comfortable but dusty walk down to Mweka.

DAY 9: KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Hike: 8.8km 3075m-1645m 3-4 hours

Take your last close-up shot of the peak of Kibo in the background of the camp as you wake up on a clear morning with a cup of locally grown and freshly brewed Kilimanjaro coffee. It is a fun morning of singing, celebration and enjoying the final moments with your ‘Kili’ team before you all head down through the steep forest to the national park gate. Upon arrival, your guide will complete the paperwork and present you with a lifetime certificate for summiting the highest mountain in Africa and one of the world’s Volcanic Seven Summits! Your private driver and vehicle will greet you at the gate and take you on a road transfer to Arusha, where you will gather for a trek debriefing. Since your flight home probably will not depart until later in the evening, we have arranged a day room for you at the Rivertrees Country Inn. Here, you can wash up, rest and relax by the pool, and enjoy a leisurely lunch while you wait for your international flight home.

In the evening, your driver will greet you and transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your scheduled flight home.