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Overview

An expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro. A great idea for charities and foundations.

Kilimanjaro: an impressive peak surging straight from the heart of the Africa’s Great Rift, rising to 5895 meters. For decades now, thousands of hikers have literally risen to the challenge and defied its peaks, looking for that feeling of personal and physical accomplishment that inevitably follows a great trek. With this expedition, Uniktour is offering you the opportunity to join the ranks of those who scaled this legendary summit. The proposed ascent follows the Machame route. Though it does not require any technical climbing, trekkers must be in very good physical shape, and teamwork and well-planned logistics are a must. For the latter, you have nothing to worry about: you will be in the hands of a team of mountain professionals on this trek.
Beyond the physical challenge, the surreal beauty of the indigenous fauna and flora encountered in the first part of this journey simply will blow you away. The camping and bivouacs will only heighten the unique atmosphere that permeates all great expeditions!
In terms of organization, no detail is overlooked to ensure that this expedition take our trekkers to the top: we take special care in planning proper hydration, food, rest periods, an appropriate climbing itinerary, and proper acclimatization – characteristic of the Machame route. This is the best way to prepare for the difficult challenges that await us when we make our final ascent and climb Uhuru Peak, at 5895m. It’s also the only way to make sure to make the dream come true and that trekkers get to experience a perfect sunrise from Africa’s highest peak!
Today, we invite you to join us on this incredible journey and become one of the few who have made it to the roof of Africa.
Contact Uniktour’s Kilimanjaro expert for more information on this unforgettable experience!

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight

Day 2| Arrival in Kilimanjaro
Evening arrival at Kilimanjaro airport. Staff reception and transfer to Kia Lodge.
Dinner and overnight Kia Lodge (4-Star)

Day 3| Kia Lodge - Aishi Hotel
After breakfast, transfer to Moshi, at the foot of the Kilimanjaro. Settle into Aishi Hotel and enjoy your lunch. Afternoon of leisure on location (pools, short hikes available around the hotel, etc). In the afternoon, you also meet your guide for one last briefing. Dinner and overnight in Aishi Hotel (4-Star)

Day 4| Machame - Machame hut (18km)
Head for Machame’s Chagga village, the starting point for this trek, a 6-hour walk through a dense forest where rubber trees, giant ferns, begonias and ficus are tangled together. As you gain altitude, the vegetation slowly changes. Tropical forests give way to high bushes and giant heathers. Our camp will be set up close to the metallic cabins of Machame Hut (3050m).

Day 5| Machame Hut - Shira (9km)
If the skies are clear, we will leave the camp with superb views of Uhuru Peak. We follow a rugged trail passing through thick savanna, high bushes, volcanic rocks, heathers and beard lichen …and then we reach the first giant groundsel trees, standing tall like sentinels guarding a lost treasure. The steepest part of the trail will take us through eerie landscape populated by volcanic rocks, caves, and frothy brooks flanked by groundsel trees all the way to Shira plateau. 45 minutes later we arrive at Shira camp (3690m), where we spend the night in our tents. (5-6 hour walk).

Day 6| Shira - Barranco (14km)
We leave Shira Camp and head towards Kibo. The climb is steady until the Lava Tower (4570m). The descent towards Barranco Camp takes us to the edge of a gigantic canyon, the Great Barranco, in which groundsels thrive in great numbers, sprinkled by the countless small cascades, which converge on the area.
Settle into your camp at 3850m after a 6-7-hour hike.

Day 7| Barranco - Karanga (6km)
It should take you about 4 hours to hike to Karanga Valley (3930m), followed by an impressive hike up to Barranco Wall – no technical climbing required, save for a little adaptation for those who suffer from vertigo. After a long series of ups and downs on the flanks of the Kilimanjaro, one last climb is needed to reach our campsite in Karanga Valley. Leisure time in the afternoon and overnight in a tent.

Day 8| Karanga - Barafu – acclimatization day (5km)
This day is dedicated to making sure your body is well adapted to the high altitude. We climb a moraine to Barafu camp, the last stop before our overnight trek to the summit. If the skies are clear, the Mawenzi will present us breathtaking views while our objective, the Kibo, will tower over our heads. After 4-5 hours of hiking, enjoy an afternoon nap followed by early dinner, so you can get some sleep between 6pm and 10:30pm.

Days 8-9| Barafu - Uhuru Peak - Mweka (Ascent: 6km / Descent: 13km)
Your nocturnal trek starts around 11:30 pm. Prepare yourself for cold temperatures ranging between -8 and -15°C! We zigzag our way up the slopes and continue walking between Ratzel and Rebman glaciers. The slope is steep and the setting surreal as you progress among hanging glaciers. After 6-7 hours of hiking, dawn starts creeping in as the trail opens on the edge of a crater between Stella and Hans Meyer points. It should take another 45-60 minutes of hiking on the (usually snowy) edge of the volcano before we reach the summit at Uhuru Peak (5892m).
Walking down to Barafu Camp should take around 3 hours. When you get there, we strongly recommend that you rehydrate and get some rest. After lunch, we walk 4-5 hours and reach Mweka Hut towards the end of the day. Last night on the mountain at Mweka Camp.

Day 9| Mweka gate - Moshi - Arusha (12km)
After breakfast, 5 hours of walking should be enough to get you to the Park gates. When you reach Mweka Gate you will be handed a certificate based on which peak you reached. Then you will be transferred to Arusha where you’ll settle into the Moivaro Coffee Lodge. The rest of the day is spent freely, resting and enjoying the Lodge (a pool is available). Dinner and overnight at the Moivaro Coffee Lodge. A reward awaits you on the next day: a safari, or maybe you would prefer Zanzibar…

Day 10| Departure
Your trip can continue with some R&R, a safari, or you can be taken to the airport for your international flight.

Feel free to contact us to extend your trip by adding a safari in Tanzania or some down time at one of Zanzibar’s many beach resorts

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO?
The main trekking seasons at Kilimanjaro are from mid-June to October and from January to early March. This being said, heavy rainfall and snowfall can occur throughout the year, changing trekking conditions. Proximity to the equator means this region enjoys considerable sunlight. It is however better to avoid both the small rainy season (end of March to early June) and the heavy rainy season (November and December). If you want to have the full moon as your trekking partner, you can program your ascent in accordance (preferably, in one of the appropriate time periods).

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MACHAME AND MARANGU ROUTE ?
All the routes lead to the Summit, but Marangu and Machame are without a doubt the most popular trails. Which one should you choose? Machame is steeper and harder but the scenery is better. There is more effort required during the ascent (ups and downs), and the terrain is more rugged.

On Marangu, permanent wooden shelters with solar power make for more comfortable accommodation. Most of these shelters can accommodate up to 6 trekkers (the exception being Kibo Hut, which has dormitories).

On the Machame route, accommodation is in a 2-person domed tent, allowing for more intimacy. For some, these facts make the choice much easier: if you don’t want to sleep in a tent or add difficulty to your hike, the Marangu route (also known as the Coca Cola Route) is the clear winner.

Advanced trekkers who are confident in their fitness level and who have experience in camping and trekking in high altitude will be better off choosing Machame (aka the Whiskey Route), with more grandiose panoramas and much less tourists. The success rate on this route is actually higher at 80%, doubtless because those who choose it are more experienced hikers.

The acclimatization day is important and highly recommended. Of course, some want to save time and money and choose to climb faster. But if reaching the top is the objective, it is important to put the odds in your favor by taking an extra day for acclimatization purposes: success rates for those who opt out of this option are much lower.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Backpacks are carried by porters and under no circumstances can their weight exceed 15kg (Park rangers weigh these before departure). Upon demand, a packing list is available once reservations are completed

A full team is available during your ascent. For example, for 4 hikers, the team will have 14 members, including a cook, a guide-cook, an assistant guide, and porters who carry the supplies, tents, mattresses, and any other materials deemed necessary. Our staff follows all guidelines set by the National Park. We only hire qualified individuals and all our guides carry an official card authorizing them to accompany hikers (contrary to other countries, women and children are not allowed to work as porters here).

Tips are handed out at the end of the trek (current rates in USD are around 12$/day for guides, 10$/day for assistant-guides, 8$/day for cooks, and 6$/day for porters).

HOW CAN I COMBINE THE ASCENT WITH A SAFARI ?
Most travelers who travel to Tanzania also want to experience a safari. We always recommend going on a safari after a Kilimanjaro trek, in order to be in better shape. Once we know how much time travelers have on their hands, we can find the best solution to allow them to discover the exotic African wildlife. Safaris can start as soon as the day after you complete your ascent, or the following day for those who need a day of rest (for example, to enjoy leisure time in Arusha). We can customize our safari recommendations according to your schedule; proposed safari length starts at just one day.

CAN THIS TRIP BE COMBINED WITH ANOTHER TREK ?
It is possible to organize trips around a common theme – in this case, hiking or trekking. On this site, you can find other very interesting treks (for example, Mount Meru and Oldoinyo Lengai), and we also organize discovery treks though superb areas, in the company of armed rangers or Masai warriors. These walking and trekking activities can also be combined with safaris. Once we know what the traveler or group wants, we can design a balanced program combining many different activities.

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO
To make it to the top, you need to carefully plan what you bring in order to make sure you have everything you need. Here are some helpful tips…

LUGGAGE :
All your belongings have to fit into 2 bags: 1 backpack and one travel bag with padlock, or one large backpack. Strong plastic bags will be very useful in organizing your belongings.

1 – The backpack
This is the bag you will bring with you on the plane and which you will wear on your back throughout the trek. This cannot be a large bag (around 40 L). It must hold everything that is heavy or fragile and anything that you need in the airplane. For example: camera and film (or memory cards), books, magazines, medication, toiletries, a warm shirt, etc. During your trek, this will be your day bag; once on location, your guide will tell you what you need to bring for every leg of the journey.

2- Travel bag or large backpack
This is your checked luggage for the plane ride. Throughout the trek, it holds anything you don’t need during the day. Teams of porters or vehicles will carry this for you and it will be returned to you in the evening. These bags cannot weigh more than 15kg. We ask you to respect this weight limitation.

SLEEPING - BIVOUAC:
Norwegian-style sleeping bag (-5 to 15°c). Sleeping bag liner.

PHOTOS - VIDEO :
On Kilimanjaro, you can take as many pictures and videos as you want. Recommended iso: 200
 
Clothing
• Hat
• Scarf
• T-shirt
• Bathing suit
• Hood
• Wool gloves
• Wool shirt
• Long-sleeve shirt
• Pullover or sweatshirt
• Windbreaker or light coat
• Polar vest
• Thermal undergarments, top and bottom
• Down jacket (Gore-Tex or similar)
• Raincoat or poncho (indispensable), and perhaps a collapsible umbrella
• Bermuda shorts
• Comfortable pants
• Tracksuit
• Wool slippers
• Tennis/Jogging shoes
• Sandals
• Warm and comfortable hiking boots, with proper ankle support, and quality soles (Vibram or other)

SMALL ITEMS:
Headlamp with spare bulbs and batteries, lighter to burn waste, regular and glacier sunglasses, high-protection sunscreen and lip balm, mosquito repellant, light toiletries (if possible, please use biodegradable products), toilet paper, water bottle (minimum 1L), pocket knife (remember to put this in you checked luggage!), moist towelettes for personal hygiene (for example, Wet Ones), small sewing kit.

PERSONAL PHARMACY :

Your usual medicine, vitamin C or multivitamins, pain medication (aspirin or equivalent), antidiarrheals (Imodium, Diarsed), gastro-intestinal antiseptic (such as Ercefuryl), broad-spectrum antibiotic (on prescription), anti-inflammatory ointment, collyrium (for dust or ophtalmia), water purification tablets (Micropur, available in pharmacies, or Hydroclonazone), adhesive bandages, bandages (Elastoplast), sterilized compresses, moleskin (protection against blisters, available in pharmacies or outdoor sports stores), small bottle of mint alcohol (for nausea), parasite powder, DIAMOX (consult your doctor for a prescription).