Touch down at the Kilimanjaro International Airport where your own personal driver will be waiting to greet you. Let your driver whisk you away to Arusha Planet Lodge in the bright and bustling city of Arusha – gateway to Tanzania. Each room at Arusha Planet Lodge is well appointed, spacious, clean and comfortable to make your stay enjoyable. Conference facilities to suit team building activities, retreats, business meetings and other functions Well trained Chefs to create appetizing local and internation- al cuisine. From nyama choma, rice/ugali with fish, banana stew and many others, you should take time to sample Tanzanian staples as prepared by the respective and diverse tribes.

Arusha is the beating heart of the wild – the last port of civilization before heading out into dense jungles and rich savannah plains. The markets of Arusha burst with color, and throng with locals picking up their weekly wares. The numerous cafes sell dark and deliriously good coffee from the plantations, and close by the infamous National Park lures visitors in to explore her evocative Maasai culture and exotic flora and fauna. In the evening you will enjoy a quick briefing which will be conducted by professional Mountain Guide about your trekking, and to ensure if you are ready for climbing.

Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge or Similar Accommodation

You will leave Machame gate (1,800 m) after you final preparation for the climb and start trekking through the rain forest (where tropical showers are highly probable) on a winding trail to the first camp, which is located to an attitude of 3, 048 meters. You continue a short distance until you reach Machame Hut 3000m. Your crews will make a camp and prepare the meal for you for overnight.

At night you may experience discomfort associated with acclimatization to the high altitude: because of a reduction in your waking breathing pattern, your body gets less oxygen than during the day. Taking altitude into account, you may therefore start feeling sick and have a headache. Pay attention to your own body and tell your guide if you start feeling any symptoms of altitude sickness.

This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is strongly recommended you heed the following instructions from this point on:

Abstain from consuming alcohol and Caffeine
Drink over 4 liters of bottled water daily (little by little, frequently)
Take a Diamox pill to help alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. Most mountain climbers take Diamox in the morning, before they start their ascent, in order to reduce discomfort associated with altitude sickness. We recommend you consult your doctor prior to the trip in case of potential allergies.

Change in Elevation: Machame Gate (1,800 m) — Machame Camp (3,010 m)
Hiking distance: 5 km
Hiking Time: 5 – 6 hours
Accommodation: Machame Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

After breakfast, you leave Machame Camp and start trekking to the rain forest and continue on an ascending path to Shira Camp (3,845 m). Walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather and followed by a gentle incline. The trekking is not difficult, but you may see the changes in altitude. After lunch a descent and ascent brings you to the camp with a walking time approximately 5 hours.

Note: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimatization process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. They help increase your chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness.

Change in Elevation: Machame Camp (3,010 m) — Shira Camp (3,845 m) and Shira Camp (3,845 m) — Lava Tower (4,120 m)
Hiking distance: 8 km
Hiking Time: 6 – 7 hours
Accommodation: Shira Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

From the Shira Camp (3,845 m), you continue to the east, passing the junction towards the key point of the route Lava Tower (4,630 m). The climb is for some 5kms and will take approximately 8 hours. As you continue, your direction this section of the route has a lot of ascents and descents that end in a camp at over 4,600 meters. It might be difficult, and you may feel some discomfort, but in order to successfully acclimatize to the altitude you have to spend at least 1-2 hours here, and here is where you will have lunch. Now you will descend to Barranco Camp at an altitude of 3,960 meters. Here you can see the famous Barranco Wall, impressive in both its massive size and stiffness. Then the time to rest, enjoy dinner and overnight.

Note: If one or more participants feel sick, the group may refrain from passing the Lava Tower and adjust the route, following instead the road for porters. In this case you will not reach an altitude of 4,630 meters, getting up only to a maximum of 4,400 meters.

Change in Elevation: Camp (3,845 m) — Lava Tower (4,630 m) — Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Hiking distance: 11 km
Hiking Time: 6 – 8 hours
Accommodation: Barranco Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

Early wakeup, breakfast and the start of summiting Barranco Wall (we recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups, After the climb you can have a rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano. Then you start a more difficult hike to Karanga Camp, which features numerous ascents and descents during the route, but don't worry: our guides are experts at choosing an optimal pace for the group. After reaching the camp you will be offered Hot lunch. After a couple of hours you will have to complete an acclimatization hike in the direction of Barafu Camp with a 300-meter gain in altitude, and then descent back down to the camp.

Note: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimatization process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. Their help increase your chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness

Change in Elevation: Barranco Camp (3,960 m) — Karanga Camp (4,035 m) and Karanga Camp (4,035 m) — Barafu Camp (4,270 m)
Hiking distance: 7.5 km
Hiking Time: 6 – 7 hours
Accommodation: Karanga Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

In the morning after breakfast you begin your way to Barafu Summit Camp (4,640 m), the starting point for a night summiting Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Our team will set up a camp for you ahead of time, including tents and sleeping bags, so you can relax. After regaining strength, you have to complete an acclimatization hike towards the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp (4,800 m) and then back to Barafu Camp, where you will be served a hot dinner. It is better to spend the remainder of the day resting and sleeping before night summiting.

Change in Elevation: Karanga Camp (4,035 m) — Barafu Camp (4,640 m) and Barafu Camp (4,640 m) — Kosovo Camp (4,800 m)
Hiking distance: 8 km
Hiking Time: 6 – 7 hours
Accommodation: Barafu Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

At the night you will Departure from Barafu Camp (4,640 m) and start summiting Kilimanjaro: Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Simply the climb is relatively simple; though, the most challenging part is the high altitude where each pair of climbers will get a personal guide for the entire ascent to monitor your physical and mental conditions. After your successful ascent to Uhuru Peak, you can descend to the nearest glacier if you wish. Then you will return to Barafu Camp and after a 2-hour rest continue your descent to Millennium Camp (3,820 m).

Note: Don't forget that 90% of all accidents occur during the descent, including all broken arms and legs. Please pay attention to your feet, as there is a high risk of damaging your toenails.

Change in Elevation: Camp (4,640 m) — Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) — Millennium Camp (3,820 m)
Hiking distance: 15 km
Hiking Time: 8 – 12 hours
Accommodation: Millennium Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

When you wake up at the camp you will feel relief from the reduction of the height and the satisfaction of reaching the summit. After a breakfast, you will start descending to the park’s exit: Mweka gate (1,650 m). Here the whole group will gather to congratulate you, followed by offering you a chance to share your opinions on the climb in the guestbook. Lastly, you will be presented with your commemorative certificates in our office and provide you a transfer back to Arusha Planet Lodge.

Change in Elevation: Millennium Camp (3,820 m) — Mweka Gate (1,650 m)
Hiking distance: 12 km
Hiking Time: 4 – 5 hour
Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge

After getting some rest and refreshment at the hotel, your driver guide will take you to the airport ready for your flight back home.

NOTE: Hotel checks out is at 11:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of your evening flight there is a procedural and option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee.