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Trek Kilimanjaro in premium comfort
Trek Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world! Kilimanjaro’s exotic location, hence, ecological uniqueness, offers an exhilarating experience that should feature on any trekker’s bucket list.
This 8-day trekking journey traverses the mountain from the west. It takes in the lesser travelled areas of the Shira Caldera, before joining the standard summit route to the top. We offer a fully supported expedition with all the frills – all you have to do is focus on the summit, one step at a time…
We spend a full day in Arusha before the start of the Kilimanjaro trek. This enables us to do a full gear check and to ensure that all trekkers have received their luggage.
The rain forest makes a beautiful start to our trek towards Mount Kibo, which rises suddenly out of the distance. Moreover, the chatter of birds and the monochromatic flashes of Colobus monkeys lend a calming atmosphere to the trail.
High altitude trekking
Once we leave the rain forest, we quickly ascend 700m (2300ft) to reach the Moorland Zone. We lunch near the Shira Crater before crossing into the Shira Caldera, a high-altitude desert plateau that is rarely visited. It is here that we catch the first view of the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. At this point our trek is dominated by the first views of Kibo, the lesser summit on Kilimanjaro.
After an easy acclimitisation day, we leave the Moorland Zone and our trek ascends into the alpine zone. This is a barren moonscape of semi desert where only the hardiest of grasses and a few lichens survive. Our high point for the day sits at 4515m/14800ft, however, as we start to feel the first effects of high altitude, we gradually descend through Giant Lobelia and Senecia fields to our next camp.
We launch our summit bid from our camp at 4895m / 16060ft. There is a brief celebration at the crater rim, before the final summit push. Because the effects of the altitude, cold and fatigue threaten the comfort and safety of the descent, time at the summit is kept to within safety limits . After a mammoth 17-hour day, we will have climbed to 5895m / 19635ft and then descended to 3095m / 10155ft.
The feeling of accomplishment, coupled with appreciation for the efforts of the trek crew, lingers long after the fatigue fades.
If you’re not yet ready to conquer Kilimanjaro, but want to bag a good trekking while you’re in Tanzania, consider our Mt Meru summit trek.
Alternatively, if you love to hike, but prefer to stay at a comfortable altitude, our Tanzania trekking safari is the ultimate walking safari.
Highlights
Experiences
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TRIP FEE
From US$ 8545 per person, based on 4 people travelling
Please note what this includes in TRIP FEE INCLUDES below. Unless specified, all groups are private and the program and therefore, cost, is tailored to the requirements of the group.
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TRIP FEE INCLUDES
Private trek with dedicated services of a professional trek leader and appropriately trained and accredited Guides, Cooks and Porters
All transfers to and from Kilimanjaro Airport;
3 nights in a 4-Star hotel/lodge in Arusha on a Half Board basis.
Personalised Expedition Gear Bag
All Park and Camping fees, Government Climbing Taxes, Airport Security Taxes and Departure Taxes
Mountain Rescue Fees and First Aid.
All porterage and gratuities for Expedition Staff (except the Trek Leader)
All hotel, meal and transfer gratuities
Camping Equipment for the Mountain (including Personal Tents, Dining Tent, Kitchen Tent, Private Toilet Tent & Sleeping Mattresses*)
9 Breakfast, 7 Lunches & 9 Dinners
Limited selection of trail snacks while on the trail
Purified water and hot beverages at meals
18% Tanzanian VAT
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TRIP FEE EXCLUDES
International, Regional and Domestic Flights
Entry Visa for Tanzania
Pre-& post trip arrangements
Any meals not indicated above
Wine, Beverages & refreshments.
Personal Travel & Medical Rescue Insurance
Health Requirements & Inoculations
Items of a personal nature
Gratuities for the Trek Leader.
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WHEN TO TRAVEL
Seasonal Forecasting for Kilimanjaro can be difficult. However, unlike in bigger mountain ranges such as the Himalaya, Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed virtually any time of the year.
Certain months of the year are nevertheless definitely better climbing months than others:
January, February and September have been voted ‘peak’ months to climb the mountain, with July, August, November and December are all coming in a close second.
March to mid June is officially the rainy season around Kili. The combination of warm temperatures and moisture cause clouds and haze to enfold most of the mountain, making visibility particularly bad. Snow falls and rain make the ground slippery and hazardous, rendering climbing conditions less than ideal to say the least.
Late June to early August sees a drop-in precipitation and temperatures where crisp, clear evenings become the norm. If you can stand the cold, climbing conditions are ideal due to lack of cloud cover on the mountain.
August and September is still sunny and cool, although on most days a cushion of cloud will be seen balancing above the treetops of the rainforest.
During the shorter rainy season from October to December, rain occurs in the form of thunderstorms rather than endless showers.
- When planning your climb, it is important to keep in mind the fact that no matter what time of year it may be or how much advice you have been given, the weather on Kilimanjaro is as unpredictable as it gets, and rain, snow and ice can wreak havoc on the mountain at any time.
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YOU SHOULD KNOW
Visas are required by all travellers to Tanzania and are valid for 3 months. While available at the main entry points to the country, it is strongly advised to obtain a visa prior to departure.
US citizens are obliged to purchase a multiple entry visa at a cost of $100. This is valid for one year.
Canadian, British, Australian and New Zealand citizens may purchase a single entry visa for $50, valid for a 90 day stay.
Yellow Fever and Malaria occur below 1800m, while Meningitis can be present in the dry season.
We recommend that you supplement the mattresses provided with a good inflatable camping mattress for added comfort.
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OUR CAMP AND STAFF
Our standard superior trek includes the following staff:
- Professional Active Africa Trek Leader
- Local Lead Mountain Guide; Assistant Mountain Guides
- Professional Cook and Cooks Assistants
- Waiter; Camp Site Manager; Camp Set Crew
- Porters, including a dedicated medical porter
Camp facilities include:
- Kitchen Tent (and food preparation equipment)
- Mess Tent (including large backed chairs, tables & solar lighting)
- Sleeping Tents (3-person used as double, fully sealed ground sheets, full service cold weather closed cell foam sleeping mats)
- Hot water bottles for sleeping bags
- Shared toilet tent (with portable flush toilet); wash stands and wash basins (including fresh hand towels)
- Portable 15lt Hot water shower with bath towels
- Crew tents
Logistical and trekking equipment:
- Communications Equipment (radio’s & Satellite Phone)
- Emergency Equipment (O₂, Portable Hyperbaric Chamber, Stretcher, medical trauma kit)
PREMIUM ADDITIONS (ADDITIONAL COST):
Gas heater in the mess tent
Stand up ‘walk-in’ tent with aluminium frame beds & soft foam mattresses (allowing you to sleep off the ground), including four entrances, ventilation ports, fly sheet, storm skirt & storm ropes
Solar LED lights, closed cell floor mats for added warmth and clean and dry storage of your bags.
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THE ACTIVE AFRICA DIFFERENCE
We strive to offer an extremely professional service for a product that is abundant in a highly competitive environment.
There are many hidden costs associated with a Kilimanjaro trek, many of which are not included in the base trip fee, but which you will be obliged to pay, either with your trip fee or in cash on arrival.
We have included these costs in your trip fee, so that you can arrive and trek without having to worry about unforeseen costs. Furthermore, by book-ending the trek with hotel/lodge accommodation allows you to leave your valuables and cash in safe storage which you are on the mountain.
Here is a brief list of important considerations:
Lemosho Route: This is the least frequented route and offers the most diverse experience of the mountain. However, access requires a 3-hour 4×4 journey versus a 1-hour minivan transfer to access the standard routes.
Extended itinerary: We take 7 to 8 days, specifically designing our route to ensure the best possible acclimatisation time and increasing the chance of reaching the summit.
Pre/post accommodation: We use 4-star minimum quality accommodation.
Crew: We work with a crew of seasoned porters and suitably qualified guides and cooks. On all Full-Service expeditions, we provide a professional and experienced Trek Leader to oversee the expedition.
We follow a code of ethical porter employment conditions. We will happily share this with you on request.
Equipment and safety: We use properly maintained, imported international brand tents and equipment. We do not make use of public ablution facilities, preferring to provide our own toilet facilities for private use.
We carry a comprehensive emergency medical kit, which includes emergency O2, custom designed evacuation stretcher and where required, a portable hyperbaric altitude chamber, and the crew are equipped with handheld radios and satellite phones.
Gratuities: All trek itineraries managed and led by an Active Africa Trek Leader include tips for the porters and guide crew. In addition, we include all the other tips you may not think about – transfer drivers, waiters at meals, hotel staff and all those other unexpected “service fees” and “additional levies” that keep the wheels on any expedition moving efficiently…
The extras: we include training programmes and access to professional advice to prepare you for your climb, comprehensive travelogues to further enhance your understanding of the mountain, social networking sites that update the progress of your trek for loved ones and friends to follow back home, access to a satellite phone for that important summit call home, a photographic documentation of your climb, personalised kit bags and fleece jackets.
Please CONTACT US for a full explanation of our trip inclusions.
