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* Register now to secure your spot. We must confirm hotel bookings soon!
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HIGHLIGHTS of the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb include:
* The six-day Machame Route to Uhuru Peak, considered by many to be the most beautiful.
* The longest route up to ensure the largest number of successful ascents.
* Viewing a spectacular sunrise from the top of Africa!
* A full support staff of porters to carry gear, cook and set up at camps.
* A 5% discount on land costs for returning WanderTours participants
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Register now via PayPal by clicking on the Register Now button. You can sign in as a guest and do not need a PayPal account.
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Note: Cancellation fees apply. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before registering.
Mt. Kilimanjaro Itinerary
The adventure starts in Moshi, Tanzania, on January 23, 2019. Many international flights arrive late at night into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). If you can, consider arriving a day or two in advance of the trip in case of flight delays. This will also help you get over jet lag.
While there are seven to choose from, the route we’ve chosen up Mt. Kilimanjaro is considered the most beautiful. Though it does include some stiff ascents and descents, it is a longer route, giving us the chance to better acclimate to the altitude for the final push to Uhuru Peak.
Day 1
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 – Moshi
Meals: n/a
Upon arrival at the airport, you’ll be met by a driver and 
transferred to our hotel in Moshi, about an hour’s drive away. You’ll have a chance to settle in at the hotel where you can have a drink at the bar, take a swim or grab a bite to eat.
Overnight in Moshi at the Honey Badger Lodge or similar.
Day 2
Thursday, January 24, 2019 – Moshi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This will be a day for us to do some local touring and get used to the altitude. For those interested, there’s an optional day trip to nearby waterfalls located in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. On this trip, we’ll be able to experience the countryside while also stretching our legs and getting our lungs working on the walk. Once there, we’ll be able to cool down by swimming in the refreshing pools. This is about a five-hour trip and is an additional $50 – $75 per person (paid directly to the hotel) and includes a picnic lunch.
Overnight in Moshi at the Honey Badger Lodge or similar.
Altitude: 2,800 feet.
Day 3
Friday, January 25, 2019 – Machame Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast and packing up the vehicles with our gear, we’ll drive from our hotel to Machame Gate (5,380 feet), located at the southern end of the mountain and about an hour away. Here we’ll meet our guides and porters and get ready to start our climb! (We’ll enjoy a boxed lunch while our gear is weighed and porters are assigned items to carry.)
We’ll start our hike by making our way through a thick tropical forest. There may be rain on this day. Be prepared with gaiters and hiking poles as we may encounter muddy trails. There will be about a 4,000-foot elevation gain by the time we reach camp.
Overnight at Machame Camp.
Altitude: 9,350 feet. Distance: 7 miles. Time: 5 – 7 hours.
Day 4
Saturday, January 26, 2019 – Shira Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After an early breakfast, we’ll set out for the day’s trek. We’ll start with an hour-
long climb that will take us to the top of the forest. Then, for about two hours, we’ll have a gentler climb through moorland.
After lunch and a short rest, we’ll continue up a rocky ridge onto the stunning Shira Plateau. This is located due west of Kibo (our summit) and from here we will be able to see glaciers. We’ll continue on until we reach the Shira campsite early enough to get some rest in the afternoon.
Overnight at Shira Camp.
Altitude: 12,500 feet. Distance: 6 miles. Time: 4 – 6 hours.
Day 5
Sunday, January 27, 2019 – Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we’ll head east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding the Lava Tower (15,190 feet). By late morning, we’ll head up the rocky scree path to the Lava Tower. This first part of the day can take about five hours and will be our hardest day so far as we’ll be feeling the effects of altitude here.
After lunch at Lava Tower, we’ll descend for two hours to approximately 2,230 feet, arriving at Barranco Camp. While it may seem illogical to descend so far after all our hard work ascending, it’s crucial for acclimatization. The bonus is that this descent provides an opportunity for beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall.
Altitude: 12,960 feet. Distance: 9 miles. Time: 6 – 7 hours.
HIGHLIGHT! The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide a memorable sunset just before dinner. We’ll definitely appreciate a good rest at this lower elevation after climbing!
Day 6
Monday, January 28, 2019 – Karanga Valley Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we’ll begin by tackling the awesome Great Barranco Wall. We’ll 
appreciate how beautiful Kilimanjaro is when we reach the bottom of the Heim Glacier and get some grand views of the mountain. From here, we’ll head down to the Karanga Valley.
This will be a short walking day in terms of distance, but we’ll have the chance to walk to the glaciers in the afternoon, which will help with acclimatization.
Altitude: 13,800 feet. Distance: 4 miles. Time: 4 – 5 hours.
HIGHLIGHT! The Barranco Wall, while initially an imposing sight, is invariably easier to climb than anticipated with its narrow pathway that meanders up to the top.
Day 7
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 – Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This will be another short hiking day as we make our way over ridges and valleys to join up with the Mweka Route. After an hour or so of hiking, we’ll then reach Barafu Hut. Barafu means “ice” in Swahili and we’ll quickly discover why as this camp is exposed to ever-present gales. We’ll appreciate our warm and cozy sleeping bags on this night!
The summit is now just another 4,412 feet up and we’ll make the final ascent on this same night. We’ll plan to get to bed by 7:00 p.m. in order to get enough rest for the ascent.
Altitude: 14,927 feet. Distance: 3 miles. Time: 3 – 4 hours.
Day 8
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 – Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka High Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today will be a long but rewarding day. We’ll awaken around midnight for tea and biscuits before we begin our ascent to the summit. We’ll first head northwest and ascend through heavy scree toward Stella Point on the crater rim. This six-hour+ walk to Stella Point (18,651 feet) is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb.
At Stella Point, we’ll be rewarded with a short rest and a magnificent sunrise (weather permitting, of course). From here onward, we may encounter some snow during the one- to two-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak.
The walk back down to Barafu takes about three hours and is primarily through scree. At Barafu, we’ll have lunch and a short rest before packing up our gear to begin the descent to Mweka Hut (10,170 feet), another four or so hours down. This route is not difficult and will take us down a rocky path into the moorland and eventually into the forest.
Stella Point
Altitude: 18,651 feet. Time: approximately 6 – 7 hours.
Uhuru Peak
Altitude: 19,341 feet. Time: 1 – 2 hours.
Descent time: 6 – 7 hours
HIGHLIGHT! Uhuru Peak is the highest summit point (19,341 feet) on 
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. Today we’ll proudly stand on the rim of Kibo Crater, one of three dormant volcanic cones on the mountain, and take in the spectacular view.
Day 9
Thursday, January 31, 2019 – Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After an early breakfast, we’ll make the short three-hour hike back to the park gate. We’ll have an excellent lunch at a nearby restaurant before we’re taken back to our lodge for a celebratory drink, hearty meal and comfortable, warm bed.
Dinner and overnight in Arusha at the African Tulip or similar.
Day 10
Friday, February 1, 2019 – Arusha
Meals: Breakfast
You will likely depart on this day for home (or elsewhere) after Kilimanjaro.
Lunch and dinner are not included on this day so as to provide you with some flexibility. The hotel has a pool, restaurant and bar. There are many nearby restaurants and shops if you’d like to venture out on your own.
** Itinerary subject to change without notice.
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* Register now to secure your spot. We must confirm hotel bookings soon!
Costs
Tour: $4,400
Single supplement: $575
Interested in sharing the cost with another fabulous traveler? We do our best to pair up our tour participants so you can avoid the single supplement. However, priority is given to the first deposits received. If you’re interested in sharing, please send in your deposit as soon as possible in order to take advantage of this benefit. (Why a single supplement? See this FAQ page for an explanation.)
Booking and Payment Details
Price includes: Accommodation, most meals, land transportation, local guides and tips.
Price does not include: Flights to and from Tanzania, visa, evacuation insurance (required), and purchases of personal nature such as souvenirs, and beverages.
This trip requires an $800 deposit to secure your spot.
Minimum bookings required: 5 people (if minimum not reached, tour will still “go” with local guides only, rather than a tour escort such as Beth)
Final payment is due no later than November 23, 2018.
We love checks as it helps keep our costs down by avoiding pesky credit card fees. If you’re able to pay the deposit or full amount by check or wire transfer, we’ll not only love you more but we’ll send you a free copy of one of Beth’s books (your choice which one). ** U.S. residents receive a print copy; international residents receive a PDF.
Here’s our mailing address:
WanderTours
PO Box 16102
Seattle, WA 98116
Of course, you can pay by credit card as well. Simply click on the Register Now button below and you’ll be taken to PayPal where you add your debit or credit card information for the $800 deposit. Though this goes through PayPal, you do not need a PayPal account. Subsequent payments may be made through PayPal or by check (see above for our wonderful offer!). 🙂
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Note: Cancellation fees apply. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before registering.
The fine print
Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb Registration Form 2019 (online form)
Mt Kilimanjaro Trek Itinerary 2019 (PDF)
We recommend Insure My Trip for travel and/or evacuation insurance.
For questions, contact Beth at:
beth (at) wandertours (dot) com
206-317-1860
Related links:
Things to Know about Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
Seven Amazing Things to see on Mt. Kilimanjaro
Africa Holiday and Vacation Tips
Africa FAQs
Q&A with Leslie Nevison of Mama Tembo Tours
Tanzania Safari Tour