Kilimanjaro (5,896m)
| Day 1 | 0630 hours depart London Heathrow (or regional airport – subject to availability, all flights co-ordinate through Amsterdam). 2130 hours arrive Kilimanjaro. Transfer to a comfortable Kia Lodge in nearby Arusha. |
| Day 2 | Expedition briefing and check of personal gear for the Mt Meru climb. Transfer to the Momela Gate (1,500m) to start the ascent of Mt Meru. The first section involves walking across the plains of Mt Meru Game Sanctuary where wildlife roam with armed park rangers and crossing the Ngare Nanuyuki River, before walking through forests to the Miriakamba hut 2,500m (3 – 4 hours). Hut accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 3 | Walk to the Saddle hut (4– 5 hours). As an optional extra and good for acclimatisation, walk up Little Meru 3,820m. Hut accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 4 | Leave the camp at 0200 hours for the summit of Mt Meru 4,565m (4 – 5 hours). Spend time on the top absorbing the views across to Mt Kilimanjaro, taking photographs and realising your achievement of summiting a 4000m peak. Return to the Saddle camp for a rest and lunch. Continue on down to Momela Gate (2 – 3 hours) and transfer to Moivaro Lodge. Enjoy the comforts of your en-suite rooms and dinner. |
| Day 5 | Rest day. Transfer to Aishi Hotel near Kilimanjaro. Afternoon at leisure. All meals at the hotel. |
| Day 6 | Tanzania is a very poor country where the lack of basic infrastructure and minimal health and education facilities make life extremely hard for its people. Foreign aid for development projects makes a huge difference and there will be an opportunity for those interested to visit a local project to see first hand the benefits that can be achieved. Expedition briefing for Mt Kilimanjaro climb. All meals at the hotel. |
| Day 7 | Transfer to the Machame Gate 1,500m. Meet up with our team of local guides, porters and cooks and commence the climb of Mt Kilimanjaro. Climb through forest to 3,000m where our camp will have been set up (6 -7 hours). Tented accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 8 | Today’s climb is through valleys and river gorges and along a steep ridge to the Shira camp at 3,800m (4 – 5 hours). Set up camp. Tented accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 9 | Walking higher today in open terrain and by glacial streams, to the Baranco camp at 3,900m (6 – 7 hours). Set up camp. Tented accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 10 | Walk to the Karanga Valley and on to the Barafu camp at 4,600m (6 – 7 hours). Set up camp. Tented accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. It’s an early night for everyone in preparation for summit day. |
| Day 11 | Set off at midnight for the summit of Kilimanjaro. Our aim is the highest point at Uhuru Peak 5,896m (approx. 7 hours). It’s physically challenging staying at this altitude so after a brief rest to take photographs and absorb the moment its best to make an immediate return to Barafu camp (3 hours) and a decent rest. After lunch descend on the shorter and different Mweka Route. Reach Mweka camp 3,000m (4 hours) and set up camp. Tented accommodation. Meals prepared by our own cooks using our own food. |
| Day 12 | Continue descending to the Mweka gate (approx. 3 hours). Transfer back to Aishi Hotel or Moivaro Lodge. Rest and relaxation before a celebration party. |
| Day 13 | Morning at leisure. After lunch transfer to Kia Lodge to freshen up and for tea before departing to Kilimanjaro airport for the return flight home. Depart Kilimanjaro 2210 hours. |
| Day 14 | Arrive London 1205 hours. |