Kilimanjaro Combined Safari Program
Kilimanjaro Safari & Zanzibar Packages
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
On arrival at Kilimanjaro international airport meet our representative and drive to Mvuli hotel at the suburb of Arusha town. Later our Kilimanjaro manager & your guide for Kilimanjaro will come for detailed briefing & gear checking before leaving you to spend the rest of the day at the lodge relaxing & get prepared for your Kilimanjaro trekking on next day.
Overnight at Mvuli Hotel or similar in Arusha. Dinner & breakfast included.
Machame route 6 Days Itinerary
Duration: 6 Days 5 nights
Best Time to Climb: August to December
Day 2: Arusha (1, 400 m) – Machame Gate (1,490 m) to Machame Camp (2,980 m)
Trekking time: 5 to 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 11 kilometers
Habitat: Montane forest
Your Kilimanjaro combined safari tours starts after breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel in Arusha and drive to Machame Gate. The driving is of about 2 hours via some villages & local farms of banana and coffee plantation here you will get a little glimpse of the livelihood of Tanzanian close to the Mountain. At the gate you will do some park formalities including weighing luggage for porters to carry not to exceed 20 kg per porter. A valid permit will be issued to you showing 6 days of hiking through this route.
You will probably have lunch at the gate before the hiking. The trekking will start in the afternoon through the rain forest where you may expect rain, mud, and fog. During trekking you will possibly hear many exciting birds in the overlapping canopy above, and you may spot some black and white colobus monkeys, sykes monkeys as they move from trees to trees.
The route continues to the heath land and all the way to the end of your first day at Machame camp (9,875 feet), the trekking of the day is 9 Km in 5 to 7 hours of walking. This area is located above the rain forest vegetation type, the hiking is long but in a moderate steep.
The porters and chef, who move very fast up the mountain, will reach the camp before you and set up your tents, boil drinking water, and prepare snacks for your arrival. After washing up, a hot dinner will be served before going to sleep. A this point of Kilimanjaro combined safari Mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared.
Overnight at Machame Camp. All meals included.
Day 3: Machame Camp (2,980 m) to Shira Camp (3,840 m)
Trekking time: 5 to 6 hours
Distance: Approximately 9 kilometers
Habitat: Moorland
Kilimanjaro combined safari, after breakfast, the day starts through lovely heath land and afro-alpine moorland furnished with superb views of Kilimanjaro Peak. The route starts getting steeper as you pass through the Savannah with tall grasses, Giant Heather and Erica trees. Hike nearby large stones as you arrive at the moorland zone ruled by lobelia and senecia plants as well as volcanic rocks wrapped with beards and lichen, which safeguard wild alpine flowers and other plants that growing beneath them. You will spend the night at Shira Camp (12,615 feet), trekking of this day is 9 km in 5 to 6 hours of walking. Getting to the camp same procedures will follow as of the first day.
Overnight at Shira Camp. All meals included.
Day 4: Shira Camp (3,840) to Lava Tower (4,630 m) to Barranco Camp (3,950 m)
Trekking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Semi-desert
Today you are getting closer to the peak as we get nearer to the Lava Tower. The trek becomes a bit tougher the path gets steeper as you approach to the lava Tower, a volcanic plug of over 300 feet tall which codes an exposed pass at 15,000 feet. You will have packed lunch at this point while acclimatizing, here is where most climbers start feeling the effects from the high elevation which includes shorten of breath & headache. After lunch & some rest you will descend along the steep path from Lava Tower (4630 m) to Baranco Campsite at an altitude of (3950 m).
Lowering 680 m from Lava Tower to Barranco camp gives huge advantage to hikers to allow their body to get used to the conditions of high elevation. Walking down to the camp takes about 2 hours. This camp is located in a valley bellow “The Breakfast Wall” Baranco Wall & the Breach. Same procedure of hot water to wash, possibly dinner while watching the sunset.
Overnight at Baranco Camp (3950 m). All meals included.
Day 5: Barranco Camp (3,950 m) to Barafu Camp (4,550 m)
Trekking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 13 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
Mt Kilimanjaro safari tours continue with a great challenge of climbing the Barranco Wall, begin your day after breakfast, you may need 1 to 1.5 hours to go on top of the great Barranco wall, advisable early start to avoid traffic jam at the wall. You will be above the cloud so you will be able to spot the barren and rocky plateau just behind the wall attentively waiting for you this morning. The stunning three southern glacier (Heim Glacier) and the beautiful view of Kibo peak can be seen if the weather is clear on this day.
The trekking will be on gravel and sand path along the rocky moors. Many times you will be passing through big stones, streams, grasses and across many herbs. After 2 to 3 hours of polepole pace you will reach the Karanga camp standing at an altitude of 4250 meters. When trekking up one hill after another you can be able to observe the other upcoming routes from the distance. This day hot lunch will be served at the camp, after lunch it will be a resting time may be walking around to enjoy the camps environment.
Overnight at Barafu Camp. All meals included.
Day 6: Summit Day: Barafu Camp (4,550 m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) to Mweka Camp (3,100 m)
Trekking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kilometer ascent and 23 kilometer descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit