On day four the trail merges with the Machame Route at Lava Tower (a volcanic plug that has endured the ravages of wind and erosion to stand a few hundred feet above a pass along the trail) and continues along the ridges and valleys of the southern circuit trails, all the while trekking with Kibo’s massive glaciers above us to the north. The trail reaches Barafu Camp at 15,100 feet (4,670 m), and from here we trek to the Summit for an up-close experience with Kilimanjaro’s dwindling glaciers. This part of the experience sets this trek apart from any other.

The Crater of Kilimanjaro is in soft “beach” sand, and looking from the beautiful views, trekkers can only see the vertical ice walls of the Furtwangler Glacier. All the trekking on this route is very scenic, and overall this trek is designed to get you closer to nature and to experience Kilimanjaro in a way that so few others do. All trekking days on days 4, 5, and 6 make this trek quite beautiful, but generally more than adequate for acclimatization. The spectacular hike across the Shira Plateau and the beauty of camping, make this trek truly unique.

There are no huts on this route; the accommodation is in mountain tents and dining is in our mess tents. Toilet tents with convenient and sanitary portable flush toilets are set up at all camps.

Departure from Arusha will be at around 8:30am for Londorossi gate, about 4 hours, where you will complete entry formalities. Then drive to the Lemosho trailhead (another hour to reach the trailhead). Upon arrival at trailhead, eat lunch, then commence through undisturbed forest which winds to the first camp, only about 3-4 hours of trekking. *Overnight at Forest Camp (Mti Mkubwa Camps)

Once out of the forest, take a steep track into a Savannah of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. Ascend through the lush rolling hills below the Shira plateau, finally reaching camp at the edge of the plateau, a day of 5-6 hours trekking. The view of Kibo from across the plateau is amazing. *Overnight at Shira 1 Camps.

Full day exploration of the Shira plateau; Trek east toward Kibo’s glacier peak, with the option to visit the ancient collapsed Shira cone, the oldest of Kilimanjaro’s three volcanoes. Arrive at Shira 2 camp (Fischers’s Camp), at 12,600 ft. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth, averaging over 12,000 feet. Trekking time without the optional excursions is about 3 hours. *Overnight at Shira 2 Camps.

Proceed steadily upward over expansive ridgelines of high desert to Lava Tower , for lunch. The trek is about 4 hours. Lava Tower , a 300 foot volcanic plug, marks an exposed pass at 15,000 feet. In the afternoon, descend the steep track into the Great Barranco Valley. Barranco Camp is set in a valley enclosed on three sides with the massive valley walls and the Kibo massif itself. Hanging glaciers glint in the sunshine above, amidst the eerie landscape of plants such as the giant groundsels (SenecioKilimanjari) & the uniquely endemic Giant Lobelia. Total trekking time is 6-7 hours. *Overnight at Barranco Camps.

The day begins with a scramble up the steep ‘Barranco Wall’, then traversing the ridges and valleys of the mountain’s southern face, as Kibo’s glaciers loom above to your left and the jagged peaks of Mawenzi jut into the African sky at just under 17,000 feet straight ahead. We reached the Karanga Valley after 3-4 hours of trekking, for a hot lunch. *Overnight at Karanga Camps.

We begin our day steadily uphill. The temperature will grow colder and the landscape more sparse as we near Barafu Camp. Barafu Camp is set on a small, exposed flat area on a ridge, acting as a base camp from which many make their summit attempt at midnight. Eat and drink as much as possible before retiring to your tent for rest and sleep. Total trekking time is 4-5 hours on this day. *Overnight at Barafu Camps

An 11-PM wakeup call is the start of a juggernaut (6-7 hours of trekking). You begin trekking at 12 AM up the winding path of endless switchbacks. After about 6-7 hours of walking, you will come to the edge of the crater, at Stella Point, at 18,870 feet (5,750 m), which is the end of the steep track. From here, there is a gentle final traverse trek on the rim of the crater 45 min- 1 hour to the summit of Kilimanjaro. You'll see the views of the lunar landscape of the inner crater and soft sands near the retreating vertical ice walls of the Furtwangler Glacier. Reusch Crater, the ash pit, and the glaciers. So few that trek Kilimanjaro ever experience the summit zone in this way.

Rise early to watch the sunrise from the summit. After a short time at the summit, descend along the gently sloping crater rim to Stella Point, then descend back to Barafu Camp for lunch. In the afternoon continue the descent into the Heather Zone to Mweka Camp for the night. The trekking time from Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp will be from 6-8 hours. *Total trekking time is from 8-9 hours

Descend straight to the gate (3-4 hours), where you’ll have lunch and will be awarded climbing certificates. Transfer back to Arusha for a much-welcomed shower!

Safety Equipment:

*All relevant transfers including from to Kilimanjaro International Airport

*3-night accommodation at the hotel

* Hyperbaric Chamber for crater campsite

* Oxygen for emergency use (for groups of 4+, 2 kits (100 lt medical oxygen bottle, regulator & masks) are provided)

* Pulse-oximeter - carried by the head guide, as a diagnostic tool for acclimatization

* Mobile phones - carried by the head guide and all assistant guides, for daily communications with our base in Arusha. All guides carry extra CHARGERS for their phones.

* VHF 2-way handheld radios (with extra batteries) carried for quick communication between head and asst. guides

* Ice axe (only for a Western Breach Route ascent) NOT NOW

* Mountain rope (only for a Western Breach Route Ascent) NOT NOW

* Stretcher (and convertible litter)

* Comprehensive medical/first aid kits (as per WFR/NOLS USA guidelines)

*Professional Mountain Guides, all head guides:
(at least 1 per trip) currently certified by NOLS USA as WFR (Wilderness First Responder)

- Ratio of at least one guide for every three guests, to ensure personalized attention.

*Cooks and Porters:

- We pay the highest porters salaries on Kilimanjaro. This allows us to demand and receive the best porters and attain the highest standards.

- We ensure that each porter has proper mountain boots, a warm hat, gloves and a quality sleeping bag. All of this is checked before each trek at the gate, and if the porter is missing any item he is not allowed to climb.

- We provide heavy-duty rain ponchos to each porter before each trek.

- We provide tents with floors for the porters to sleep.

- We provide closed-cell foam mattress pads for each of the porters, to keep them off the cold ground when they sleep.

- We have a core team of porters on each expedition who are trained to perform specific tasks which are vital to the success of each trek. We pay these core porters high bonuses on each trip for these specialized jobs.

- We pay large bonuses to porters and perform their duties and carry loads to the Crater Camp.

- We feed our porters heartily with quality foods including meat, fish, fresh vegetables, and grains. We do not reduce this from their salaries.

- We pay our guides and porters’ health care and injury costs.

- We have workers compensation insurance for our guides and porters.

- We provide a complete first-aid kit and treat our porters as we would our guests when they are sick or injured on the mountain.

- We pay all staff their full salary and bonuses, even if they have to descend early with a climber, or even if they are sick and must descend early.

- We provide snow goggles for our porters at crater camp, to protect their eyes.

- We adhere to the guidelines of KPAP- the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. Based at the foot of Kilimanjaro, in Moshi, they are a Tanzanian non-profit organization committed to improving the working conditions of the porters. We embody and practice their principles of porter ethics, and pay our staff above their recommended wages.

- We respect the weight limits for porters as instructed by the park and KPAP.

- We never send porters up the mountain alone without one of our certified KINAPA licensed guides carrying mobile communications.

- We provide vehicle transport from Arusha City (where all our porters call home) to the gate for each staff member on each trek, and return transport home at the end of each trek.

- We provide annually professional wilderness first-aid training for guides and porters, including all costs (transport, accommodation and meals) during the course duration for all staff.

- We provide annual professional menu training for our cooks, including all costs (transport, accommodation and meals) during the course duration.

- We provide language courses annually for our guides and waiters.

Mountain Fees:
* Park Fees

* Campsite fees

* Emergency Rescue Fees

* Forest fees (special wilderness access permits required only for Umbwe and Lemosho Routes)

Camping Equipment & Other Gear:

* Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 sleeping tents (a triple tent used as a double or single (with supplement), each tent with a custom-made ground sheet covering the both vestibules, to allow clean & dry storage of gear, and keeping water, mud or dust from entering the tent.

* Large cold-weather sleeping mats (closed cell foam) for each climber

* Large weatherproof dining tent with windows, floors, and removable sides to take down in warm & pleasant weather. At night, the tent is lit with candle light. This tent is used for breakfast, lunch (if bad weather), and dinner.

* Aluminum dining tables and large aluminum chairs with backs and armrests, for all meals.

* Wash stands provided for washing hands before each meal.

* Wash basins provided for each trekker.

* Fresh hand towels are provided before each meal.

* Large private toilet tents only for our guests, with portable flush toilets on a stable base. For 8+ climbers, two toilet tents are provided.

* Hot water prepared for climber’s bottles at night

* We offer high quality rental gear/ trekking clothing like synthetic sleeping bags, Gore-Tex outerwear, warm layers, trekking poles, etc

Mountain Cuisine:

*Three hearty meals a day + snacks upon arrival in camp. Our new menus have been developed by a professional cook who has trained staff in up-market safari bush camps where equipment and resources are minimal. We produce and prepare a majority of our food in our base kitchen, for delicious and energizing meals necessary for high altitude mountain trekking.

*Specialty food like dried fruits, chocolates and cheeses.

*We have designed our own mountain cool boxes to keep foods fresh.

*Homemade cookies and breads, produced in our own kitchen.

*Menu training is constant, and each climb travels with a set recipe book written in kiswahili, laminated with photos of each dish of each meal. These measures ensure that standards stay high, and we always are constantly monitoring for quality of produce and consistency.

Other Assurances:

*Mountain operators license

*Active member of KIATO, the Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators

*Comprehensive climb briefing before the trek, upon arrival in Tanzania

Not included:

Emergency transport costs, tips, personal expenses, personal medical kit, travel insurance, bottled mineral water, sleeping bags, or other personal trekking gear.