WinShape Marriage Kilimanjaro Climb

Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. Please make sure you arrange your flights to arrive at the hotel before 4PM on Day 1 in order to attend the very important pre-climb briefing and information session that is usually held before dinner. Pick up at Kilimanjaro airport then transfer to Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort. Rest of the day at leisure as you wait for the evening meeting where your climb starts with a full briefing and kit inspection before dinner by an experienced Kilimanjaro chief guide, in preparation for the start of our trek.
 

Accommodation Style - Hotel

After breakfast, begin your hike from Kilimanjaro Resort to Mandara Hut, a distance of 5 miles (approx. 3–5 hours). First you will meet your guides and porters after breakfast. Each person will have a personal porter, and there are extra porters for camping equipment and food. It takes about 15 minutes to get to Marangu Gate at the entrance of the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park (6,102 feet). We will register as a group, which can take some time, depending on how busy it is. From here it is a long but easy walk through dense rainforest to the first mountain hut. In the forest, you will find many species of brightly colored birds and different types of monkeys. We'll walk through giant heather on our way to Mandara Hut (8,940 feet) where we will stop for the night. From here you might choose to take an optional walk to the nearby Maundi Crater. If the skies are clear, take in excellent views of the nearby town of Moshi far below.
 

Accommodation Style - Mountain Hut

Your second day on the mountain involves another long hike over a slightly steeper stretch. The total distance from Mandara to Horombo Huts is 7.5 miles (approx. 5–7 hours). Today you will see the rainforest give way to open and rolling alpine meadows dotted with giant heather trees. Once out of the forest canopy, the twin snow-tipped peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi lie directly ahead. These are two of the three great cones of Kilimanjaro (the other being Shira). During the day's walk, we will traverse several ravines before reaching the hut, which is set in a rocky valley. There is time to enjoy a wide variety of vegetation and changing landscapes on the way to Horombo Hut (12,402 feet). We will spend the night here at the hut.
 

Accommodation Style - Mountain Hut

Today we walk the 6 miles or so from Horombo to Kibo Hut (approx. 5–7 hours). As the journey progresses, you will notice the landscape gradually becoming more rugged and rocky, and the air noticeably thinner. To adhere to this, we will adjust our walking speed and pace ourselves. Marvel at giant groundsels and lobelias while you travel across the sparse moorland. Skirting Mawenzi Peak, arrive at the stark lunar landscape of the Saddle. Reaching Kibo Hut in afternoon (15,551 feet), take the opportunity to have an early night. 
 

Accommodation Style - Mountain Hut

Your guides will wake you up at 11PM and hot tea will be served. Prepare for the last leg of the trek – to the summit. The distance from Kibo Hut to Uhuru Peak is 4 miles (approx. 6–8 hours), and the descent to Horombo will be approximately the same amount of time. The trek begins beneath the stars as we zigzag our way up a large scree slope, guided only by torch light, to reach Gilman's Point (18,652 feet). With some luck, we'll arrive in time for breathtaking views of the sun rising behind Mawenzi Peak. This is the stretch that most people find the hardest, and you should be prepared for a very cold morning. The dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields of the crater will make the early start worthwhile. For those who still have the energy, it's a further walk (approx. 2 hours) along the rim of the crater to Uhuru Peak (19,344 feet), the highest point in Africa. From here there are amazing views of the crater, ice fields and plains below. After photos and time to catch your breath, descend back to Horombo Hut for a well-earned rest.
 

Accommodation Style - Mountain Hut

Continue your descent through alpine meadows and rainforest to the park gate. The distance from Horombo to Marangu Gate is 12 miles (approx. 5–6 hours). Here your transport awaits and you will return to the Kibo Hotel for a relaxing shower – a real treat after the physical exertions of the last few days! Over a celebratory meal, we can relive and share our experiences of the past five days on the mountain.
 

Accommodation Style - Hotel

Breakfast at the hotel. Thereafter, check out followed by a transfer to the airport for your departure flight depending on the flight timings.