Tour duration: 11 Days
Destinations visited:Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro
Conquering the highest peak in Africa is on many travelers’ bucket lists. Mount Kilimanjaro rises 5 895m / 19 341ft above the Tanzanian plains, giving it the added distinction of being the highest free-standing mountain in the world. There are many routes to the summit for all levels of fitness but this one – which takes you to Lemosho via Stella Point – is one of the most enriching. It allows more time at the summit, better acclimatization, more culture and some of the most spectacular scenery of any route.
Day to Day Itinerary:
- Day 1: Welcome to Kilimanjaro.
- Day 2: Lace up your hiking boots!
- Day 3: Forest Camp to Shira 1
- Day 4: Shira 1 to Shira 2
- Day 5: Shira 2 to Lava Tower
- Day 6: Lava Tower to Karanga
- Day 7: Karanga to Barafu
- Day 8: Barafu to Kibo Crater
- Day 9: I’m sitting on top of Kilimanjaro!
- Day 10: Back to Arusha
- Day 11: Farewell Tanzania
11 Days Kilimanjaro Climb
Day 1: Check into Legendary Lodge
After jetting into Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and driven to Legendary Lodge, a charming collection of cottages amid manicured gardens on the outskirts of Arusha. Its laidback atmosphere is perfect to unwind from your journey and to prepare for tackling Africa’s highest peak. Depending on your schedule, you could mountain bike through aromatic coffee plantations, take game drives to nearby Arusha National Park and Ngurudoto Crater or work off some steam on the squash or tennis courts of a neighboring country club.
Day 2: Lace up your hiking boots!
The day you have been training for an eagerly anticipating has finally arrived. You will meet your guides and logistics team in Arusha and set out to the starting point of the Lemosho route. The first day takes you through cool and humid afro-montane forest; look out for black-and-white colobus monkeys – until you reach Forest Camp, your home for the night, in the mid-afternoon.
The crew will quickly assemble camp, including your private tent, and begin dinner. Take the time to freshen up, enjoy the views and absorb the privilege of being in such a pristine setting.
Day 3: Forest Camp to Shira 1
After breakfast, leave the afro-montane forest of Lemosho behind as you gradually ascend past podocarpus and juniper trees to the heather zone on the Shira Plateau. The scenery changes dramatically as the trees are left behind and the heath opens out before you. As before, lunch is a picnic taken on the trail and you will arrive at Shira 1 Camp in the mid afternoon.
Day 4: Shira 1 to Shira 2
After two relatively easy-going days, today sees a significant gain in altitude as you ascend a steeper area of the Shira Plateau. With a steady pace, however, you should reach Shira 2 Camp in time for lunch, leaving you with plenty of time to acclimatize to the reduced oxygen levels. It is worth accompanying your guides on the optional afternoon walk to a slightly higher point and then back down again as this will help your body adapt even more.
Day 5: Shira 2 to Lava Tower
From heath to alpine desert – unlike conventional deserts, alpine deserts have little rain, fauna or flora but can be very cold during the day and it may be time to haul out your warmer gear. Lunch will be in the camp’s mess tent and, if weather conditions permit, you have the option of scrambling to the summit of Lava Tower in the afternoon.
Day 6: Lava Tower to Karanga
While days 4 and 5 have been short hiking days, today will be longer as you walk to Karanga camp and it will likely be late afternoon when you get to your tent. Karanga is renowned for spectacular sunsets and views of the southern glacial valleys and ice fields that loom majestically more than a thousand metres (about 3 000ft) above you.
Day 7: Karanga to Barafu
You are now nearing the summit and may encounter strong winds. Today is a half-day hike to ensure maximum acclimatization time at Barafu Camp, from where you can enjoy astounding evening views of craggy and jagged Mount Mawenzi.
Day 8: Barafu to Kibo Crater
Today you tackle the first half of your bid for the summit. The thin air makes for slow going but your experienced team will monitor your progress and ensure that you are keeping pace. By midday you should reach the rim of Kibo Crater, allowing you plenty of time to descend a short way into the caldera and to take acclimatization walks in the afternoon. Your home for the evening will be Kibo Crater Camp.
Day 9: I’m sitting on top of Kilimanjaro!
Today is when you truly understand the benefit of an extended route with plenty of acclimatization time. After a night at significant altitude in Kibo Crater, you need only cover a short distance in about an hour to make it to the summit before the incredible sunrise above the cloud line. The thrill of standing on the highest point in the continent is compounded when you finally begin your descend to Mweka Camp; as the oxygen levels increase, you will likely feel intense euphoria and a sense of enormous wellbeing.
What has taken you seven days to cover now takes you less than a day as you descend back to the heath zone and come across endemic proteas and flittering malachite sunbirds. Your final night on Kilimanjaro will probably be filled with reminiscing about the past week: the literal and figurative ‘ups and downs’ of taking on the world’s highest free-standing mountain!
Day 10: Back to Arusha
Enjoy your final ‘mountain breakfast’ and then pick your way through the verdant afro-montane forest to your starting point, eight days ago. Farewells to the crew can be very emotional and are also a good time to dole out tips and special thanks. Then it is back aboard your transfer vehicle to the very welcome soft bed and warm showers at Legendary Lodge for a blissful overnight stay.
Day 11: Farewell Tanzania
After drinking your fill of delectable Tanzanian coffee at breakfast, bid the staff at Legendary Lodge farewell as you are collected for your trip back to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Many hikers now head to the island paradise of Zanzibar to rest after the rigors of hiking for nine days; sun, sand and sea can be the perfect antidote to Killi’s much chillier weather!
This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!
Sun Africa Expeditions Terms & Conditions
Luggage
PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our inbound schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential. In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.
Your contract
A binding contract will come into existence once Sun Africa Expeditions and yourself agree on the itinerary and quote provided for the same. The booking will then be considered confirmed when an invoice is issued. Your contract for the services chosen will be direct with the relevant supplier(s). Your supplier contact will be governed by the laws of the country in which the supplier is located and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of that country.
Reservations, Payment and Deposits
When Sun Africa Expeditions has accepted your booking, the date of the confirmation invoice activates the terms and conditions of the contract. Confirmation of services is subject to payment of a non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total invoiced amount. The balance is to be paid not later than 30 days prior to commencement of the services. When bookings are made within 30 days prior to the departure date, full payment is required immediately on written confirmation.
All bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be guaranteed except for scheduled departures.
Prices
Prices are quoted in US dollars. All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should prices or costs from suppliers increase due to inflation, currency depreciation and fuel surcharges, then Sun Africa Expeditions will not have any other option than to pass on the same to you. All suppliers reserve the right to increase prices at any time of the year when costs increase outside the control of the supplier. Please note that when the clients’ itinerary overlaps two seasons, the price will be prorated over the two seasons.
Rates include but are not limited to the following services specified in the itinerary. Accommodation with meals, tours, transport, driver/guide, park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges.
Rates exclude (Unless otherwise specified), Medical Air Rescue services, Porter-age, domestic Air Charters, Visa fees, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, scheduled flights, gratuities and all expenses of personal nature.
NB: Flying doctor services are Optional at USD 25 per pax (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).
Child rate: – is only applicable to one or two children under 12 years sharing a room with 2 adults. In the case of 02 children sharing a room with parents, the two children will share a bed, as most hotels/lodges cannot accommodate a fourth bed. 01 child sharing a room with 01 adult will be charged full adult rate.
Single Room Policy
Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but the suppliers do not guarantee singles. Single rooms are scarce and cannot be guaranteed even if paid for at twin sole use rate. Where this occurs an appropriate refund will be made by the supplier to the client. Suppliers will only allow a maximum of 3 single rooms per group at a single room rate except for high end luxury camps where single rooms are limited to only 02 singles.
Cancellation Policy
Should you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, you must advise the company in writing.
Reservations that are cancelled, reduced in length of stay or reduced in numbers (hereinafter collectively called a CANCELLATION) are subject to Cancellation and No Show fees if cancelled within 30 days of the arrival date:
55 days to 41 days prior to arrival: 25%
40 days to 22 days prior to arrival: 35%
21 days to 15 days prior to arrival: 50%
14 days to 07 days prior to arrival: 65%
06 days to 03 days prior to arrival: 80%
Within 48 hours and after commencement of holiday: 100%. Once the holiday has commenced no refund will be made. The figures expressed are percentage of the total tour price.
Cancellation: Although it rarely happens, and Sun Africa Expeditions will do their utmost to avoid doing so. Sun Africa Expeditions must reserve the right to cancel tours and other arrangements. Where your holiday is cancelled (other than due to your default in payment) due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control e.g. Natural disaster or over booking, Sun Africa Expeditions will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday.
Force Majeure
The expression “force majeure” means any event which the supplier(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided even with all due care. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, government action and all similar circumstances outside the suppliers’ control. In these circumstances the suppliers shall not be liable to pay any compensation or otherwise be responsible for any expenses or losses you incur where supplier is forced as a result to cancel, delay, curtail or change your holiday arrangements in any way or where the performance or prompt performance of the supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected. Complaints
In the unlikely event that a tour member has a dispute whilst on safari this must immediately be brought to the attention (and put on record) of the local representative, Hotel, Lodge or Camp management. It is likely that the tour member’s complaint will be satisfactorily resolved there and then. If, however, this is not the case and the tour member wishes to pursue the matter on their return from safari, it is essential the complaint be communicated in writing to Sun Africa Expeditions within 21 days of the end of tour quoting tour reference, destination and departure date.
Responsibility of Sun Africa Expeditions
Sun Africa Expeditions acts only as the Agent for the suppliers and shall not in any event be liable for any negligence, breach of contract or acts of omission on the part of suppliers, their employees or any other Agent, it shall be the responsibility of all customers including (without limitations) Tour members, Tour Operators and Travel Agents, to read and familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of suppliers. Sun Africa Expeditions liability for its own negligence or breach of contract shall be limited to the Tour price.
Transportation
Safari Minibuses, Cars, Land Cruisers and coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. Sun Africa Expeditions reserves the right to employ services of sub-contractors. Multi-lingual driver guides are provided on request. For flying packages, clients will share vehicles with other guests booked at the hotel. For exclusive use, please check with Sun Africa Expeditions for supplements, which will be subject to availability.
Insurance
The hazards of travelling in Africa may inevitably rise to some risks and dangers. It is therefore a condition of booking that all tour members must have sufficient and appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their tour. Such insurance (which is not supplied by Sun Africa Expeditions) should fully cover all personal requirements including death, personal injury, medical expenses, and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, cancellation or curtailment of the tour members’ personal property.
Special Requests
Any special requests (e.g. for single rooms or particular diet) must be notified in writing when the booking is made. Whilst the supplier will endeavour to meet such requests they cannot be guaranteed and any failure to comply will not be a breach of contract.
Sun Africa Expeditions services include flight re-confirmation and airport assistance within Africa if clients are provided all services by Sun Africa Expeditions. In cases whereby Sun Africa Expeditions is providing part of the services and the clients have other arrangements of their own, then Sun Africa Expeditions will only reconfirm where forwarding address or contacts are provided.
Itineraries
Demand for safaris can be high and may lead to shortage of lodge/hotel accommodation. All bookings will be confirmed, but no occasions changes may be necessary. Hotels/Lodges/camps, here specifically named are given as an indication of the category and rooms may be reserved at similar lodges/ hotels/camps. We undertake to advise you of any changes known to us prior to departure, but the possibility of change without notice, must be acceptable when booking. Where ever possible we book rooms with private baths showers throughout on the basis of two persons sharing a double room. Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but neither single rooms nor rooms with private bath/shower can be guaranteed.
Safari minibuses cars, four wheel drive vehicles or coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. The right is reserved to employ the services of subcontractors. Multi-lingual chauffer/guides are provided. Occasional mechanical problems, changes of lodge or adverse road conditions may in turn lead to a change of routing or game viewing without prior notice being given. We reserve the right to offer substitutes of equal value or to cancel the operation of any tour. In practice, very few itineraries are affected but a little flexibility on your part will ensure the tour is unique and rewarding.
Website and Brochure Description
Descriptions of accommodation facilities and services in our brochures are shown in good faith, it is however possible that certain facilities or services may be unavailable or limited due to maintenance , adverse weather, local conditions, seasonal restrictions etc.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this website/e-brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore check all details of your holiday booking with your travel agent or supplier at the time of presentation.
The company cannot therefore accept responsibility for any information not contained in this brochure, being confirmed verbally by its staff or representatives unless subsequently reconfirmed in writing by the company.