Kilimanjaro Climb & Safari • Spiral Route ~ 15 Day

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
DAY 1: MOSHI • Elevation: 3,000-ft/914-m • Welcome to Moshi, It's time to get your room and your bearings
1 stop
1
Mount Kilimanjaro
After arriving at Kilimanjaro airport, you are warmly greeted and then transported to your comfortable lodging in Moshi where you will enjoy two relaxing nights with views of the town and Kilimanjaro's snow capped peaks. Moshi is a fun town full of history, with a variety of good restaurants and quaint coffee shops. The central market is also a must-see, bustling with life and colorful local characters. Tomorrow morning you meet with your team and your guides, who give you a detailed climb briefing and comprehensive gear check.
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 2
DAY 2: MOSHI • Elevation: 3,000-ft/914-m • Travel: Meet your guides in Moshi & Start orientation
1 stop
2
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, you meet your Tusker guides for your climb orientation and a final equipment check. This is a great opportunity to get to know your team leaders, pick their brains for advice, and gather any extra gear or supplies you might need for your climb. Afterwards the group heads out for lunch in Moshi. This is a nice chance to wander around town getting a sense of Moshi, the bustling Tanzanian town of the north. Your guide also shows you around the colorful Moshi market at the foot of Kilimanjaro.
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 3
DAY 3: SIMBA CAMP • Elevation: 8,760-ft/2,670-m • Travel: 4.3 miles/6.9 km • 2.5-3 hours
1 stop
3
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, you depart Moshi for the 2-hour drive to the starting point on the northern side of Kilimanjaro, Nalemuru Gate. Here you meet the full crew, and check into the park. The winding trail crosses some village fields and enters the rainforest for an easy hike. You arrive at Simba Camp, located at the edge of the heath and moorland zone, with fantastic views of Kenya's plains below you. After freshening up, you sit down to enjoy your first magnificent, well-earned Kilimanjaro dinner. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 4
DAY 4: SECOND CAVE • Elevation: 11,320-ft/3,450-m • Travel: 4.35 miles/7 km • 3-4 hours
1 stop
4
Mount Kilimanjaro
Awakening to the lyrical birdsong of the early morning, you begin your day with a good solid breakfast and medical check-up. The group then heads out, hiking through the shorter vegetation of heather. The views of Kibo Peak and the Eastern Icefield on the rim of the crater are magnificent. You are now at an important elevation to get your body accustomed to the lower oxygen pressure. This is important for later acclimatization to higher altitude. So, we take an afternoon hike up to a higher elevation to get you used to the thinner air coming your way in the days ahead. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 5
DAY 5: THIRD CAVE • Elevation: 12,912-ft/3,936-m • Travel: 2.6 miles/4.2 km • 3 hours
1 stop
5
Mount Kilimanjaro
On today's trek you experience one of the most beautiful views on Kilimanjaro's northwest slopes. It's a fairly easy and short trek to Third Cave today, on the western slopes. Elevation gain is a mere 1,600-ft/488-m and is part of our well-planned climbing strategy to get you acclimatized for the higher elevation ahead. You're free to wander around the slopes for superb views, or just relax around camp in the beautiful, tranquil mountain environment. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 6
DAY 6: POFU CAMP • Elevation: 13,180-ft/4,017-m • Travel: 4.2 miles/6.7 km • 5-6 hours
1 stop
6
Mount Kilimanjaro
Today's a full-day trek as we traverse the rarely used western slope toward Moir Camp. Slowly gaining just 260-ft/80-m, you trek through the giant heather with Kibo Peak just up ahead on the left and the vast Shira Caldera down to your right. Shira used to be one of Kilimanjaro's peaks until it erupted for the last time 500,000 years ago and collapsed in on itself. It has transformed over the millennia from a deep caldera to a vast plateau, filled with centuries of sediment. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 7
DAY 7: MOIR CAMP • Elevation: 13,650-ft/4,160-m • Travel: 6.2 miles/10 km • 6-7 hours
1 stop
7
Mount Kilimanjaro
You'll notice that we do not gain much altitude these early days on the climb. This will make it a lot easier later on as you adjust to the elevation. After a full day, we climb the Lent Group, and drop down into Moir Camp, tucked away at the foot of a giant lava flow at the head of a deep canyon carved by ancient glaciers. You will notice the alternate layers of lava and sediment towering over the lateral moraine on the edge of the valley. Evenings are spectacular with heat lightning flaring over the plateau. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 8
DAY 8: BARRANCO CAMP • Elevation: 12,950-ft/3,950-m • Travel: 6.2 miles/9.9km • 7 hours
1 stop
8
Mount Kilimanjaro
First thing we start the uphill trek into the alpine zone toward Lava Tower at 15,200-ft/4,633-m. At the foot of the 320-ft/98-m tower we stop for lunch, giving our bodies a short time to acclimatize. Making the steep descent, we hike past the uniquely beautiful plant life in this unusual habitat, such as the giant lobelias and senecios. Camp is situated at the foot of the Barranco Wall. There’s a buzz of excitement as climbers from around the world anticipate the next morning’s climb up this massive, imposing structure. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 9
DAY 9: KARANGA CAMP • Elevation: 13,200-ft/4,023-m • Travel: 3.6 miles/5.8 km • 4-5 hours
1 stop
9
Mount Kilimanjaro
Emerging from your tent you can’t help focusing on the wall, contemplating its fortress-like structure. The Barranco Wall stands like a sentinel, blocking your highest goal, Uhuru Peak. Right after breakfast, we start our scramble up the wall. It takes about two hours, as we ascend about 500-ft/152-m out of the valley, surrounded by dazzling views of ancient lava flows and towering peaks. Then we take a steep, meandering hike with Kibo Peak over your left shoulder, down into Karanga Valley, and up the other side to camp. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 10
DAY 10: BARAFU CAMP • Elevation: 14,950-ft/4,556-m • Travel: 2.1 miles/3.4 km • 4 hours
1 stop
10
Mount Kilimanjaro
It's a tough, but a rewarding climb up the rocky, craggy slopes to Barafu High Camp, sometimes called Kosovo. Tusker has special permission to camp here. Because the camp is at high elevation, it is quite cold and windy at night. The air starts getting quite thin, and you find yourself breathing hard. There is a buzz of excitement in the air, as your climbing team anticipates the toughest day just ahead. The clouds move quickly in and out, revealing the eroded Mawenzi Peak, rising from the plains below. In the afternoon, you gather around your guides for a detailed briefing of our climbing strategy for the next day to the summit. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lodging: Signature Mountain Camp
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 11
DAY 11: KILIMANJARO SUMMIT • Elevation: 19,341-ft/5,895-m • Travel: 2.75 miles/4.5 km • 7-9 hours
1 stop
11
Mount Kilimanjaro
Our climb to the summit starts a couple of hours before sunrise. Most of ascent is in daylight as we have found that our climbers prefer the warmer temperatures and spectacular views on the most demanding part of the climb. At mid-day, we reach the rim of the crater. Behind you is Mawenzi Peak - a thrilling sight, while the crater's ice-walls loom ahead above you. We now continue to Uhuru Peak (1-2 hours) - the highest point in Africa (19,341-ft/5,895-m). Your feeling of euphoria is intense, as the culmination of your challenge approaches. Reaching the summit, you celebrate with your fellow climbers then trek down into our camp in the awe-inspiring crater, beneath the summit. After settling in we hike up to the seldom visited Ashpit, where fumaroles and the smell of sulfur are signs that Kilimanjaro is still a dormant volcano.
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 12
DAY 11: MILLENNIUM CAMP • Elevation: 12,590-ft/3,837-m • Travel: 6.3 miles/10.1 km • 5-6 hours
1 stop
12
Mount Kilimanjaro
Still high from the summit, the crater dawn light tops off your magical experience. Before the invigorating descent, you can take another hike to Uhuru Peak. We then start a slow 3-hour descent through the scree to Barafu Camp for a short break and a snack. Then a further two hours brings us down to the edge of the rainforest at Millennium Camp. Once at camp, it's time to relax and enjoy our last dinner followed by a deep and restful sleep on Mount Kilimanjaro, before the final descent to the national park gate tomorrow.
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 13
DAY 13: MWEKA GATE / MOSHI • Elevation: 5,500-ft/1,676-m • Travel 7.5 miles/12 km • 6 hours • Drive to Moshi: 30 mins
1 stop
13
Mount Kilimanjaro
It's a 6-hour hike from Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate where we sign the book, enjoy a final lunch and say goodbye to your porters. Your guides accompany you on a short drive back to the hotel in Moshi where a hot shower and a cold drink await your arrival. We all enjoy a celebratory meal in the evening. Tomorrow your driver will arrive in plenty of time for you to catch your flight home, or since you're already in Africa you may choose to continue your adventure with a wildlife Safari. If you're interested in resting from your adventure you can also choose to explore the nearby beaches and ancient town of Zanzibar. Call us or visit our website to learn more.
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 14
DAY 14: Safari Day-1 - Tarangire National Parks
1 stop
14
Tarangire National Park
Embark on an exhilarating safari adventure through Tanzania’s premier National Parks, where an extraordinary encounter with Africa’s wild animals awaits your discovery! Stay at one of Tanzania’s iconic traditional wildlife lodges, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley escarpment, with spectacular views of the vast African plains.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 15
DAY 15: Safari Day-2 - Lake Manyara National Parks & Depart Tanzania
2 stops
15
Lake Manyara National Park
Embark on an exhilarating safari adventure through Tanzania’s premier National Parks, where an extraordinary encounter with Africa’s wild animals awaits your discovery! Stay at one of Tanzania’s iconic traditional wildlife lodges, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley escarpment, with spectacular views of the vast African plains. If you've opted to go on Safari, you will be picked up and transported to a different gate where you are you’re just a short flight from Africa’s astounding wildlife reserves – the Serengeti Plains, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Where you can ride your wave of euphoria and go exploring in the incredible wilderness of the African savannah. Or you can also hop on a short flight to the fascinating world of Zanzibar. Discover the ancient culture, relax on the world’s most beautiful palm-fringed beaches and snorkel the awe-inspiring coral reefs. Talk to one of our trip planners to learn more.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
16
Dar es Salaam
Today your driver will arrive in plenty of time for you to catch your flight home. You will be picked up at the lodge and transported to the airport gate in plenty of time to check-in and catch your flight. If you've opted to go on Safari, you will be picked up and transported to a different gate where you are you’re just a short flight from Africa’s astounding wildlife reserves – the Serengeti Plains, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Where you can ride your wave of euphoria and go exploring in the incredible wilderness of the African savannah. Or you can also hop on a short flight to the fascinating world of Zanzibar. Discover the ancient culture, relax on the world’s most beautiful palm-fringed beaches and snorkel the awe-inspiring coral reefs. Talk to one of our trip planners to learn more.
Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Infants are not permitted to participate in a climb

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