Itinerary
Source: http://www.adventurealternative.com/Kilimanjaro_Itinerary.asp
Saturday 1st November - Flight from Dublin International Aiport to Amsterdam and connect for the main flight to Kilimanjaro (JRO) with KLM airlines. Arrive at 21:00 in Africa and head for the hotel in the town of Moshi.
Sunday 2nd November - Rest Day in Moshi and prepare for the trek.
Monday 3rd November - Day 1 on Kilimanjaro - Meeting porters, registration with park service. Travel to the head of the Machame trail through cultivated coffee fields and small forest of ferns. The trail head is on the edge of a rain forest at around 6,000 feet, and the hike to around 10,000 feet to Machame Camp takes about five hours. We arrive at about 4pm
Tuesday 4th November - Day 2 on Kilimanjaro - Crossing a small valley after the Machame hut our route ascends through heathland and moorland littered with cacti towards the Shira plateau where the Shira hut is our destination at 12,460'.
Wednesday 5th November - Day 3 on Kilimanjaro - Trek to Barranco Camp which is only about 100 metres higher than Shira Plateau, but the route involves an ascent to Junction - just below Lava Tower at around 15,000' - and then a descent into the Barranco Valley. This is a long day of 7 hours but very important for acclimatisation, climbing high and sleeping low. Vegetation is much more sparse and becomes quite rocky and exposed. Can get cold and windy on the long walk up to Junction.
Thursday 6th November - Day 4 on Kilimanjaro - After breakfast a steep climb for about one hour on the Barranco Wall, which is a bit strenuous and will involve using your hands to pull up on some easy sections of scrambling on rock. Then descend to Karanga Valley for the camp. This is another day of climbing high and sleeping low. Total walk time is about 2 to 3 hours and height gain is nothing.
Friday 7th November - Day 5 on Kilimanjaro - From Karanga Valley an ascent to Barafu Hut which takes about four hours and is the final camp before going to the summit. The walk is not hard at all but you may feel the altitude so it is advisable not to rush about too much. Barafu Camp is quite rocky, set on a spur with great views of the walk to the top. You arrive around lunchtime and then rest for the remainder of the day, have an early dinner and go to bed early in order to prepare for a night climb of Kilimanjaro.
Saturday 8th November - Day 6 on Kilimanjaro - Awake at midnight for summit day. Gear needs to be packed and hot tea drunk before heading for the top. The total time is between 12 and 15 hours. Leaving at 1am, the crater rim is reached by around 8am and the summit by 10.00am normally. With around 40 minutes on the top it then takes about 2 to 3 hours to descend to Barafu and then there is an hour long lunch and a further 2 hours to Millennium Camp where the porters will have brought all the tents and be preparing dinner.
The walk is not hard but it seems interminable in the dark. Walk slowly and the guides will look after you very well. Around 5am the sky will lighten and dawn will come, an unbelievably stealthy approach with fabulous colours. For sure you will feel encouraged and warmed by the sun.
The final scree slope to the crater rim - which is called Stella Point - is frustrating, one step up and two steps back in the loose dust, but determination will win out and from the crater rim there are stunning views of the crater and the eastern glaciers to the right of you and the northern icefields ahead on the other side of the crater. In the middle you can make out Fort Wrangler Glacier.
The final walk to the top itself takes 45 minutes and fresh views of the Heim Glacier and Rebmans Glacier are very inspiring. The famous summit ‘furniture’ of the signboard announcing your position at the highest point in Africa is a clear photo opportunity and your mobile phone will work. We will have orange juice and biscuits for people.
The descent is back down to Barafu Hut and then an overnight at Millenium camp on the edge of the forest at around 12,000'. The descent is long and people with knee problems should consider bringing poles, it is long and slow and dusty for the first two of three hours to the Hut and then there is a nice lunch. After lunch the walk to Millennium is another 2 hours (max 3) along easy ground and back onto grass and heather.
Summit day is very long and tiring and climbers should be aware that problems are caused by quite a big jump in altitude in one day, lack of water at this height and possible bad weather. You may arrive down at camp in the dusk; the porters and cooks will have gone down and put up the tents and prepared food for your arrival. It is a hard day, but with determination and some good luck it can prove to be one of the best days of your life when you do eventually stand on top of mount kilimanjaro.
Some people question descending all the way to Millennium when physical tiredness might edge towards a night at Barafu. However the issue of water at Barafu is real; it takes nearly an hour for the porters to collect it. More importantly, and concerning issues of altitude, it is better to descend as far as possible on this day so that everyone feels better. It may be harder on the feet and knees but it is better on the overall welfare and health.
Sunday 9th November - Day 7 on Kilimanjaro - Continuing down the Mweka or Umbwe route in lush green forest and thick jungle, you eventually reach the gate after about four hours and drive to Moshi. A shower and a good meal awaits ! At the gate you need to sign out and fill in your details for receiving your certificate (gold for the summit, green for Stella Point) and our staff will be there with vehicles to head back to the hotel. Arrive normally around 3pm. Overnight in hotel.
Monday 10th November - Free Day in Moshi
Tuesday 11th November - Free Morning in Moshi; Head for home in the Afternoon
Wednesday 12th November - Arrive at Belfast International Airport at 10:00
Final Amount: £22,000
