KILIMANJARO

Our full-service expedition includes:

• Experienced and qualified British, European, or American leader for 8-12 members. For smaller groups we provide a very experienced SummitClimb trained Kenyan guide
• National Park entrance fees
• Camping fees
• Crater service fees
• Local English speaking guides
• Porters for gear (one personal porter per person)
• Group gear including: tents, dining tent, medical kit, radio gear
• Cook and cooking facilities
• 3 meals a day and water while camping
• Meals during traveling
• Hotel in Nairobi the night before and the night after tour
• Hotels B/B during travel
• Transport: Shuttle, Bus, Safari bus, 4x4 Landrover

Not included:

• Extra hotel nights Nairobi ($50 sharing double)
• Telephone bills, emailing costs, and other personal expenses
• Personal gear for hiking, climbing, and camping
• Alcohol and extra meals not included in itinerary
• Tips

*Hotel upgrade, single rooms and single tents are possible for a modest surcharge.

Custom Kilimanjaro trips:

We can organize Kilimanjaro tours on request for groups or individuals. The standard 9 day (7 days on the mountain/in the national park) itinerary led by local African leaders (without SummitClimb expedition leader) please email info@summitclimb.com for more details.

Custom Mt Kenya trips:

• Please consider adding a trip to Rwenzori, "Mountains of the Moon" , if you wish to extend your African adventure.
• High end trips to Zanzibar, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater safaris are also available. Call for pricing and details.

Kilimanjaro only itinerary (Not combined with Mt Kenya)

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Day 1 -  Arrival in Tanzania. You will be greeted by our staff at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha, Tanzania. From there we will provide transportation directly to the hotel.

Day 2 -  Kilimanjaro Trek - Rongai Camp. Breakfast and team briefing. From the hotel or lodge, a private bus takes you through a region of lush vegetation, coffee, and banana plantations to the north side of Kilimanjaro. The journey continues through the forest area to Nale Moru, the starting point for the climb. A narrow path along the corn and potato fields leads into forests and with a bit of luck, we can observe wild animals there. Finally, we leave the forest area and reach the camp at the transition from the woodland to the moorland near the first Rongai cave.

Day 3 - Kilimanjaro Trek - Kikelewa Camp - The path leads evenly up to the second Rongai cave (3,450m / 11,320 ft) and small caves appear again and again in the landscape formed by lava flows. After lunch, we leave the main trail and walk through moorlands towards Mawenzi. Finally, we reach the camp near Kikelewa Caves (3rd cave).  Lunch on the way to Kilimanjaro on Rongai Route

Day 4 - Kilimanjaro Trek - Mawenzi Tarn - We have a short, but steep climb that will take us to our camp near Mawenzi Tarn. Grass-covered slopes lead into a high alpine and almost vegetation-free-zone. The fantastic panoramic view rewards the effort of the ascent: We camp at a small lake at the foot of the dominating rock formations of the Mawenzi "the dark” (5,149 m / 16,893 ft), the small neighbor of Kibo "the light" (5,895 m / 19,341 ft), respectively the second-highest and highest peaks of Kilimanjaro.

Day 5 - Rest day at Mawenzi Tarn - Day five provides an opportunity to relax at our beautiful campsite and acclimatize. If you feel the mountain calling, we will be happy to offer you short hiking options that you can take from camp. These hikes provide some truly stunning views of Mawenzi.

Day 6 - Kilimanjaro Trek - School Hut / Kibo Hut - A desert-like plain, reminiscent of a lunar landscape, leads over the saddle between Mawenzi and Kilimanjaro to the next camp at School Hut. In the afternoon, all gear for the following day will be prepared and everything will be set up. Then, after an early dinner it’s an early night in order to be rested and ready for the summit ascent shortly after midnight.

Day 7 - Kilimanjaro Ascent - Summit! - Off to the Summit: At midnight it's time to get up and hit the trail. In the light of the headlamp, we set off as a group at a common pace. You will be accompanied by the local guides and the expedition leader, all in radio contact with each other and our support team. In this way, individual groups can be formed if necessary, ascending at their own pace. The terrain leads over a gravel path and becomes steeper towards the top to reach Gilman's Point ( 5,685 m / 18,652 ft). From here, you will have to hike along the summit plateau's outer crater rim, where the terrain is forgiving and flat to reach the highest point in all of Africa!

Day 8 - Kilimanjaro Trek - Descent - Back at Marangu Gate we sign out the visitors' record logbook. It is time to say goodbye to guides and porters. You thank them for the guidance, care, and support with a tip, provided you are satisfied with their contribution. Afterward, we drive to the hotel. For your summit success, you will be rewarded with a certificate from the National Park. The afternoon and evening remain for us to relax and celebrate.

Day 9 - Flight home or onward journey - We say our goodbyes and depart for our respective destinations. Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and flight home

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Mt. Kenya:

• Day 1 - Arrive in Nairobi and drive to the hotel
• Day 2 - Full day to relax, tour of Nairobi (national park, Bomas), last purchases (snacks etc.) and climbing training. Dinner with orientation and meeting all group participants
• Days 3 and 4 – trek to Mount Kenya
• Days 5 and 6 - Climbing Mount Kenya
  • Winter: We climb to the Austrian Hut and from there we can climb the Point Lenana (4985m).
  • Summer: From Shipton's Camp we can do a training tour or try the Batian ascent.
• Day 7 - Climb the Batian, 5199m, 17,057’. We get up early in the morning to be at the start of the route at the first sunlight.
• Day 8 – Descent

Guides: We have highly experienced and friendly African guides to support us along our trek and optional rock climb, as well as safaris. These trustworthy and helpful professionals are there to assist the group on the approach trek and on the mountains, make sure everyone is enjoying themselves, and support us safely to our destinations.

We encourage members to bring all of their equipment with them to Nairobi and not hire/purchase it there, as the prices can be quite outrageous or the items may be impossible to find.

On trek, your personal baggage limited to 18 kg/40 pounds, but you can store the remainder of your items at the hotel.

Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya trekking equipment:

Upper Body

• Wind/waterproof/breathable jacket
• 1 lightweight down/duvet jacket or synthetic fill jacket
• 1 medium weight polar fleece jacket
• 1 long sleeve polypropylene shirt, lightweight
• Umbrella (optional)
• 2 cotton t-shirts and 1 long sleeve cotton shirt for wearing in town or safari

Hands

• Warm mitts or gloves with wind/waterproof cover
• 1 pair thin polypropylene liner glovers

Head

• Helmet
• Warm hat
• Sun hat, plus cotton head scarf or "bandana"
• Head torch, with extra batteries and lamps/bulbs
• Sunglasses

Lower Body

• 1 pair wind/waterproof/breathable trousers, salopettes, or bibs. Full side zips are a plus
• 1 pair medium weight polar fleece trousers
• 1 pair very lightweight polypropylene/thermal leggings
• 1 pair non-cotton walking trousers
• 1 pair cotton trousers for wearing in town or safari
• Cotton underwear briefs

Feet -

• 1 pair sturdy leather walking boots or trail shoes (make sure they are "broken in");
• Light comfortable running shoes or trainers for wading streams or wearing in town / safari
• 2 pair thick non-cotton walking socks
• 2 pair thin non-cotton liner socks
• 2 pair cotton socks

Sleeping

• Sleeping bag for 10 centigrade (15 Fahrenheit)
• 2 normal thickness foam karimats or 1 thick mat. Full length, non-inflatable are best

Rucksack and Travel Bags

• Rucksack, small or medium (maximum 50 litre/3,050 cubic inches). You will carry this small bag
• Waterproof rucksack cover (optional)
• Travel, kit, or duffel bag with lock, (80 100 litre/5,000-6,000 cubic inches). Your porter will carry this large bag
• Medium size travel, kit, duffel bag for storage at the hotel

Personal Hygiene

• Sun cream for face, and lip sun cream
• Wash Kit, bar soap or hand sanitizer gel / 1 small towel
• Female/male hygiene products
• Mosquito repellant cream
• Hand wipes (optional)
• Toilet paper, we provide on trek. You should carry your own in town
• Face Mask
• Hand sanitiser
• Disposable gloves
• Disinfectant wipes

Medical (Please see your GP or doctor)

• 1 skin blister repair kit
• 1 small pack anti-diarrhea pills
• 1 small pack anti-headache pills
• 1 small pack cough lozenges
• 1 small pack cold medicine
• 1 course antibiotics for chest infection, available at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor's prescription
• 1 small pack anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox, Acetylzolamide, available as above
• Malaria prevention medicine may be recommended by your doctor
• 1 bottle water purification tablets, drops, or filter
• Extra prescription glasses, extra contact lens supplies (contact lens wearers: there is a lot of dust, you definitely need to bring prescription glasses as a backup)
• Earplugs
• Do not bring sleeping pills, they are a respiratory depressant

Personal Food

• On the mountain we supply 3 meals each day. This food will consist of soup, local cheese & sausage, biscuits, dried noodles, potatoes, rice, porridge, butter, dried and tinned vegetables, fruit, meats, and fish, tea with milk and sugar, coffee, powdered juice drink, and drinking chocolate. Our porters will carry this food so you don't have to.
• We suggest you may wish to bring energy or chocolate bars for summit day

Practical

• 3 one litre water bottles;
• 1 pee/urine bottle (suggested)
• Adjustable, telescoping trekking pole (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1 camera with extra cards/film/batteries
• Binoculars (optional)
• Several waterproof plastic sacks, ie: rubbish sacks for your sleeping bag, shoes, etc
• 1 bathing suit/swimming costume (you never know)
• Basecamp entertainment. For example: paperback books, playing cards, ipod mp3 player, short-wave radio, small sturdy musical instruments, etc.
• Travel clothes for basecamp and in town
• Passport, proof of insurance card, flight ticket. Keep all in plastic bag
• Cash for hotels, visas, small items and gratuities. Credit cards, traveler's cheques, bank/atm cards. Use an "under the trousers" money belt, not one of those round the neck jobs or bum bags that are really more of a sign showing where the money is
• Extra gifts of used clothing, shoes, hats, jackets, for the porters, their wives, children, mothers and fathers
• Please be sure and bring your patience and try to keep an open, relaxed, positive and friendly attitude as travelling in this part of the world may be very different than what you are used to, but things always seem to fall into place at the last moment. Thank you.

Mt Kenya Rock Climb (optional) -

• Helmet (your warm hat must fit beneath it)
• Harness;
• Descender-belay device: "atc" or other
• 3 regular carabiners
• 2 locking carabiners
• 1 piece of 7 millimetre cord, 2 metres / 6 feet in length or 1 short sling
• 1 piece of 7 millimetre cord, 3 metres / 10 feet in length or 1 long sling
• Comfortable, warm, all day rock shoes

Extensive experience is not required for trekking Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, or participating in the safari. The most important thing is for members to be in adequate walking fitness.

If you plan to participate in the optional rock climb on Mt. Kenya, you should be able climb North American 5.7, British Severe, UIAA (French) 5, or Australian 14. You do not need to be expert (although some members are) and are not required to lead any of the 16 to 22 pitches we will be climbing unless you would prefer to.

Please fill out an application and return it to us with your refundable ten-percent deposit to hold your place on the team.

• Application for US Team Members : PDF Form or MS Word Doc
• Application for all other Team Members :  PDF Form or MS Word Doc

In addition to your application, we will need the following at least two months before the trip begins:  

• Completed Payment
• Oxygen order (if any)
• Sherpa order (if any)
• Trip Registration form
• 1 Passport sized photo
• A scan of your passport identification pages
• Complete flight itinerary
• Proof of travel, accident, and repatriation insurance. We strongly recommend Global Rescue, with at least $50,000 worth of helicopter rescue insurance.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance is recommended

Please contact us with any questions you may have.