Mountain Climbing adventure

days 6 nights Best time to travel: all year round

Arusha

Day 1  Arusha (1400m) – Londorossi Gate (2100m) – Mti Mkubwa camp (2750m) Hiking time: 3 hours Habitat: Montane forest After eating breakfast at your hotel, your guide will brief you on the day. You will drive two hours from Arusha (1400m) to Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). In the village near Londorossi Gate, you will receive a packed lunch and can buy mineral water for the hike. Then the final 45 minutes of the drive leading up to the gate will be on a bumpy forest track requiring 4WD vehicles. At the entrance gate, the guides and porters distribute the supplies and register with the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). You are now ready to begin your 3-hour hike into the rain forest. Be on the look out for Colobus monkeys! Along the way, you will stop for an afternoon lunch break and arrive at Mti Mkubwa (“Big Tree”) Campsite (2750m) in the early evening. The porters, who arrive at the campsite before the clients, will set up your tent and boil water for drinking and washing. The chef will prepare a snack then dinner for the clients. At nighttime, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared! Meals:Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Overnight: Matimkubwa Camp - Camping Accommodation

Day 3  Shira (3840m) – Lava Tower (4630m) – Barranco Camp (3950m) Hiking time: 7 hours Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers Habitat: Semi desert Following an early morning breakfast, you will leave the moorland environment and enter the semi desert and rocky landscape. After 5 hours of walking east, you will be come face to face with the Lava Tower (4630m). Packed lunches are served at the Tower and hikers have the option of climbing the massive Lava Tower weather permitting. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects from the altitude including headaches and shortness of breath. After lunch, you will descend from Lava Tower (4630m) to the Barranco Campsite (3950m). The 6800m descent gives hikers a huge advantage to allow their bodies to adjust to the conditions of high altitude. The descent to camp takes around 2 hours to reach. It is located in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall (“Breakfast Wall”). Drinking and washing water and dinner will be served as hikers view the sun setting. Meals:Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Overnight: Barranco Camp - Camping Accommodation

Day 5  Karanga Camp (3959m) – Barafu Hut (4600) Hiking time: 2-3 hours Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers Habitat: Alpine desert After breakfast, you will begin your ascent. The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4550m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00! Meals:Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Overnight: Barafu Hut

Arusha

Day 7  Mweka Camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m) Hiking time: 3 hours Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers Habitat: Forest Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Arusha for long overdue showers and more celebrations. Meals: Dinner and Overnight Accommodation: Green Mountain Hotel The price include VAT. Climbing package includes: Quality, waterproof, four-season private mountain sleeping tents Professional, experienced, mountain guides All Park fees Rescue fees All meals while on the Mountain Guides, Porters, cook salaries and park fees Quality Mess tents with table and chairs Large portions of fresh, healthy nutritious food Clean, purified drinking water Crisis management and safety procedures Fair and ethical treatment of porters Airport transfers Climbing package excludes: Tanzania Visa Accommodation in Arusha Gratuity Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.) Meals not listed above Optional Tours (short safari after your climb etc) Entry visa for Tanzania (US$50 per passport holder for most nationalities / US $ 100 per visa for USA passport holders) Health requirements (Yellow Fever – only compulsory if you travel to Tanzania via a Yellow Fever infected country, Meningitis & Hepatitis A remains optional, but comes recommended)