7 Days Rongai Route Kilimanjaro

Day-by-Day Itinerary

1. Day 1: ARR IVAL

   Touch down at the Kilimanjaro International Airport where your own personal driver will be waiting to greet you. Let your driver whisk you away to your chosen hotel in the bright and bustling city of Moshi – gateway to Tanzania. In the evening you will enjoy a quick briefing which will be conducted by professional Mountain Guide about your 7 Days Rongai Route Kilimanjaro trekking, and to ensure if you are ready for climbing

2. Day 2: NALEMURU GATE TO SIMBA CAMP

   A guide and a mountain support crew will arrive at the hotel in the morning in order to meet you and hold a quick briefing, after which you will travel by vehicle to Kilimanjaro National Park’s northern entrance: Nalemuru Gate (2,020 m) to start your 7 Days Rongai Route Kilimanjaro. After the quick formality of acquiring climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, the group will start trekking up to Simba Camp (2,625 m). Your trek this day will be moderate and take you through coniferous forest up Kilimanjaro’s northern slope. Remember not to hurry and always keep a comfortable pace. By the time you reach the camp, our professional mountain crew will prepare everything necessary, put tents and cook dinner for you. This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is strongly recommended you heed the following instructions from this point on • Abstain from consuming alcohol and caffeine • Drink over 4 liters of bottled water daily (little by little, frequently) • Take a Diamox pill to help alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. Most mountain climbers take Diamox in the morning, before they start their ascent, in order to reduce discomfort associated with altitude sickness. We recommend you consult your doctor prior to the trip in case of potential allergies At night you may experience discomfort associated with acclimatization to the high altitude: because of a reduction in your waking breathing pattern, your body gets less oxygen than during the day. Taking altitude into account, you may therefore start feeling sick and have a headache. Pay attention to your own body and tell your guide if you start feeling any symptoms of altitude sickness. Change in Elevation: Nalemuru Gate (2,020 m), Simba Camp (2,625 m) Hiking distance: 8 km Hiking time: 3–4 hours

3. Day 3: SIMBA CAMP TO SECOND CAVE CAMP

   Early in the morning after breakfast, the group will depart from Simba Camp to start trekking towards your second high altitude camp: Second Cave Camp (3,480 m). This route is rather easy and will only take around 3 hours, so when you reach the camp you will still have ample time to rest and explore the surrounding area. After lunch you will have a couple hours to rest, followed by an acclimatization hike in the direction of Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m) on a stretch of the Rongai Route at a short distance with a 100-meter gain in altitude, after which you will hike back down to Second Cave Camp NB: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimatization process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. They help increase your chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness. Trekking from Simba Camp to Second Cave Camp: Altitude gain: Simba Camp (2,625 m), Second Cave Camp (3,480 m) Walking distance: 4 km Duration: 2–3 hrs Acclimatization hike: Altitude gain: Second Cave Camp (3,480 m), Kikilewa Camp (3,580 m) Walking distance: 2.5 km Duration: 1–2 hrs ACCOMMODATION: Second Cave Camp Mt. Kilimanjaro

4. Day 4: SECOND CAVE CAMP TO KIKILEWA CAMP

   After breakfast you will begin trekking to Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m), where you can see Kibo Volcano at its finest (barring cloudy weather). This will be a relief day, so after lunch you will have time to sleep before the next trekking towards Mawenzi Tarn Camp. In the evening after dinner the guide will check health conditions of the each person of the group and give the necessary instructions for tomorrow’s trekking. Altitude gain: Second Cave Camp (3,480 m), Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m) Walking distance: 5 km Duration: 3–4 hrs

5. Day 5: KIKELELWA TO MAWENZI TARN CAMP

   Early wakeup, breakfast and the start of trekking to Mawenzi Tarn Camp, which is situated at the foot of Mawenzi Volcano, Kilimanjaro’s second summit. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and a two-hour rest, after which there will be an acclimatization hike towards Mawenzi Volcano with a 200-meter gain in altitude, followed by a hike back down to Mawenzi Tarn Camp, where you will have dinner in the evening

6. Day 6: MAWENZI TURN CAMP TO KIBO CAMP

   This day will be spent trekking towards Kibo Summit Camp (4,700 m). The landscape will change significantly to give way to a rocky semi desert. The actual trekking is not very difficult; just remember to stick with an appropriate pace to keep up your strength for the trekking to Kilimanjaro’s summit. When you reach the camp, we recommend you sleep well, avoid strenuous activity, and drink as much as you can, because that very night you will be ascending Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Altitude gain: Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,310 m), Kibo Camp (4,700 m) Walking distance: 9 km Duration: 5–6 hrs

7. Day 7: UHURU PEAK (SUMMIT) TO HOROMBO CAMP

   The team will depart School Hut Camp with its elevation of 4,715 m at night. The trek up to Uhuru Peak’s 5,895 m puts more of a strain on your cardiovascular system than your muscles as the high altitude takes its toll on your body despite the moderate gradient of the climb. One guide will be assigned to every two climbers, constantly evaluating their fitness over the duration of this part of the climb. A walk on the nearest glacier can be undertaken upon reaching the summit. The descent to 3,720 m at Horombo Camp will include a 2-hour rest stop at Kibo Camp. It is highly advisable to keep in mind that 9 out of 10 climbing accident happen on the way down, so watch your step! Altitude gain: Kibo Camp (4,700 m) - School Hut Camp (4,715 m) - Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) - Horombo Camp (3,720 m) Walking distance: 21 km Duration: 12–14 hrs ACCOMMODATION: Horombo Camp Mt. Kilimanjaro

8. Day 8: HOROMBO CAMP TO MARANGU GATE

   You will be offered a warm breakfast in the morning, after which we will head for the Kilimanjaro National Park’s exit: Marangu Gate (1,860 m). After your descent the whole group will gather to congratulate you, and then you will have the chance to share your opinions on the trip in the guestbook. Lastly, we will present you with your commemorative certificates (in our office) and provide you a transfer back to the hotel. Change in Elevation: Horombo Camp (3,720 m), Marangu Gate (1,860 m) Hiking distance: 18 km Hiking time: 5–6 hours ACCOMMODATION: Planet Lodge Arusha

9. Day 8: Departures

   After getting some rest and refreshment at the hotel, your driver guide will take you to the airport ready for your flight back home Days Rongai Route Kilimanjaro