Plan Harmony

Itinerary

Day 1: Umbwe Gate (1,800m) to Bivouac Camp (2,900m)

Stop At: Umbwe Trail, Tanzania
After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from Moshi and driven to the Umbwe Gate. Here you can buy mineral water and will receive a packed lunch. At this time, the porters will organize and pack the belongings for the hike while you and your guide register with the Tanzania National Park (TANAPA). You will then begin your ascent into the rainforest. During this section of the hike, you should expect rain, mud, and fog. Also, be on the lookout for wildlife, including Colobus monkeys! About halfway up the trail, you will have a lunch break and you will reach the Bivouac Camp (2940m) in the late afternoon or early evening. The porters and chef, who move very fast up the mountain, will reach camp before you and set up your tents, boil drinking water, and prepare snacks for your arrival. After washing up, a hot dinner will be served. For overnight, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared!
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Bivouac Camp

Day 2: Bivouac Camp (2940m) – Barranco Camp (3950m)

Stop At: Umbwe Trail, Tanzania
Hiking time: 6 hours

Habitat: Moorland

After early morning breakfast, you will start your ascent leaving the rain forest and entering the heathland moorland vegetation. In the moorland, you will spot exotic plants, including giant lobelia and groundsel. As you ascent, the trail provides a spectacular view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trail then flattens then descends into the Barranco Valley until you reach Barranco Camp. At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and the Great Barranco Wall in the East. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Barranco Camp

Day 3: Barranco Camp (3950m) – Lava Tower (4630m) – Arrow Glacier Camp (4800m)

Stop At: Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania
Habitat: Moorland/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 hiking east, you will 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 eating lunch at Lava Tower, hikers will scramble up the steep Class 2 trail to the Arrow Glacier Camp (4800m). Vegetation at Arrow Glacier is sparse and hikers are surrounded by stone scree. Snacks, dinner, and washing water will be provided, as hikers stay warm in their tents at this camp.
Duration: 7 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Arrow Glacier Camp

Day 4: Arrow Glacier (4800m) – Crater (5700m)

Stop At: Crater Camp, Tanzania
Hiking time: 5 hours

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped glacier

After early morning breakfast, hikers will continue to scramble up the Class 2 trail on rocks. During the rain season, an ice axe and crampons are required due to icy conditions. Hikers slowly ascend up the Western Breach to the Crater (5700m). Upon reaching the top of the crater, you will be amazed by the Northern Ice fields of Kilimanjaro with the Furtwangler Glacier directly in front of you. At the campsite, you have the option of completing a day hike to the infamous Ash Pit (1.5 hours) of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The ash pit is 340m across and 120m deep. After hiking, you will enjoy a warm dinner and be one of the few and fortunate hikers to stay at the inner, snow-covered crater of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at the Crater

Day 5: Summit Attempt

Stop At: Uhuru Peak, Tanzania
Crater (5700m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)

Hiking time: 2 hours to Uhuru and 7-8 hours to Mweka

Distance: Approximately 7-kilometre ascent and 23-kilometre descent

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Your guide will take you around 0400 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. For about 2 hours, you will hike on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.

At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending to Mweka Hut (3100m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rain forest. Mweka Camp (3100m) is located in the upper rain forest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Mweka Camp

Day 6: Mweka Camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m)

Stop At: Mweka Trail, Tanzania
Hiking time: 3 hours

Distance: Approximately 15 kilometres

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 kilometres). You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Moshi for long overdue showers and more celebrations.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Your Hotel in Moshi or Arusha or depart for the Airport

• All Fees and Taxes
• Return transfers Kilimanjaro airport to Moshi and Moshi to Kilimanjaro airport
• Hotel the night before and the night after the climb, with breakfast included
• Emergency oxygen (for use in emergencies only – not as summit aid) and the Basic first aid kit
• Qualified mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cook & Their Wages
• Camping equipment (tents, camp chairs, tables & sleeping mattress)
• Fresh Water for drinking & Hot water for a wash daily
• 5x Breakfast
• 5x Dinner
• 6x Lunch
• Accommodation included: 6 nights
• Entry/Admission - Crater Camp
• Entry/Admission - Mount Kilimanjaro National Park

• Visas & Flights
• Travel & Health Insurances
• Gratuities
• Personal hiking/trekking gear–you opt to rent the gears from equipment stores in Moshi
• Optional but highly recommended Portable toilet
• Personal medicine and water purifying tablets + Meals & drinks not specified and snacks
• Items of Personal Nature

• Not wheelchair accessible
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

See Availability

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.