Main Kilimanjaro Trekking Routes
- Machame Route
- Marangu Route
- Rongai Route
- Lemosho Route
- Shira Route
- The Northern Circuit
- Umbwe Route
Climbers will sleep in state of the art, four-season mountain tents during the trek. Our tents are warm, waterproof and roomy – perfectly suited for your Kilimanjaro adventure. We understand that some climbers are anxious about camping for so many days, so we aim to have them be as dry, warm and comfortable as possible.
Each three-person sized tent will comfortably house two climbers and their gear. The interior floor space is 48 square feet, with a large vestibule, dual doors, and internal mesh pockets. The Trango 3 is a fully waterproof tent with fully taped seams and welded corners.
A 1.5 inch foam sleeping pad is provided to all climbers. These locally sourced sleeping pads are better than any commercially available sleeping pad. They are thick, warm and comfortable, even for those not used to camping..
On a typical day on the mountain, you will be awaken from your tent around 6:30 AM by your waiter/porter, who will bring you a warm pan of water to wash your face and hands. Breakfast will then be served. Meals are served in a mess tent – complete with chairs, tables, dinnerware and silverware. After you assemble your day pack, you will begin walking around 8:00 AM, while the porters stay behind to clean up the campsite, and pack up the tents and other equipment.
While the hours vary from day to day, your average walking time will be around four to six hours per day. During the walk, your guide will decide the pace and when to take a breaks depending on his assessment of the party’s performance. The porters consistently move ahead of the group in order to prepare food, collect water, and set up tents so that everything is ready when the party arrives. A hot lunch is served part way through your day’s trek though on occasion a boxed lunch may be provided.
Once you arrive at the campsite, snacks are served. Then, before dinner, a pan of water is again provided for clean up. Dinner is served around 6:00 PM. The guide will discuss the next day’s events with the group after dinner. Down time is spent chatting with your fellow climbers, staff and others sharing the campsite, reading, or otherwise relaxing.
Clients commonly express concern that they will be “too slow” and lag behind the guide and the rest of their group. This concern is unwarranted. Being slow is fine, and in fact, recommended. The guides set a very slow hiking pace to give everyone the best chance to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. People who are turned around on the mountain typically do so because they have succumbed to altitude sickness, not because they were physically too tired to keep up or continue.
The trails on Mount Kilimanjaro are well marked and maintained. Technical skills are not required on our routes. There are only a couple spots where scrambling (climbing on hands and feet) is required, such as the Barranco Wall, the Western Breach approach (now closed) and optional Lava Tower climb. The path to and from Uhuru Point is on scree, which can be especially tiring and slippery.
Bad weather conditions can complicate matters. Climbers should be prepared to trek through all types of weather, such as fog, rain, snow, and all types of earth, whether loose, dusty, muddy, wet, snowy or icy. There are “long drop” public toilets at every campsite. Essentially, they are wooden structures built around a deep hole dug into the ground. There are no commodes in the public toilets. You relieve yourself in a hole cut into the bottom of the shack in a standing or squatting position. Given the crowds on Kilimanjaro, these public toilets see a lot of use and therefore can get rather dirty.
Private toilets are is available so you can request. Private toilets consist of a plastic toilet and a privacy tent. There are no shower facilities on the mountain.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate | Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate | Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate |
| Vegetable Soup | Vegetable Soup | |
| Toast, Biscuits with Margarine, Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey | Bread, Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey | Bread, Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey |
| Eggs, Sausages or Bacon | Chicken Curry, Rice, Chapati, Green Beans | Spaghetti with meat sauce |
| Porridge or Pancakes | Snack: Peanuts, Popcorn, Cake, Cookies | Potatoes, Rice, Pasta |
| Fresh Fruit: Mango, Orange, Pineapple, Banana, Avocado or Watermelon | Fresh Salad: Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Carrots, Green Peppers | Fresh Vegetables: Carrots, Peas, Tomato, Beans, Greens |
You may want to bring some supplementary “comfort” foods, such as candy, gum, chocolate, health bars or powdered energy drinks.
We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets. For those with special diets, please contact us to discuss what we can or cannot do. Note that food selection is limited in Tanzania, so although we will try to please all clients, in some cases clients will be asked to bring their specific food items to us, which our cooks will prepare.
we will provide accommodations at comparable hotels in Moshi such as Bristol Cottages, Parkview Inn and Keys Hotel Honey budger, sansaninero. Not all amenities are available at every hotel.