Expedition to Kilimanjaro

7-day trek via Rongai route + 2 nights at the hotel before and after the climb
October 02 - October 10, 2024
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Your expedition to the top of Africa will take you along a very interesting seven-day Rongai route. Because this route is more remote, it is not popular with other climbers - but to their loss! This route offers incredible landscapes, good acclimatization and the highest chance to spot wildlife with climbing. You will enjoy hiking in beautiful scenery without the crowds on the Rongai route.

This is the only route that runs along the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro, on the border with Kenya. The journey around Rongai is interesting because it begins in a coniferous forest and ends in a tropical one.

Altezza Travel recommends the seven-day Rongai itinerary for both beginners and experienced mountain hikers. The ascent is technically quite simple, meaning that you don't need any special equipment or climbing skills to reach the top. There are excellent statistics on the route - more than 95% of the participants successfully ascend the summit on this route. This is one of our favorite routes. We recommend the Rongai route to anyone looking to climb to the top of Africa away from the hustle and bustle of other climbing groups.

This is an open group adventure which anyone can join. It is likely that there will be travellers from all over the world in this group.

Guaranteed DepartureGuaranteed Departure
THE DATES AND THE PRICE ARE FIXED, EVEN IF YOU ARE A SOLO TRAVELLER (I.E. NO ONE ELSE SIGNS UP) IN THIS EXPEDITION
Arrival date: 02 Oct 2024
Departure date: 10 Oct 2024
Climbing start: 03 Oct 2024
Climbing finish: 09 Oct 2024
Places already reserved: 2
Places available: 13
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Itinerary

Day 1 - 02 October | Arrival

An Altezza Travel driver who will take you to your hotel will await you at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). The hotels in our programmes offer the comfort of rooms with hot showers, genial service teams, swimming pools and free Internet.

Note: Check-in starts at 2:00 PM.

Day 2 - 03 October | Trekking from Nalemuru Gate to Simba Camp

You will meet your mountain guides and crew in the morning before setting out for Kilimanjaro National Park's northern entrance: Nalemuru Gate (2,020 m). Here, the head guide will acquire the necessary permits and finalize search and rescue registration.
This day’s trek through coniferous forest of Kilimanjaro’s northern slope to Simba Camp is moderate, taking you up to 2,625 m. Remember not to hurry and maintain a comfortable pace. By the time you reach the camp, our professional mountain crew will have pitched your tents and started dinner preparations.
It is advisable to adhere to the following rules from the very beginning of your climb:

  • Stay away from alcohol and caffeine.
  • Make sure you drink a minimum of 4 liters of water every day, taking it frequently and in small doses.
  • The use of Diamox tablets is a good idea as it staves off altitude sickness symptoms. These are taken in the morning before the day’s climb. Consult your family doctor to make sure that you can safely take it.

Do not be unduly alarmed if you experience discomfort during the night- high altitude has this effect on the human body. Nausea and headaches are a common occurrence in the mountains. However, make sure you alert your guide to any symptoms of altitude sickness.

Elevation
2,020 m to 2,625 m
Hiking time
3-4 hours
Distance
8 km
Difficulty
Low
Habitat
Rainforest
Day 3 - 04 October | Trekking from 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.

Note: 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.

Acclimatization hike:
Change in Elevation: Second Cave Camp (3,480 m) —  Kikilewa Camp (3,580 m)
Hiking distance: 2,5 km
Hiking time: 1–2 hours

Elevation
2,625 m to 3,480 m
Hiking time
2-3 hours
Distance
4 km
Difficulty
Medium
Habitat
Moorland
Day 4 - 05 October | Trekking from 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.

 

Elevation
3,480 m to 3,630 m
Hiking time
3-4 hours
Distance
5 km
Difficulty
Medium
Habitat
Moorland
Day 5 - 06 October | Trekking from Kikilewa Camp 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.

Acclimatization hike:
Change in Elevation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,310 m) —  Mawenzi Volcano (4,510 m)
Hiking distance: 2 km
Hiking time: 1–2 hours

Elevation
3,630 m to 4,310 m
Hiking time
4-5 hours
Distance
6 km
Difficulty
Medium
Habitat
Moorland
Day 6 - 07 October | Trekking from Mawenzi Tarn 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 semidesert. 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).

Elevation
4,310 m to 4,700 m
Hiking time
5-6 hours
Distance
9 km
Difficulty
Medium
Habitat
Alpine desert
Day 7 - 08 October | Uhuru Peak Summit Attempt and Descent to Horombo Hut

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!

Elevation
4,700 m to 4,715 m
5,895 m to 3,720 m
Hiking time
12-14 hours
Distance
21 km
Difficulty
High
Habitat
Arctic
Day 8 - 09 October | Final Descent to Marangu Gate

The final descent to Marangu Gate’s 1,860 m starts after breakfast. The stop at the gate presents a good opportunity for a last exchange of impressions and memories of the expedition with the whole of your support crew. The climbers will receive their certificates of achievement at our offices before being driven back to their hotel.

Elevation
3,720 m to 1,860 m
Hiking time
5-6 hours
Distance
18 km
Difficulty
Medium
Habitat
Rainforest
Day 9 - 10 October | Departure

Rest in the hotel and transfer to the airport.

Note: Hotel check-out is at 11:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, there is the option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee.

Total price

7-day climb + 2 days in a hotel
Kilimanjaro: Rongai route (7 days)
Kilimanjaro: Rongai route (7 days)
$2 678
Tour price includes (climbing)

Transfers:

  • Return transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to accommodation in Moshi;
  • Return transfer from accommodation in Moshi to the entry gate into Kilimanjaro National Park.

Entry fees:

  • Park Fees: all park fees collected by Kilimanjaro National Park (conservation fees, camping fees, crew fees, vehicle fee, rescue fee and all others). 

Accommodation:

  • Accommodation at 3* hotel (Aishi Machame Hotel or Altezza Lodge) one night before and one night after the expedition. You will have all for a comfortable stay - friendly staff, clean rooms, Wi-Fi, restaurant and swimming pool;
  • Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro (modern comfortable 4-season North Face VE-25 tents);

Please note: by default, you will share a room and a tent with your travel companion. If you travel solo on a group expedition, we will room you with a same-sex participant. Single supplement is available upon request.

Meals:

  • Breakfast in the hotel before and after the hike;
  • All meals on the hike. You will find delicious energy-rich meals on our mountain menus. Our professional chefs will prepare assorted soups, garnishes, several types of fish and meat, fresh fruit and vegetables. Vegetarian/gluten-free/halal options are available at no extra cost;
  • All drinks on the hike (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water).

Hiking and safety equipment:

  • 4-inch (10-cm) thick and comfortable sleeping mats;
  • All group equipment (dining tent, table, chairs, crockery and cutlery);
  • Oxygen cylinders and oximeters;
  • GPS-tracking service;
  • Complete medical kits including Diamox.

Climbing crew:

  • Professional guides licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park. All guides are holder of Wilderness First Responder certification. All of them have 7+years of successful experience;
  • Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.).

We are proud to be the members of KPAP (Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project). It is an unbiased evaluation of our commitment to fair treatment of our mountain crews. Of all operators Altezza is paying the highest wages to the porters, guides, cooks and other Kilimanjaro teammates. You may read more about our Kilimanjaro crews here.

Taxes:

  • 18% VAT, 1% TDL and 0.3% Service Levy. Altezza Travel is an honest and responsible tour operator working in full compliance with the tax law of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tour price excludes (climbing)
  • International flights;
  • Tips (250-300 USD per climber for the whole mountain crew);
  • Visa fee (100 USD for American citizens and 50 USD for all others);
  • Personal gear rentals;
  • Lunch and dinner at the hotel (before and after the climb);
  • Portable toilets (if required - 250 USD per unit, one can be shared between 3 people);
  • Mountaineering insurance. You'll need special insurance for climbing Kilimanjaro that covers high-altitude trekking up to 6000 m.

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Record breaking mountaineer
Eugene Kaspersky
Eugene Kaspersky
CEO of Kaspersky Lab.
Sergey Ryazansky
Sergey Ryazansky
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Stephan Siegrist
Stephan Siegrist
Professional Mountaineer and Basejumper
Thomas Senf
Thomas Senf
Red Bull photographer
Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber
Professional mountaineer
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