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 Arusha Planet Lodge in the bright and bustling city of Arusha – gateway to Tanzania. Each room at Arusha Planet Lodge is well appointed, spacious, clean and comfortable to make your stay enjoyable. Conference facilities to suit team building activities, retreats, business meetings and other functions Well trained Chefs to create appetizing local and internation- al cuisine. From nyama choma, rice/ugali with fish, banana stew and many others, you should take time to sample Tanzanian staples as prepared by the respective and diverse tribes.

Arusha is the beating heart of the wild – the last port of civilization before heading out into dense jungles and rich savannah plains. The markets of Arusha burst with color, and throng with locals picking up their weekly wares. The numerous cafes sell dark and deliriously good coffee from the plantations, and close by the infamous National Park lures visitors in to explore her evocative Maasai culture and exotic flora and fauna. In the evening you will enjoy a quick briefing which will be conducted by professional Mountain Guide about your trekking, and to ensure if you are ready for climbing.

Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge or Similar Accommodation

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). 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.

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.

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

Change in Elevation: Nalemuru Gate (2,020 m) — Simba Camp (2,625 m)
Hiking distance: 8 km
Hiking Time: 3 – 4 hours
Accommodation: Simba Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

Early in the morning after breakfast, the group will depart from Simba Camp to start trekking towards your second high altitude camp: Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m) where you can see Kibo Volcano at its finest (barring cloudy weather). This trekking is more physically demanding than the previous one, so once you are in the camp, full rest is recommended.

Change in Elevation: Simba Camp (2,625 m) — Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m)
Hiking distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 5 – 6 hours
Accommodation: Kikilewa Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

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.

Note: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimati- zation process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. They help increase your chances of success- fully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness.

Change in Elevation: Kikilewa Camp (3,630 m) — Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,310 m) and Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,310 m) — Mawenzi Volcano (4,510 m)
Hiking distance: 8 km
Hiking Time: 6 – 7 hours
Accommodation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

This day will be spent trekking towards School Hut Camp (4,715 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).

Change in Elevation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,310 m) — School Hut Camp (4,715 m)
Hiking distance: 9 km
Hiking Time: 5 – 6 hours
Accommodation: School Hut Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

Night departure from School Hut Camp (4,715 m) and the start of you’re trekking to Kilimanjaro's summit: Uhuru peak (5,895 m). The trekking will be moderate from a physical standpoint, but the altitude presents a much more serious problem. For the entire length of the trekking each pair of climbers will be accompanied by their own guide, who will be monitoring your stamina and mental resolve. After your successful ascent to Uhuru Peak, you can descend to the nearest glacier if desired. Then you will return to Kibo Camp and after a two-hour rest continue your descent to Horombo Camp (3,720 m).

Note: Don't forget that 90% of all accidents occur during the descent, including all broken arms and legs. Please pay attention to your feet, as there is a high risk of damaging your toenails.

Change in Elevation: School Hut Camp (4,715 m) — Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) — Horombo Camp (3,720 m)
Hiking distance: 21 km
Hiking Time: 12 – 14 hours
Accommodation: Hormbo Camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro

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 Arusha Planet Lodge.

Change in Elevation: Horombo Camp (3,720 m) — Marangu Gate (1,860 m)
Hiking distance: 18 km
Hiking Time: 5 – 6 hours
Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge

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

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