Climb kilimanjaro for charity

                                                 CLIMB FOR CHARITY-TOURS & SAFARI 

                              (Godson Charity The best way for adding value in your trip to Tanzania)

                                                                7 days Machame  route

                   Specialized in:  Wildlife safaris, Cultural tourism, Mountain climbing and Beach                                                                                    holidays

For those who only have six days to climb Kilimanjaro, the Machame route is the best choice because of its acclimatization profile. Compared to other six day routes, the Machame route exposes the climber to higher elevations quicker (day three) which kick starts the body's adaptation to altitude. However, this route requires that a person be in good shape to be able to tackle the challenging elevation gains and losses. The six day Machame variation is a difficult route. In particular, day four combined with day five makes for a very hard schedule. Day four is a full day of hiking from Barranco to Barafu. Then after dinner and a partial night's sleep, the very long and strenuous summit day begins around midnight. The 6 day Machame route requires 19-24 hours of demanding walking, at extremely high elevation, with only 4-6 hours of sleep. 

Day of arrival:  Pick up from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi town at the hotel where you will overnight. (BB)

1 day Machame Gate to Machame Camp 

Elevation (ft): 5,400ft to 9,400ft, Distance: 11 km, Hiking Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Rain Forest 

The drive from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

2 days Machame Camp to Shira Camp 

Elevation (ft): 9,400ft to 12,500ft, Distance: 5 km, Hiking Time: 4-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast, we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite.

3 days Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Elevation (ft): 12,500ft to 13000 ft, Distance: 10 km, Hiking Time: 6-8 hours, Habitat: Semi Desert 

From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

4 day Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 15,000ft, Distance: 9km, Hiking Time: 8-10 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. Then, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position

5 days Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut 

Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft) , Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent , Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent , Habitat: Arctic

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy screed towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.

At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.

From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep. 

6 days Mweka Camp to Moshi 

Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5400ft, Distance: 10 km , Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Rain Forest 

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel in Moshi. at the hotel where you will overnight (BB)

Day of departure: Transfer to the Kilimanjaro Airport.

Marangu Route Kilimanjaro Climb 6 Days will give you a chance to reach the highest mountain in Africa which found in Tanzania and lies just 3 degrees south of the equator its permanently snow is very astonishing, Kilimanjaro offers one of the greatest opportunities in the world to climb the peak of high altitude with no need of technical climbing skills. The trek will take you over well-defined altitudinal vegetation zones, from semi-arid scrub to dense forest. It is open to any ordinarily fit and healthy person who prepared to put some energy to climb to the summit. Walking distance is approximately 60 kilometers start from Marangu Gate 1,860mts and slowly but surely, ascend is always on the day and stop at night to reach Gillman’s Point 5,680mts and as a final point climb to Uhuru Peak 5,895mts the real summit.

Day of arrival:  Pick up from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi town at the hotel where you will overnight. (BB)

Day 1 –MARANGU GATE- MANDARA HUT 

You will be picked up from the hotel and a drive to Marangu gate follow as you drive towards the gate you will be enjoying excellent views of the mountain, you will meet your team of guides and porters at the gate. Whilst in the forest you could see bright coloured birds, colobus monkeys and other species of monkey as well as mosses, lichens and flowers and delicate orchids. If the skies are clear you can see the town of Moshi lying at the edge of the plain further down. Once registrations finished you will start ascending leave the park buildings the walk is 4-5 hours through areas of coffee plantation and thick rainforest to Mandara Hut for Dinner and overnight.

DAY 2 – MANDARA HUT – HOROMBO HUT 3,720Mts 

The second day on the mountain starts just after breakfast with a steep climb through the last swathe of rainforest, though this soon gives way to rolling alpine meadow dotted with giant heather. Once you leave the forest sunshade, Kilimanjaro’s two peaks snow covered Kibo and rocky Mawenzi – lie straight ahead overlooking the skyline.Further on you cross a zone of open moorland with diminutive vegetation, today you gain roughly 1,000m altitude; the walk can take five to seven hours depending on your pace but always POLE POLE. Tonight for Dinner and overstay at Horombo Huts.

DAY 3 – HOROMBO HUT 

A day here provides an opportunity for you to acclimatize step by step to the altitude, Information show that an acclimatization day effectively doubles the chance of succession to reach the summit, thus the time is well spent! The day is not precisely wasted as there is several walks you can take just in the locality of the hut, but we will take the most famous walk of which most people take for acclimatization which leads you to the base of Mawenzi Peak the dramatic eastern summit of Kilimanjaro.The walk takes 4-5 hours a round trip and will go till to an altitude of 4,600Mts then you will return back to Horombo Hut for Dinner and Overnight this walk will put you in good shape later on.

DAY 4 –HOROMBO HUT- KIBO HUT 

The scenery turn out to be more rocky and rough as you leave behind kibo ,everlasting flower and other bizarre alpine plants Massive groundsels and lobelias appear in the sparse moorland. The trail up to Kibo will take between five and seven hours. Skirting Mawenzi Peak ass you pass the Last Water point then you cross a stark, almost lunar landscape to the Saddle which is a wide tundra desert between the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.Here you will start getting fantastic views of the upper ranges of the mountain before arriving at Kibo Hut (4,705m), a dry-stone-walled hut with dorms and limited facilities. Tonight you prepare for tomorrow’s final assault – THE SUMMIT – re-packing to leave any non-essential items with the porters; you need to summon all your energy to get to the summit so there’s absolutely no point in carrying anything you don’t need! An early night is imperative as you must make a midnight start in order to reach the summit in the morning before the cloud cover settles, and then have time to get back down to the hut. Overnight stay at Kibo Hut for 1 night (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

DAY 5 – UHURU PEAK 

This is a long and demanding day! The guides wake you soon after midnight and you start out in darkness, zigzagging up a long scree slope by the light of your torch in the extreme cold. At this time of day the scree is still frozen – which makes it easier to walk on! After roughly two hours you should reach Hans Meyer’s Cave – named after the German geologist who made the first successful ascent in 1889 – where he found the remains of a frozen leopard. The gradient gets steeper and three hours on (this is the hardest stretch of the climb! you should reach the crater rim at Johanne’s Notch. From here it’s a short scramble to Gillman’s Point (5,685m) in time for dawn. Your reward is the dramatic spectacle of the sun rising over the ice fields and craggy peaks of Mawenzi – the profusion of colors and shapes make all the suffering seem worthwhile! For those who still have the energy and drive, it takes another couple of hours along the crater rim to reach Uhuru (Freedom) Peak (5,896m). Your descent (approx. 3 hours) retraces the route back down past Kibo Hut to Horombo Hut for a well-deserved rest.

Overnight stay at Horombo Hut for 1 night (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

DAY 6 – Back to Moshi. 

The pace quickens as you continue your triumphant way back down across alpine meadow and past Mandara Hut through the rainforest to Marangu Gate where you board the vehicle for the journey back to Moshi. 

Day of departure: Transfer to the Kilimanjaro Airport.

The seven day Machame variation is the ideal schedule for this route. On the 7 day Machame route, the trek from Barranco to Barafu is broken up into two days, allowing for a short day just prior to the summit attempt. This is important because summit day begins very early, around midnight, so climbers are sleeping deprived going into the toughest day on the mountain. By having a short day beforehand, climbers can be better rested. The 7 day Machame route is highly recommended and used by most prominent Kilimanjaro operators. 

Day of arrival:  Pick up from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi town at the hotel where you will overnight. (BB)

1 day Machame Gate to Machame Camp 

Elevation (ft): 5,400ft to 9,400ft, Distance: 11 km, Hiking Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Rain Forest 

We will drive from Moshi/ Arusha to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

2 day Machame Camp to Shira Camp 

Elevation (ft): 9,400ft to 12,500ft, Distance: 5 km, Hiking Time: 4-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast, we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite.

3 days Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp 

Elevation (ft): 12,500ft to 13,000ft, Distance: 10 km, Hiking Time: 6-8 hours, Habitat: Semi Desert 

From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

4 days Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp 

Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft, Distance: 5 km, Hiking Time: 4-5 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.

5 days Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp 

Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft, Distance: 4 km, Hiking Time: 4-5 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert 

After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

6 days Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut 

Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 1345ft (and down to 10,000ft) ,Distance: 5 km… ascent / 12 km descent ,Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent ,Habitat:

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

7 days Mweka Camp to Moshi 

Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft, Distance: 10 km, Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Rain Forest 

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).

From the gate, you continue to drive you back to Moshi.