Twice a year we arrange a special clean up of the famous, Kilimanjaro. All of our porters along with many others who are members of Mount Kilimanjaro Porter Society (MKPS) clean the mountain of any litter left behind.

Next year, we are giving you the opportunity to join in and volunteer to make this magnificent mountain a cleaner place so that only footprints, are left behind.

The cleaning trip is along the Machame Route, which is probably the most beautiful and scenic, albeit steeper route up Kilimanjaro. All of your equipment and supplies are carried by the porters and a cook will prepare all your meals. The Machame route is also referred to as the "Whiskey route". It offers one views of incredible sunsets at Shira Camp, to breathtaking views of Kibo as the late afternoon mists clear. The Machame route is normally completed in a minimum of 6 days and follows the acclimatization principle of 'climb high and sleep low' For this reason, the Machame route takes you from 3200m at Shira Camp, high to Lava Tower (4630m) on the third day and back down again to 3950 for an overnight stay at Barranco camp (3950m

Accommodation on the Machame route is in tents, giving you a chance to be more "at one" with nature.

The dates for 2008 are:

10th May 2008 - 15th May 2008
1st November 2008 - 6th November 2008

ITINERARY IN BRIEF

9 May/31 October 2008

Arrive Kilimanjaro airport and transfer to the hotel

10 May/1 November 2008

Your day starts around 06h00 with breakfast, after which you head to Machame village and on to Machame camp to start trekking. Rain in the forest is possible although the paths are in very good condition having been re-worked in 2005. About half way, you will stop for lunch before continuing up to Machame camp in the late afternoon.

11 May/2 November 2008

You will head out of Machame camp and climb quite steeply for about an hour until you are above the forest area and then follow a more gentle gradient toward the base Shira Plateau. Then you will head up the rocky outcrop before heading in an easterly direction, towards Shira Camp.

12 May/3 November 2008

After breakfast, you will quickly leave the moorland scrub behind and enter into a moonscape of semi-alpine desert, while you hike constantly upwards toward Lava Tower. After Lava Tower your route will head down by almost 680m to the Barranco camp.

13 May/4 November 2008

Early morning, you will head up the impressive Great Barranco Wall. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over several ridges and valleys where you will see the magnificent giant Senecio Kilimanjari. You will then head left up the ridge for another hour, before reaching Barafu Hut.

14 May/5 November 2008

You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you will head off 'pole pole' into the night. Heading in a North westerly direction you will ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point (5685) on the crater rim. The hike up is about 6 hours. The remainder of the climb to Uhuru Peak will take anything from 1-2 hours. After your moment of glory, you will head back to Barafu, in about 2 hours where you will have a chance to rest, buy a cola or two before heading down towards Mweka hut (3100m).

15 May/6 November 2008

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour scenic hike back to the Park gate. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

COST: USD$1100.00 per person sharing

Prices exclude

* international flights and required taxes

* visa’s

* vaccinations

* porters tips

* items of clothing

* miscellaneous drinks, etc.

* mandatory travel insurance

* oxygen canister (can be requested subjected to additional payment)

Price includes

* complimentary transfers from the airport to hotel and return