After breakfast you will be driven to the Umbwe Gate at 1800m, passing through villages with banana and coffee plantations. On arrival at the Parks Gate your guide and porters will meet you. You will have to sign the register before you enter the park. As you head into the forest, temperature scan rise to about 35 degrees C, but as you quickly rise in altitude, they will progressively drop, by about 1 degree for each 200m climbed. The paths can also be quite muddy. The route initially follows a forestry track winding up through the natural rain forest. It then narrows and becomes steeper as you climb the ridge between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers, with huge trees surrounding you. The path offers some spectacular views of deep gorges and if you are lucky, glimpses of Kilimanjaro towering above you in the distance. The camp is perched between huge trees and thick undergrowth.

DAY 3: Bivouac (first) camp (2940m) - Barranco camp (3950m):

Shortly after leaving the camp the forest starts thinning and is replaced by rockier terrain, sparser undergrowth and straggly, moss-covered trees. The path continues along a narrow, but spectacular ridge and as it ascends through the heath, the ridge narrows and sharpens quite quickly. As you gain higher altitude, you will note how quickly the various vegetation zones change. Sighting of Lammergeyer are quite common. The path flattens as you approach Barranco Valley . From the Umbwe ridge the route descends slightly to the Barranco camp.

The camp is situated in the valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset.

DAY 4: Acclimatisation Day:

This day will be spent at Barranco camp to aid with acclimatisation. You can spend the day walking around to explore the surrounding areas such as up to the Barranco wall, take in sights of the magnificent Scenecio’s, or just rest.

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3860m) to Barafu Camp (4550m)

Early morning, you will head up the impressive Great Barranco Wall – a climb much easier than anticipated. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over several ridges and valleys where you will see the magnificent giant Senecio Kilimanjari plant. You will then join up with your later descent route where you will head left up the ridge for another hour, before reaching Barafu Hut.

The summit is a further 1345m up.

Day 6: Barafu camp (4550m)- Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m).

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 and is for many climbers, the most mentally and physically challenging part of the entire route. It is advisable NOT to stop too long at Stella Point (5685m). Take a Short rest and head the next 200m, most probably through snow, for the summit. The remainder of the climb to Kilimanjaro Uhuru Peak will take anything from 1-2 hours. From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak .

After your moment of glory on the summit of Kilimanjaro, you will head back to Barafu and then down towards Mweka hut (3100m).

Day 7: Mweka camp (3100m)- Mweka Gate (1980m)

Today is a Short 3-hour scenic hike. At Mweka gate you will have to sign your name and details in a register in order to receive you machame summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

In the Mweka village you will meet up with your team and bus, and head back to the hotel a long over due hot shower.

DAY 8: After breakfast, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for you flight home.