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umbwe 6 days

6 Days Umbwe Kilimanjaro Trakking

Description

The Umbwe Route is widely regarded as the hardest trail, a tough vertical slog through the jungle, in places using the tree roots as makeshift rungs on a ladder. Because of the high risks involved with sleeping at Arrow Glacier camp and summiting via the Western Breach, all our Umbwe route hikes are re-routed, to join with the Machame route from night 2 on the mountain. On special request, we can assist with Umbwe route hikes attempting to summit using the Western Breach/ Arrow Glacier path and overnight at the Crater camp. Please note this can only be arranged through our higher quality Standard packages and a supplement rate will apply. The main itinerary difference between the Umbwe 6 day and 7 day routes is the additional acclimatization day at Barranco camp.

PRICE INCLUDE & EXCLUDE

INCLUDE

>>> Private transport from Kilimanjaro International Airport to your accommodations in Moshi.
>>> Kilimanjaro Park rescue team fees.
>>> Government taxes.
>>> 3 freshly-prepared delicious meals daily on the mountain prepared by professional cooks who are happy to accommodate your dietary needs.
>>>3-4 liters of mineral/treated water per person per day.
>>> Hot drinks on the mountain and hot water for washing.
>>> Private transport to and from the hotel to the Kilimanjaro Park Gate.
>>> National Park entry fees and hut fees.
>>> Portable oxygen tanks, ox meter and emergency first-aid kit.
>>> Porter’s Cook’s and Guide’s Salary.
>>> 2 nights of accommodation at Hotel Moshi.
>>> Friendly and highly qualified mountain guides, assistant guides and professional cooks.
>>> Enough Porters to carry camping gear and additional baggage.
>>> Accommodation in Huts/camping.

EXCLUDE

>>>Lunches, dinners and drinks at your hotel in Moshi before climb and after climb.
>>> Personal items and toiletries.
>>> Tips for guides, porters and cook (this is a guide to tipping on the mountain.

Tipping on Kilimanjaro from the trekking group (not per climber):

>>> Guides: US $15/day/guide.
>>> Cook : US $10/day.
>>> Porter: US $8/day/porter.
NOTE: Our Guides, cooks and Porters are always satisfied with your thanks giving (tip) you have and not beyond your ability.

Map of Umbwe Route

MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREKKING EQUIPMENTS

Day 1: Umbwe Gate to Cave Bivouac Camp (2,850m)

At 8am leave Moshi for Umbwe Gate where you will meet our porters, guides, and cooks who will spend the next six days trekking with you to Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa. After arriving, wait at the gate while we register your climb and the porters and guides make final preparations. Your first day’s destination is Cave Bivouac Camp, approximately 6 hours from the gate. The trail is steep and can be slippery in some places. Hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. The forest will thin later in the hike and heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers will come into view. Porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival.

Day 2: Cave Bivouac (2,850m) to Barranco Camp (3,950m)

The first section of the trail continues following the ridge. After leaving the forest, continue through open moorlands until reaching Barranco Camp. Barranco is generally regarded as the most scenic campsite on the Umbwe Trail as it’s surrounded by giant senecios and lobelias. As Barranco is in a valley, the sun rises later than at the other camps.

Day 3: Barranco Camp (3,950m) to Karanga Valley (4,200m)

Leave Barranco Camp after breakfast for Karanga Valley. The day begins with a 1.5 hour scramble up the Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day and in some places you may have to use your hands to aid your climb. After reaching the top, hike through fairly level terrain before making a short but steep descent into the green Karanga River Valley.

Day 4: Karanga Valley (4,200m) to Barafu Camp (4,600m)

After breakfast, begin the hike to Barafu Camp. On the way to Barafu, view several of Kibo’s glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail. During day four, hike by the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. Although the trail to Barafu passes through alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Try to sleep after finishing dinner as you will wake before midnight for your summit hike.

Day 5: Barafu Camp (4,600m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) to Mweka Camp (3,100m)

Around midnight, begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak. Hike by the light of your headlamp for the next six hours. The ascent to the crater rim is the most challenging part of the entire trek. The trail is very steep until you reach the crater rim at Stella Point.
The hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. The crater rim hike takes approximately one hour. Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos of your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Mweka Camp. On the way down from Uhuru, enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds and glaciers.
At Barafu Camp, eat breakfast and take a short break. You still have another three to five hours to go before reaching Mweka Camp.

Day 6:Mweka Camp (3,100 meters) to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters)

In the morning after breakfast you will be trekking down to Mweka gate. The trek is a pleasant one through the lower rain-forested slopes and down to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters). Although you cover 9km / 5.5 miles, the trek only takes 3-4 hours. Assuming you successfully reach Stella Point or Uhuru Peak you will be presented with official certificates – a green certificate for the former and a gold certificate for the latter. It is customary to tip your trekking crew before being transported back to your hotel in Moshi.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO INFORMATION

People can climb the mountain throughout the year, however there are times which are more convenient to climb due to different weather conditions. Bad weather conditions like rain makes it difficult to climb hence low summit success rate.

There are main two seasons for climbing Kilimanjaro. They are dry(June to October) and wet seasons (April to June). The dry season is referred to as the peak season.

During peak season, the weather is usually good with warm conditions making it easy for climbing Kilimanjaro and higher summit success rate. However being peak season is not because of weather but because the time coincides with American and European summer holiday.

Alternative time for climbing is from January to March where the weather is neither cold nor wet. The timing is best suitable for hikers who prefer less crowds of people.

Month Low (F) Average (F) High (F) Humidity (%) Rain Fall (in)
January 64 78 92 58 1.4
February 64 78 92 57 2.0
March 66 78 90 63 4.7
April 67 76 85 73 13.8
May 65 72 79 77 9.3
June 62 70 78 69 1.0
July 60 69 78 69 1.0
August 60 60 80 69 0.7
September 60 71 83 61 0.6
October 62 75 88 57 1.0
November 64 76 86 57 2.5
December 64 77 90 60 2.1

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.

WHY IT HAPPENS?

The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available. If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure. Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.

TYPES:

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:
  • Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.
  • High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.
  • High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. Its life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

  • SYMTOMS

  • You might have:
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Fatigue and loss of energy
  • Shortness of breath
  • Problems with sleep
  • Loss of appetite
  • Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude. If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:
  • Loss of coordination and trouble walking.
  • A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
  • A tightening in your chest.
  • If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:
  • Confusion
  • Shortness of breath even at rest
  • Inability to walk
  • A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
  • Coma.
  • WHO GETS TO?

    Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are -- even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it. Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors. Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.

    TREATMENT

    If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention. Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid. Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe. If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away -- and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital. If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.

    PREVENTION

    The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations. You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.

    Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are:

  • Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
  • If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
  • “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
  • Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
  • Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
  • Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.
  • Kilimanjaro Climbing Packing List

    Kilimanjaro climbing is one of the adventurous tour activity that one shouldn’t miss. However to make it more entertaining, it’s required to pack the right and necessary equipment.
    The following list will be of a great help:-

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    Clothes

  • Waterproof pants
  • 1-2 Long Sleeve Trekking Shirts
  • 1 Pairs of hiking pants
  • 1 Fleece Jacket
  • 1 Insulated Winter Jacket
  • 2 pairs synthetic warm weather trekking socks
  • 4 pairs heavier synthetic or wool blend socks
  • Top and Bottom Base Layer
  • 3-4 Short Sleeve
  • Water/Windproof mittens
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Lightweight Rain gear
  • 1 Pair of hiking boots
  • Balaclava
  • Trekking Equipment

  • A day pack
  • Headlamp with extra batteries
  • 1 Sleeping bag
  • 1 Duffel bag
  • A pair of trekking poles
  • Accessories

  • Backpack cover
  • Water bottle
  • Sunglasses
  • Electronic devices

  • Camera/Smartphone
  • Extra batteries/Power bank