7 Days Rongai Kilimanjaro Trakking

Description

A seven-day trip to climb Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, trekking on the Rongai Route. Expect rainforest and moorland landscapes, with perhaps a sighting of some Colobus monkeys on the lower slopes and even the occasional elephant higher up. You will have a private vehicle to take you to and from the mountain. Accommodation on the mountain on this trip will be in tented camps – a true adventure.

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 Rongai Route

MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREKKING EQUIPMENTS

Day 1: Moshi – Nalemuru Gate – Simba Camp

After an early breakfast at your hotel (07.00), you depart one hour later and arrive at the Nalemuru Gate for around 11.00, when you take your picnic lunch.
Once you have completed registration, you’ve met the trekking team who will accompany you up the mountain and the porters have loaded up, you are ready to start the trek. Your starting altitude is at 2,000 metres and today you will ascend up to 2,671 metres, beginning your approach from the north-east. The vegetation at first is pine, as well as some vegetable fields, but you briefly enter lush forest where colobus monkeys can sometimes be seen. After the forest, the landscape changes to heathland with its huge heathers. You aim to reach Simba Camp by 16.00, as your walking distance today is only 8 km and your walking time is around 3 hours. Dinner at Simba Camp will be at 18.30.
Accommodation: Simba Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 3 hours, from Nalemuru Gate (2,000 m) to Simba Camp (2,671 m)

Day 2: From Simba Camp To Kikelelwa Camp

Your 07.00 breakfast is followed by today’s 08.00 departure. You would expect to spend about 6.5 to 7 hours walking today, covering a distance of 16 km. At the start, notice how the once-large heathers become smaller as you climb and the trees become fewer and further between. Behind you, you can see over the border to Kenya if the weather is good. The path is a steady, steep and dusty ascent. A picnic lunch is eaten at 13.00, before you continue in a south-easterly direction with the craggy peak of Mawenzi in front of you.
The path crosses moorland and there is less ascent than you have experienced this morning, but overall, this is a long day. At the end of the afternoon’s walk, you should reach camp at around 17.00 and dinner will be served at 18.00.
Accommodation: Kikelelwa Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 7 hours, from Simba Camp (2,671 m) to Kikelelwa Camp (3,600 m)

Day 3: From Kikelelwa Camp To Mawenzi Tarn Camp

You have the luxury of a later (08.00) breakfast and a slightly later departure. Today, after leaving Kikelelwa at 09.00, you have a very short day of walking – at just over 3 km – but you have to ascend over 600 metres and you take between 3.5 and 4 hours to complete the stage.
The scenery and views on this route are truly wonderful. You will notice how the vegetation disappears as you climb. On arriving at the campsite around 13.00, it will be time for a hot lunch. Some people like to use the afternoon to acclimatize, and if you are lucky enough to experience clear weather then the views of Kibo can be spectacular. In any event, the setting for this camp is truly beautiful. Dinner is served at 18.00.
Accommodation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 4 hours, from Kikelelwa Camp (3,600) to Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,315)

Day 4: Mawenzi Tarn Camp – Mawenzi Ridge – Mawenzi Tarn Camp

This is an extra day meant for acclimatization and after breakfast you will begin hike in the direction of Mawenzi Ridge with a 74-metres gain in altitude. You will spend one or two hours at higher altitude in order to properly acclimatize yourself, so the lunch break will take place at Mawenzi Ridge itself before you head back down to Mawenzi Tarn. Dinner is once again scheduled for 18.00.
Accommodation: Mawenzi Tarn Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 2 hours, Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,315) – Mawenzi Ridge (4,389 m) – Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,315)

Day 5: From Mawenzi Tarn Camp To Kibo Camp

After a 07.00 breakfast and departure from Mawenzi at 08.00, you set off on today’s 9 km walk, which will take you from an altitude of 4,315 metres up to the 4,720 of Kibo.
Expect to spend around 4.5 to 5 hours walking on the stage today. You begin the day westwards, then cross the ridge and proceed downwards and along the edge of the so-called “saddle”. You won’t see much vegetation today, but it is not unknown for an eland to be sighted – amazing at this altitude. Equally incredible are the views today, the favourite day of many trekkers. On the way, you stop for your picnic lunch at midday, before continuing the climb to Kibo, which you would expect to reach by 15.00. Dinner is served at the early time of 17.30, an early bedtime is recommended, ready for your summit day.
Accommodation: Kibo Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 5 hours, from Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,315 m) to Kibo Camp (4,720 m)

Day 6: Ascent to Uhuru Peak and Descent To Horombo Camp

Your schedule for your ‘Summit Day’ is very different. Rising at 23.00, you take your tea and biscuits (23.30) before a midnight departure. Today, you have 1,192 metres to climb, on what will be your toughest day, with around 13 hours of actual walking time and a distance of 21 km
Your expectation is to reach the summit from 07.00 onwards. You begin on a rocky path, and then climb via a series of zig-zags which get ever smaller.
Your reference points on your ascent today are, first, William’s Point (5,000 metres), Hans Meyer Cave (5,151 metres) and then Gilman’s Point (5,685 metres). The focus today is on walking slowly. On reaching the top, you take time to celebrate the successful climb, take photos and congratulate yourself, then make the descent to return to Kibo Camp for about 11.00 and take a very well-deserved, two-hour rest and enjoy a welcome hot lunch. Setting off again at 14.00, you continue your descent until you reach Horombo for about 17.00. Dinner will be served at 19.00.
Accommodation: Horombo Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 13 hours, Kibo Camp (4,703 m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) to Horombo Camp (3,720 m)

Day 7:Descent From Horombo Camp To Marangu Gate – Moshi

After breakfast at your now-familiar time of 07.00, you take the chance to thank your hard-working guides and porters at the ‘Tipping Celebration’. You depart from Horombo and start your descent down towards Marangu Gate, stopping at Mandara for a hot lunch at around midday.
Marangu Gate is reached by around 16.00, and today’s section is around 19 km which takes 6.5 to 7 hours of walking time. Having reached Marangu Gate, you will be presented with your certificate, recognizing your tremendous effort. You then return by vehicle to Moshi, to the comfort of your lodge, for your overnight stay and some deserved relaxation. Or perhaps, if you still have some energy, you can celebrate your wonderful achievement. After all, you have just climbed Africa’s highest mountain!
Accommodation: Hotel
Hiking time and Elevation: 7 hours, from Horombo Camp (3,720 m) to Marangu Gate (1,879 m)

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:-

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