Day 1: You will be met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and transferred to the Karen Blixen Hotel. This very atmospheric hotel is located on the farm that once belonged to Karen Blixen, amongst her many other accomplishments she was the author of Out of Africa which was made into a major motion picture in 1985.

The rest of the day can be spent at your leisure. A Ivory Safaris courtesy vehicle and driver will be available for visits to and around Nairobi. Evening briefing with your guide at the hotel. Overnight at the Karen Blixen Hotel.

Day 2: Drive from Nairobi to Rongai, in Tanzania with a picnic lunch en route. We pass through Maasai country, where these traditional pastoralists live much as they have for hundreds of years. As these people coexist with wildlife, we may come upon giraffe, zebra, and other plains game on our drive. We overnight at the Rongai Lodge, which is located at the trailhead.

Day 3: We begin the hike into Kilimanjaro’s lower forests. During our walk we pass through a large section of indigenous forest, with East African Camphor Wood, East African  Olive and Podocarpus lining our path. There is a good chance that we may see the elusive Colobus monkeys peering at us through the canopy. Our first camp is located at 8,000 feet, just above the tree line.

Day 4: This is a long hiking day that traverses across the northern moorlands of the mountain. The sight in the morning of Kilimanjaro’s highest peak – Kibo, provides a sense of false proximity. We will have a hot lunch at 10,000 feet. In the afternoon, our trail gently rises towards the northern shoulder of the second highest peak, Mawenzi. The Giant groundsels and lobelia are two species of the rich and unique flora that indicate our approach to the alpine zone. It is not uncommon to pass leopard spoor in this region. We will reach our camp at an altitude of 11,500 feet late in the afternoon.

Day 5: This is essentially an acclimatisation day. A short hike directly up to our campsite brings us to the base of the North Face of Mawenzi. We enjoy lunch and a leisurely afternoon at the camp. Mawenzi’s craggy and steep nature explains why it was left unclimbed until E. Oehler and F. Klute first summited in 1912 (nearly 23 years after Hans Meyer’s ascent of Kibo). An optional acclimatisation hike to nearby Mawenzi Tarn gives us an opportunity to spend some time at a higher altitude before our descent to camp. Altitude of the camp is 13,600 feet.
 

Day 6: After breakfast we begin the long morning hike across “The Saddle” which links Mawenzi to the summit peak of Kilimanjaro - Kibo. This hike takes us into the world of Salvador Dali, as we spend the entire morning walking across this moonlike landscape – a place of stark rock, sand and lichens. We reach the Outward Bound Camp, at an altitude of 15,600 feet in time for a late lunch. The rest of the afternoon will be spent in the camp preparing for our attempt on the summit.

Day 7: The day we have been longing for! We will be awakened at around midnight and begin the long climb to the crater rim of Kilimanjaro. This journey of little more than two miles will take approximately 6 hours to complete. We will take it very slow…and very steady. We reach the crater rim at 18,600 feet as the sun begins to rise, and continue around the crater to the highest point on the African continent — Uhuru Peak, 19,340 feet. We then descend to 15,600 feet for lunch (what has taken us 8 hours to climb, is descended in about 2 hours). The southern edge of “The Saddle” is traversed in the afternoon, as we make a long descent to Horombo Camp at 12,500 feet, which is reached in the late afternoon.
 

Day 8: We descend the southern moorlands of Kilimanjaro which will take the entire morning and most of the afternoon. As we pass through the heath forest and into the equatorial rain forest, we can listen closely to the calls of the numerous bird species, as well as keeping an eye out for the Sykes monkeys. We will reach the National Park headquarters at Marangu Gate in the late afternoon, thus completing our traverse of Kilimanjaro. We then drive for a short distance to the Kibo Hotel where we spend the night. This old hotel was built by the Germans in 1912, and is steeped in the history of Kilimanjaro. Old maps, photos of the pioneers (originals of Hans Meyer), and other unique antiques grace the walls of this atmospheric hotel. There is also a wonderful fire-lit bar!
 

Day 9: Leaving the hotel after breakfast, we drive to the Kilimanjaro Airport for an early afternoon flight to Nairobi. We will be transferred from the airport to the Karen Blixen Hotel where dayrooms await. Evening transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for departing flights.