9 days hiking on Kilimanjaro

On your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport or in Arusha, gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro, you will be welcomed by our guide from Riverwide Safaris. After a welcome to Tanzania, you will be transferred to the base and taken to your hotel or lodge to relax and mentally prepare for the climb. On the first day, you will have an initial briefing with your guides, who will give you a detailed overview of the mountain's majestic slopes.

Your quest begins as you drive to your chosen trailhead at Machame Gate, perched 1,800 meters above sea level. Climbers gather for final preparations, checking equipment and supplies. The team meets to provide a detailed overview of the itinerary, set expectations, and review safety protocols. They meet the porters and signals from the climbing team. Your first acclimatization walk is a gentle but meaningful introduction to the challenges of your climb – it is not a simple walk. This short hike allows your body to adapt to higher altitudes, marking the start of our epic journey to Africa's highest peak, affectionately known as “the roof of Africa”. From Day 3 to Day 7, climbers are immersed in a demanding but picturesque quest to the summit – an adventure full of rugged physical challenges set against a backdrop of awe-inspiring natural splendors.

Explore a dense rainforest with monkeys and birds. The trip will last 5 to 7 hours and will be designed to combine adventure and leisure. You'll reach the first campsite in the early afternoon, giving you plenty of time to rest and soak up the natural tapestry. The trail is designed to allow a relaxed pace.

Today marks a significant change in the landscape: hikers leave the dense, verdant canopy of the rainforest to embrace the rugged open space of the moor and heather. The journey unfolds with vast panoramas where one can marvel at giant ragworts and lobelias, a spectacular flora native to the high altitude ecosystems of East Africa. The path ahead becomes more difficult as hikers take steeper trails. Hikers embark on a 6 to 8 hour trek. This duration allows them to arrive at the next camp with enough time to acclimatize and relax.

On this important day, trekkers face the real test of Kilimanjaro. The landscape transforms into a more difficult expansion; it is rockier underfoot and sometimes requires some climbing on the trail. As you climb, the air becomes thinner, with each breath bringing less oxygen. Hikers spend about seven hours on the trail; It is essential to remain vigilant about your physical condition and hydration needs during this time.

Today is a more relaxed day, designed for acclimatization, during which hikers will ascend higher, then descend to rest at an altitude lower – a beneficial practice called “climb high, sleep low”. The trip should take approximately 4-5 hours. This shorter duration allows ample time to recover in preparation for the final ascent to the summit of the peak.

Trekkers will embark on a trek to the base camp – the capstone of our summit attempt. Although this hike is short, it has a challenging incline and leads to an altitude where sleep may be difficult due to the exhilaration and thin air. In anticipation of the climb beginning at midnight, participants are advised to go to bed early, to prepare for what awaits them as they make their way to the top of their high altitude launch pad.

On the eighth day of your Kilimanjaro adventure, the highlight is the final ascent of Uhuru Peak, for which you have prepared mentally and physically. Often beginning at night, this crucial climb represents all aspects of preparation converging into a single, determined push toward the summit glory that awaits Kilimanjaro.

On the ninth day of your Kilimanjaro journey, you begin the final descent to the park gate, a less physically demanding stage that offers a chance to reflect and witness the unfolding of the great tapestry of nature. This stage is less demanding than the ascent, but it gives the feeling of having conquered the highest peak in Africa.