Tanzania·7 - 15 June 2024
An adventure 'super classic' and one of the best things you can do in your lifetime
ENQUIREKilimanjaro is a bucket list adventure and in our opinion, one of the best things you can do in your lifetime. One of the ‘Seven Summits,’ and the highest freestanding mountain on Earth, to stand at the summit of Uhuru Peak is to achieve something magical - an unforgettable moment in your life, it is an epic challenge to fill you with joy and inspiration. Climb the Machame Route with us this June; widely recognised as the best route on Kilimanjaro for its beautiful scenery, more interesting sections and topography which allows participants to "trek high, sleep low' aiding acclimatisation. With our super guiding team lead by James Bell and assisted by the renowned Tanzanian guide, John Bosco this will be an adventure epic to thrill and delight you. Join us by yourself, bring a friend, climb with a loved one or for a charity! Give us a call today to start planning your Tanzanian adventure.
Experience the best sunrise of your life from the roof of Africa.
With guiding from experienced expedition leader James Bell and John Bosco, our Tanzanian Head Guide every aspect of your safety and enjoyment will be covered.
Our Head Chef Steven produces some of the best food at altitude in the world.
Our base in Moshi is the Salinero Hotel - the ideal place to start and finish your trek.
Our Kilimanjaro expeditions come with 'max add ons' including private toilets and a portable shower for maximum comfort.
Post the Spring rains, June is considered one of the best months to attempt Kilimanjaro.
Stay on in Tanzania and see the Big 5 in Tarangire National Park.
Our Tanzanian Head Guide, John Bosco is a Kilimanjaro legend with over 200 summits and many coming via the technically difficult, not often climbed Western Breach route.
John has an impressive record of getting people to the summit. The oldest client he has guided to the summit to date was 78 years old while the youngest was just 9!
John has an impeccable safety record, undergoes regular First Aid training and is highly experienced at recognising and treating the symptoms of AMS.
John will no doubt impress you with his kind and professional manner, attention to detail and skill on the mountain.
Our Assistant Head Guide Kennedy is a superstar with more than two decades experience working on Kilimanjaro.
Starting as a porter, he has worked his way up to be our Head Assistant Guide after gaining his guiding qualification at Mweka Wildlife College.
Ten years later, Kennedy has over 100 summits under his belt and when not on the mountain is busy with coffee, bananas, and avocados at his his family farm in Arusha with his wife and two children.
A graduate of the Royal College of Tourism in Moshi, Steven is a super talented high-altitude chef with over 15 years experience of cooking on Kilimanjaro.
Whatever your dietary requirements, Steven will delight you with the amazing food he produces - even at the highest camps!
When not on expedition, Steven lives in Moshi with his wife and four children.
A graduate of Arusha's National College of Tourism, Arusha-born Mathew is one of the best expedition mangers in Tanzania.
Mathew started working on Kilimanjaro as a teenager and has held every position from porter to lead guide with dozens of ascents of Kilimanjaro and hundreds of expeditions under his belt.
Mathew is also a an expert in designing and managing the best safari options for guests, should they wish to extend their stay in Tanzania.
The founder of True Summit Adventures, Oliver is a certified Mountain Leader and experienced adventurer and alpinist.
He has summited Kilimanjaro 6 times with his most recent summit being over New Year's Eve, 2023.
He says: "I think it is something everyone should do in their lifetime. It is a challenge going to 6000m, but it is a very special place. Everything from the unique scenery, to the people who work on its slopes, the whole experience is magic, a dream. It's my pleasure and my hope to share this dream with you."
As such, Oliver will be fully managing this climb from start to finish from his UK base.
JOURNEY TO THE SUMMIT
At True Summit Adventures we choose the Machame route, widely considered to be the best, for its incredible views, more challenging sections, better topography for acclimatisation and lower likelihood of crowding.
The route also takes in the Lava Tower, 4600m and the awesome Baranco Wall - two big highlights of Kilimanjaro.
The Machame route begins on the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, it heads steeply north, crosses the Shira Plateau, and eventually meets the Shira and Lemosho routes at the Shira Camp. It ends with the hike to Mweka Gate.
The seven day ascent undoubtedly gives people the best chance of safely summiting Kilimanjaro. When talking to people about Kili and altitude sickness, summit success rates etc please note that we are doing the seven day ascent. It is when people attempt a 4, 5 or 6 day ascent that they encounter difficulties with AMS.
An unforgettable trek across the very roof of Africa.
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Welcome to Tanzania and to the adventure of a lifetime.
You will be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) by one of our team and driven to the team base in Moshi. For this expedition we use the excellent Sainero Hotel; one of the best hotels in the Moshi area.
Once you have settled in, please relax by the pool, take a massage at the spa or head into Moshi for a coffee at Union Cafe, before our all-important expedition briefing, gear check, and welcome dinner.
Here you will meet the Head Guide, our Logistics Manager and your all important team mates who will be making this epic journey with you.
After breakfast at the hotel we make the short journey to the Machame Gate to complete the park registrations and begin this adventure classic.
Here you will meet the support team for the climb. Typically we have 30 - 35 crew for a party of 10 guests and it is amazing to see them in one place - especially when they are in full song! (as happens often).
After completing park registrations we begin hiking through the dense rainforest where it is possible to see the black and white Colobus monkeys as we enjoy the gentle hike to today's destination, the Machame Camp at 2895m.
Here we settle into expedition life and enjoy some of the best food on the mountain thanks to Steven and his team.
Expedition life starts early and at 6am one of the team will serve you tea or coffee in your tent before breakfast at 6.30am. If the weather is good then the team will sing some of the famous Kilimanjaro songs before we depart on the trek.
Emerging from the rainforest we get our first proper views of Kilimanjaro ahead of us and the mighty Meru in the distance behind us as we tackle some steeper sections on route to the Shira Plateau.
Tea, coffee and snacks are served on route, but we make the push to the Shira Camp in one and enjoy lunch al fresco if the weather is good.
In the afternoon we can take the short walk to the ancient Shira Cave and head little higher up the mountain for some additional acclimatisation.
Today is an important day in our journey as we make the trek across the moorland to the imposing Lava Tower, 4600m and enjoy lunch at almost the height of Mont Blanc!
For many guests, the Lava Tower day is their first experience of serious altitude, but there is no need to be apprehensive as our guides will set a slow and steady pace to give everyone the best chance to acclimatise.
After lunch we then descend to the Baranco Camp, following the mountaineer's code of 'trek high, sleep low' where with remarkable speed and efficiency the team will already have assembled the camp and Steven's team will be preparing more excellent food!
Today is without a doubt one of the highlights of the entire trek as we scale the famous Baranco Wall, but fear not - it is not as daunting as it seems from the camp!
Expect some epic scrambling with some short sections where increased diligence and focus is required, but our team will be on hand to help you move safely through each segment and of course, take your photo at the 'Kissing Rock,' the most famous part of the wall.
Once at the top we stop for tea, coffee and snacks before heading down again on our way to the Karanga Camp at just below 4000m.
Today we make the short hike to Barafu Camp, our launchpad for the summit.
Unseen by expedition members, one of our team would have sprinted to the camp in the morning to give us the best possible position in the camp from which to start our summit push.
At this point the landscape is desolate with little or no vegetation remaining at this altitude. Once at the camp we spend the afternoon resting and preparing for the big night ahead - be sure to eat a lot as the summit night is long and arduous!
Dinner is served earlier than usual - around 6pm. After a final briefing we head to our tents to get a few hours rest before breakfast is served around 11am.
The day we have all been waiting for!
As people around the world are sleeping in their beds, you will become the hero in this story as you don your summit gear and prepare to launch yourself to the summit of Kilimanjaro on a night you will never forget.
Beginning at midnight we leave the Barafu Camp behind and with our head torches illuminating the way, the guides softly singing into the night and stars shining overhead we make our way up the rocky scree path towards Stella Point.
All being well, we will reach the crater rim by dawnand enjoy an epic sunrise - probably the best of your life, at Stella Point.
A further hour's trekking brings us to the summit of Uhuru Peak (5895m) where we gather as a team to celebrate and take the obligatory summit photos! We do not leave until everyone has the photo they want!
We then return to the Barafu Camp via Stella Point to enjoy a well-deserved breakfast and rest. After which we make our way down to Millennium Camp. Here the celebrations, story swapping and photo sharing begin in earnest.
Waking up at Millenium Camp knowing you are a Kilimanjaro sumitter is an awesome feeling!
There is a celebratory mood in camp, fatigue is vanishing and after breakfast the team will thrill you with a final rendition of the Kilimanjaro songs as Uhuru Peak stands proudly in the background.
We then have a 5 to 6 hour trek down through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate where we take more photos, complete the Park formalities and enjoy a hot lunch before saying goodbye to the team and thanking them for their incredible efforts.
We then return to the Salinero Hotel in Moshi where you can enjoy hot showers, massages and pool time. In the evening we will meet as a team for the final time to celebrate our great achievement of climbing Kilimanjaro and your Head Guide will present the summit certificates.
Sadly, all things must end and it is time to say our goodbyes.
We hope you enjoyed your time in Tanzania and your ascent of Kilimanjaro will live long in the memory!
Team members will be on hand to take you to the airport, or stay on in Tanzania and let us plan a safari for you to one of the nearby national parks where you will have a great chance to see the 'Big 5!'.
Our team base before and after the climb is the Salinero Hotel, one of the best hotels in the Moshi area. All its rooms are air conditioned and en-suite. Amenities include a spa, pool, and excellent restaurant.
We use Mountain Hardwear four season tents and four season sleeping bags on the mountain. All meals are served in a communal 'mess tent.' A portable shower and portable toilets are also available for your comfort.
Airport transfers
Pre and post climb accommodation at Lindren Lodge
Welcome and farewell dinners
Tanzanian Head Guide and Assistant Guides
Kilimanjaro National Park fees, camping fees and rescue fees
One porter per guest for main bag (max weight 20kg)
Transportation to and from mountain gate
4-season mountain tents
Sleeping mattress
Sleeping bags (-15ºC limit)
3 meals a day on the mountain
Filtered and treated water throughout
Portable shower
Supplemental oxygen if required, plus oximeter
Portable flush toilets
Fair wages for the mountain crew
Dedicated logistics manager
Celebration drinks and snacks at Mweka Gate
Full support in Moshi if your climb ends early
Satellite phone
Daily health check
Flights
Tanzanian entry visa
Lunch on arrival / departure day
Alcoholic drinks
Travel insurance for trekking up to 6000m
Tip to the high mountain crew (at least $250 pp)
Stay on after the climb and enjoy a 2 day safari (or more) in Tarangire National Park
PRICE$945.58/pp
Stay on after the climb and enjoy a 2 day safari (or more) in Tarangire National Park
PRICE$832.38/pp
Absolutely. Extra nights at the Salinero Hotel l are c. US $100.
If arriving earl then we recommend a visit to the Materuni Waterfall.
Like any mountain, the weather can be unpredictable. It gets significantly colder at night, and as altitude increases. Temperatures at the summit are typically -3 to -8 degrees Celsius.
You need to be fit enough to hike uphill for up to eight hours a day over several consecutive days. A good benchmark is if you can walk 21km. If you feel like you could do this again the next day, you are probably fit enough. See our training plan for more information.
Very good - lots of energy rich dishes like rice, pasta, and potatoes are served with meat and vegetables. Usually with fruit to finish. At breakfast expect porridge, toast, pancakes and eggs.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are also available.
Most people consider Kilimanjaro to be the harder trek due to the long summit night and camping which you do not get on the EBC trek.
For your best chance of reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro come in peak condition - see our training plan for more info.
Avoid being surprised by the interchangeable conditions on Kilimanjaro by adhering to the kit list.
US dollars are required for paying for the visa on arrival and tipping the high mountain crew.
Our "Kili" Blogs
Oliver Browne · Thu 8 Jun 2023
Oliver Browne, True Summit Adventures' CEO, answers the questions on our expeditions to the highest freestanding mountain in the world
Oliver Browne · Mon 14 Nov 2022
A short note on preparing for climbing Kilimanjaro!
Oliver Browne · Sat 8 Jul 2023
How do they compare, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya?