The Best 9-Day Climbing Kilimanjaro+Materuni&Kikuletwa Hot Spring

Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will meet an life journey experience representative, and transfer to your hotel in Arusha city. The hotel will provide all the essentials for a comfortable stay: cozy rooms, hot water, polite staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access. In the evening there will be a briefing with our managers or guide who will also make sure you are ready to begin the climb.

Elevation: 2389m – 2785m Distance: 5km Hours:3-4 hours Habitat: Rain forest. In the morning, you will be picked up from the hotel by our driver who will drive you to the Londorossi gate. Once at the gate, you will be registered and you will need to sign some papers. After registration, you will be driven up to a bumpy track that will take you into the dense rainforest to the drop-off point where your trek begins. You will follow a moderately steep track, which leads you through an amazing and unspoiled natural forest to Mkubwa Camp. As this region is also home to wild game, you will be accompanied by an armed ranger during the first 2 days of your trek.

Elevation: 2785m – 3895m Distance: 17km Hours: 7 hours Habitat: Moorland. On this day, the trek will start on a small trail that passes through the rainforest. As you climb, the forest gradually thins out and the landscape changes into heath and moorland where plants like Erica and lobelia start to dominate the landscape. You will cross the Shira Ridge and reach Shira Camp 1. Here you will stop for lunch, relax a bit and enjoy the fantastic views of Mt Meru and the Rift Valley. For the last part of the climb, you will climb another 400m in altitude. The landscape will change again at Shira Camp 2. Shira camp 2 is the final destination for this day and you will spend your evening and night there.

Elevation:3895m – 3986m Distance:10km Hours: 5-6 hours Habitat: Semi-desert This day you will climb approximately 740m but you will spend the night at an elevation only slightly higher than the previous night. This will allow your body to cope with the climatic change, the trek begins with a long ascent above the Shira Plateau in the direction of the Lava Tower. The climb passes through the wide Barranco Valley which has lobelia and giant Senecio plants.

Elevation: 3986m – 4034m Distance: 5km Hours: 4-5 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert. After breakfast, you will leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. Then, you will leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. In the afternoon, you can relax and stretch your legs in preparation for the upcoming summit night.

Elevation:4034m – 4662m Distance: 5km Hours:4-5 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert. On this day, you will continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here you will make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

Elevation:4662m – 5895m (going up) 3090m (going down) Distance: 5km going up – 11km going down Hours:5\7 hours (going up) – 5\6 hours (going down) Habitat: Arctic. Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), you will continue your way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point, you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (if the weather permits). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you will have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

Elevation: 3106m – 1633m Distance: 8km Hours:3-4 hours Habitat: Rain forest. After breakfast, you will continue the descent down to Mweka Park gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear. After you have arrived at the gate you will be picked up by our driver and brought back to your hotel near moshi kilimanjaro.

Materuni village is surrounded by beautiful tropical rainforests. Visitors will get to explore Materuni waterfalls under the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Apart from hiking, the pool at the bottom of the waterfall is a good place for a refreshing swim if the weather allows, therefore, you can carry your costumes with you. Our guide will lead to to coffee tour and local food buffet lunch after the hiking. You will head to Kikuletwa Hot Spring for a few hours where you can swim and have exciting picnic activities around the place. It will be our last activity, the guide will take you back to your hotel or Airport.