overview
Kilimanjaro, the “roof” of Africa, located in Tanzania and surrounded by world famous game-viewing parks. The route up Kilimanjaro is the Machame route and is a non-technical climb through five very distinctive climate zones which allows for ample time to acclimatize. We will ascend Kilimanjaro very well set-up while enjoying the incredible views, company, and sense of accomplishment after summitting one of the famed “7 Summits.”
MounTURTLE offers the leading climbing experience on Kilimanjaro. The service and support is unparalleled throughout the journey, and our offerings reflect a well thought out menu plan, enthusiastic and supportive local staff, and well-appointed accommodations on the mountain. As a boutique mountain climbing company, MounTURTLE offers climbers a high chance of success in conjunction with the highest standards for safety.
Although Kilimanjaro is partially covered by glacier, our route winds around the frozen slopes to Stella Point and then onward to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. We do not use crampons, or rock climb at any time (unless teams elect to scale the Lava Tower), making this expedition more a high altitude trek.
This adventure appeals to the seasoned climber in pursuit of the “7 summits” as well as first-time trekkers who are eager to experience a high altitude expedition in the natural wonder of Africa. We arrive in camp every afternoon, and alongside our very enthusiastic and highly experienced Tanzanian staff, participate in song and dance to celebrate each successful day.
MounTurtle stands out by offering delicious, balanced meals, Medical Check & pulse oximeter, weather forecast, GPS-tracking online
Day 1: Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport. After immigration, retrieve your bags, and clearing customs, our representative, identifiable by a MounTURTLE sign, will transport you to our hotel in Arusha: The Mount Meru Hotel. (approximately 1-hour drive)
Day 2: Gear check and climber orientation. After a leisurely breakfast, your climb guide will conduct a gear check at the hotel and provide an orientation of the days ahead on Kilimanjaro. Your guide with provide instructions for packing trekking duffel and day packs. Afterward, there are options for exploring the Arusha area or spending the remainder of the day relaxing by the pool.
Day 3: Machame Camp (3022 m / 9,915 ft). In the morning, we drive from the hotel to the Machame Gate entrance (1814 m / 5,950 ft) and begin our ascent in the lush forest. We arrive in the afternoon at our Machame Camp and enjoy a wonderful dinner before retiring to bed.
Day 4: Shira Camp (3833 m / 12,575 ft). After breakfast, we head out and hike our way through the moorlands to Shira Camp.
Day 5: Barranco Camp (3981 m / 13,060 ft). We leave Shira Camp and trek to the Lava Tower, where we enjoy lunch and the views of the Western Breach route. From here, we descend to Barranco Camp. After reaching camp, we size up the next day’s objective: The Great Barranco wall.
Day 6: Karanga Camp (4029 m / 13,200 ft). After ascending the Great Barranco wall, we pause for photographs above the clouds and then descend marginally to the breathtaking Karanga Camp.
Day 7: Kosovo Camp (4870 m / 15,978 ft). This day we climb to our high camp, Kosovo Camp, passing by the popular and often crowded Barafu Camp. The additional ascent to Kosovo Camp provides a much calmer camp that also positions us for a slightly shorter summit day. We end with an early dinner and off to sleep in anticipation of the early morning start of our summit day climb.
Day 8: Summit Day! We have an ‘alpine start’ shortly after midnight and climb through the night using headlamps until the first rays of sun illuminate the mountain and surrounding landscape. We arrive at Stella Point (5745 m / 18,848 ft), take a short break, and then continue to the summit of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak (5895 m / 19,341 ft), and enjoy our moments here at the roof of Africa. After summit photos and ample time for rest and snacks, we descend to Mweka Camp (3075 m / 10,090 ft) and return into the lush green forest for our last night on the mountain.
Day 9: Mweka Gate (1638 m / 5,375 ft). Still savoring our summit success, we awake and enjoy our last breakfast together on Kilimanjaro. The morning will be spent descending to the Mweka Gate where we will have a celebratory buffet style lunch to quench our justified appetites! We thank our Tanzanian staff and drive back to Arusha to shower and enjoy a dinner in town or at the Mount Meru Hotel.
Day 10: Depart for home. After our final morning in Tanzania, you will be shuttled to the Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight home.
Day 10+: Contingency day for any unexpected delays due to weather, route conditions, team health, etc.
The End of expedition for climb only
Day 10, for Safari: Pickup from Mount Meru Hotel early morning with picnic lunch box Game drive enroute towards the Serengeti national park today dinner and overnight will be at the Seronera campsite located at the middle of the Serengeti national park,the area called Seronera which also reffered to be the heart of the Serengeti due to a permanet river that flow through the middle of the park and attract lots of Animals including Lions and Leopards
Day 11, for Safari: Early morning game drive in Serengeti national park mostly around the central serengeti and along the Seronera river circuit,the seronera river is a permant river meandering in this part of the serengeti,the seronera area is refered as the Heart of the serengeti,you will be back to the camp brunch before proceed game drive-enroute across the Southern plain and head towards the Ngorongoro for dinner and overnight at the Simba Campsite located along the famous Ngorongoro crater rim.
Day 12, for Safari: After breakfast depart from the campsite and drive to the famous Ngorongoro crater for full game drive, the Ngorongoro crater is sometimes referred to be the Garden of Eden or the Noah Ark, the crater provide the home for the big five, Wild beasts Zebras and un countable number of gazelle and thousand of pinkish flamingos. With pick nick lunch box you will descend down the floor of the famous crater game drive is specifically to see the big five ie Lion, Black rhino, Elephants, Leopard and Buffaloes. At late hours you will drive back to Arusha can drop you off at any hotel of your choice
Day 12+, for Safari: Contingency day for any unexpected delays due to weather, route conditions, team health, etc.
The end of the expedition
Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari
- July 10– 19, 2023
- July 24- 2 August 2023 (included Safari)
Cost: USD 5,200 (min. group size of 3)
Deposit: USD 1,500
Climb with Safari option: USD 6,150
Costs Include:
- Airport transfers
- Three-nights accommodations at the Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha (breakfast provided) – 2 pre-climb and 1 post-climb
- Team welcome dinner
- All meals while on the climb and safari
- All group gear on the climb (sleeping tents, dining supplies. and tents, toilette tents, first aid, etc.)
- Porter service on the climb
- All climbing staff including mountain guides and local support staff
- All park fees, permits and tour fees
- All transportation in-country
Costs Do Not Include:
- Round-trip airfare to/from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
- Tanzania tourist visa
- Alcoholic or bottled beverages
- Specialty coffee or espresso drinks
- Trip cancelation insurance or the required medical evacuation insurance
- Any expenses incurred by early departure from the program
- Personal items and equipment
- Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of MounTURTLE LLC
Cancellation/Refund Policy
- There are no refunds for the deposit or balance payments for this expedition. This includes but is not limited to, expeditions that conclude without reaching or making progress towards expedition objective(s) (for example, the summit) due to route conditions, weather, insufficient manpower, or any other factor outside the control of MounTURTLE.
- Expedition leader has the final say on the expedition conclusion and will make all best efforts towards reaching expedition objective(s) within our margin of safety.
- Participants that choose to leave an active expedition for any reason are not entitled to any refunds
- MounTURTLE highly recommends trip cancellation insurance for all expeditions
- Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, MOUNTURTLE must adhere to a stringent refund policy
- Deposit due with registration materials
- All balances are due 120 days prior to departure date unless otherwise specified
- Participants whose balances are not received by the 120-day deadline as stated above, risk forfeiture of their funds and their place on the expedition
Note: MounTURTLE operated by JOYCE AZZAM, LLC reserves the right to waive any fees. As we offer personalized service, we will attempt to accommodate changes and cancellations when necessary, waiving certain fees when feasible. Deposits paid by participants acknowledge the above cancellation terms.
Base Layers
- Synthetic Short Underwear (1-2 pair): non-cotton style underwear
- Lightweight Long Underwear (1-2 pair): long sleeve shirt and long pants
- Heavyweight Long Underwear (1 pair)
- Short Sleeve Synthetic Shirt (1-2)
Mid Layers
- Soft Shell Jacket: to be worn over other layers
- Soft Shell Pants: very breathable and water repellant
- Lightweight Nylon Pants
Windproof/Rain Layers
- Hard Shell Jacket with hood: waterproof and breathable shell jacket
- Hard Shell Pants: waterproof and breathable shell pants
Insulation Layers
- Insulated Down or Synthetic Jacket with hood
- Heavyweight Insulated Down Jacket with hood
- Insulated Pants
Headwear
- Warm Hat: synthetic or wool hat (ski hat)
- Balaclava: to protect your neck and face in high winds
- Baseball Cap or other sun hat: to shade your face/neck from the sun on a hot day
- Bandana or Buff: to protect your neck/face from the sun
Eyewear
- Glacier Glasses: full protection with side covers or wrap around
- Ski Goggles: to be worn in the event of high winds – (2nd pair optional)
Gloves
- Lightweight Synthetic Base Layer Gloves: for wearing on warm days
- Soft Shell Gloves: to wear for moderate cold/wind
- Shell Glove with Insulated Liner: to wear for severe cold/strong wind
- Expedition Mitts: large enough to fit a liner glove inside
Footwear
- Liner Socks (3 pairs)
- Wool or Synthetic Socks (3 pairs)
- Hiking Boots: comfortable hiking boots
- Gaiters
Sleeping Equipment
- Sleeping Bag: rated to at least -20°F
- Self-inflating Sleeping Pad: full length is preferred
- Closed-cell Foam Pad: to be used in conjunction with the inflating pad for warmth and comfort when sleeping
- Earplugs
Mountaineering Gear
- Trekking Backpack: approximately 35L
- Compression Stuff Sacks: for reducing the volume of the sleeping bag, down parka, etc. in your duffle
- Trash Compactor Bags: to line backpack and stuff sacks as well as for separating gear
- Backpack Rain Cover (optional)
- Trekking Poles: adjustable
- Headlamp: with 2 extra sets of new batteries
Travel Items
- Large Duffel Bag with Lock: for transporting gear on the mountain, no hard sides or wheels
- Small Duffel Bag with Lock: to store items in the hotel(s) while on the climb
- Travel Clothes and Shoes: for days in cities and towns
- Lightweight journal, sketchbook, pencils, pen
- S. cash: for currency exchange to purchase SIM cards or merchandise in cities and towns
Additional Food Items
- Snack Food: bring a few days supply of your favorite climbing snack food such as bars, gels, nuts, beef jerky, etc. variety of salty and sweet is good
Other Equipment
- Cup: plastic 16 oz. minimum cup or mug
- Bowl: large plastic bowl for eating dinner or breakfast
- Spoon: plastic spoon (Lexan)
- Water Bottles (2): wide mouth bottles with 1-liter capacity
- Water Bottle Parkas (2): fully insulated with zip opening
- Water Treatment
- Thermos (optional): 1 liter
- Hand and Toe Warmers
- Sunscreen: SPF 50 or better
- Lip Screen (2 sticks): SPF 30 or better
- Toiletry Bag: include toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes and hand sanitizer (2 small bottles)
- Pee Bottle: 1-liter minimum bottle for convenience at night in the tent
- Female Urination Device (FUD)
- Knife or Multi-tool (optional)
- Small Personal First-aid Kit: include athletic tape, band-aids, Ibuprofen, blister care, etc.
- Medications and Prescriptions: bring personal medications, antibiotics (Azithromycin, etc.), altitude medicine such as Diamox, etc.
- Handkerchiefs/Bandanas (optional)
Optional Electronics
- Country-appropriate power plug adapters and power transformers
- Adventure Sports Watch: such as Garmin fēnix 6
- GPS/Personal Satellite Communicator: such as Garmin inReach Mini
- Personal Power System: such as Goal Zero Nomad 28 Plus Solar Paneland Sherpa 100AC Power Bank
- Digital Entertainment: movies, tv shows, music, books loaded on to smartphone, iPad, Kindle
- Camera: bring extra batteries, charger, and memory cards
MounTurtle stands out by offering delicious balanced meals, Medical Check & oximeter, weather forecast, GPS-tracking online.
MOUNTURTLE is recognized for well thought out strategy in leading high altitude climbing expeditions, as well as high-quality service throughout. We have two decades of experience in the planning and coordination of mountaineering expeditions, our reputation is excellent. We strive to make each expedition the best possible experience for our climbers and focus on our 3 primary goals of success in reaching the summit, returning safely, and having fun! Safety is always our number one priority.
Our guides are some of the best and most experienced in the industry, having a strong grasp of technical climbing, expedition, and high altitude experience, along with strong interpersonal skills. Our teams are small and equipped with the best support available to ensure the highest chance of success. We are renowned for our comfortable base camps, high-quality food, first-rate communications, and medical support services, all of which are overseen by a professional member of our team.
Most of our climbers have either climbed with us before, been referred by a friend who has climbed with us, or met one of our teams while attempting another peak and decided to join us for their next expedi