| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89 | 73 | 0.93 |
| Feb | 90 | 74 | 0.97 |
| Mar | 90 | 75 | 1.28 |
| Apr | 88 | 75 | 4.08 |
| May | 85 | 73 | 6.80 |
| Jun | 83 | 70 | 2.73 |
| Jul | 82 | 68 | 1.95 |
| Aug | 82 | 68 | 1.76 |
| Sep | 83 | 69 | 1.35 |
| Oct | 85 | 71 | 3.37 |
| Nov | 87 | 73 | 2.92 |
| Dec | 89 | 74 | 2.30 |
I stood at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, breathing the thin air of a crystal blue sky. Below me stretched the flat plain of Tanzania, almost overwhelming in its vastness. I looked in vain for the tiny spot, thousands of feet down, where our climb had begun.
Days ago, we stood at the mountain's grassy green foot, surrounded by chattering monkeys and grazing hoofed game; the elevation where we now stand was not even visible. We hiked the Barranco Valley, into the "Garden of Senecias," with its prehistoric-looking plants and feisty white-necked ravens. Days ago, we were below the clouds.
Today Mawenzi Peak, blanketed in snow and ice, towers to the right, while Kibo seems just out of reach. From a distance, these gigantic geologic features appear indistinct. But, as we have come to understand, this mountain reveals her nuances one step at a time. Lava stones, crumbling clumps of foundation and sheer rock work together to form Kilimanjaro's commanding presence; we've clenched the mountain in our hands and felt it skidding under our boots.
Now our bodies have acclimated to the altitude and thinning oxygen. We continue our climb, our eyes constantly seeking Kibo's peak, one final day's effort away.
Dismass Mariki is a 30-year-old, licensed guide who has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro 176 times. He became inspired by the "White Mountain" while in secondary school, and paid for college by working as an assistant guide on the mountain. In 2003, he completed intensive training with Kilimanjaro National Park to become a head guide.
Arrive and transfer to Mountain Village Lodge. Once settled, drive to the park to acclimatize. Later, debrief on the days hike and review the upcoming expedition with your teammates at a welcome dinner (Approx. trekking time: 3 hours).
Mountain Village Lodge Day 2 & 3: B L DHead to the Lemosho Glades, at the foot of the mountain, to register and continue to the trailhead; after lunch, begin the ascent. Throughout your climb, you overnight in tents at key altitudes along the mountain. Hikes total from four to nine hours each day, with breaks and lunch on the trail (Approx. trekking time: 5 hours).
Forest Camp B L DToday the tall grass savannah segues into landscapes created by volcanic lava, caves, and foamy streams. Continue to Shira caldera, a high desert plateau (Approx. trekking time: 7 hours).
Shira 1 Camp B L DBehold the view of the Western Breach, Shira's Needle and Cathedral and glaciers. You may see buffalo, duiker and jackal as you hike the alpine heather zone, up to Shira 2 Camp for overnight. This afternoon, trekkers can see the new Shira 2 weather station, donated by Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy to help monitor climate change on Kilimanjaro (Approx. trekking time: 4 hours).
Shira 2 Camp B L DIn the morning, the wind picks up and the temperatures drop. To acclimatize, you climb up to Lava Tower, a freestanding rock measuring 325 feet in heights. Those who choose can may climb the tower, then descend the valley to Barranco Camp, situated below the Great Barranco Wall (Approx. trekking time: 5.5 hours).
Barranco Camp B L DWith good weather, the whole Western Breach and Mt. Meru is visible below you. In the morning acclimatize with a hike up to the Great Barranco Wall and then to Barafu Camp (Approx. trekking time: 7 hours).
Barafu Camp B L DYour climb is even more challenging at this stage, and every hour of hiking is followed by 10 minutes of rest. You peak at the Crater Rim at Stella Point, 19,000 feet above sea level. A unique aspect of Mt. Kilimanjaro is the three craters and their fumaroles that remind you that this is an active volcano. The lava flows that breached the outer crater in several places formed the renowned Western Breach. Descend down to the crater floor to overnight (Approx. trekking time: 6.5 hours).
Crater Camp B L DClimbing out of the crater, you ascend the final thousand feet to Uhuru Peak. At 19,340 feet you are standing on top of Africa's highest point. The descent will end at Mweka Camp with altitude and temperatures noticeably different (Approx. trekking time: 7.5 hours).
Mweka Camp B L DWake to warmer temperatures and the chatter of colobus and blue-faced monkey. Continue to descend to Mweka Gate, sign out and collect your Certificate of Achievement. Transfer to Mountain Village Lodge to celebrate. Afterward, transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home (Approx. trekking time: 3 hours).
Mountain Village Lodge (Dayroom) B L
