life of EASE......spirit of ADVENTURE
Sample Itinerary:
Kilimanjaro, Lemosho via Western Breach (Eight days)
Day 4
We trek from Shira Hut/Shira 2 or Shira Cave Camp to Moir Hut (4166m) across Shira Plateau before rising along the flank of a re-entrant. Height gain 515m. Distance = 4.5km.
Sunset acclimatisation before dinner to 4305m to ridge. Excursion Distance = 1.9km.
Day 1
Breakfast at your hotel is served from 0700. Please ensure that you have packed your bags before breakfast, have signed over your extra luggage that will not be required on the mountain to reception, and have deposited your valuables into the hotel’s safe.
Transfer and Registration. You will normally be collected at 0730 from your hotel. Your driver will take you to Londorossi Gate where we complete registration formalities. Climbers should have their passport numbers for their registry entries but unless under 16 years of age or East African citizens, are advised to have kept their passports and valuables in the hotel safe (excluding the amount they will budget for tipping their crew). Following registration we continue a further 12km by vehicle to the route’s start point. This final drive can take anywhere between 45 minutes and 1 hour 30, depending on road conditions. When the driver delivers you to the start point please also note that following any transfer it is customary to tip the driver; around $5 - $10 per group is usual. When the road is in poor condition it is sometimes not safe or even possible for the vehicle to reach all the way to the road head. In this event there will be some 180 additional metres of ascent to trek and 1.9km required to reach the start point.
From Lemosho Start Point (2424m) to Forest Camp (2821m) the distance is 5.4km, over 400m of elevation gain. You are advised to stop regularly today and to move quietly in the hope of sighting wildlife near to the trail. Sightings of small antelope are virtually unique to the Lemosho and Rongai Routes.
Day 2
Trek from Forest Camp to Shira 1 Camp (3,504m) on western edge of Shira Plateau. It is normal to experience mild headaches on this day which should be alleviated with paracetamol. Those choosing to take Diamox should begin their course this morning with half a tablet (125mg) in the morning and the other half with supper in the evening. Optional afternoon excursion to Shira Peak (3950m). The distance to Shira 1 is 8.1km.
Day 3
This morning we begin to continue directly across the gentle slope of the Shira Plateau towards Shira Cave Camp (3875m). However, after 2.5km you are advised to request your guide to turn towards the south and enjoy an excursion via the dramatic Shira Cathedral, if you feel strong enough to add 3 kilometres to your day’s walk. The Shira Cathedral is an impressive volcanic outcrop that marks the southern lip of the Shira Plateau. It is possible to obtain excellent views towards Kibo, to the South and to the West from this point. We continue to Shira Hut/Shira 2 or Shira Cave Camp (at guides discretion). If we trek via the Cathedral the day’s journey will be 10.3km.
Day 5
Trek from Moir Hut (4166m) to Lava Tower (4642m). If the weather’s good you can ask your guide to lead you to the summit of the Lava Tower (4688m) where the views are excellent. Lunch is normally taken at the foot of the tower. Distance from Moir Hut Camp to Lava Tower is 7.2km. Afternoon acclimatisation excursions from Lava Tower to Arrow Glacier Camp before returning to Lava Tower Camp to overnight.
In the event that your guide feels spending tonight at 4642m would not help your acclimatisation, he may choose for you to descend to Barranco Camp (3965m) to overnight. Distance from Lava Tower to Barranco is 3.7km.
Day 6
Trek from Lava Tower Camp (or Barranco Camp if used) to Arrow Glacier Campsite (4871m). Though only a short distance is covered today - 2.5km, taking approximately 1.5 hours, the walk is still exhausting. Afternoon acclimatisation excursions on the Western Breach Assault route. You probably won’t feel like eating but please endeavour to do so as you’ll need the energy reserves. You are advised to get all your gear ready for the summit bid before you go to sleep as you may feel disoriented when awoken.
Around 0530 (your guide will judge the time that is optimal for you based on your pace thus far) quit camp for the assault via the Western Breach / Crater rim (5725m) to the summit. The Western Breach assault route to the summit, while the shortest, time wise, is also the steepest. This morning is very difficult and you’ll need to commit to fight for the crater rim. You will inevitably feel like giving up and going to sleep. This is normal and can be overcome with perseverance. When resting please ensure you only stand or sit and do not lie down or close your eyes. Please trust your guide; he is very adept at judging whether your condition will allow safe progress or whether you have succumbed to a potentially dangerous condition and to proceed will not be safe. Nausea and headaches are normal and around a quarter of climbers will vomit during this assault. While very uncomfortable, these are not symptoms that are indicative of being at risk, per se. The onset of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and its related problems is usually marked by distinctive early warning symptoms that your guide is capable of identifying. Please maintain regular dialogue with him and frequently update him on how you are feeling.
When you reach the crater rim you will sit, rest and admire the views out to the west, and the Furtwangler Glacier to your immediate east. At this point the body often thinks you have finished your uphill fight and will be trying to coerce you into giving up and turning around.
While you may genuinely believe that you have already exhausted your reserves in reaching this point, this is actually very unlikely to be so. Remember that you are only 170 vertical metres short of the summit, the journey from here is much less steep, and you have plenty of time for further pauses. If you do feel the need to give up at the crater rim please try to push on ajust a little further towards Crater Camp (5729m) before making your final decision. In most cases this act of re-establishing momentum is enough to persuade the mind and body to co-operate with your intentions and you will ordinarily find hidden reserves for a final push, reserves that you were not aware you still had.
From Crater Camp, it is only a short climb (max 1 hour) via the zig-zag track to the summit,passing Furtwangler Point at 5894m .
On the summit your guide will advise how much time you can spend there in consideration of your condition, your timings, and the weather. The brain does not function very intelligently at this altitude so please remember to take many photographs in all directions or you will probably regret not having done so at a later stage.
From the summit you will continue to press eastwards towards Stella Point (5752m) with the massive Southern Icefield, including Rebmann and Decken Glaciers, 100m to your right. When you reach Stella Point your guide may opt to switch left onto the loose scree to descend to Barafu. On arrival at Barafu you would usually have time to rest an hour or so before continuing the descent after some refreshments.
From Barafu you will usually descend to Mweka Camp (3090m) for overnight. If your guide judges that a shorter day will benefit you and preserve sore knees and ankles, he may decide to stop short at Millennium Camp (3820m) instead.
Distances on summit day:
Arrow Glacier Camp to Crater Camp: 3.5km
Crater Camp to Summit: 0.7km
Summit to Stella Point: 1.2km Stella Point to Barafu: 3.3km Barafu to Mweka Camp: 6.3km
Total summit day’s distance: 15km
Day 7
This morning we descend from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (1641m) where we sign the summit register and you will receive your Certificate of Achievement and be collected and driven back to our hotel.
Distance from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate is 8.5km.
PLEASE NOTE: Your safety is our business. All our Mountain Guides are highly trained in guiding at altitude and hold relevant, current First Aid Qualifications. In all matters of safety the decision of the Chief Guide is final.