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MS Climb Kilimanjaro-2012
Help conquer Multiple Sclerosis by conquering Africa’s highest mountain, the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro! Travel to stunning Tanzania to see its intriguing culture and wildlife and experience the true hospitality of a proud African nation.
Spend 7 awe-inspiring days hiking up the Rongai route, known for its beautiful scenery and summit success rate.
Travel on safari to two of Tanzania’s top national parks, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro Crater. Feel the spirit of true Tanzanian culture as you learn from the Hadazbe bushman, one of the last hunter/gatherer tribes in the country.
Visit a local Masai primary school to meet the people who are making a difference in local lives and have a chance to be a part of it.
To learn more about the MS climb program, see our FAQ's page.
Included Highlights:
- 7-day guided Kilimanjaro climb on the Rongai route
- Guided private Lake Manyara safari
- Guided Ngorongoro Crater safari
- Hadzabe Bushman and Datoga village visit
- Ilkurot Primary School visit
- Accommodation: 5 nights comfortable lodge(twin-share) / 6 nights tents on Kilimanjaro / 3 nights tented safari camp
- Day 1
- Arusha – arrive at anytime in Arusha, known as the gateway of the Serengeti. Arusha is a lush and scenic …town that sits at the foot hills of Mount Meru, Africa’s fourth highest mountain. You will be met at Kilimanjaro International airport by an Original Trails representative and transferred to our comfortable lodge in Arusha. Karibu (welcome) to Tanzania!
- Day 2
- Arusha -Spend the day acclimatizing resting and relaxing in preparation for the climb. … You will be met by your guide for a trek briefing then go on an optional visit to Arusha with your guide. They will show you around and familiarize you with restaurants, banks and places to shop. In the evening enjoy a meal with the rest of the group, and get ready for tomorrow!
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 3
- Kilimanjaro – Journey to Nale Moru – after breakfast, we make the journey to Nale Moru, a wooden village near the Kenyan border…. During our drive and with a bit of luck we will have a clear view of Kilimanjaro in all its morning glory. After we complete our entrance formalities at the gate and have lunch, we begin walking through fields and forest. If your lucky, you could spot some Colobus monkeys. The pace of the walking will be very slow during our trek. Our guides chant the mantra of the mountain: “Pole Pole” which means “slowly” in Swahili. We arrive at our first camp amongst the moorland grass in the late afternoon.
Hike: 1950m-2600m, 3-4 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 4
- Simba – Kikelelwa – after breakfast, we leave our camp on a steady walk up through grassy woodland to our second camp …, Kikelelwa Caves sitting at 3450m for a hot lunch. Today is filled with an array of stunning views, including Kenya’s Amboseli National Park which can be seen in the surrounding plains below. During our trek up, our mountain guide will explain about the local flora, fauna, ecology and geography of the area.
Hike: 2600m-3330m, 5-6 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 5
- Kikelelwa – Mawenzi Tarn
– after breakfast, we leave the vegetation behind as we weave our way up through the barren landscape … to reach our next camp at Mawenzi Tarn Hut by mid-afternoon. Our campsite is spectacularly situated directly beneath the base of Kilimanjaro’s second highest peak – Mawenzi. A short rest is followed by an afternoon of acclimatizing walks and dramatic landscapes before returning to camp for dinner.
Hike: 3330m-4330m, 5-6 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 6
- Mawenzi Tarn – today we are going to enjoy an acclimatization day – short walks around the beautiful Mawenzi Tarn …area for the benefit of altitude acclimatization, very important when trekking at altitude and a major key to a successful summit attempt. We use the time to rest and re-gather our strength for the challenge ahead.
Hike: 4330m, Various
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 7
- Mawenzi Tarn – Kibo – today, we cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo (4700m) and we marvel … at the vast open and empty plain. Here you truly realize how minuscule we are while standing amongst the majestic and giant peaks of Kilimanjaro. We reach camp mid-afternoon and rest. We enjoy an early dinner and sleep in preparation for the final assault to Gilman’s Point & Uhuru Peak.
Hike: 4330m-4700m, 5-6 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 8
- Kibo – Summit – Horombo – at midnight, we wake for a small snack before continuing our climb for the steepest and most …demanding part of the climb. We will walk ‘pole pole’ on a switchback trail of volcanic scree until we reach Gilman’s Point (5685m) just before sunrise. After resting and re-hydrating, we have the option to soldier on to Uhuru Peak via Stella Point to reach the ‘Roof of Africa’. The ‘home of the Gods’, the exuberance and fulfilment you will feel will be hard to match! We return to Kibo Hut for lunch and rest before continuing down to our next camp for the night at Horombo.
Hike: 4700m-5985m-3720m, 13-15 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 9
- Horombo – Arusha – we leave Horombo after breakfast and follow the trail via Mandara Huts (2700m) for a scrumptious …lunch back amongst the forested foothill areas. If we are lucky, we will eat with the Colobus or Vervet monkeys! We then continue down to the National Park Gate at Marangu to sign out of the Park where we climb aboard our waiting vehicle for the transfer back to Arusha. After a shower and short rest, we join in a trekking de-briefing and share stories of our tremendous accomplishment.
Hike: 3720m-1830m, 5-6 hours walking
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 10
- Arusha – today, we enjoy a well earned rest day in Arusha. In the afternoon there is an included trip to visit …the children at the Ilkurot Primary and Nursery School located approximately 30 km north of Arusha. What started as a primary school 30 years ago with 5 classrooms for 500 children has grown to 11 classrooms with 1200 students, thanks to the funding of our local Kilimanjaro operator. The Nursery School opened for students in July 2005 with an intake of 45 students (aged 5-7 years) and was “officially” opened January 25, 2006 with a massive student increase of over 200 students. During our visit you will have the opportunity to meet the students and teachers and learn how the local school system works. Later we return to Arusha for the night in preparation for our safari.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 11
- Lake Manyara National Park – after breakfast you will be picked up by your safari guide and travel to Lake Manyara.…Nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the park is recognized for its incredible beauty. Lake Manyara as the name suggests is a soda lake, attracting many different species of birds including the pink flamenco. Here, you have the chance to see the many game animals in the parks such as buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, impalas, hippos and others
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 12
- Ngorongoro-Arusha – the Ngorongoro crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is in fact a caldera, an ancient volcano …that collapsed inwards and fell silent some 2.5 million years ago. With an area of over 260 km2, and walls 600m high, the caldera is an impressive reminder of the areas turbulent past. The Ngorongoro crater known for its natural beauty contains forests, fresh water lakes, swamps and a massive soda lake that supports thousands of pink flamingos. The crater can sustain animals all year around so it’s little surprise that it has a high animal concentration! We descend the crater walls in our 4WD and observe the abundance of animals that call the crater home. Here we will have the chance to see the black rhinoceros, no longer found in the Serengeti. After, we will travel to Simba camp, perched on the edge of the crater rim. We enjoy a night under the stars, listening to the surrounding wildlife!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 13
- Lake Eyasi – from Ngorongoro crater it’s a drive to Lake Eyasi, home to the hunter-gathers ethnic group, the Hadzabe Bushmen …The Hadzabe tribe bear similar characteristics to those of the Bushmen of Southern Africa and are possibly the only remaining hunter/gathers in Tanzania today. Holding true to their culture, the Hadzabe continue today to practice their ancient traditions of hunting and gathering and have only recently agreed to have travelers come visit them. It is a initiative that was started to generate income for the Hadzabe, which is then used for the benefit of the community. Visiting the Hadzabe is a cultural experience not to be missed! Click here for a taste of Hadzabe hospitality! Travel back to camp and spend the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 14
- Arusha – early morning rise to meet again with the Hadzabe to go hunting! Walk though the bush … with these skillful bow and arrow hunters as they search for antelope, look for wild honey and dig up roots for eating. After saying farewell to the Hadzabe, travel to visit another tribe living in the Eyasi area, the Datoga people. The Datoga are thought to have originated in Southern Sudan some 3000 years ago, and resemble the Masai in culture. Skillful and resourceful, the Datoga people are blacksmiths and farmers who cultivate the arid land and sell crafted arrowheads to the Hadzabe. Travel back to Arusha to the lodge for a final night with the team to reflect on your time in Tanzania.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 15
- Arusha – depart at any time …, your adventure guide can help you with any arrangements you may need to make.
Meals: Breakfast
