The first week is spent acclimatizing in the superb Crater Highlands. As well as shaping us up by climbing volcanoes up to 3500m, this is also one of the best regions in Africa to see plenty of wildlife, which is sadly scarce on Kilimanjaro itself. Your guides for this part of the trip will be Masai warriors and you will get an insight into their fascinating way of life.

For our treks to the summit of Kilimanjaro in the second week we recommend either the Machame, Umbwe or Rongai routes. We deliberately avoid the overly busy Marangu route (aka 'The Coca-Cola Trail') as this is usually very busy and much of the joy of being on the mountain is lost. About half of all climbers on the mountain do not make it to the summit. Most have to turn back because of altitude sickness. To minimise the risk of succumbing to altitude sickness - a thoroughly miserable experience - we recommend the 2 week itinerary which gives time to acclimatise properly and so offer a much better chance of reaching the top. Our success rate is over 80%.

The Kili climb is varied as you ascend first through jungle then tropical meadows and along the crest of a ridge to the summit cone with the mountain's beautiful glaciers forming an impressive backdrop throughout. We ascend the summit cone to the crater rim and finally Uhuru Peak via a huge gash in the volcano known as the Western Breach. Continuing round the spectacular edge of the crater, we descend via the Mweka route which is the traditional descent route.

A more detailed itinerary is available upon request.

Prices
This price includes National Park fees, hotel/airport transfers, hotel accommodation on half-board basis (twin rooms), all camping facilities and meals during treks, all porterage costs, all costs for local guides and helpers.

This price does not include scheduled international flights from London to Kilimanjaro International Airport, airport taxes, personal insurance, bar bills and laundry, optional trips, tips.

Accommodation and meals
We stay in comfortable hotels and guesthouses at the start and end of the trip. For the rest of the time we use tents. All accommodation is on a twin-room basis.
There are huts on the mountain but many of them are in a state of disrepair and so we avoid these!
Meals are purchased locally by the guide team. Our diet will have high carbohydrate and high energy content with plenty of fresh fruit whenever possible. It is important that the food is easy to digest at high altitude.
On the mountain, we provide boiled water. Purifying water (with iodine and not chlorine) is not essential - the water is not full of amoeba as it is for example in the Himalayas.

Safety awareness & training
Climbing mountains has its dangers. These risks can never be removed altogether but they can be minimised. Our aim is to provide you with a thrilling expedition that is directed with maximum attention to your safety and the safety of others. The risks are reduced by the expert judgement of our leaders. They will make decisions with safety as the first priority, even if this is at the expense of reaching your ultimate goals.

Equipment
A copy of our recommended equipment list will be sent to you at the time of booking

Your guides
The trip will be lead by a local English speaking Tanzanian guide from Chiefs Tours. Their lead guide Adidas has led previous trips for us and is very well organised. The guide will be supported by 2 or 3 assistants who will all have climbed Kilimanjaro several times.
The guides not only lead the trip but they also oversee the logistical side of the operation. - managing up to 40 staff, checking supplies, organising camps and a myriad of other essential tasks.
On request one of Mountain Tracks' team will accompany the party from the UK and be responsible for liasing with the local team. This allows you to concentrate on having a great time! This does involve additional expense. Contact us for details.

Visa Requirements
Residents of most countries, including the UK will need a visa.
In the UK a single-entry visa valid for 3 months costs £38 (July 2010) and should be obtained in advance from the Tanzanian authorities.
Application forms can be downloaded from the internet at the  Tanzanian Embassy Website
The address of the Tanzanian Embassy in the UK is
3 Stratford Place,
London W1C 1AS
Tel.: (0207) 569 1470

Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you are insured for guided trekking up to 6000m covering personal accident, rescue and third party risks. You are strongly advised also to take out cover against cancellation and curtailment.
If you are looking to purchase insurance for your trip we recommend SNOWCARD. They specialise in travel insurance for adventure travel. Their rates for both single trip and annual policies are very competitive.

For details on their policies and to get a quote CLICK HERE or contact our office for further details.

Other Useful Information about Tanzania
The local electricity supply is 220 volts, 50 cycles ac. You will need to supply your own international standard adapter for your electrical appliances.

An onward ticket and sufficient funds are required when entering Tanzania.

Tanzanian people are friendly and will always offer a helping hand.

The official languages are Ki-Swahili and English. There are more than 120 tribal vernaculars. The local people are mainly Muslim, Christian and Traditional beliefs. Please keep in mind that you are entering a different country with strong religious customs.

The currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (about 2200 to the £sterling).

There are very few cash machines and credit cards are only accepted in very few places. We recommend that you bring Sterling or US dollars.