Kenya & Tanzania: Climb Kilimanjaro!

Crowned by eternal snow, Mount Kilimanjaro is called the "Home of God" because to climb Kilimanjaro is to stand on the roof of Africa. Leave it to Mountain Travel Sobek to offer the most comprehensive, one-of-a-kind Kilimanjaro adventure around. Eco-Adventurer says, "What better way to appreciate the environment than to get right up in it?" Operating Kilimanjaro climbs since 1974, Mountain Sobek was the first company to lead commercial treks up the mountain. Today, over 90% reach Kilimanjaro's 19,340-foot high summit. We think those are pretty good odds, don't you?
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a Mountain Travel Sobek (MTS) classic, enough so that anchorwoman Ann Curry used MTS to make her own ascent to Africa's highest peak. In Amboseli National Park, you'll slip into "safari mode" by viewing elephants before taking off on a six-day climb of Kilimanjaro via the rarely-traveled Rongai Route, a trail skirting spectacular Mawenzi peak. You'll track game along the Tsavo National Park on the banks of the Galana River where MTS has the only permit to camp and hike along this stunning waterway. Your savvy naturalist guides include Alex Fiksman, one of East Africa’s leading mountaineers and rock-climbing aces, and Julius Odhiambo, one of Kenya’s top ornithologists and naturalists. As a grand finale, the trip ends with some "R&R" at the Indian Ocean coast (you'll need it) where you’ll bask in shameless luxury at a deluxe resort — a perfect spot to unwind at the conclusion of an unforgettable safari.

Not up for the climb? While your spouse, partner, or friend goes for the summit, you can enjoy traditional safari activities in five-star comfort like game viewing, horseback riding, and "sundowners," at two permanent camps: Ol Donyo Wuas, at the foot of the Chyulu Hills; and Finch Hatton’s, a luxurious legacy of the former big game hunter in Tsavo. Both offer views of Kilimanjaro. On Day 10 (see itinerary below) you’ll meet the group in Tsavo after the climb.

Itinerary: Kilimanjaro & Beyond - Rongai Route

Day 1 - Meet in Nairobi, Kenya. Overnight at the Karen Blixen Cottages, just outside Nairobi.

Days 2-3 - Game viewing in Amboseli, noted for having the most magnificent elephant herds in Africa and dramatic views of Kilimanjaro. Noted researchers Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole have conducted groundbreaking elephant studies here for almost 30 years.

Days 4-7 - From the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro on the Kenya side, you'll be climbing through unspoiled forests, moorlands, and alpine zone, arriving at a high camp at 15,500'. You'll take an extra day for acclimatization below the craggy north face of Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro's forgotten peak (it's the second-highest point at 16,893 feet).

Day 8 - Pre-dawn hike (the classic alpine start) to Kilimanjaro's glacier-clad summit to watch the sun rise over the African plains, an indescribable thrill and feeling of accomplishment! Descend to camp at 12,000'.
Day 9 - Hike down through the lush equatorial rain forest, home to colobus and Syke's monkeys. Meet waiting vehicles for a drive to the hotel in Marangu, Tanzania.

Day 10 - Drive to camp along the Galana River in Tsavo East National Park where Mountain Travel Sobek has an exclusive permit.

Days 11-12 - Tsavo is Africa at its most intense and dramatic, a raw sunburned land through which the Galana, the only source of water for the wildlife, cuts a bright green swath. Accompanied by trackers and an armed escort, you'll carefully search for prides of lions, including the rare maneless males, stalk elephant herds, view hippos and crocs in quiet pools, and enjoy some of the best birding in Kenya.

Day 13 - Drive to palm-fringed Watamu Beach at Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast, where you can swim, snorkel, bird-watch, or go deep-sea fishing (optional).

Day 14 - Morning on the beach; fly to Nairobi in the afternoon and depart, or join one of our extensions in East Africa.
Dates & Prices

2009
Jun 01 - Jun 14
Jul 09 - Jul 22
Jul 31 - Aug 13
Aug 29 - Sep 11
Sep 28 - Oct 11

2010
Jan 24 - Feb 06
Feb 22 - Mar 07
Jun 20 - Jul 03
Jul 20 - Aug 02
Sep 17 - Sep 30
Oct 17 - Oct 30

2009 Prices
$6,295 (11–15 members)
$6,595 (7–10 members)
$6,995 (3–6 members)
$1,250 park fees
$300 internal air
$1,200 single supplement

Toll Free 1-888-831-7526 (USA & Canada)

So what are you waiting for? The ice caps to melt?