Kilimanjaro School Expedition

• Climb Africa's highest peak via the spectacular though demanding Machame Track
• See rare equatorial glaciers 
• Feel the beautiful and friendly African culture 
• View the greatest animal kingdoms on the planet in a 3 day safari
• Visit a local orphanage and school where we will help with maintenance and building projects

Our Kilimanjaro School Trip will take your group to Africa's highest peak, visit a local orphanage where students will help enhance the orphanages facilities through an ongoing maintenance program, as well as teach the children through lessons of English which they will eagerly await.

You will even have a chance at a spot of game viewing on our 2 day safari. This expedition has been specifically tailored for school groups, always giving them the best and safest opportunity to summit Kilimanjaro and providing them with the chance for community work as well. 

We understand that it is difficult to organise overseas activities for students. Not only are there a host of operators, there are the risks of the expedition itself, there is all the paperwork as well parents and school boards to satisfy. Our years of experience will help you overcome many of these problems so that you can focus on your students and get them ready for this amazing trip.

The main tracks to the summit are:
The Machame Track is a wonderfully scenic route up the mountain. Steep forest paths, easy scrambling and airy ridges lead to the final scree and hence the crater. Nights are spent in tents. The Mweka Track is generally used to descend after either of the last two tracks.

Note: We can organise trips up any track at any time of year for any size of group. Our team are based at our hotel near Moshi year round . We also offer several scheduled trips which combine the ascent of Kilimanjaro with that of Mount Kenya or Mount Meru and a Safari in Tanzania.

We have expeditions leaving daily especially in December, January, February and September. 

Machame Track 12 days/6 days on mountain

Day 1:Transfer from airport to hotel (B&B).
Day 2: Today we will head off to the orphanage.
Day 3: Drive to Machame village.
Day 4: Trek to Shira hut at 3800m, 5 hours.
Day 5: Trek to Barranco hut (3940m, 4 hours).
Day 6: Trek to the Barafu Hut at 4600m, (3 hours walking).
Day 7: Summit day
Day 8: Back to Park gate and drive back to the hotel.
Day 9: Today we start our 2 Day Safari into the Ngorogoro National Park
Day 10: Safari
Day 11: Safari and return to hotel
Day 12: Depart hotel after breakfast. Transfer to airport or continue on an extension.

We conduct expeditions up Kili all year round. So all you need to do is let us know when your ready to go and we will handle everything else. The optimal time to climb is when the moon is in her full cycle, so keep this in mind.

CLIMBING OTHER MOUNTAINS 
There are many game parks to be visited and mountains to be climbed in East Africa. In Tanzania Mount Meru is a high beautiful volcanic mountain perfect as training before the ascent of Kilimanjaro. The active volcano Lengai is a sacred mountain to the Masaii. For these you may consider organising the trip as a private group. Our guides are based permanently in Moshi throughout the year. In Kenya, Mount Kenya offers top quality rock and ice climbing in a superb setting. In Uganda, Elgon's caldera provides remote high altitude walking while the Rwenzori are a great, glaciated and mystical mountain range to be explored. Email us if you are interested in any of these options.

SAFARIS AND TRIP EXTENSIONS
Safaris are a great way to end an expedition.  They are more relaxing than your typical expedition and they allow you to appreciate what Africa is truly famous for, the wildlife. The following is our Safari extension for this trip.

Three Days / Two Nights
Day 1 We will pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 AM and depart Arusha for Lake Manyara N.P for game viewing with a picnic lunch in the park. Drive to Jambo Campsite or a lodge or dinner and overnight. Meal Plan: L, D
Day 2: After breakfast, depart your campsite or lodge for Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into the Crater with your picnic lunches for a full day Crater tour.  Return to the campsite or lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal Plan: B, L, D
Day 3:  After breakfast, drive to Tarangire NP and have game-viewing in the morning and afternoon, including a picnic lunch, depart the park late afternoon and return to Arusha and your hotel arriving about 6 PM Meal Plan: B, L.

Vehicles
For smaller groups we use Toyota Landcruisers or Landrovers with opening roofs. These seat 4-5 persons. You will also have with you a driver/guide.

MOONLIGHT ASCENTS
Almost all nights in the East African mountains (excluding the Rwenzori) are clear and for many mountains such as Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Lengai and Mount Meru a pre-dawn start is crucial. To make the night ascents more pleasant and in some cases beautiful, getting up and walking up by moonlight is the optimal situation.

WHEN TO CLIMB
Even though one can climb throughout the year, January, February and September are the best months, with June, July, August, October and December also being good.

WEATHER CONDITIONS
Equatorial to Arctic conditions are present on Kilimanjaro and Meru. The range begins with the warm, dry plains with average temperatures of 30C, ascending through a wide belt of wet tropical forest, through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall, to the summit where there is permanent ice and below freezing temperatures. The temperature at the top of the mountain gets as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius.

• Arrival and departure airport transfers via Kilimanjaro International Airport.
• 4 nights accommodation in Moshi on half board.
• 3 Day tented Safari.
• Enrolment in the Flying Doctor Service for emergency medical evacuation.
• Accommodation in mountain tents. We use the highest quality expedition tents.
• All meals while on the mountain.
• All park fees, including mountain rescue fees, and government taxes.
• Services of our own trained English-speaking mountain guide, and a skilled cook (serving as porter), and enough porters for your luggage, food, and water.
• Transport from your hotel to the mountain, and back to your hotel.
• Use of radios/phones to increase your safety.
• Toilet Tent

• International Airfares
• Travel Insurance