INTRODUCTION 10

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

With a group or on your own?
Independent trekking not an option 17 – With friends 17 – On your own? 18

Budgeting
Accommodation 20 – Food 20 – Transport 20

When to go 20

Booking your trek
Booking with an agency at home 22 – Booking with an agency in Tanzania 32 – Signing the contract 35 – The cost: why’s it all so expensive? 36 – Tipping 38

The crew
Porters 38 – Guides 46

Getting to Kilimanjaro
By air 48 – Overland 49

Route options
Getting to the mountain 50 – Getting up the mountain 50

What to take
Clothes 55 – Other equipment 57 – What to pack it in 61

Health precautions, inoculations and insurance
Fitness 62 – Inoculations 62 – Insurance 64

PART 2: TANZANIA

Facts about the country
Geography 65 – Climate 66 – History 66 – Economy 70 – The people 70

Practical information for the visitor
Documents and visas 71 – Airport tax 72 – Money 72 – Tourist offices 74 – Getting around 74 – Accommodation 75 – Electricity 76 – Time 76 – Post and telecommunications 76 – Holidays and festivals 78 – Food 78 – Drinks 79 – Things to buy 79 – Security 79 – Health 80

PART 3: KILIMANJARO

Geology
The glaciers 82

Climate 85

The history of Kilimanjaro
Early history 86 – The outsiders arrive 88 – The 1800s: Pioneers... 90 – ...and preachers 91 – First attempts at the summit 97 – Colonization 99 – Kilimanjaro conquered 101 – After Meyer 105 – Kilimanjaro today 107

Flora and fauna
Flora 110 – Fauna 112

The people of Kilimanjaro: the Chagga
Origins 117 – Social structure and village life 118 – Religion and ceremonies 119 – Kilimanjaro economy 123

PART 4: ARRIVING IN EAST AFRICA: NAIROBI, DAR ES SALAAM
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT

Dar es Salaam
Arrival 125 – Orientation and getting around 125 – Services 125 – Where to stay 126 – Where to eat 130 – A tour of the city 131 – Moving on to Kilimanjaro 132

Nairobi
Security 135 – Arrival 135 – Orientation and getting around 136 – Services 138 – Where to stay 139 – Where to eat 140 – A tour of the city 141 – Moving on to Kilimanjaro 143

Kilimanjaro International Airport 144

PART 5: ARUSHA, MOSHI AND MARANGU

Arusha
Arrival 145 – Orientation and getting around 146 – Services 147 – Where to stay 151 – Where to eat and drink 156 – Nightlife 159 – What to do 160 – Trekking agencies 161 – Getting away 167

Moshi
Arrival 169 – Orientation and getting around 170 – Services 170 – Where to stay 172 – Where to eat and drink 177 – Trekking agencies 181 – Getting away 188

Marangu
Arrival 190 – Services 190 – Where to stay 190 – Trekking agencies 192 – What to do 194 – Getting away 196

PART 6: MINIMUM IMPACT AND SAFE TREKKING

Minimum impact trekking 197

Safe trekking
What is AMS 200 – Go pole pole if you don’t want to feel poorly poorly: how to avoid AMS 203 – How to treat it 205 – Other potential health problems 206

PART 7: Mount Meru

Introduction 209 – Practicalities 210 – Stage 1: Momela Gate to Miriakamba Huts 212 – Map A 214 – Stage 2: Miriakamba Huts to Saddle Huts 215 – Map B 217 – Stage 3: Saddle Huts to Meru Summit 218 – Stage 4: Miriakamba Huts to Momela Gate 219

PART 8: TRAIL GUIDE AND MAPS

Using this guide
About the maps in this guide 220

The Marangu Route
Stage 1: Marangu Gate to Mandara Huts 226 – Map 1 227
Stage 2: Mandara Huts to Horombo Huts 229 – Map 2 231 – Map 3 232
Stage 3: Horombo Huts to Kibo Huts 232 – Map 4 233
Stage 4: Kibo Huts to Gillman’s Point and Uhuru Peak 234 – Map 5 236

The Machame Route
Stage 1: Machame Gate to Machame Huts 239 – Map 6 240 – Map 7 241
Stage 2: Machame Huts to the New Shira Camp 242 – Map 8 243
Stage 3: New Shira Camp to Barranco Huts 244 – Map 9 244 – Map 10 245
Stage 4: Barranco Huts to Barafu Huts 247 – Map 11 248
Stage 5: Barafu Huts to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak 249 – Map 12 250

The Shira Plateau and Lemosho routes
Stage 1: Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa/Big Tree Camp 255 – Map 13 257
Stage 2: Mti Mkubwa/Big Tree Camp to Shira 1 258 – Map 14 259
Stage 3: Shira 1 to Shira Huts/Fischer Camp 261 – Map 15 262
Stage 4: Shira Huts/Fischer Camp to Lava Tower 264 – Map 16 265
Stage 5: Lava Tower to Arrow Glacier Campsite 267
Stage 6: Western Breach: Arrow Glacier to Uhuru Peak 267 – Map 17 269

The Shira Plateau Route 272 – Map 18 273

The Rongai Route
Preparation 275
Stage 1: Loitokitok village to First Cave Campsite 276 – Map 19 277
Stage 2: First Cave Campsite to Third Cave Campsite 278 – Map 20 279

The Mawenzi Tarn Hut Route 280 – Map 20A 281
Stage 3: Third Cave Campsite to School Hut 282 – Map 21 283
Stage 4: School Hut to the Kibo Huts Route and Gillman’s Point 283 – Map 22 284

Umbwe Route
Stage 1: Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Cave Campsite 286 – Map 23 287
Stage 2: Umbwe Cave Campsite to Barranco Huts 288 – Map 24 289
Stage 3: Barranco Huts to Lava Tower Campsite 290

The descent routes
Marangu Route 292– Returning via the Mawenzi Route 292 – Map 25 293 – Mweka Route 294 – Map 26 296 – Map 27 298

PART 9: THE SUMMIT

What’s at the top?
Walking on the summit 300 – Map 28 301

APPENDICES

A: Swahili 303
B: Flights to Kilimanjaro 305
C: Tanzanian and Kenyan embassies abroad 306
D: Useful websites 308
E: Recommended reading, listening and watching 309

INDEX 315

Book List | Kilimanjaro - A trekking guide to Africa's highest mountain | Buy This Book | Table of Contents
| Introduction | Planning your trip | Minimum impact trekking | Sample route | On the trail |