Mt. Kilimanjaro Celebrity Climb Sample Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at JFK airport and board your flight to the Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport in Nairobi.
 
Day 2: Arrive early morning, take bus to Flying Kites Leadership Academy (FKLA) in Njabini.  
Afternoon free to meet the Flying Kites children, explore, and relax.
 
Day 3: Gentle hike in Aberdares National Park. Free time to enjoy time with the children
you have worked so hard to support.
 
Day 4: Free day for activities with the kids.
 
Day 5: Depart FKLA early morning; arrive in Arusha lodging around 5pm.
 
Day 6: From Arusha drive to the Machame Park gate, then a gentle climb up through the
original montane forest, carpeted with unique "busy lizzie" flowers, begonias, and ferns.
First camp amongst the giant heather at 3,000m. Ascent of 1,200m and 5-6 hours walking.
 
Day 7: Emerge from the giant heather zone and hike through the open moorland to camp
well as fascinating geological features in the old volcanic caldera which can be viewed
during a half hour optional walk in the afternoon. Ascent 840m and 4-5 hours walking.
 
Day 8: From Shira, climb towards the main peak Kibo, with the western glaciers clearly
visible across the rugged high-altitude desert of volcanic rocks and boulders. Skirtingaround its base and under the imposing Western Breach, descend into the sheltered
Barranco Valley for mid-way camp at 3,950m. 5-7 hours walking and only 110m total
ascent – but having climbed higher and dropping back down assists with acclimatization.
 
Day 9: Climb up the steep Barranco Wall with some sections of very easy scrambling and
drop down again to the Karanga Valley. This is a short walking day, around 3 hours, and
again you climb about 300m but drop back down again to around 4,000m. There’s an
optional further acclimatization hike in afternoon up onto the scree below the glaciers.
 
Day 10: Up to a new camp about 100m above Barafu Hut perched high on a rocky bluff at
4,000m. Fantastic views across to Mawenzi peak, and a bit less to climb tomorrow
morning! This is another short walking day, about 4 hours with a 700m height gain, and
time for a good rest in the afternoon immediately before the hard summit day.
 
Day 11: A bracing 1am start to climb the steep frozen scree. We aim to reach Stella Point
on the crater rim for sunrise - another 40 mins and you’re at the highest point on the
continent, usually in warm sunshine. We return on the Mweka descent route. Walking time
7 hours and 1,300m ascent to the summit, 5-6 hours and 2,800m descent to our camp in a
clearing amongst the giant heather at Mweka. This is a long and hard day - you’ll feel tired
but absolutely ecstatic after you’ve done it.
 
Day 12: A 4-5 hours descent through the forest to Mweka Gate to collect our certificates
and meet our vehicle. Return to Arusha, arriving early to mid-afternoon.
 
Day 13: Transport back to Nairobi where you’ll have a free afternoon to explore the city.
 
Day 14: Board early morning flight back to New York JFK.