BWA New Year Summit of Kilimanjaro 2009/10

This year’s BootsnAll New Years Summit will be a Lemosho Route climb with two nights pre-climb accommodation at the lovely Ndarakwai Ranch in Western Kilimanjaro, and the possibility of a 4-5 day safari itinerary afterwards for those that are interested in joining us. This will be a personally guided and hosted trip by BootsnAll Kilimanjaro guide and Kilimanjaro expert Peter Baxter. Get in touch today or email Peter for prices and general information.

Check out the blog for the BWA 2008/9 New Year Summit…

Arrival

Dec 23: Arrive by land, sea or air in Moshi/Kilimanjaro Airport – you will be collected and transfered to a your hotel in downtown Moshi.

Dec 24: After a leisurely breakfast we will meet the mountain crew, discuss issues of kit, hear a pre-departure brief and after a question and answer session we will head off to Ndarakwai Ranch.

Dec 25: A day of relaxation and preparation for the climb. Day walks, game drives and bird watching, or simply relaxing are the virtues of Ndarakwai. Expect an excellent spread of Christmas fare for lunch or dinner.

Kilimanjaro

Dec 26: Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkumbwa (2,650 m/8,692 ft)

Hike time: 3hrs
Elevation Change: + 650 M/+2,132
Estimation distance: 10 km
Final Elevation: 2,650 m/8,694 ft

After a short but adventurous drive from Ndarakwai to Londorossi Gate we usually put boots on the trail at about noon. This is a mild challenge to start the trip, and is a 2 to 4 hour mixed climb through cloud forest to Mti Mkubwa camp at 8692ft.

Dec 27: Mti Mkubwa (2,650 m/8,692 ft) to Shira One Camp (3,609 m/11,841 ft.)

Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs
Elevation change: + 950 M/+3116
Estimation distance: 12 km
Final Elevation: 3609 m/11,841 ft

Today’s climb is much tougher. It begins in forest but soon breaks out into heather and high moorland, with the gradient steep at times until broaching the edge of the Shira Crater. Camp is in a picturesque open area on the western edge of the Shira Plateau.

Dec 28: Shira One Camp (3,609 m/11,841 ft.) to Shira Two Camp (3,849 m/12,628 ft)

Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs
Elevation change: + 240 M/+787 ft
Elevation distance: 5 km
Final elevation: 3849 m/12,628 ft

Today’s hike is short and relatively easy stroll across the Shira Plateau, with a minimal altitude gain to help with the process of adjustment, and another beautiful campsite on the western slopes.
NOTE: From Shira Two Camp on, this route merges with the Machame Route, including the descent on the separate Mweka Route.

Dec 29: Shira Two Camp (3,849 m/12,628 ft.) to Barranco Camp (3,948 m/12,956 ft.)

Hike time: 5 hrs
Elevation change: +100 M/+328 ft
Estimated distance: 6 km
Final elevation: 3948 m/12,956 ft

The first stage of today’s climb follows a slow trail at a steady incline to the Lava Tower at about 15000ft, before descending back to an altitude of 12800ft at the dramatic Baranco Camp in the lap of Kibo Crater itself.

Dec 30: Barranco Camp (3,900 m/12,800 ft) to Karanga Valley (3,963 m/13,000 ft)

Hike time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation change: +100 m/+328 ft
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 3,963 m/13,000 ft

The first sight of the day is the Great Baranco Wall, a steep valley side that is the first big challenge of the day, but one that usually passes of with more ease than anticipated. A steady few hours follows over ups and downs until the trail ends at Karanga Camp

Dec 31: Karanga Valley (3,963 m/13,000 ft) to Barafu Hut (4,600 m/15,091 ft)

Hike time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation change: +600 m/+1,968 ft
Estimated distance: 4km/2.5 miles
Final elevation: 4,600 m/15,091 ft

Today the trail ascends into barren terrain en-route to Barafu Camp. The camp is in a bleak and forbidding situation, but you’ll only be sleeping from around 7 p.m. until 11: 30 p.m. or so because you’ll be starting the summit climb at midnight.

Jan 1: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,091 ft) to The Summit (5,896 m/19,343 ft) and then to Mweka Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft)

Summit time: 7 hrs
Elevation change: +1,300 m/+4,265 ft
Estimated distance: 5km/3.2 miles
Final elevation: 5,896 m/19,343 ft
Descent time: 5 hrs
Elevation change: -2,800 m/-9,186 ft
Estimated distance: 12km/7.5 miles
Final elevation: 3,100 m, 10,170 ft

At midnight the wake up call comes and the trail leads up into darkness lit by hundreds of blinking headlights. New Years Eve is one of the most popular times of the year to summit, and by now all the trails have merged. It is a tough 6/7-hour climb in the dark to catch the sunrise at Uhuru Peak at dawn. A quick photograph and a look around and you will probably want to head back, and begin the long descent and the hike on to Mweka Camp and a more comfortable altitude.

Jan 2: Mweka Hut (3,100 m/10,170 ft) to Mweka Gate (1,828 m/6,000 ft)

Descent time: 4 hrs
Elevation change: -1,250 m/-4,101 ft
Estimated distance: 10km/6.21
Final elevation: 1,828 m/6,000 ft

After the previous day you’ll deserve this short and very scenic descent of about 4 hours down to the Mweka Gate, where you’ll sign the register to make your climb official.

Accommodation at the Parkview Hotel Moshi

Jan 3: Trip ends