SHAP Kilimanjaro Challenge October 2010

Welcome to the online home of the SHAP Kilimanjaro Challenge. This October a team of intrepid explorers will trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for SHAP, a homeless charity based in the North West of England. On this blog you will be able to follow our journey and along the way find out information about Mount Kilimanjaro, the trek, the training, the team and of course about SHAP.


SHAP aim to enable homeless, vulnerable or disadvantaged people to take control of their own lives, and to receive the quality of housing and services to which they are entitled. To benefit our service users and to provide new opportunities for our service users which we are unable to fund through our normal resources, we need your donations. You can do this by sponsoring one (or more!) of our team

If you would like to sponsor one of our team please click here, scroll down a bit, and select the just giving link of the team member you would like to sponsor (IMPORTANT BIT - please remember to select gift aid when you donate and we can claim an extra 28% from the taxman at no extra cost to you!).

Thanks for visiting and please give generously.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Trek Details and Itinerary



Our challenge takes us along the tough, but rewarding Machame Route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the south through dense tropical rainforest and all the way up to the mighty snow capped summit.  



 THE MACHAME ROUTE - ITINERARY

D1      07 October                 DEPARTURE
We depart London Heathrow on our overnight flight to Kilimanjaro.  Flight details will be sent to you closer to departure.

D2       08 October                 MOSHI
On arrival we transfer approximately one hour to our hotel in the town of Moshi. After freshening up we have a welcome lunch and meet our guides who will be leading the climb.  In the afternoon there is the chance to relax by the pool and prepare our kit bag for the climb. This evening we enjoy an evening meal together and have a final briefing on the challenge ahead.

D3       09 October    MACHAME CAMP - 3000M   5-6HRS TREKKING
After a good breakfast we make the 1 hour road transfer to the Machame Gate. On arrival we meet the rest of our team, including our guides, cooks and porters. We register for the trek and our bags are weighed to ensure each is within the 15 kg limit.  Finally it is here – the moment we have all been waiting for!  We begin our trek through lush vegetation of the humid rainforest with its fascinating range of bird life, wild flowers, endemic trees and insects. If we are lucky we might even spot a blue monkey or hear the shy Colobus monkey leaping through the trees above us!  We have some short breaks en route before reaching our camp in the afternoon.  There is some time to relax before dinner.  We then settle for our first night under canvas. 

D4       10 October  SHIRA CAMP - 3840M         6-7 HRS TREKKING
This morning our route takes us through the ever changing scenery as we make the steep ascent up through heather and moorland to the Shira Plateau.  We continue across the plateau to our camp and this evening we can relax and enjoy the fabulous views.  



D5       11 October  BARRANCO CAMP - 3950M   6-7 HRS TREKKING
Today we trek east across beautiful barren moon like landscape and around craters that scar the earth.  We trek always in the shadow of mighty Kibo until reaching the Lava Tower where we stop for some lunch.  This afternoon we descend through the surrounding ravines, with their wonderful micro climates and beautiful birdlife.  We eventually reach our camp late in the afternoon.  This decent aids the acclimatisation process and allows our bodies to adjust to the ever changing altitude.

D6       12 October    BARAFU CAMP - 4600M       6-7HRS TREKKING
We leave camp early and our first challenge today is a climb and scramble over the volcanic rock of the Barranco Wall.  On reaching the top we have a well earned snack break and enjoy fantastic views over to Barafu.  For the rest of the day we make the steady climb to our camp positioned on a ridge overlooking the south east valley.  We reach camp in the afternoon and after a good meal, we put on some extra layers to keep warm and try to relax and get some sleep in preparation for our early morning summit bid.

D7       13 October   SUMMIT DAY - 5896M      12 HRS TREKKING
And so to summit day and our toughest challenge yet.  We awake just after midnight and after a hot drink and snack we begin our climb.  For the next 6 hours we trek the steepest and most demanding part of the route by torch light.  This is a long and gruelling trek through scree to reach Stella point at the crater rim.  After a short rest we make our final traverse to Uhuru Peak , the highest point on the African continent at 5896m.  The rising morning sunlight gives us spectacular views across the plains below and of Mount Meru in the distance and we feel on top of the world!  After some photos we have a tough decent to Barafu camp where we stop for a rest and some breakfast before continuing on to Mweka camp.  After a long but exhilarating day we can finally rest our tired legs and get a good night’s sleep.  

D8       14 October         MOSHI                      3-4HRS TREKKING
After breakfast we continue our descent back through the rainforest to Mweka Gate.  A short transfer by bus takes us to Moshi and our hotel.  Here we can finally take off our walking boots and enjoy our first hot shower in almost a week!  We have the afternoon to relax by the pool with a drink and this evening we enjoy a fantastic gala dinner to celebrate our remarkable achievements and for those who have the energy we can party in to the night!

D9       15 October                 MOSHI
We can enjoy a free day either by the pool or exploring the local area before transferring to the airport for our overnight flight back to the UK .

D10     16 October                ARRIVE HOME

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