CONQUERINGMT.KILIMANJAROSeptember3–September11,2017

HIGHLIGHTS:-PrivateAlchemyvillainArushatoprepfortheclimb-7-day/6-nighttrektothesummitofMt.KilimanjaroontheMachameRoute-OptionalsafariextensionsforthebreathtakingmigrationthroughtheiconicSerengetiTRIPITINERARYQUOTE:EarlySign-upDiscountedPriceforMembers:$3979EarlySignupDiscountedPriceforNon-Members:$4079*SignupbeforeApril21,2017RegularPriceforMembers/Non-MembersafterApril21:$4479Onesinglesupplementavailable:$600

Day1–Sunday,September3–ArrivalatKilimanjaroAirport(D)Uponarrival,transferasagroupfromKilimanjaroAirporttoyourprivate6-bedroomvillaontheoutskirtsofArusha,whereyouwillacclimatizetoyournewtimezoneandpreparefortheclimbthatstartsonTuesday.Day2–Monday,September4–GearCheck(B,D)Wakelatetoday,thenmeetyourguideforanin-depthgearcheck.Ifyouaremissinganything,rentalscanbefacilitated.Meanwhile,youwillhavetheopportunityforaday-triptoArushaNationalPark,playaroundofgolforgohorsebackriding(allatanextracharge,payableonlocation).Day3–Tuesday,September5–ConquerKilimanjaro:Machame(B,L,D)Afterbreakfastatyourvilla,drivefromArushatotheMachameVillage(1,490m/4,890ft)whereyourguidesandportersprepareandpackyourequipmentandsupplies.Afterregisteringattheparkoffice,youstartyourascentandenter therain forest immediately.Heavyrainson thissideof themountainoften transformthetrailintoasoggy,slipperyexperience,sogoodfootgear,trekkingpoles,andgaitersareuseful.YouwillreachtheMachamecampingareainthelateafternoon.Yourporterswillarriveatcampbeforeyouandwillerectyour tent before you arrive. In the evening, enjoy dinner that your cooked has prepared for you at camp.NighttemperaturescandroptofreezingattheMachameCamp.Elevation(ft):4,890ftto9,780ftHikingTime:5-7hoursHabitat:MontaneForestDay4–Wednesday,September6–toShiraCamp(B,L,D)YouriseearlyatMachamecamp,andafterbreakfast, climb foranhour to the topof the forest, then for2hoursthroughagentlemoorland.Afterashortlunchandrest,youcontinueuparockyridgeontotheShiraPlateau, where you will be able to see Kilimanjaro's great Western Breach with its stunning glaciers.Sometimes,thewallsoftheWesternBreacharedrapedwithextensiveicecurtains.YouarenowwestofKiboontheoppositesideof themountain fromtheMaranguRoute.Afterashorthikewest,youreachtheShiracampsite.Youwillbeserveddinner inyourmess tent.Thenightat thisexposedcampwillbecolder,withtemperaturesdroppingbelowfreezing.Elevation(ft):9,780ftto12,600ftWalkingTime:4-6hoursHabitat:MoorlandDay5–Thursday,September7–toBarrancoCamp(B,L,D)After breakfast, youwillwalk up a steep path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro's loomingmass.Afterseveralhours,youwalkthrougharockylandscapetoreachtheprominentlandmarkcalledLavaTower, also called the "Shark's Tooth." at 4,630m/15,190ft. This chunky remnant of Kilimanjaro's earliervolcanicactivityisseveralhundredfeethigh,andthetrailpassesrightbelowit.AfteralunchstopnearLavaTower,descendfor2hoursbelowthelowercliffsoftheWesternBreachandBreachWalltoBarrancoCampat 3,950 m/12,960 ft. There are numerous photo opportunities on this hike, especially if the walls arefestoonedwith ice.BarrancoCampis inavalleybelowtheBreachandGreatBarrancoWalls,whichshouldprovideyouwithamemorablesunsetwhileyouwait foryourdinner.Onthisday,becareful tonoticeanysignsofaltitudesickness.Althoughyouendthedayatalmost thesameelevationaswhenyoustarted, thisdayisveryimportantforacclimatizationandwillhelpyourbodyprepareforsummitday.Elevation(ft):12,600ftto15,190ftto12,960ftWalkingTime:5-7hoursHabitat:Semi-desert

Day6–Friday,September8–toKarangaCamp(B,L,D)After spending a night under the imposing Great BarrancoWall, you climb this awesome obstacle, whichturnsouttobeeasierthanitlooks.ToppingoutjustbelowtheHeimGlacier,youcannowappreciatejusthowbeautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley and goes overintervening ridges and valleys to join theMweka Route, whichwill be your descent route. You have nowcompletedtheSouthCircuit,whichoffersviewsofthesummitfrommanydifferentangles.Elevation(ft):12,600ftto13,800ftHikingTime:4hoursHabitat:AlpineDesertDay7–Saturday,September9–toBarafuCamp(B,L,D)ThefamoussnowsofKilimanjaroarefaraboveBarafuCamp,nearthesummitofthemountain.Yourtentwillbepitchedonanarrow,stony,wind-sweptridge,somakesurethatyoufamiliarizeyourselfwiththeterrainbeforedarktoavoidanyaccidents.Prepareyourequipmentandwarmclothingforyoursummitclimb.Thisshould include replacing your headlamp and camera batteries, and to prevent freezing, consider carryingyourwaterinathermalflask.Gotobedby7pm,andtrytogetafewhoursofprecioussleep.Elevation(ft):13,800ftto14,930ftHikingTime:4hoursHabitat:AlpineDesertDay8–Sunday,September10–SummitDay!(B,L,D)Youwillrisearound11:00pm,andaftersomesteamingtea,youshuffleoffintothenight.Your6-hourclimbnorthwestupthroughheavyscreebetweentheRebmannandRatzelglacierstoStellaPointonthecraterrimisthemostchallengingpartoftherouteformostclimbers.AtStellaPoint(5,685m/18,650ft)youstopforashort rest and a chance to see a supremely sanguine sunrise. At Stella Point, you join the top part of theMaranguRoute,butdonotstopheretoolong,asitwillbeextremelydifficulttostartagainduetocoldandfatigue. Depending onMother Nature, youmay encounter snow on your remaining hike along the rim toUhuruPeak.Onthesummit,youcanenjoyyouraccomplishmentandknowthatyouarecreatingadaythatyouwillrememberfortherestofyourlife.Afteryour3-hourdescentfromthesummitbacktoBarafuCamp,youwillhaveawell-earnedbutshortrest, collectyourgear,andhikedownarockandscreepath into themoorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170 ft). You will want gaiters andtrekkingpolesfortheloosegravelgoingdown.Thiscampisintheupperforest,soyoucanexpectmistorraininthelateafternoon.Elevation(m):4,550mto5,895m(anddownto3,100m)Elevation(ft):14,930ftto19,340ft(anddownto10,170ft)HikingTime:6-8hoursup/7-8hoursdownHabitat:Stonescree,seasonalsnowandice-cappedsummitDay9–Monday,September11–toKilimanjaro(B,L)Afterawell-deservedbreakfast,itisashort,scenic,3-hourhikebacktotheparkgate.Atlowerelevations,itcanbewet andmuddy.Gaiters and trekkingpoleswill help. Shorts and t-shirtswill probablybeplenty towear(keepraingearandwarmerclothinghandy). IntheMwekaVillage,youwillbeservedadelicioushotlunchafterwhichyouwillbedriventoKIALodgebyKilimanjaroAirportforahotshower,beforeboardingyour departure flight. Dinner can be purchased at your own expense. If we have made alternative safariarrangementsforyou,thesedetailswillbeprovidedseparately.Elevation(m):3,100mto1,980mto890mElevation(ft):10,170ftto6500ftto2,920ftHikingTime:3-4hoursHabitat:Forest

GROUPSIZE:Maximum:10guests,including1AlchemyHostWeonlyhave6roomsavailableattheprivatevilla,soweareofferingONEsingleroomProgramwillrunwithaminimumof9guestsAIRPORTINFORMATION:Pleasecontactusbeforepurchasingflightstoconfirmtripoperation.Arrival:Wewillonlyprovideonegroupairport transfer.Thiswillbeprovided for the flight that themostnumberoftrekkersarriveon.Youmustarrivenolaterthan2AMSeptember4.YourAlchemyhostwillbearrivingon:September2–MinneapolistoAmsterdam–Delta160toAmsterdam–17:12/08:30September3–AmsterdamtoKilimanjaro(JRO)–Delta9349(operatedbyKLM)–10:25/19:50**Note:somesearchaggregatorswilllabelJROAirportasArusha.Thiscanbedeceiving,asArushaisasmall,regionalairport(code:ARK).Youdonotwanttoarriveintoasmall,regionalairport!Whendoingyourflightsearches,pleaseusethecodeJRO.Departure:Youmayleaveanytimeafter6PMonSeptember11.INCLUSIONS:·AlchemyHost·2nightsofaccommodationatSiringitVillabookedonHalfBoardbasis(DinnerandBreakfastonly)·DayroomatKIALodge(checkoutby6pm)bookedwithnomealsincluded·6nightsofbasiccampingonthemountain·Mealsasperitinerary:DinnerandBreakfastatSiringitVilla,FullBoardonmountain(3mealsaday)·OneGROUPtransferfromKilimanjaroInternationalAirport(JRO)toSiringitVilla·OneGROUPtransferfromSiringitVillatoMachamegatetostartKilimanjaroClimb·OneGROUPtransferfromMwekagatetoKIALodge·OneGROUPtransferfromKIALodgetoKilimanjaroAirport(JRO)providedbylodge·KilimanjaroNationalParkentryfeesandcampingfees·KilimanjaroNationalParkrescuefees·Emergencyoxygencylinders·ServicesofprofessionalEnglish-speakingmountainguideandassistantguides·ServicesofaprofessionalcookandallcookinganddiningutensilsonKilimanjaro·Enoughportersforyourluggage,food,water,sleepingtentanddiningtent·Salaries,parkfees,shelterandfoodforguides,cookandporters·Campingaccommodationonthemountainandfoodbasedonthreemealsaday(allmealsaredenotedasB,L,orD)·Campingequipment(e.g.sleepingtent,messtent,table,chairs,etc.)·1.5”thickfoammattresswithwaterproofcoverdesignedformountainexcursion·Useofradios/phonesbyyourguides/porterstoincreaseyoursafety·Portabletoilet(onetoiletper4people)·Applicablegovernmenttaxesandlevies(asof1stJuly2016)

EXCLUSIONS:·TouristvisasforTanzania($100USD)·Mandatorypersonaltravel/medicalinsurance.·StayingattheroomatKIALodgebeyond6pmcheck-outtime·Anymealsnotspecifiedintheitinerary(i.e.lunchesonDay1&2,DinneronDay9)·Extraairporttransfersinadditiontothosespecifiedabove,ifgroupmembersarriveatdifferenttimes·Optionalactivities,excursionsorspatreatments(advancebookingrequired)·TrekkinggearandsleepingbagsforKilimanjaro(seerecommendedlist)·Allitemsofapersonalnaturee.g.telephonecalls,internet,laundryservices·Tipsandgratuitiesforvilla/lodgestaff,drivers,mountainguides,cook&porters($340USDperperson)·Alcoholicandnon-alcoholicdrinksataccommodations(purchasedirectlyatvilla/lodge)·DrinkssupplementofUS$40perpersonpernightatSiringitVilla(applicableonlyifallguestsagreetopay,bookableinadvanceonly)Note:Champagne&premiumalcoholexcluded·Anylocalflightsnoranyinternationalflightsandapplicabledeparturetaxes·Anyotheritemsnotspecifiedinthisitinerary